Newman on Tap Presents

Ron Snyder
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Biweekly

Guest interviews exploring the life and thought of St. John Henry Newman

  1. 12h ago

    The Christian Church an Imperial Power - Dr. Mark Fulk

    This is a podcast conversation between host Ron Snyder and Dr. Mark Fulk, a 19th-century British literature scholar at Buffalo State University, discussing John Henry Newman's 1842 sermon The Christian Church an Imperial Power. Dr. Fulk shares how his Anglican faith journey and literary interests led him to Newman, and describes his current book project arguing Newman's Anglican sermons deserve recognition as literature. The conversation focuses on Newman's vision of Christ's kingdom as an imperial but spiritual force — one that spreads not through military conquest but through missionary work, teaching, and righteous living, drawing heavily on Isaiah and the Psalms. Newman's repeated rhetorical questions ("Has it not spread? Has it not taken the cause of the poor?") are highlighted as a powerful defense of the Church's enduring historical presence. The discussion also wrestles with the tension in Newman's imagery — the violent, conquering language of empire balanced by themes of clemency, humility, and parental care — and how Newman tempers that imagery by grounding it fully in Scripture. Both host and guest close with appreciation for Newman's refusal to sanitize Scripture and his insistence that the Church's ultimate victory unfolds in God's time, not ours. To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

    29 min

  2. Jun 22

    Contest between Truth and Falsehood in the Church - Fr. Byron Hagan

    In this episode of Newman on Tap, host Ron Snyder interviews Father Byron Hagan, a priest and former Nashville musician who came to Catholicism largely through the influence of John Henry Newman. Father Hagen explains how Newman served as an intellectual and spiritual bridge for evangelicals seeking deeper roots, ultimately drawing many — including himself — into full communion with the Catholic Church. The conversation centers on Newman's sermon "Contest between Truth and Falsehood in the Church," exploring how the struggle between truth and falsehood plays out not just in grand historical moments but in the everyday choices of individual Christians. Newman's concept of conscience is highlighted as central to his thought — conscience as the "aboriginal vicar of Christ" that connects personal moral reasoning to the teaching authority of the Church. The discussion touches on politics and public life, with Newman's view that Christianity cannot be compartmentalized — a Christian's public allegiances and political choices carry genuine spiritual weight. The episode closes with a beautiful passage on faith and reason from the sermon, connecting Newman's vision to Matthew Arnold's Dover Beach and the enduring relevance of Newman's thought for our own time. To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

    44 min

  3. Jun 8

    Intercession - Lynn Tursich

    Ron Snyder hosts a conversation with Lynn Tursich on his podcast Newman on Tap Presents, exploring John Henry Newman's 1835 sermon on intercessory prayer. Newman argues that Christians have a unique privilege and responsibility to pray — first for themselves, then for others, the Church, and even their enemies — as an expression of their faith and adopted place in Christ. Lynn connects Newman's teaching to the Divine Mercy message of St. Faustina, noting that both emphasize the power of intercessory prayer and our obligation to pray for sinners, including those near death. The conversation touches on holiness and obedience as conditions that make prayer more effective, and on intercession as a fruit of faith — a spiritual work of mercy too often overlooked. Lynn also shares her personal devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and how her own prayer life and website (www.faithshareandprayer.wordpress.com) reflect a deep intercessory spirituality. The episode closes with warm reflections on community, faith as a progression, and the beauty of Newman's call to stand "on the very steps of the throne of Christ." To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

    29 min

  4. May 25

    Righteousness, Not of Us, But in Us - Dale Carlson

    Episode 14 Season 4 – Righteousness, Not of Us, But in Us. Host Ron Snyder and guest Dale Carlson discuss St. John Henry Newman's 1840 sermon "Righteousness, Not of Us, But in Us," exploring how all spiritual gifts — wisdom, righteousness, sanctification — come from Christ dwelling within us, not from our own nature. Dale shares his personal journey from a faithful Lutheran upbringing through conversion to Catholicism, driven by his wife's faith, Marian devotion, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and describes how his community in Park Rapids is now evangelizing through the Alpha program. The sermon's central argument is that pride, worldly wisdom, and the tendency to claim gifts as our own are the primary obstructions to receiving the Spirit, and that true humility means recognizing everything — even bodily health and talent — as given by God. Newman builds his case through extensive Scripture, concluding that righteousness is "not of us, but in us" — implanted one by one through the Holy Spirit as an individual, inward gift rather than a collective transformation. The conversation culminates in Newman's call for an inward change through Christ, a separation from the world's standards, and an embrace of the mystery of faith, without which awe, reverence, and proper worship all diminish. Ron and Dale close by noting how Newman's Anglican-era sermons already reflect his near-Catholic conviction, speaking to all Christians with language rooted in the Church Fathers and pointing toward universal truth. To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

