Evangelization & Culture Podcast

Dr. Jennifer Frey, philosophy professor and former honors college dean known for her work on virtue and classical education, discusses why young readers are returning to Dostoyevsky and other great books. She explores storytelling’s role in shaping moral imagination. She defends liberal education against metric-driven trends and explains why a flexible literary canon and critics matter for forming thoughtful readers.

Dr. Christopher Kaczor, a philosophy professor and Catholic author, joins to tackle big questions about faith and reason. Short, sharp conversations cover why humans seek truth and how brokenness motivates growth. They discuss faith and science, the problem of evil, divine hiddenness, civil conversation across differences, and practical ways to cope with suffering.

Monsignor Robert Sarno, a Vatican canon law expert who worked on many causes of canonization. He recounts cures like Pier Giorgio Frassati’s, explains how causes begin and progress through tribunals and medical scrutiny, describes paths to sainthood (martyrdom, heroic virtue, offering of life), and outlines the dicastery’s inner workings and checks on veneration.

Fr. Steve Grunow, Chicago priest leading Word on Fire’s digital strategy, and Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire known for public theology, discuss social media’s promise and peril. They explore communication as the church’s mission. They talk about beauty and art in outreach, risks of online mobs and misinformation, AI and disembodied art, and practical formation for online ministry.

Join Dr. Adam Tomkins, John Millar Professor of Public Law at the University of Glasgow and author of On the Law of Speaking Freely, as he explores the rich history of free speech. He discusses its vital role in human flourishing and links it to the Reformation and freedom of conscience. Tomkins argues that without the ability to express beliefs, conscience loses its meaning. He highlights the tensions between free speech and modern regulations, advocating for well-defined laws against hate speech while warning about the dangers of overreach.

Join Dr. Christopher West, a scholar and author renowned for his insights on Theology of the Body, as he explores the deep connections between beauty and the divine. He discusses how encounters with beauty awaken our yearning for the eternal, and contrasts true eros with misguided desires. West emphasizes the sacramentality of creation, illustrating how the human body reveals God's mystery. He also reflects on suffering, the significance of the Eucharist, and the transformative journey from descent to ascent in our spiritual lives.

Fr. Gregory Pine, a Catholic priest and theologian, delves into the concept of Eucharistic identity, discussing how modern culture has forgotten its true nature. He explores identity as worship, tracing distortions to the fall and the breakdown of family and church. The conversation touches on God's hiddenness, the cost of discipleship, and the transformative power of the Eucharist. Fr. Pine emphasizes practical habits for a deeper Eucharistic life, ultimately showing how participation in the Eucharist helps us realize our fullest selves.

Dwight Lindley, an Associate Professor of English at Hillsdale College and a Victorian literature expert, dives into the enduring charm of Dickens's A Christmas Carol. He discusses Dickens's life and empathy shaped by childhood hardships, contrasting material and spiritual wealth through characters like Scrooge and Tiny Tim. The conversation explores the novella's Christian themes, the power of memory, and the significance of kindness. Lindley shares his personal journey of rediscovering Dickens, resonating with the timeless messages that call for generosity in today's world.

Join historian Thomas Albert Howard, a professor at Valparaiso University and author of *Broken Altars*, as he dives deep into the myth that religion is the main source of violence. He uncovers how combative and eliminationist secularism have historically sought to suppress religious faith. Howard discusses influential figures like Voltaire and Marx, the ideological rationalization behind violence, and the global implications of secularist policies. His insights reveal a complex relationship between secularism and religious persecution throughout history.

Robert Cording, poet and longtime creative writing professor, reflects on embracing mystery and the world’s givenness. He discusses Hamlet, Abraham, Keats’s negative capability, attention as love, sensory beauty as a path to wonder, suffering’s role in coming alive, and how language and poetry hold open the unknown.