Bishop Barron on St. Paul’s Masterclass in Evangelization

In this new video I reflect on St. Paul’s address on the Areopagus in Athens, found in the seventeenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. It’s a sort of masterclass in the evangelization of the culture, and anyone engaged today in that essential task should read it with care.

[@alfredthepatientxcvi]

Greetings form a Catholic living in the Levant, Asia

[@FEspinosa78]

Thank you so much from a returned Catholic. Love to hear you in the solitude of my kitchen and a cup of coffee in the early morning hours.

[@elke4646]

ditto! Here a returned Catholic with my cup of coffee in bed in the early morning hours (6:00 a.m. and dark).

[@joannapeters4738]

Sounds lovely!

[@eogh]

Love these longer explanation videos please bring more. I am discerning priesthood pray for me.

[@paulmiller3469]

Praying for you, eogh, that God gives you discernment to know His will for you and courage to follow that will. In terms of additional sales pitch, compare the numbers of ordained priests who choose to leave their ordination behind to the numbers of married couples who choose to leave their marriages behind. If that's His will for you, you will be happiest in obedience.

[@sage9665]

May you hear the Lord Calling you. Blessings.

[@rickfilmmaker3934]

You are a great man Bishop Barron. You are St.Paul of our time. You alone are responsible for Catholicism making this incredible comeback! God Bless You!

[@aruvuin_rukasu]

Thank you Bishop Barron for yet another inspiration. It’s such a blessing to have someone like you especially in these difficult times. I teach Sunday School for the Pre-Confirmation class and admit most times I struggle to keep up and stand firm. This lifted me up and helped me understand better. God bless.

[@michaelgiffin2621]

I am inspired by this exposition. Thank you Bishop Barron.

[@marypinakat8594]

Masterclass in Evangelization in the 21st century by Bishop Robert Barron of Word On Fire ministries. *Modelled on Acts 17 of St Paul in the 1st century.* Deeply grateful.

[@peterjongsma2754]

Well said. Love Bishop Barron. An Independent Bishop. Away with everyone involved in the sexual abuse scandal. Us Laity need feel no guilt. First Satan invades us. Then he tries to make us feel Guilt and Shame. Stuff that. No Mea Culpa from me. The Lord rebuke you, Satan Depart from me. Thank you Mary Pinakat.

[@marypinakat8594]

☆@@peterjongsma2754☆

[@peterjongsma2754]

@@marypinakat8594 Wow. How fast is the speed of light? Very. I'm in Australia. Where are You? America? Let's check out the speed of Light? Reply. Please.

[@marypinakat8594]

Asian Continent@@peterjongsma2754. Bishop Robert Barron Channel indeed is a Universal one. I could observe it from the time I have come in contact with it. Stay blessed.

[@peterjongsma2754]

@@marypinakat8594 Wow! You stay Blessed! Fast as Light. Oh God. Light as a Metaphor so belongs To Christ.

[@travelingmntngal7963]

Thank you, Bishop Barron! I enjoy evangelizing on KZbin, especially Protestant evangelists and others who speak against the Catholic faith as if they are experts about it. Yet, I often have wondered if my small voice does any good. This really helped and I'll continue on doing the best I can for the faith. God Bless you!

[@chessgeek10707]

This is a great meditation on Acts 17. Thanks!!!

[@paulmiller3469]

Yes, it was, and I share your thanks.

[@SUZMIC1]

Bishop this is so wonderful!! Feeling so blessed to learn with you teaching!! Praying for you!

[@johnmartin4650]

2023 September….still great stuff…..forever . Thank you BB….God bless you.

[@kevinhodges867]

Excellent. I loved the tone set in this message. Very well delivered.

[@Linda-qq5mg]

Thank you so very much Bishop Barron. I am surely listening!

[@nerdanalog1707]

First time I've seen someone from North America reading the Jerusalem Bible translation. I enjoy this translation, especially the introductions to the books and all the notes. As a nerd, it's also particularly close to my heart, as JRR Tolkien contributed to the English version. Great video.

[@elke4646]

Tolkien!

[@deelman9389]

One of your best videos, Bishop Barron!

