Who was Fulton Sheen and how did he advocate for authentic freedom? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. James Patterson, professor of politics at Ave Maria University and scholar of Fulton Sheen, discuss Fulton Sheen’s seminal work, Freedom Under God, while exploring how Bishop Sheen was one of the most effective Catholic apologists in American history.

Resources:

• [link to another video with Dr. Patterson/about Fulton Sheen]

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How does the Book of Romans help us to understand the nature of our salvation? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Daniel Lendman, assistant professor of theology at Ave Maria University, to discuss the book of Romans by St. Paul. Their conversation covers some of the deep theological themes of this book and why it has been the cause of ongoing controversy between Christians.

Resources:

• From the Catholic Theology Show Archives: Made for Worship| Preparing for Holy Week with Dr. Daniel Lendman

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How can we embrace the Christian call to mission in today’s world? In this episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Catholic priest and founder of The Rescue Project, Fr. John Riccardo, to discuss the importance of making time to evangelize. Their conversation provides insight into how the Gospel addresses the crisis of loneliness sweeping the globe and what motivated Fr. Riccardo to begin his own journey of mission.

Resources:

• Learn more about Fr. Riccardo’s Rescue Project
• Check out another episode with Fr. Riccardo here

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How has the Catholic “giant” of our time, Bishop Robert Barron, evangelized and catechized this generation? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. Matthew Levering, Catholic scholar and noted editor and author, sit down to discuss Dr. Levering’s new work on the theology of Bishop Robert Barron. They think about how Bishop Barron successfully reaches fallen away Catholics and students of theology alike and helps them to recover a profound confidence in the truths of their Catholic faith.

Resources:

• Dive deeper with Dr. Matthew Levering’s work on Bishop Barron
• Learn more about Bishop Robert Barron’s work as the founder of Word on Fire

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How can creation be good when sin and evil exist? Today, Dr. Dauphinais and Catholic scholar Joseph Pearce discuss The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien, hearkening to the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s call for a “catechesis on creation.” They unpack how the role of music in Middle Earth’s creation story grants insight into God’s continual work of unfolding the harmony of creation, inviting us to participate in it through our creativity, and providentially operating amid the discordance of evil.

Resources:

• Read the section on creation in the Catechism of the Catholic Church
• Learn more from Professor Joseph Pearce on his website
• Take Professor Pearce’s FREE short course on The Genius of J.R.R. Tolkien from The Pursuit of Wisdom by Ave Maria University

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What is Catholic bioethics and how should it guide our approach to fertility and infertility? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a Catholic priest, neuroscientist, and writer, discuss the proper relationship between faith and science. They address themes such as whether the Church should be involved in scientific conversation, while focusing primarily on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and its challenging moral consequences.

Resources:

• Learn more about why IVF is wrong and other contemporary moral problems from Fr. Tad’s bioethics videos

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What does it mean to perfect our love for God? In this episode, Dr. Dauphinais sits down with Fr. Rick Martignetti, Franciscan priest and director of campus ministry at Ave Maria University, to discuss his book Perfect Love, a collection of reflections on prayer inspired by Saint Bonaventure. Fr. Rick speaks about what the Seraphic Doctor can teach Christians today about prayer, contemplation, and love for God.

Resources:

• Perfect Love: Forty Stories and Reflections Inspired by Saint Bonaventure’s De Perfectione Vitae by Fr. Rick Martignetti, OFM
• Hidden Beauty: Reflections on Saint Bonaventure’s Tree of Life by Fr. Rick Martignetti, OFM

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What truths about the world and human experience can short stories reveal? In today’s episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Catholic scholar Joseph Pearce look at Leaf by Niggle, J.R.R. Tolkien’s short story filled with profound themes of beauty, creativity, the gift of time, and the afterlife.

Resources:

• Learn more from Professor Joseph Pearce on his website
• Sign up for Professor Pearce’s FREE short course, The Genius of J.R.R. Tolkien, from The Pursuit of Wisdom by Ave Maria University

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How does Christ work in the Church through the Sacraments? Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais converses with Fr. Romanus Cessario, Adam Cardinal Maida professsor of Theology at Ave Maria University, about his latest book entitled The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Fr. Cessario looks at each of the seven sacraments, their reality and unchanging nature, and how they continue Christ’s saving work in the souls of men.

Resources:

• The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church by Fr. Romanus Cessario
• Related episode: The Sacraments | Friendship with Christ with Dr. Roger Nutt
• From the Catholic Theology Show archives: What is Truth? | Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas with Fr. Romanus Cessario

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Are miracles likely and believable? In today’s episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Fr. Joseph Fessio, founder and editor of Ignatius Press and founding provost of Ave Maria University, unpack Miracles by C.S. Lewis. Their conversation provides insight into this challenging apologetic work which makes an argument for God's existence by discussing the wonders that God works and their place in the laws of nature.

Resources:

• Ignatius Press website
• Catch our previous episode with Fr. Fessio: G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy and God’s Creation

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