Christendom College Lectures

Ratzinger’s Defense of Christianity Against Nietzsche | Dr. Conor Sweeney


Listen Later

Canadian by birth, Conor Sweeney obtained a licentiate and doctorate in Sacred Theology from the John Paul Institute for Marriage and the Family in Rome. He taught and researched in areas of Evangelization, continental philosophy, the Theology of Joseph Ratzinger, and John Paul II's Theology of the Body, and much more. Dr. Sweeney joined the theology faculty in 2020 here at Christendom College.

Dr. Sweeney delivers what he calls a warmup or preparation of a class he is offering this fall semester at Christendom College, called, "Atheism and the Death of God." The key words to keep in mind during this lecture are: Eros, Moralism, the phrase "God is dead", Love, Agape, Truth and Joy. He goes into depth of what Pope Benedict XVI's response was to one of the greatest critics of Christianity of all time: Frederick Nietzsche. Nietzsche is famous for his  hatred of Christianity; he calls it a capital crime against life, a religion of the herd, an expression of the will to power of a weak and resentful type of human being who is incapable of true greatness of spirit. Dr. Sweeney particularly focuses on Nietzsche's claim that "Christianity poisoned eros and turned it into a vice or something bad." According to Nietzsche, in his book, Beyond Good and Evil, "Christianity gave Eros poison to drink. He did not die of it, but degenerated into a vice." Dr. Sweeney concludes his lecture on moral truth. He says that, "Moral truth, in its fullness, is never distinct from the love of Christ poured into our hearts. Truth is not an abstraction of an idea out there, distinct from love. It is not rationalism or subjectivism. To choose love is to choose what is true, to choose the truth is to choose love. Christian love requires iron in the soul in the one who seeks to live up to the demands of it." 

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Christendom College LecturesBy Christendom College

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

11 ratings


More shows like Christendom College Lectures

View all
Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons - Catholic Preaching and Homilies by Bishop Robert Barron

Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons - Catholic Preaching and Homilies

4,976 Listeners

Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz by Ascension

Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

6,260 Listeners

The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture by Bishop Robert Barron

The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture

5,739 Listeners

Dr Taylor Marshall Podcast by Dr. Taylor Marshall

Dr Taylor Marshall Podcast

4,041 Listeners

The Thomistic Institute by The Thomistic Institute

The Thomistic Institute

766 Listeners

Pints With Aquinas by Matt Fradd

Pints With Aquinas

6,719 Listeners

All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri by Ascension

All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

1,352 Listeners

The Counsel of Trent by Catholic Answers

The Counsel of Trent

2,585 Listeners

Jimmy Akin's Mysterious World by Jimmy Akin

Jimmy Akin's Mysterious World

2,921 Listeners

The Road to Emmaus with Scott Hahn by Scott Hahn

The Road to Emmaus with Scott Hahn

35 Listeners

The Lila Rose Show by Lila Rose

The Lila Rose Show

2,525 Listeners

Godsplaining by Dominican Friars Province of St. Joseph

Godsplaining

1,260 Listeners

The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal by Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

2,891 Listeners

Catholic Bible Study by Augustine Institute

Catholic Bible Study

682 Listeners

The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) by Ascension

The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

11,325 Listeners

Theology of the Body 101 by Christendom College

Theology of the Body 101

28 Listeners

Principles for Your Week by Christendom College

Principles for Your Week

12 Listeners

Old English & Middle English Verse by Christendom College

Old English & Middle English Verse

5 Listeners

Christendom Conversations by Christendom College

Christendom Conversations

14 Listeners

Commencement Addresses by Christendom College

Commencement Addresses

0 Listeners

Summer Conferences by Christendom College

Summer Conferences

3 Listeners

Dr. Warren Carroll Lecutures by Christendom College

Dr. Warren Carroll Lecutures

0 Listeners