[@iloveyellow7214]

Bishop, I am using your talks here when I am doing apologetics to other people. And I am learning and enjoying these so much. I also got close to priests after mass and when I do confession for more guidance. Thank you so much Padre keep it up I love it

[@justynaharasimczuk9251]

Thank you. My favorite video

[@arturodiaz9073]

Great insight Bishop, these historic events really planted the seeds that produced faithful Christians. By the way don't worry about the stones, many of us are ready to die for the men of God. We are the new Cristeros

[@arturodiaz9073]

@@moselyjules6478 que viva!

[@ryant.138]

Incredible and brilliant analysis.... thank you so much for all you do, Bishop Barron! I've been following you from here in Western New York since I first discovered "The Catholicism Project" back in 2012. Your ministry has been life-changing to my faith life. God bless you and thank you! -Ryan

[@SilverLining1946]

Yes, we are listening...hungrily & attentively!! Thank you!!

[@pokenaut7803]

I think that all people need to know, this. As the Catholic Faith is the only true way to heaven through Jesus. I know dozens of young people dying (not literally) to know this information. Thank you, for the info Bishop.

[@jgil1966]

Great episode!

[@johnkalbert2014]

Thank you Jesus

[@wowdudewow8360]

Believe me… we are listening! I love you Bishop Barron!

[@thomasjust2663]

Very good video, once again you have inspired curiosity in my mind to read the book of acts, you have no idea the difference these videos have made on my life and hopefully the life to others close to me, thank you Bishop Barron

[@johncope8368]

I wish this had been discussed during my Christian theology course at Boston College. Brilliant. Thank you for sharing the good news through Paul in this video.

[@jordand5732]

This is fantastic stuff.

[@peggyfanning9282]

Brilliant, practical and helpful!

[@bika4942]

Oh my brother and sisters have faith in Jesus he is the only son of mighty God. My love with Jesus was from childhood. God blessed me with holly spirit.

[@kneth1935]

This is awesome. Just starting a Masters class @ Steubenville. First lesson on anthropology referenced Acts 16 where the Holy Spirit "prevented" Paul from going into Asia Minor; whereby he had the dream of the Macedonian leading him to Greece where Christianity and the heart of philosophic truth met. Love that you started this video off with that. One of those, "hey, I studied that!" moments. haha

[@tomasgraffigna1383]

Muchas gracias obispo Barron por enseñarnos a evangelizar a través del ejemplo de san Pablo!

[@kathyvilardi7059]

Really was moved by your biblical commentary can you do this more tx you for bringing me home

[@seanmarshall7529]

Hi Robert! Much Love!

[@Hoi4o]

A very favourite part of the New Testament of mine is exactly the part where Paul goes into discussion with the stoics and epicureans. I always find it funny how they show interest in what he has to say and are OK to discuss different ideas with him until he starts talking about the Resurrection. It's really funny how they were able to believe in Zeus living on Mount Olympus and in a bunch of other ridiculous ideas (now long proven wrong), but the Resurrection was somehow a hard red line for them.

[@SowerOfMustardSeed]

Thanks for the great video! You’ve talked about the subject before. I guess you are reiterating the topic again for catechists alike on how to conduct effective evangelization in light of the recent appalling survey result that almost 70% of Catholics don’t know or believe in the Real Presence. 🙏🏼

[@villiestephanov984]

Acts 17:1 goes hand in hand with *34:34 ! (( I really love You Father Barron 😍💞))

[@martinreed5892]

Now to apply 🤔

[@NavySubGuy668]

Please do more of your shows on pieces of Acts and Paul's letters. It's fascinating!

[@1014be]

Father Barron please talk to us about Chapter 26 of Acts and we look forward to hearing your insights! Thank you from a grateful listener.

[@johnyjose7457]

You can’t evangelise a culture you don’t love! Very interesting insight..

[@elke4646]

Agreed. I love people, but I surely don't love what they do in "mobs" lately in our culture (US).

