Sed Contra: A Podcast of Catholic Theology Quodlibet 22: Why Isn't the Washing of Feet a Sacrament?
Mar 19, 2026
A lively debate on whether foot washing could be a sacrament and why it traditionally is not. A dive into how sacraments were defined historically and why seven became standard. A discussion of methods for interpreting Scripture, from historical-critical tools to canonical and Aquinian approaches. Notes on Eastern and Assyrian liturgical variations and how baptismal imagery relates to Jesus washing feet.
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VHS Night Forced Commitment And Curiosity
- Taylor Patrick O'Neill describes finding and re-using a VCR and VHS tapes to limit kids' instant-switching impulses and create committed viewing experiences.
- He rewound 101 Dalmatians II, showed kids 1990s previews, and noted children were fascinated and confused by rewinding and lack of instant-skip.
Older Media Often Shows Higher Craft
- Matthew Duganzik argues older media often contains richer craft because every artifact was once hand-made, e.g., full orchestral film scores in older cartoons.
- He contrasted modern educational, monotone children's content with classic cartoons that expose kids to classical music and dynamic scoring.
Use Tangible Media To Curate Kids Viewing
- Use simple physical media like VHS or DVDs to curate kids' exposure and avoid streaming's instant-novelty trap.
- Matthew recommends tangible media because it reliably plays offline and reduces parental friction in content control.
