The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture - Bishop Robert Barron

Latest Episodes:

WOF 236: Introducing "The Word on Fire Bible" Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

NOTE: Due to enormous demand, the leather edition of The Word on Fire Bible: The Gospels ($59) and the Evangelization Pack (1 Leather + 4 Paperbacks for $99) are both out of stock. Both should be available to order again in September when the second printing is complete.

Today marks the launch of the long-anticipated Word on Fire Bible! Learn more about this project, which has been four years in the making. Discover what makes The Word on Fire Bible unique, how we chose the translation, and why its captivating beauty and insights can lure even nonbelievers to pick up the Scriptures.

A listener asks why Jesus waited until age thirty to begin his public ministry.

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 235: The Story of Salvation Jun 08, 2020

Show notes

If you aren't familiar with the sweeping story of salvation, the "theo-drama," you won't fully grasp any particular part of the story. Today, Bishop Barron unveils the five acts of the biblical drama: Creation, the Fall, the formation of Israel, Jesus Christ, and the Church.

A listener asks for some recommended biographies on the life of St. Thomas Aquinas.

WOF 234: Kids Q&A w/ Bishop Barron (June 2020) Jun 01, 2020

Show notes

Kids ask the best questions, and today Bishop Barron responds to many from around the world:

Why did Jesus die on the cross rather than some other death?
Why did God make other planets that people can't live on?
Where does God sleep?
Will you have friendships in Heaven and will they be the same as friendships on Earth
If God can do anything, can he make a mistake?
Is an angel a spirit or soul? Also, could there be two Supreme Beings?
Why did God allow the Devil to exist?
What is the point of people? Why did God decide to create us?

Links

The Sacraments film series

WOF 233: How to Disagree Well May 25, 2020

Show notes

An article by the Protestant pastor Timothy Keller offers "6 Principles for How to Argue When You Disagree." Bishop Barron and Brandon walk through the article and discuss how we can have better conversations with people who hold very different views than us.

A listener asks if, as a priest, Bishop Barron ever gets bored at prayer.

WOF 232: The Cataclysm Sentence May 18, 2020

Show notes

One day in 1961, the famous physicist Richard Feynman stepped in front of a Caltech lecture hall and posed this question to a group of undergraduate students: "If, in some cataclysm, all of scientific knowledge were to be destroyed, and only one sentence was passed on to the next generation of creatures, what statement would contain the most information in the fewest words?"

In today's episode we apply that same thought experiment to some of the greatest thinkers and saints from our tradition. What one sentence would encapsulate their thought? We look at Moses, Jesus, Paul, Augustine, Aquinas, Merton, and even Bishop Barron's own "cataclysm sentence"!

A listener asks whether God made a mistake in creating humans.

Links

Watch "Sacraments" film
Radio Lab episode – "The Cataclysm Sentence"

WOF 231: Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing? May 11, 2020

Show notes

A recent New York Times story claimed to reveal "Why the Big Bang Produced Something Rather Than Nothing." Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss the article and whether science is capable of answering this classic philosophical question.

A listener asks about the fear of God, and whether it's appropriate since God is all loving.

Links

"Why the Big Bang Produced Something Rather Than Nothing" (New York Times)
Word on Fire Bible

WOF 230: Understanding the Holy Spirit May 04, 2020

Show notes

What are the basics we should know about the Holy Spirit? Who is he? And why is the Holy Spirit even necessary? Why not just God the Father and God the Son? In today's episode Bishop Barron reflects on the Holy Spirit and explains how to grow closer to him and receive all his gifts.

A listener asks, what type of items would belong in a home devotional corner?

Links

Saint Catherine of Siena by Fr. Paul Murray, OP

WOF 229: Is the Nuclear Family a Mistake? Apr 27, 2020

Show notes

In a recent article for The Atlantic, David Brooks claims "The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake." He contends that the model of a married couple with 2.5 kids was an anomaly in the 1950s and 1960s, and that this nuclear family model is no longer working for many Americans, especially those who are less privileged. To address this family crisis, Brooks argues we need to break out of the nuclear-family-is-best mindset and "thicken and broaden" family relationships by incorporating extended families and "families of choice" (e.g., friends, co-religionists, and other voluntary groups living together) as better ways to raise children.

Bishop Barron offers his thoughts on the article and how they compare with Catholic social teaching on the family.

A listener asks how to define beauty prove that it's objective?

WOF 228: The Quest for the Historical Jesus Apr 20, 2020

Show notes

Jesus has naturally been a key person of interest for Western thought, but over the last few hundred years, there have been some major shifts in what scholars describe as the "quest for the historical Jesus."

Bishop Barron provides an overview of these developments and the problematic attempt to separate the "Jesus of history" from the "Christ of Faith."

A listener asks what Bishop Barron would say about Jesus walking on water.

Links

The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians by N.T. Wright
Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration by Pope Benedict XVI
Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week by Pope Benedict XVI
Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives by Pope Benedict XVI

WOF 227: The Meaning of Easter Apr 13, 2020

Show notes

Alleluia! We've just entered into the joyous season of Easter, where we celebrate the Lord's Resurrection, but what does it mean to say that Jesus is risen from the dead? That's what Bishop Barron answers in today's episode.

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