[@jhubs4550]

Bishop Robert Barron Your Excellency, Compare your thoughts and commentary in your video with the following from a dear friend of mine (and yours) - “Remember when St Paul went to Athens. He was first of all down in the market place. And those who heard him likened him to a crow that picked up anything it could find on the pavement. But for some reason or another, because he was curious - in the sense that he had a new doctrine, he was invited to the hill of the Areopagus. So he went to mars hill to talk to the senators. We sometimes become awed when invited before a very prominent audience. Well St Paul was also awed and he must have spent a great deal of time preparing his sermon because, one - he used the psychology of the apperceptive mass, he started with something that was common to the preaching and the audience he addressed. He said ‘I perceive you’re religious people. I saw a statue to the unknown God. And that God whom you know not is the God that I preach to you’. From a homiletic point of view that was perfect. He immediately caught the audience. Then he talked of creation. He talked of providence. Talked of God ruling hearts. He talked of anastasis, he spoke of the resurrection in a vague kind of way and they thought it was just simply a new figure, a new god. He had only two converts, a woman Damaris and the man Dionysius. His sermon was a total failure, though homiletically it was perfect. He even went to the trouble of quoting one of his own native poets, and one of theirs. But he never mentioned Christ, never mentioned the cross. And they said ‘alright, we’ll hear you another time’. He never went back. There’s no record of him founding a church in Athens, and he never wrote to the Athenians. But he walked the 40 miles to Corinth immediately afterwards, and he had plenty of time to meditate on why he was a failure. And he wrote it down in the letter to the Corinthians - ‘I am resolved from now on to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.’ He learned his lesson. A lesson that we have to learn.” Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1977) God love you friend.

[@BishopBarron]

Well, that's one take on it. Hardly the only one possible.

[@jhubs4550]

Bishop Robert Barron Thank you your excellency for the dialogue. Certainly not. I appreciate yours very much. It is interesting the conclusion or takeaway, if you will, seems to be different. One says success. The other says fail. Perhaps the subject being spoken to is different. Your excellency seems to be speaking, if I may, more towards the homiletic side (which may very well need to be spoken to in our day). It may be they are not so different after all. Is there to be an understanding in the difference between evangelizing and proselytizing? If so, might there be a corollary to the difference we see between homily and sermon? Anyways, I thought you might appreciate the commentary seeing how we share a mutual love for the good bishop. Thank you your excellency for engaging with me. PS - my wife Lauren is huge fan, she loves you (she made me send that). As do I.

[@barringtonfan2345]

wow!! very cool.

[@jonathon_durno]

Yeah!!

[@imommtube]

I remember when it was really frequent that people attack Fr Barron (Bishop Barron was not a bishop yet) in the comments section, some times attacks were not even related to the video.

[@BishopBarron]

Oh they still do!

[@paulmiller3469]

Like any bishop in the Church established by Christ, he's going to get it from all sides - as Christ told us would happen.

[@mvhLinda]

Can we please have a series of these? Bishop Barron reading and commenting the Bible sentence by sentence.

[@marypinakat8594]

Awesome indeed. Having had studied the entire Catholic Bible in a Class room this was nostalgic to me.

[@thomasjackson9074]

Ty

[@severelychanged3679]

Thank you some much from a Knight Of Columbus.

[@johnkalbert2014]

Evangelization of the culture

[@timrichardson4018]

Bishop, I've been listening to you for a year or more. I'm an evangelical protestant who lost his faith a few years back. I was a declared atheist for a few years (long story, and not the one many assume). But I began to be persuaded a new about God and Christ by listening to Jordan Peterson. He convinced me of the psychological necessity of the idea of God. And somehow, that lead me to your videos. Your philosophical exploration of doctrine speaks to me. I'm very philosophically minded myself. I find myself compelled to keep listening. I am involved in church again, and love serving. But I find myself very curious about the Catholic Faith. I don't think my wife and the rest of my family would be thrilled about me exploring the idea of converting; to be fair, they wouldn't be positively opposed, just suspicious and reserved. What would you suggest I do?

[@susankipper3769]

Don't mean to step on any Bishop toes.... One suggestion: read "Rome Sweet Home" by Scott Hahn, a conversion story.

[@SowerOfMustardSeed]

Play Bishop Barron’s videos at home on your phone while your wife’s around and hope she will catch a glimpse or two. She will then start coming along :). That’s how I did it 😂 at any rate, God bless and the Catholic Church welcomes you to the family.

[@nicolasramirez3944]

Rome Sweet Home :)

[@6williamson]

A strength of evangelicals is their sense of obedience to God and His Word. So many come back to Catholic origins as they read the Church Fathers (Jerome is the first to translate 'born again'), commentaries on the Gospels by Aquinas (wow, did he know his scripture) and come to grips with John 6 and the meaning of the eucharist. You will have the best of both worlds! Truth and Spirit.

