Considering Catholicism

What if the way we’ve been taught to read the Bible is actually creating the very divisions we see today?

In this episode of Considering Catholicism, host Greg Smith shares his experience from classical Calvinist seminary training 40 years ago — investing in 22 volumes of Calvin’s commentaries and the massive Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew-English lexicon because exegesis was required to stay within the guardrails of historic Christian interpretation.

He then contrasts that with today’s evangelical reality: small groups asking “What does this verse mean to you?”, pastors mixing and matching translations to fit their message, YouTube and social media teachers offering personal takes, and even AI being asked to interpret Scripture.

The result is interpretive chaos. The same Bible produces wildly different — and often contradictory — doctrines on core issues.

To drive the point home, Greg uses one viral seven-word sentence: “I never said you stole his money.” By simply stressing a different word each time, the meaning shifts dramatically — proving how easily even plain English can be misunderstood without context.

If that happens with modern English, how much more caution do we need with ancient biblical texts?

Greg examines real examples from John 6, James and Paul, baptism, the nature of the Church, and more — showing how sincere readers reach opposite conclusions from the same passages.

He then explains the Catholic solution: Scripture must be read within the living apostolic Tradition and under the authoritative guidance of the Magisterium that Christ established to guard and interpret the deposit of faith.

If you love the Bible but are weary of the endless disagreements and fragmentation, this episode offers a fresh and hopeful way forward.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

This is Part 4 of our four-episode series “What Is Man That You Are Mindful of Him? Imago Dei in the Age of AI.”

As artificial super-intelligence seems ready to out-perform us on every measurable scale, the Catholic Church gives us a breathtaking final answer: our destiny is not obsolescence or a hive-mind upload. We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, destined one day to judge angels and inherit the New Jerusalem.

Drawing from 1 Corinthians 6:3, Revelation 21–22, Dante’s vision of the communion of saints, and the Church’s teaching on the beatific vision, Greg contrasts the cold collective of silicon with the personal, embodied, eternal communion of real persons in glory. He offers practical guardrails for today—treat machines as servants, guard the body, guard marriage and family, and guard the sacraments—so we can live this hope right now.

This closing episode lands the entire series with steady confidence and joyful hope: lower than the angels yet crowned with glory, we face the future not with fear, but with the quiet assurance that the God who became one of us has already prepared our place in the new creation.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

This is Part 3 of our four-episode series “What Is Man That You Are Mindful of Him? Imago Dei in the Age of AI.”

Everyone says AI is going to completely remake human civilization. Greg agrees it will change many things — work, education, medicine, daily routines — just as farming, the Industrial Revolution, and the internet did before it. But here’s the deeper question: Will AI really change the world in the ways that matter most?

From the Garden of Eden to Rome under the Caesars to your phone screen right now, the deepest realities of life — pride and humility, lust and love, greed and generosity, sin and virtue — have stayed remarkably the same. Technology reshapes our circumstances, but it never rewires the human heart.

Drawing from Hebrews 2, the Cross, and 1 Corinthians 15, Greg shows how the eternal Son became man — not angel — entering our flesh, suffering, and death to redeem what no algorithm can touch. The Incarnation remains God’s definitive answer in flesh and blood.

If the AI headlines leave you wondering whether anything truly changes the human condition, this episode brings steady, hopeful clarity: the owner’s manual for navigating the 21st century is still the one written in the first century.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

This is Part 2 of our four-episode series “What Is Man That You Are Mindful of Him? Imago Dei in the Age of AI.”

In a world that increasingly measures human worth by output, efficiency, and market utility, the Catholic Church insists our dignity is ontological—not something we earn or lose when technology changes. Greg examines the curious paradox of the lesser crown: we are made a little lower than the angels yet crowned with glory and honor.

Drawing from Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, Jesus’ words about the sparrows in Matthew 10, the stories of John Henry and Mike Mulligan, and the Church’s teaching on the sacraments, he offers a clear-eyed look at what even the most advanced AI can never fix—and why our embodied humanity remains irreplaceable.

Whether the headlines leave you uneasy about job displacement or simply wondering what it really means to be human anymore, this episode steadies the heart with the ancient truth that our value was never grounded in tasks. It is received as a gift from the God who chose to become one of us.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

This is Part 1 of our four-episode series “What Is Man That You Are Mindful of Him? Imago Dei in the Age of AI.”

In a world racing toward artificial super-intelligence that threatens to out-think and out-perform us at almost every task, the Catholic Church points us back to an older drama: super-intelligences were here first — and the brightest of them burned with envy when God crowned ordinary flesh-and-blood humans with glory and honor.

