Episodes
540 Episodes
WOF 211: The Warrior King of Christmas
How many Christmas cards and nativity scenes have you seen presenting the baby Jesus as soft and saccharine? Well, that's not how the Bible describes him. There, Jesus is presented as a warrior king, who came with a heavenly army to battle
WOF 210: Church Fathers 101 (Part 1 of 3)
Who were the Church Fathers, and why do they still matter today? Bishop Barron introduces these spiritual masters and shares their key contributions. In the first episode of our three-part series, he also discusses the three main Apostolic
WOF 209: 5 Ways to Draw Young People Back to God
At the recent USCCB meeting, Bishop Barron gave a presentation to all the American bishops in which he offered five ways to draw young people back to God. Today, we discuss each way.
WOF 208: The Queen of the Sciences
Should theology be a core subject studied in universities? John Henry Newman certainly thought so. Today, we share a sample lesson from Bishop Barron's [Word on Fire Institute](https://wordonfire.institute/) course on Newman, titled "The Qu
WOF 207: Christ the King
The first words out of Jesus' mouth—and the central theme of his preaching—concerned the Kingdom of God. As we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, Bishop Barron explores three dimensions of his unique kingship.
WOF 206: Listener Q&A w/ Bishop Barron
This week, Bishop Barron answers questions from listeners all over the world. These include:
WOF 205: How to Discern the Spirits
What did St. Ignatius mean when he counseled followers to "discern the spirits"? How do we do this? Bishop Barron unpacks the *Spiritual Exercises* of St. Ignatius and offers practical tips on how to discern God's will in your life.
WOF 204: Outgrowing Atheism (Part 2 of 2)
oday we discuss the second half of [Joe Rogan's interview with atheist Richard Dawkins](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bN4spt3744) about Dawkins' new book, *[Outgrowing God: A Beginner's Guide](https://www.amazon.com/Outgrowing-God-Beginn
WOF 203: Joe Rogan, Richard Dawkins, and God (Part 1 of 2)
Joe Rogan, host of the one of the world's most popular podcasts, [recently interviewed Richard Dawkins](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bN4spt3744) about Dawkins' new book, *[Outgrowing God: A Beginner's Guide](https://www.amazon.com/Outgr
WOF 202: Saints and Smartphones
Surveys show 61% of people sleep with their phones and 75% grab their phones as soon as they wake up. We're addicted to our smartphones. In this episode, Bishop Barron reflects on this problem (including his own smartphone use), offering gu
WOF 201: What Unbelievers Asked on Reddit
Last month, Bishop Barron visited Reddit for another #AMA (ask me anything). Over 15,000 comments poured in from young skeptics around the world, making it the third most-commented on #AMA of the year, and the ninth most popular in Reddit h
WOF 200: Understanding the Post-Vatican II Church
How do we make sense of all the names, groups, and movements surrounding the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965)? What are the key things to know, and how have they shaped today's Catholic Church? Bishop Barron explains.
WOF 199: Does Free Will Exist?
A recent article in *The Atlantic* claimed ["A Famous Argument Against Free Will Has Been Debunked"](https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/09/free-will-bereitschaftspotential/597736/?utm_source=feed?utm_source=digg). It focused on
WOF 198: How We Come to Believe in God (Part 2 of 2)
This week, we share the second half of a talk from Bishop Barron on John Henry Newman's book, *The Grammar of Assent*. We shared the first half last week, so be sure to listen to that first.
WOF 197: Newman's Most Important Book (Part 1 of 2)
This week, we share the first half of a talk from Bishop Barron on John Henry Newman's book, *The Grammar of Assent*. The book concerns the question of belief–how we come to believe in God–and is widely considered his most important text.
WOF 196: Kids Q&A w/ Bishop Barron
Bishop Barron takes questions from kids, including:
WOF 195: What Makes Us Happy?
The annual United Nations World Happiness Report, which measures the happiness of different countries, is always dominated by Scandinavian nations. Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland have always been in the top ten. But what's st
WOF 194: International Q&A w/ Bishop Barron
Today, Bishop Barron answers questions from all over the world about God, the Church, and the culture. Will it be possible to upload one's consciousness to a computer and attain immortality? Why was Christianity started in the West? If huma
WOF 193: The Eucharist Problem
A recent [Pew Research Center study](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/08/05/transubstantiation-eucharist-u-s-catholics/) revealed that "just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Chri
WOF 192: Karl Marx and Millennials
Today, we discuss a recent article in *Teen Vogue* titled ["Who is Karl Marx?"](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/who-is-karl-marx) which shows how many teens and teachers have begun dabbling in Marxism. There have been a slew of other articl