[@johnpyrkhatlyngkhoi5244]

Life of Christ by Bishop Fulton sheen.

[@tomsaltsman]

Just an observation. If we are truly motivated by divine charity, I'm sure that all of us who desire to win others to Christ more or less play by our own rules. That's what makes us convincing and unique. Each one of us will appeal to different kinds of people. That's the beauty and charm of God's intelligent design.

[@friaraspen]

♥️

[@janethockey9070]

Hiddeness of god helps the idea of freedom

[@The6zero4]

Make no mistake, i like Bishop Barron. I like him more all the time and, like the folks Paul debated with, take issue with some of his statements that i recognize as a given in his mind and in his exposition that do not qualify as the dialogue that he is advocating. Imperative to evangelize coming from Jesus? I dont buy it. Christians dialoguing with modern day philosophers, scientists, economists? Dialogue by its very definition requires an openness of mind that allows one to be informed; implies a willingness to change ones mind. Paul was a very intelligent man. He was also educated by one of the leading scholars of his age, Gamaliel. Of course he was a successful preacher for the same reasons Barron himself is successful. Both of them were/are intelligent and informed. If rank and file Christians, Catholics are to engage in useful debate in a public forum then, and i will not presume to challenge their innate intelligence, but for all our sake’s let them at least be informed. Case in point, the parrot, babbler, scavenger translation from the Greek and to be fair Barron said, I dont pretend to be familiar with all of the nuances of the Greek was clear. They were accusing him of parrotting platitudes, of using jargon, of taking as a given certain propositions that were without foundation. Paul had his philosophical and theological blindspots. Dont we all? Being willing to debate and have those assumptions challenged is equally as important as challenging those of others and more importantly expecting those we are speaking to be open minded enough to be challenged. The exchange of insights and information is a two way street as is learning. That’s why its called dialogue In the end, i like his analysis of the event. I applaud wholeheartedly his attempt to encourage evangelists which was his stated intention for the video. Now I’d like to hear him evangelize and explain “the God in whom we live and move and have our being “ also Paul’s words at the Areopagus

[@Richie_roo]

@BishopBarron what is the word you use for the seeds of the word?

[@robertl152]

Bishop Barron I enjoy your videos greatly. Admire what you're doing. What do you think of the KZbin channel 'The bible Project'? It's explaining the books of the Bible in animation form. Is their interpretation correct?

[@josephcalandrino6396]

Good analysis of text and of the process of evangelization itself. The Jerusalem Bible is a dubious translation, though, and others, such as RSV, NAB or the New Jerusalem Bible are more reliable and should always be used instead.

[@markballantyne393]

I suppose if a culture lived as Jesus taught us ,then they would evangelise the world by their actions everyone would having seen the perfect life would want to buy into it ,which is what Jesus told us to do follow me,good intentions and words haven't yet won the day for Christianity.

[@Wgaither1]

Reformed theology does NOT teach that God brings the ELECT kicking and screaming, against their will, into His kingdom. It teaches that God so-works in the hearts of the Elect as to make them willing and pleased to come to Christ. They come to Christ because they want to. They want to because God has created in their hearts a desire for Christ.

[@psykoproductions8400]

Come to SFHS La Cañada

[@JesusLoves77]

👋❤️👍

[@javiersalazar2178]

🙏✝️🇺🇸

[@ryanjoelgo1168]

Bishop. I am just curious, in his reading of this episode, Archbishop Sheen, saw it as a flop because there was no mention of Christ and Him crucified.

[@johnkalbert2014]

Jesus

[@Ailurophile1984]

13:47 Assassin’s Creed Odyssey screenshot?

[@alexneville8168]

Your Excellency, if Paul says that the God of Israel does not reside in temples made by human hands, how do we reconcile our belief in Christ in the tabernacle?

[@marypinakat8594]

Should Bishop answer this or a First Communicant would do? The second one ought to suffice.

[@alexneville8168]

I had a genuine question Mary. Thank you for belittling me and showing how small you are. I'm sure you'll wonder why people leave for protestant churches. It's because of people like you. Pat yourself on the back.

