Considering Catholicism

Pope Francis' funeral will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at St. Peter's Basilica. But he has chosen to be buried in another church, the Basilica of St. Mary Major on the Esquiline Hill in central Rome. This magnificent basilica, founded in 432 AD, is the home of the relic of the Holy Manger and the Salus Populi Romani, one of the most beloved icons of the Catholic Church. Greg explains why t...

Pope Francis passed away this morning. He was 88 years old and had served as the Holy Father 12 years. We pray for the repose of his soul and for the transition the Church will undergo in the weeks ahead. Greg shares some thoughts about what might or might not happen, and how we should approach those possibilities. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www...

Two years ago, after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Greg described what insights into the Holy Week can be gained from visiting Jerusalem. Perhaps he'll lead a Considering Catholicism pilgrimage to Israel someday! (With Greg so busy during Holy Week this year, we're sharing this classic from the vault.) Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.considering...

Two years ago, after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Greg described what insights into the Gospel can be gained from seeing the Sea of Galilee firsthand. Perhaps he'll lead a Considering Catholicism pilgrimage to Israel someday! (With Greg so busy during Holy Week this year, we're sharing this classic from the vault.) Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://w...

This was the 13th episode of Considering Catholicism, way back in 2022. Since then, the challenges to a biblical and Catholic understanding of the human person and the resurrection have grown more dramatic. Just one year ago, in 2024, the United States Government declared March 31, Easter, to be "Transgender Visibility Day." Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: h...

What does it mean to be confirmed in the Catholic faith? Greg unpacks the sacrament of Confirmation, exploring its roots, its role in strengthening believers, and why it’s more than just a rite of passage. It's the Holy Spirit equipping us for a bold, purposeful life. A compelling look at how Confirmation seals us as witnesses to Christ in a world that needs it now more than ever!   Support this m...

Is the world overpopulated, or are we facing a demographic free fall? In this episode, Greg and Ed dive into the startling reality of population collapse, debunking the overpopulation myth with hard numbers—like the critical 2.3 replacement rate—and real-world stats from nations like Japan and South Korea. They explore why shrinking birth rates threaten economies, cultures, and even our sense of p...

Does the Catholic Church’s stance on contraception doom families to misery? Greg and Ed unpack whether the ban on birth control truly burdens households or if rejecting it has unleashed unexpected struggles in our modern world. Were large families a source of strain—or a strength we’ve lost? Could the Church’s unwavering authority hold a deeper truth about happiness we’ve overlooked? Support this...

The Good Samaritan: just a call to help the needy? Explore a 2,000-year-old Catholic twist—Christ as rescuer, the Church as refuge. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho might lead to Rome, revealing salvation’s depth beyond morality. A surprising ride awaits!   Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicis...

How can heaven be perfect if the things that bring us joy in this life are not there with us? For example, the one creature that God gave us capable of being man's best friend: how can I be happy in heaven without my dog who brings me so much happiness? Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicism@gmai...

Last week, those who have prepared to enter the Catholic Church at Easter attended the "Rite of Election" at their local cathedral. The "catechumens," those who will be baptized at Easter signed the "Book of the Elect" along with the bishop. What does "election" and "the elect" mean? And how does the Catholic Church's use of these New Testament terms differ from how they are used in Reformed theol...

Catholic leaders—priests, bishops, even popes—sometimes share their opinions about various political issues. Some Catholics and those considering Catholicism often wonder, "Do I have to agree with them?" Greg and Ed ask whether all Catholics have to all have the same politics. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: con...

The Catholic Church is a universal community, transcending time, space, races, languages, nations. So can you be a faithful Catholic and still be patriotic, loyal to your own place, time, tribe, and nation? Greg and Ed discuss the Catholic concept of "patria." Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholici...

Lent is a time of self-denial, which is a feature (not a bug) of ancient Christianity. It's a form of "asceticism," which Protestants and Evangelicals abandoned. Greg explains what asceticism is, and why sometimes telling ourselves no is a yes to God. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail....

As Lent begins, it's time for the annual Lent-bashing on social media (particularly on X) by some Protestants and fundamentalist Evangelicals. Greg takes on the most common myths they drag out every year. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com

Greg and Ed speculate about how the Catholic Church might (or might not) change whenever Pope Francis passes. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com

Pope Francis has been in the hospital for a couple of weeks. We are praying for his recovery, but it raises the question: what happens when a pope passes? Greg and Ed talk about the process of papal transitions. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com

In practice, most Protestants believe that after justification we are called to grow in sanctification through good works, which is the Catholic position. So, what's this whole faith vs. works controversy really about? Greg wraps this series by suggesting that it's about whether you believe the Church is a real thing, with real sacraments, that really dispenses grace. Support this ministry so more...

This is one of those age-old debates—“Once saved, always saved?” or can you lose your salvation? And who’s really fretting at night—Catholics, or our Protestant and Evangelical brothers and sisters? Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com

Greg tackles one of the trickiest, most misunderstood words in Catholic theology: “merit.” The very mention of merit sets off alarm bells for many non-Catholics (and even some Catholics!), who suspect that we’re advocating a system where we earn salvation through human effort. But does the Catholic Church really teach that? Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: ht...

The whole Faith vs. Works debate really kicked off in 1517, when Martin Luther complained about the Catholic Church charging German peasants money for something called "indulgences." Since then, Protestants will pull this out as a kind of trump card: "The Catholic Church sells salvation through indulgences! That proves it believes in salvation by works!" Greg takes this topic on, explains the myth...

We've been talking about how salvation is a multi-phase process, not a single event. It involves justification, which is entirely by grace through faith and repentance. It also involves sanctification, the journey towards holiness, maturity in Christ. But what happens if we don't complete that journey by the time we die? Can unholy people stand before a holy God? The Catholic doctrine of purgation...

Greg and Ed discuss their friend Danny, who is going through an extremely difficult experience. Ed realizes that before he began considering Catholicism, he didn't really have a way to make sense of this kind of suffering, but he's begun to see the value in it. Greg explains that Catholicism teaches us that Danny might be closer to the Kingdom of God than either of them. Support this ministry so m...

Catholicism identifies three categories of sin: original, mortal, and venial. What are the differences? How are they addressed or overcome in salvation? And to which types are our good works applied? Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism! Website: https://www.consideringcatholicism.com/ Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com

Protestants teach that we have "imputed righteousness" because Christ, in a one-time legal transaction, swaps our guilt and debt for his innocence and perfect credit score. Based on the totality of scripture, Catholicism (and all its ancient branches) teaches *infused* righteousness. We are gifted new life planted in us like a see, but we must cooperate with God's grace to cultivate that new life...