Joseph Ratzinger was one of the most prolific and significant Catholic theologians of the 20th century. Given his important roles in the Roman Catholic Church, he was involved in some of the formative conversations about Holy Orders. On this episode, we have returning guest Sr. Sara Butler to discuss Ratzinger's theology of Holy Orders and how it interacts with and differs from Protestant theologies of ministry, especially in relation to the divisive question of Women's Ordination.

Sr. Sara Butler is a member of the Missionary Servants of the Blessed Trinity. She has a PhD and STL in Systematic Theology and has taught at two archdiocesan seminaries in Chicago and New York. She has published many scholarly articles and has written a book called The Catholic Priesthood and Women. John Paul II appointed her to the International Commission in 2004 and Pope Benedict extended her appointment and named her a theological expert for two World Synods of Bishops and a consultor for the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. She is the Professor Emerita of Dogmatic Theology at the University of St. Mary of the Lake. Of interest to many of our listeners, she served as a member of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the USA from 1973-84 and from 1992-2004.

We would love to hear from you! Send us your feedback and questions to [email protected] or reach out to us on Twitter @sacramentalists. Be sure to join our Communion of Patreon Saints for only $5 a month.

Dr. Brian Ballard is an assistant professor of philosophy at Concordia University in Irvine. He studied at the University of Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a book on the meaning of life and the spiritual dimensions of engaging with nature. His research focuses on emotions and their moral and epistemic value, human rights and their grounding, the ways God's existence would or would not make our lives go better, and the moral status of AI and its uses​. Today, he joins Frs. Hayden and Wesley to discuss the idea of enchantment.

The book of Habakkuk is a short and often-overlooked book that is wrought with incredible theological depth and complexity. Through this episode, Frs. Creighton, Hayden, and Wesley delve into the profound themes of faith, justice, and God's mysterious ways and unpack the rich theological insights hidden within the verses of this Old Testament book while exploring Habakkuk's relevance for contemporary believers, revealing timeless truths that resonate across the ages.

The Sacrament of Unction is administered to those who are sick when a priest anoints them with Sacred Chrism. In this episode, Fr. Hayden and Fr. Wesley discuss the biblical, historical, and practical aspects of this beautiful but perhaps less-visible portion of the sacramental life.

Confirmation has often been called a Sacrament looking for a theology. How is an Anglo-Catholic approach to Confirmation different from those of Protestant traditions? What is its purpose? Why do we need it? Fr. Hayden and Fr. Wesley explore these questions and more in today's episode!

It's easy to theorize and speculate about angels and demons. But what do you do when you actually encounter demonic activity in your home or parish? Fr. Creighton and Fr. Hayden find out by sitting with Fr. Matt Harlow, the Canon to the Ordinary in the Diocese of the Eastern United States of the Anglican Province of America, as he recounts an experience they had at his parish, Christ the Redeemer in Warner Robins, Georgia.

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In this short episode, Frs. Wesley, Creighton, and Hayden draft their favorite three editions of Scripture! Who do you think won??

Dr. Alex Fogleman is an assistant research professor at Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion, and the founding director of the Catechesis Institute. Fr. Hayden, Fr. Creighton, and Fr. Wesley got to chat with him about his new book Knowledge, Faith, and Early Christian Initiation.

The end is nigh!

What should Christians expect about the end times? This has been the cause of much speculation by Christians of various traditions...some good, and some not so good. In this episode, Frs. Creighton, Hayden, and Wesley sift through the biblical data as they look at various approaches to eschatology.

We would love to hear from you! Send us your feedback and questions to [email protected] or reach out to us on Twitter @sacramentalists. Be sure to join our Communion of Patreon Saints for only $5 a month.

On today's episode, we answer some questions provided by listeners! We've had a great season and we'll be looking forward to a great 2024 with you!