[@marypinakat8594]

@@alexneville8168 I am most sorry since you are hurt. If you were really honest about the question, let me point out that the answer is there within your own lines. I will bring that out for you. For reason of lack of time right now, I will be back again here for you soon. Thank you.

[@marypinakat8594]

@@alexneville8168 Hope you watched the video in full and you are able to connect with the 'temples made by human hands' Bishop mentions. Paul was referring to these temples which were so common in Greece. The Greeks had s-o-o-o-o many mythological gods and goddesses in those temples. In the video here there is this figure of one of them in the Parthenon. Religious Worship was indeed the strongest in Ancient Greece, their temples and the many gods, telling testimony to that. Psalm 115:4-7 describes well what is their worth (made of silver and gold) and potential (lifeless). Paul uses the platform to introduce *the true God* who is in stark contrast to these gods saying *'' the God of Israel does not live in temples made by men.''* Paul's goal is to introduce Jesus of Nazareth who was killed by people but whom God raised back to life. At that moment of history it was customary for Jesus' faithful followers to have THE PRESENCE OF JESUS BY THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD AND PRAYERS (the celebration of the Eucharist) in their homes. Please bear with me for skipping all those stages through which the Celebration of the Eucharist have come to the various forms of it by Christians world over. *... the Catholics have these TABERNACLES where they have THE PRESENCE OF JESUS c-o-n-t-i-n-u-e-d.* The idols in the temples of Greece were placed by mere humans there and they could do nothing for themselves or for those who made them. The God of Israel didn't ever live in a place dictated by humans yet did everything for his people. Today Jesus has chosen to live in Tabernacles all over the world and has thus made his abode in creation and among his own. (To be honest I don't enjoy a bit to write and write and write in the comments section) Bear with me cos I may have 'jumped' some instances. Ask me for anything. You are welcome.

[@paulmiller3469]

I think that's an excellent question. Upon hearing that verse in this video, my thoughts went to the temple in Jerusalem. Maybe that's the key. It was built initially by Solomon as a house for God, despite what the oracle of Nathan seems to say. As the Jewish faith developed, there seems to be acknowledgment that God can be here if He chooses. Some of the prophets referred to the temple not as the abode of God but as His footstool. So St. Paul comes along, seemingly talking down the True Presence of the man-made temple in Jerusalem, too, but maybe he wasn't really saying that. Just because a tabernacle holds the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, doesn't mean any given tabernacle is the true one at the expense of all the others, or that Christ's Spirit isn't everywhere else. So in that sense, no tabernacle can be called the residential address of Christ, though through His gift to us, every tabernacle has the Real Presence.

[@andreek8559]

You certainly put that seed of evangelicalism in my brain. So now what? I would love to just go to church but the Catholic Church isn’t very big where I live. Do I introduce myself to the local priest? I’ve no idea how to go about this.

[@6williamson]

Your local priest would love to talk. Sounds like a good plan.

[@paulmiller3469]

If you can't get time with a priest (you can, but maybe not on your timetable, as they're pretty busy), contact the Church office and ask about RCIA. That's the course, probably beginning soon (and culminating typically at Easter), which is for exploring the faith, and which you would have to take anyway to become Catholic. Hope that helps. Most parishes begin RCIA in September, so if you wait too long, you might have to wait another year.

[@paulmiller3469]

There's no commitment. I'm a convert so went through RCIA. Twice, in fact. The first time I thought this may not be for me, so dropped out. A few years later, I was back.

[@teresabaker-carl9668]

So I always understood that to fully understand the New Testament we must read it in conjunction with the Old Testament. Is that what you mean when you talk about what happens when Jesus is removed from Judaism? I mean, Jesus was a Jew Who quoted Jewish prophecy which would be the Old Testament, right?

[@BishopBarron]

Yes.

[@teresabaker-carl9668]

@@BishopBarron thank you, Bishop Barron. Thank you very much. That helps me understand some things.

[@teresabaker-carl9668]

@@chrissonofpear1384 omissions? Are you using a Catholic Bible? Or a protestant one?

[@teresabaker-carl9668]

@@chrissonofpear1384 in the amount of time Bishop Barron has, it would be impossible to cover this subject completely; not even close. Perhaps he would be willing to do a series on this subject. I have had some teaching on the subject and it's very fascinating to see how closely the Old Testament and New Testament go together. But like I say, the richness is far beyond what can be easily covered.

