The Future is Human

Encyclicalpedia: Spe Salvi (Benedict XVI) In this episode, Zac and Kevin discuss Benedict XVI's Spe Salvi , a masterpiece of Christian theology that is addressed to the faithful and intended to remind us that our faith is not merely informative --it doesn't just tell us about what we should hope--but rather it is performative , changing and transforming our lives as we are conformed to the image o...

George Weigel and "This Catholic Moment" In this episode, Zac and Kevin talk about George Weigel's article in the October 2019 issue of First Things, in which Weigel dissects the relationship between modernity and Catholicism and argues that knowing the past 200 years of Catholic history is essential to understanding where the Church finds Herself today. This understanding is especially critical i...

From Odyssey to Rome (Part 2) In this episode, Paul McCusker, one of the original team members and writers of Adventures in Odyssey joins me to talk about his conversion to Catholicism, the Anglican liturgy, the search for truth, the nature of authority, and his work with the Augustine Institute . We'd love to hear what you think of this episode! Reach out to us: Email | Instagram | Twitter | Patr...

From Odyssey to Rome In this episode, Paul McCusker, one of the original team members and writers of Adventures in Odyssey joins me to talk about his conversion to Catholicism, the Anglican liturgy, the search for truth, the nature of authority, and his work with the Augustine Institute . We'd love to hear what you think of this episode! Reach out to us: Email | Instagram | Twitter | Patreon Other...

Encyclicalpedia: Deus Caritas Est Zac and Kevin break down Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God is Love). We talk about eros vs. agape , how Christianity transformed notions of love from antiquity, the centrality of the incarnation and the Eucharist in the Christian life, the threefold responsibility of the Church, and Catholic Social Teaching. We also debut a new jingle for...

Discerning your Vocation In this episode Fr. Anthony Sciarappa joins me to talk about being Catholic on social media, discerning your vocation, how to help your children discern their vocation, and vocations to lay singleness. Fr. Sciarappa also shares with us one of the saints who has been preoccupying his thoughts and devotion lately. We'd love to hear what you think of this episode! Reach out t...

Is it really the Body and Blood? In this episode, Kevin Beauchemin and I break down the Church's teaching on the True Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, focusing on three main questions: Is it in the Bible? How can Jesus be in multiple times and places at once? Is the dogma metaphysically sound? We barely scratched the surface so can promise future episodes along these lines in the future,...

Encyclicalpedia: Veritatis Splendor w/Kevin Beachemin In this episode I sit down with my good friend Kevin Beauchemin to talk about St. John Paul the Great's 1993 encyclical Veritatis Splendor . We talk about the historical context for the document, the errors it corrects, and its central message: that God in His love and mercy has given us the freedom to draw closer to Him. We also talk about voc...

Tarantino's Theology w/ Fr. Jim Baron In this episode I sit down with my pastor, Fr. Jim Baron, to talk about one of his favorite subjects: the cinematic art of Quentin Tarantino ( Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ). We discuss the echoes of Flannery O'Connor in Tarantino's work, his characters' collisions with grace,...

Dare We Hope? In this episode of Creedal Catholic , I sit down with Fr. Harrison Ayre , Pastor of Holy Family/Notre Dame Parish in Port Alberni, Canada, to talk about Hans Urs von Balthasar's controversial Dare We Hope That All Men Be Saved? Fr. Harrison and I discuss the broader context of Balthasar's work, whether or not Balthasar is guilty of advocating apokatastasis (universal reconciliation),...

Leaving Atheism w/Leah Libresco In this episode of Creedal Catholic, Leah Libresco joins me to talk about her journey from Patheos atheist channel blogger to Catholic writer. We talk about Kantian ethics, Alasdair MacIntyre, Church scandals, and her latest book, Building the Benedict Option (Ignatius Press, 2018). Follow Leah's work at LeahLibresco.com . Link: Leah's previous conversation on Verna...

Mythbusters: Seminary Edition w/ Matt Kane Seventh-year seminarian Matt Kane (Diocese of Colorado Springs) joins me to talk about his journey to the priesthood, his personal experience of receiving a call to ordination, and vocational discernment, before busting some prevalent myths about seminary life. (Do seminarians just study the Bible all the time? Are seminaries anti-science? Do the students...

Preaching, Bishops, and Staying Catholic w/Meg Hunter-Kilmer Meg Hunter-Kilmer, the "Hobo for Christ" ( piercedhands.com ), joins me to talk about how Catholics can encourage their priests to be better at preaching, the importance of storytelling in the Gospels, scandal in the Church, the failures of bishops, why she's still so excited to be Catholic, six books every Catholic should read, and the...

Book Club: Frank Sheed's Map of Life I'm recording from a mobile mic on my office floor this week, so thanks for your understanding on the sound quality! In today's inaugural Book Club episode for Creedal Catholic , we're taking a look at Frank Sheed's A Map of Life: A Simple Study of the Catholic Faith . I summarize each of the book's main chapters, which together articulate a coherent and cogent...

Reasons to Believe, Pt. 2 In this episode, I finish the summary of why I became Catholic, explaining Catholic views on soteriology and how they differ from key Protestant perspectives, articulating the necessity of purgatory, and talking through some key objections to transubstantiation. Stay tuned for more great content on The Creedal Catholic podcast feed! Questions? Comments? Reach out at creed...

Reasons to Believe, Pt. 1 In this first installment of Creedal Catholic, I (Zac Crippen) talk to the listeners about my choice to join the Catholic Church four years ago, and why it's the greatest decision I ever made. This episode focuses on the reasons for my journey from confessional Protestantism (Anglicanism) to Catholicism, with a focus on Scripture and Ecclesiology. Part 2 discusses soterio...