The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture

A recent  Pew Research Center study  revealed that "just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ." What's the cause of this? And moving forward, how do we fix the problem? Bishop Barron discusses in today's episode. (Explore a collection of my resources on the Eucharist here:  https://www.wordonfire.org/presence ) A listener asks if the Eucharist...

Today, we discuss a recent article in Teen Vogue titled "Who is Karl Marx?" which shows how many teens and teachers have begun dabbling in Marxism. There have been a slew of other articles noting the rise of Millennials supporting socialism. Having done his masters work in philosophy on Karl Marx, Bishop Barron introduces us to this influential thinker and his main ideas, noting the problems the C...

Today, we use Google's autocomplete feature to have Bishop Barron respond to some of the top questions people search for beginning with the phrase "Does God...". Does God love everyone? Does God change his mind? Does God have a name? Listen and find out! A listener asks what evidence we have for the existence of Jesus. NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for he...

Bishop Barron is traveling overseas to film the last two episodes of his  Pivotal Players  series. So in this episode, we share a clip from one of his classic study programs,  "Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues". The clip focuses on the sin of pride and the corresponding virtue of humility. Get access to the full study program (and all of Bishop Barron's films) when you join the Word on Fire...

Why does Bishop Barron focus heavily on  ad extra  evangelization, the type of ministry aimed at the peripheries of the culture? That's the focus of this episode. Bishop also responds to some of the criticisms he's received for his appearances at Facebook, Google, and Amazon, along with his interviews with Dave Rubin, Ben Shapiro, and Jordan Peterson. A listener asks how why Jesus often tells peop...

Bishop Barron spoke to all the U.S. bishops about the "nones" during their recent USCCB gathering. In this episode, we walk through Bishop Barron's talk and discuss some of the criticism he's received about his presentation, particularly his reference to the Jordan Peterson phenomenon. A listener asks how we can stay optimistic as Catholics in light of all the challenges the Church faces. NOTE:  D...

As the Word on Fire Institute launches a new course by Dr. Christopher Kaczor on "Myths of the Catholic Church," Bishop Barron and host Jared Zimmerer talk about seven of the most common misunderstandings people have about Catholicism. A listener asks how Catholics should view the advancement of AI technology. NOTE:  Do you like this podcast?  Become a patron  and get some great perks for helping,...

In his recent interview with Ben Shapiro, Bishop Barron said that he wants to "re-Judaize Catholicism," to read Christ, the Bible, and the Christian Faith through the lens of Israel. How do we do this? That's what he and host Jared Zimmerer discuss in today's episode. A listener asks why the East and West churches split, and why they haven't been reunited. NOTE:  Do you like this podcast?  Become...

Non-Catholic listeners send in their questions for Bishop Barron. Questions include: As a Christian, do you ever think, "What if God doesn't exist"? How are Adam and Eve guilty of disobedience if they had no knowledge of good/evil until after they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? Why did the disciples betray Jesus despite seeing miracles? Why is God almost exclusively referred to...

Several recent bestselling books have focused on the Enlightenment, including Stephen Pinker's Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress . But what was the Enlightenment, and how should we view its effects? Bishop Barron offers his take today. A listener asks how Christians determine which parts of the Mosaic law in the Old Testament are still in effect today. NOTE: D...

The great novelist, J.R.R. Tolkien, has enchanted generations of readers with his  Hobbit and  Lord of the Rings , and is the subject of a new feature film, titled  Tolkien . But in today's episode, Bishop Barron talks about Tolkien's Catholic faith, which was mostly absent in the new film, but critical to his upbringing and his stories of Middle-earth. A listener asks what he should if he's unabl...

A recent bill proposed in the California Senate will force priests to report any crimes of sexual abuse they hear about in the confessional, breaking the seal of Confession. Bishop Barron speaks about the sacredness of this sacrament and what the Church should do if, suddenly, the sacrament of Confession becomes functionally illegal. NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some gre...

Today we discuss Bishop Barron's new book, titled Letter to a Suffering Church: A Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis . In light of this current crisis, many Catholics are understandably asking, "Why should I stay? Why not abandon this sinking ship before it drags me or my children under?" This book explains why this is not the time to leave, but the time to stay and fight. Reading the curren...

In today's episode, we share the second half of a talk Bishop Barron gave on John Henry Newman's famous book, An Essay on the Development of Doctrine . If you missed the first, click here to listen to Part 1. Also, be sure to pick up your Word on Fire Classics edition of Newman's  Development of Doctrine , which includes a Foreword by Bishop Barron! NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron...

In March 2019, Bishop Barron was interviewed by Dr. Jordan Peterson for the Jordan B. Peterson Podcast. To say the discussion was highly anticipated is an understatement. Fans of both Dr. Peterson and Bishop Barron have asked for these two great minds to meet, and their wide-ranging, nearly two-hour discussion is worth the wait. Although the interview hasn't been made public yet on Jordan Peterson...

Recently, The New York Times featured an op-ed by philosophy professor Peter Atteton , who tried to show that the idea of God is incoherent. Bishop Barron responds to Atteton's points and shows how there are no logical problems with believing in God. A listener asks whether Catholic universities should begin offering an evangelization major or concentration. NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become...

We record this episode the day after a tragic fire at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris has destroyed the spire, roof, and interior of one of the most important and magnificent religious sites in the world. Bishop Barron shares his close ties to Notre Dame, including his time as tour guide, and explains why these Gothic churches are so significant. A listener asks about Robert Sokolowski and wh...

As Holy Week begins, listen to Bishop Barron's reflections on the 14 stations of the Cross. Stream it all at once, or throughout the week, as we approach the memorial of Christ's Passion. NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…l...

Kids from around the world ask Bishop Barron their burning questions about God's favorite food, whether heaven has an edge, and why the ground shook when Jesus died on the Cross. NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you!...

Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt record live from Rome, where they visited for Bishop's reception of an honorary doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (aka The Angelicum.) NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our list...

We started the Word on Fire Show back in 2015, right after Bishop Barron was consecrated bishop. Now, three years later, after 170 episodes and 6 million downloads, we're ready for the next phase. But to get there, we need your help! Learn about the future of the show and why your support will be critical to making it happen. NOTE:  Do you like this podcast?  Become a patron  and get some great pe...

John Henry Newman's classic book,  An Essay on the Development of Doctrine , shows how doctrine isn't stagnant but in fact develops over time, much like an acorn grows into a sprouting oak tree. In today's episode, we share the first half of a talk Bishop Barron gave on the book and its influence. (Pick up your  Word on Fire Classics edition of Newman's  Development of Doctrine , which includes an...

What's actually happening when we pray? In this episode, Bishop Barron answers the deepest questions about prayer, not necessarily  how  to pray but what  is  prayer? A listener asks about the Rosary prayer and how it operates. NOTE:  As we move into Lent, sign up for Bishop Barron's free daily Lent reflections at  LentReflections.com

Bishop Barron recently visited the headquarters of Amazon, in Seattle, WA, to take part in a "Fishbowl" discussion about his new book,  Arguing Religion . Around 200 Amazon employees were in attendance. Listen to the whole conversation in today's episode. Pick up your copy of  Arguing Religion  >>  http://wordonfireshow.com/religion

Recently, Bishop Barron watched several YouTube conversation between Sam Harris, a well-known atheist, and Dr. Jordan Peterson, one of the most prominent and beguiling intellectuals today. We've talked in past episodes about Dr. Peterson's reliance on Carl Jung, and his archetypal reading of the Bible, but today we explore Dr. Peterson's similarities to Immanuel Kant, especially when it comes to t...