    40 min

  5. May 11

    Obedience without Love, as Instanced in the Character of Baalam - Dr. Bernadette Waterman Ward

    This episode features English scholar Dr. Bernadette Waterman Ward - a Newman and Hopkins expert from the University of Dallas. The discussion centers on Newman's sermon "Obedience without Love, as Instanced in the Character of Balaam,” using the biblical figure of Balaam as a case study in a subtle but dangerous spiritual failure: obeying God outwardly while remaining self-centered at heart. Newman argues that religion practiced merely as self-management or social respectability — rather than as genuine love and surrender to God — leaves a person fundamentally misaligned with Him. The conversation draws on René Girard's concept of Memetic Desire and Newman's novel Loss and Gain to illustrate how we rationalize moral compromises and gradually deaden our conscience. It closes with Newman's striking warning that God's calls may not be repeated, and that first impulses of conscience are often more trustworthy than second-guessed "reasonable" ones. To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

    28 min

  6. Apr 27

    Religion, a Weariness to the Natural Man - Callie MacDonald

    In this episode of Newman on Tap, host Ron Snyder discusses Newman's 1828 sermon "Religion, A Weariness to the Natural Man" with guest Callie McDonald, a nurse and member of the forming Benedictine Oblates of Mary at the University of Mary in Bismarck. Newman's central argument is that religion feels burdensome not because it is lacking, but because the human heart is not yet aligned with God — as he writes, "We cannot expect the system of the universe to come over to us… these are fixed, we must go over to them." Callie brings this truth to life through her own journey of discernment, explaining that true freedom is not doing whatever you want, but the capacity to choose the good — and that a half-hearted relationship with God bears little fruit. The conversation explores how grace, not willpower alone, transforms the soul from routine religious practice into a lived, intimate encounter with Christ. Newman's sermon ultimately closes as a call to surrender self-deception and align our desires with divine truth, so that we may become the kind of people capable of enjoying the eternal good. To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

    29 min

  7. Apr 13

    The Yoke of Christ - Dr. Peter Daly

    In this episode host Ron Snyder interviews Dr. Peter Daly — orthopedic surgeon, co-founder of One World Surgery, and lifelong devotee of St. John Henry Newman. Together they explore Newman's sermon "The Yoke of Christ" (1839), examining how suffering, the Beatitudes, and the narrow way of the cross lead to true freedom and righteousness. Dr. Daly shares a deeply personal account of his 2021 bone marrow transplant, describing it as a transformative "purgatory experience" that stripped away self-reliance and brought him into profound intimacy with God. The conversation weaves Newman's unflinching theology — that a yoke is still a yoke, even Christ's — with lived experience. The episode closes with reflections on Dr. Daly's humanitarian work in Honduras as a living expression of "washing the brethren's feet" by carrying the cross of Christ for each other.   To learn more of One World Surgery go to https://oneworldsurgery.org/ To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

    47 min

  8. Mar 30

    Intellect, the Instrument of Religious Training - Patrick Reilly, Founder and President of the Cardinal Newman Society

    Host Ron Snyder and Patrick Reilly discuss St. John Henry Newman's sermon "Intellect, the Instrument of Religious Training" (1857). Patrick, founder of the Cardinal Newman Society (https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/) discusses how Newman argued that Catholic education must unite faith and intellect — that forming only the "gentleman" through liberal arts is insufficient without also tending to the soul. They explore Newman's depiction of how the fall fragmented the human soul, permitting the intellect, will, and passions to war against each other, and how this mirrors the fragmentation of the modern university. Newman's solution is that the Catholic Church, like St. Monica praying for Augustine, must serve as a spiritual mother through its universities — reuniting knowledge with grace, forming not just the intellect but the whole person toward communion with God. Also, consider joining Patrick, Msgr. James Shea and others on a "Newman Experience Pilgrimage" to England September 6 - 12, 2026. Copy and paste in your browser below for more information.  https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/the-newman-experience/ To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

    30 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Guest interviews exploring the life and thought of St. John Henry Newman

Information

  • Creator
    Ron Snyder
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Newman on Tap Presents
  • Show Website
    Newman on Tap Presents

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