Drawing from Milton’s Paradise Lost, Psalm 8, Genesis 1, and the insights of Aquinas and Suárez on the angelic fall, Greg explores why our worth has never been grounded in tasks or productivity. Even if machines surpass us on every measurable metric, our dignity remains untouched — because it is ontological, rooted in the Imago Dei and God’s unchanging call to be fruitful, multiply, and steward creation as His beloved sons and daughters.

Whether you’re a Protestant pastor quietly investigating Catholicism, a curious seeker drawn to the beauty of the faith, or a cradle Catholic rediscovering its depths, this episode will steady your heart with the ancient answer to the question that still echoes today: “What is man that You are mindful of him?”

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In this episode Greg unpacks one of the most emotionally charged questions on the road to Rome: why does the Catholic Church ordain only men to the priesthood? Drawing from his own painful experience in the Christian Reformed Church’s ordination battles of the 1990s, he shows how the debate shifts dramatically once you realize priestly authority is not about qualifications but about Christ acting in persona Christi as Bridegroom to His Bride. With clear teaching from Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, the Catechism, Pope Francis, and Pope Leo XIV’s recent catechesis on Lumen Gentium, plus a deep dive into John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, Greg explains the beauty of complementarity and how this teaching actually honors and elevates women. Listeners from Protestant backgrounds will find honest answers to common objections (Galatians 3:28, Phoebe, Junia) while everyone discovers the peace that comes from receiving Christ’s design instead of redesigning it.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In the New Testament, Paul gives clear qualifications for presbyteroi—elders—who must be the husband of one wife, manage their household well, and hold fast to sound doctrine. When Greg was a Protestant pastor, that seemed to describe exactly what church leadership should look like under sola scriptura. So where do Catholic priests come from? In this first part of a two-episode series, Greg tackles that question head-on with honesty and charity, drawing from Scripture, the early Church Fathers, and Graham Greene’s unforgettable “whiskey priest” in The Power and the Glory. He explains the crucial difference: Protestant leadership tends to be earned by personal qualifications, while Catholic priestly authority is entrusted by Christ through apostolic succession—so that even a flawed priest can still give us Christ Himself acting in persona Christi. If you’ve ever wondered why the priesthood looks so different from what you grew up with, this episode will give you fresh eyes, real hope, and a deeper love for the Church. (Part 2 drops next: Why Only Men?)

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

On Holy Thursday, Greg sits down with a warm, personal message for listeners as the Church begins the Sacred Triduum. He explains the meaning, etymology, and profound significance of these three holy days that form the very heart of our Catholic faith—the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ lived out as one great mystery. Along the way he offers gratitude to supporters, apologizes for slower email replies as the show grows, and gives a hopeful look at what’s coming: more Questions & Coffee, deeper dives, livestreams, possible virtual Theology on Tap sessions, the launch of his new podcast The History of Christendom this summer (with Patreon previews), and the approaching 500th episode. Whether you’re just considering Catholicism, on the Road to Rome, or a cradle Catholic going deeper, this short video is an encouraging invitation to walk the Triduum with open hearts.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In this re-released classic from the vault, Greg shares fresh impressions and profound insights from his recent pilgrimage to Jerusalem and its surroundings, timed perfectly for Holy Week. Walking the Via Dolorosa, kneeling in Gethsemane, touching the stone of the crucifixion and the slab in the empty tomb, he explores how experiencing these historic sites makes Christianity's central claims inescapably real and public—not abstract feelings or private spirituality. Drawing on St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 and the idea of the Holy Land as a "Fifth Gospel," this episode grounds the Passion, death, and resurrection in geography, history, and topography, showing how the intimate scale of Jerusalem's events underscores God's sovereign script for salvation. Whether you're a curious non-Catholic, a Protestant investigating the faith, or a cradle Catholic rediscovering its depth, this reflection invites you to confront the question: Did these things really happen here—and if so, what does that mean for you?

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

This Easter, millions are posting from Jerusalem’s peaceful Garden Tomb saying “This feels like the real one.” But just down the street sits the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—venerated for 1,700 years—and 2025 archaeology just uncovered 2,000-year-old olive trees and grapevines exactly where John 19:41 said the garden would be. In this solo monologue, we unpack the history, the biases, and what this quiet debate reveals about how we approach Scripture, tradition, and the living Christ. Whether you’re a Protestant pastor wrestling with history or a cradle Catholic rediscovering the power of continuity, this episode will leave you with fresh confidence that the Church still knows where the empty tomb is—because she never forgot. Perfect for Holy Week listening.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.