The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture Bishop Robert Barron
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- Religion & Spirituality
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Join Bishop Robert Barron for a weekly podcast on faith and culture. Find more episodes at http://WordOnFireShow.com and submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.com.
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WOF 429: Is There a Catholic Antidote to the Crisis in Higher Education?
According to Fortune magazine, overall undergraduate enrollment experienced the steepest rate of decline on record from 2019 to 2022, and it has only worsened since then. There are several explanations, but one cause is entirely self-imposed: most universities and colleges have now replaced education with ideology, subverting the search for truth with political indoctrination. Today, we discuss the ideological takeover of higher education and how the Catholic conception of the university can help provide an antidote.
A listener asks, if priests are meant to represent Jesus, are nuns supposed to represent Mary?
00:00 | Intro
01:47 | Catholic social thought tradition and the higher education crisis
03:50 | Differences between Catholic and secular universities
04:50 | Seeking while knowing the truth
07:33 | Resisting relativism
09:30 | Catholic staff ratios for Catholic universities
11:16 | Segregating Catholic identity
13:51 | Academic freedom at Catholic universities
15:46 | Dicy freedom of speech claims
17:06 | Catholic universities and male participation
18:37 | Higher education and vocational training
20:35 | High costs and accessibility
21:51 | What can we do to course-correct universities that have lost their way?
24:50 | Listener question
26:01 | Word on Fire Institute
Links
“Ivy League Presidents and the Collapse of Moral Reasoning” by Bishop Barron Statistic on men in 4-year schools: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/12/18/fewer-young-men-are-in-college-especially-at-4-year-schools/ Learn more about the Word on Fire Institute: Institute.WordonFire.org
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! So be part of this mission, and join us today! -
WOF 428: Talking Politics & Religion w/ Ro Khanna
Today, we are bringing you a recent conversation from the “Bishop Barron Presents” series between Bishop Barron and Congressman Ro Khanna. Congressman Khanna represents California’s 17th Congressional District, best known as the home of Silicon Valley. Over the course of the conversation, the Bishop and he discussed his background, Catholic social teaching, various policy matters, finding common ground, and why the American experiment is a great and worthwhile endeavor. Enjoy!
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WOF 427: Hearing the Voice of God
Friends, the Book of Jonah is one of the shortest books of the Bible, yet it’s packed with profound truths about hearing and obeying the voice of God. On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss this powerful little book.
A listener asks, why did Jesus show up when he did and not at a different point in time? What would the world look like had he showed up later, or not at all?
00:00 | Intro
00:46 | Bishop Barron on Catholic Schools Week
01:51 | Bishop Barron’s recent conversation with Jordan Peterson
02:47 | Intro to the book of Jonah
04:41 | Jonah’s opening narrative
09:25 | Lessons from Luke’s road to Emmaus and Jonah
11:00 | The significance of Jonah’s storm
14:31 | The significance of Jonah’s fish
16:58 | Answering Jonah’s critics
18:22 | Jonah’s concluding narrative
20:17 | Jesus’ words on Jonah
22:48 | More resources on Jonah
23:34 | Listener question
26:17 | New book—Princesses of Heaven: The Flowers
27:13 | Special announcement about future of WOF Show
Links A Journey with Jonah: The Spirituality of Bewilderment by Fr. Paul Murray Princesses of Heaven: The Flowers by Fabiola Garza 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! So be part of this mission, and join us today! -
WOF 426: Democracy and the Catholic Church
Friends, what’s the proper relationship between liberal democracy and the Catholic Church? Many smart and reflective people, on either side of the Catholic/American divide, have felt that the two systems, democracy and Catholicism, were incompatible. But why?
Using the thought of the 19th century French diplomat and political philosopher, Alexis de Tocqueville, Bishop Barron explores this question in his 2023 Russell Kirk Lecture for the Heritage Foundation, titled “The Breakdown of the Tocquevillean Equilibrium.” Enjoy!
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! So be part of this mission, and join us today!
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WOF 425: Understanding the Mental Health Crisis
Friends, we are in the midst of a mental health crisis, with many calling it another pandemic. Record-high numbers of Americans are facing depression and suicide. Nearly half of young people report feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness. What’s behind this crisis, and how can the Church help? That’s what Brandon Vogt and I discuss on today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show.”
A listener asks, is “just war theory” a concession to human weakness? How do we square that with Jesus’ teachings on non-violence?
00:00 | Intro
01:09 | USCCB recap on surrogacy
03:49 | Why the mental health crisis matters to bishops
06:00 | Social media's role in damaged mental health
09:39 | Community's role in healing mental health
13:03 | The connection between psychological and spiritual suffering
16:09 | Religious disaffiliation and mental illness
17:47 | Who is St. Dymphna?
18:40 | A word for those wrestling with poor mental health
20:55 | Listener question
24:17 | New book—“Christ Brings All Newness”
Links Bishop Barron’s statement on surrogacy Christ Brings All Newness: Essays, Reviews, and Reflections by Fr. Robert Imbelli 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! So be part of this mission, and join us today! -
WOF 424: Freedom and the Disciplining of Desire
Today, we’re excited to share with you Bishop Barron’s recent talk at the 2023 Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Conference held in London, England. His talk was titled “What is the True Nature of Freedom?”
As Bishop Barron explains, freedom for excellence is not self-determination. It is the disciplining of desire so as to make the achievement of the good first possible and then effortless. Enjoy!
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! So be part of this mission, and join us today!
Customer Reviews
The best Catholic communicator of our time!
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Illuminating Broadcasts
Every Word on Fire show I have ever watched has always enlightened me to new or forgotten principles and values. I am grateful for Brandon Vogt’s thought provoking questions and of course for Bishop Barton’s succinct, profound responses. Blessings to each of you for all the time and effort you put into each episode.
Life-changing
The content and Bishop Barron’s presentation of it have been life-changing. Thank you.