Kresta in the Afternoon

Although all the Gospels are rich in theology, it is the Gospel of John that stands out in making the point that Christ is not just the last of the Prophets; He is the Creator of Earth and Heaven. So much can be gleaned from the first 18 verses alone. Anthony Esolen is our guest.

We all know the parable of the unforgiving servant, who tormented a fellow servant over a small debt just after his master forgave him of a much larger debt. It’s easy to be disgusted at his actions, but we must be careful lest we make his mistakes ourselves. Al reflects further on this passage.

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of St. Augustine. His masterful Confessions is one of the great works of Christian writing and through it he teaches us a lot about Christian conversion and discipleship. We’ll talk about it with Dr. John Love.

Last month the State Department issued a travel advisory for Haiti, ordering all non-emergency US Government personnel to leave. The order came among widespread kidnapping and other violence in the country. Sean Forrest has dedicated his life to serving the poor in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. He joins us.

On this day in 1949, the Soviet Union tested its first nuclear weapon. The test likely would not have happened so early without the help of spies, who collected intelligence on Anglo-American atomic projects even while they were allies during World War II. We examine the history of Soviet espionage with Harvey Klehr.

Science populizer Neil deGrasse Tyson once expressed dismay that any scientist would pray or believe in God. But science and religion are ultimately asking two different things about the world. Al discusses.

Despite the efforts of some transhumanists, all of us are going to die someday. In his letter to the Philippians, St. Paul writes that for him “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” This idea that death could be a gain is foreign to our society and even to many Christians. This discomfort with death might be why the Anointing of the Sick tends to be an underappreciated sacrament. Roger Nutt is here to re-introduce us to the gift of this sacrament.

A recent in-depth article championed the cause of “women priests fighting for reproductive justice.” It highlights the work of women who claim to be ordained Catholic priests and are vigorous champions of abortion. And in March leaders at the German Synod overwhelmingly voted in support of a female diaconate. What is our understanding of the authority of Mary and role of women in the Church? We talk with Monica Miller.

“And so I say to you, you are Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church.” This passage from the Gospel of Matthew, which we will hear this weekend, is foundational to our understanding of the Papacy. Al picks up on yesterday’s conversation with Peggy Stanton to take a deeper dive into its meaning.

A new book written by two Brazilian theologians and endorsed by Cardinal Raymond Burke aims to expose dangers and concerns with the Vatican’s Synod on Synodality. As we approach the Synod’s opening session, Al looks back at the history of Vatican synods and what we might expect from this one.