Episodes
529 Episodes
WOF 029: What God's Mercy Really Entails
Pope Francis recently invited Bishop Barron to speak to hundreds of English-speaking priests at a gathering in Rome for the Jubilee Year of Mercy. In today's episode, Bishop Barron reflects on the talk he shared with his fellow clergymen ab
WOF 028: Bob Dylan, Poet and Prophet
Bob Dylan is one of the most spiritually interesting songwriters of our generation. In today's episode, Bishop Barron reflects on some of Dylan's best-known hits to show how they subtlety put Biblical themes on display. A listener wonders i
WOF 027: Popes, Saints, and the Economy
What is Catholic social teaching and what does it have to say about the economy, business, and our everyday work lives? That's what Bishop Barron explains in this episode. Surveying the insights of popes and saints, he shows why the Catholi
WOF 026: Fulton Sheen, Apostle of the New Media
Venerable Fulton Sheen is remembered as one of the greatest Catholic evangelists of the twentieth century. A master of both television and radio, he shared the Gospel with millions using his unique blend of wit, humor, and insight. Bishop B
WOF 025: The Greatest Sermon Ever
It's been widely hailed as the greatest sermon ever preached and a masterpiece of religious and social ethics. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7, commences with the "beatitudes", a series of eight blessings that Jesus gives t
WOF 024: The 5 Big Questions Everyone Asks in Life
We all face the Big Questions of life—it doesn't matter whether we're religious or not. We wonder about God, identity, meaning, morals, and death. Bishop Barron tackles some of the Big Questions and compares how the world generally answers
WOF 023: The Right Way to Read Genesis
There's a common tendency to read the opening chapters of Genesis as scientific texts. But is this the best way? Or even the right way? Bishop Barron offers guidance on how to properly understand the Biblical creation story. A listener wond
WOF 022: The Both/And of Catholicism
As Bishop Barron shows in his new book, *[Vibrant Paradoxes](http://vibrantparadoxes.com)*, Catholicism is both/and, not either/or. It celebrates the union of contraries—grace and nature, faith and reason, Scripture and tradition, body and
WOF 021: How and Why to Read Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas not only shaped the Church, but influenced much of Western civilization. Who was this great saint? What are some of his important writings? And how should we begin to read his masterful *Summa theologiae*? Bishop Barron offer
WOF 020: Listener Q&A w/ Bishop Barron
Normally, in each episode we take one listener question. But today, we've devoted the entire episode to questions from listeners like you. Bishop Barron answers several questions, rapid fire, on many different topics.
WOF 019: How to Discern God's Will for Your Life
What does God want me to do with my life? And how can I discern God's will for my day-to-day decisions? We all ask these questions and today Bishop Barron offers his advice. A listener also asks how Bishop Barron discerned his own call to t
WOF 018: The Story of Word on Fire
How did God use a little-known seminary professor to launch a worldwide evangelization ministry? Bishop Barron shares the story behind his Word on Fire ministry, including the many twists and turns along the way. A Protestant listener who i
WOF 017: Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?
During this Easter season, when Christians around the world celebrate the rising of Jesus from the dead, Bishop Barron looks reflects on the evidence for this extraordinary event and what it means for us today. A listener asks, in response
WOF 016: Bill Nye and Science vs. Philosophy
Today we discuss a viral video from Bill Nye the Science Guy, a pop-science leader, who wonders whether philosophy can provide any real answers to the questions of life. A listener asks whether Bishop Barron would accept an invitation to ap
WOF 015: Against the YouTube Heresies (Part 2 of 2)
Today we're sharing the second part of a talk Bishop Barron recently gave titled "Against the YouTube Heresies." (If you missed the first part, be sure to [listen to it first](http://wordonfireshow.com/episode14)!)
WOF 014: Against the YouTube Heresies (Part 1 of 2)
Today we're sharing the first part of a talk Bishop Barron recently gave titled "Against the YouTube Heresies." Modeled after St. Irenaeus' classic work from the second century, *Against the Heresies*, Bishop Barron identifies the most comm
WOF 013: The Priority of Christ
This week, Baker Academic released a new hardcover edition of Bishop Barron's book, *[The Priority of Christ: Toward a Postliberal Catholicism](http://WordOnFire.org/priority)*. Bishop Barron discusses the book's main ideas including the pr
WOF 012: L.A. Congress Recap
Bishop Barron recounts his time at the annual Los Angeles Religious Education Congress held from February 25-28, 2016. He shares about his talk on 1 and 2 Samuel, having breakfast with philosopher-priest Fr. Robert Spitzer, and the best app
WOF 011: Into the Desert of Lent
As we move deep into Lent, the liturgical season of “going into the desert”, Bishop Barron explains why these 40 days are needed and meaningful. He unveils the season's biblical basis and offers practical advice on celebrating it well. A li
WOF 010: The Power of Confirmation
Bishop Barron recently celebrated his first Confirmations as bishop, confirming several people at Holy Cross Parish in Moore Park, CA. He shares about that, and also discusses the purpose of Confirmation and the gifts of the Holy it provoke