[@syfkog5236]

Acts 17:22-31 (NABRE): Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: “You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. 26 He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, 27 so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. 28 For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ 29 Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination. 30 God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent 31 because he has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world with justice’ through a man he has appointed, and he has provided confirmation for all by raising him from the dead.”

[@gladbutterfly]

“How then, does the story of Thecla help to reshape the memory of Paul? In order to answer this question, based on the above observations, first something can be said about Thecla, specifically with regard to her development and identity, and then something about Paul. First, Thecla and her development from a ‘weak’ woman to a ‘strong’ manly person-with the appropriate physical (strength, speech) characteristics and outward appearance (hair, clothing)-may serve as a narrative argument indicating that also those with supposedly weak bodies (women, slaves, etc.) could rise to a position of authority and leadership “in Christ” since through Christ. Conversely, given that “gender was understood to have far-reaching moral and spiritual implications”, the Acts of Thecla can also be seen to indicate that “even male persons could need to be ‘made men’ in order to be really spiritual.” Men like Thamyris, Alexander, and to a substantial extent also Paul, may well be found to be lacking in this respect. While the Acts of Thecla use the criterion of masculinity on the one hand to indicate who is and who is not a figure of authority, they also show how an(y) unmasculine person can attain masculinity-and hence authority-through ἐγκράτεια. As Dunn puts it: “gender is not limited by sex.” From: St. Thecla: Remembering Paul and Being Remembered Through Paul Peter-Ben Smit Vigiliae Christianae brill.com/vc VU University Amsterdam, Utrecht University, University of Pretoria

[@marypinakat8594]

I am afraid this is the wrong place for your campaign.

[@gladbutterfly]

Truth & Life App Galatians 3:28 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

[@6williamson]

Personally, I find scripture so deep that I can wander in it's truth for a lifetime without exhausting its Spirit. I see many wander off into other non-canonical writings to see if they can find some sort of private nugget of wisdom, but, IMHO this approach seems to not lead towards the depth of God and balanced teaching that the canonical books demonstrate. For example, Thecla certainly had some positive attributes but one wonders if some of the telling of the story went astray or Thecla, (like all of us) had some issues. Regardless, some of the writings seems less balanced on some issues than the more canonical writings attributed to Paul.

[@gladbutterfly]

That’s fine. I felt that way for decades. Recent scholarship on the history of how the canon was decided, and the tensions, discrepancies, motives, and prejudices involved have opened a wider horizon of interpretation, which permits much more to be included with greater integrity and fewer inconsistencies, for example, regarding the true role of women in the early Church . There are many sources, such as, Crispina and Her Sisters: Women and Authority in Early Christianity Christine Schenk, CSJ Fortress Press Minneapolis

[@gladbutterfly]

chris sonofpear1 indeed. So far, BB has made no real attempt to address the problem caused by the supposed ontological superiority of priests, which intimidated followers into silence and submission for so long. It’s appalling that he says the answer is for us to become saints, passing the buck and hiding his complicity by adding to the burden of lay people. The problem is not priests or bishops per se, but their “lording it over” their sheep with their pomp and circumstance, their luxury and princely demeanor. It’s time for them to stop refusing to recognize the role of the hierarchical structure and metaphysical flummery that supports it. If they would admit their abject humanity, and their own role in perpetuating the horror, it would go a long way towards gaining some understanding of how the clergy has become so corrupt. Without that, there’s no hope that people will trust them again. I really feel sorry for the good men in the priesthood, since they are as victimized by the false belief as their parishioners, of whom the number is rapidly diminishing. I don’t see the required humility happening though, since the superiors would have to accept that they’re no better than the rest of us, and give up their earthly power disguised as heavenly approval. Not likely, but we can pray. Truth & Life App Mark 12:38-40 38 And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and to have salutations in the market places 39 and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."

[@Wgaither1]

the Roman Catholic Church affirmed at Trent and continues to affirm now that the basis by which God will declare a person just or unjust is found in one’s “inherent righteousness.” If righteousness does not inhere in the person, that person at worst goes to hell and at best (if any impurities remain in his life) goes to purgatory for a time that may extend to millions of years. In bold contrast to that, the biblical and Protestant view of justification is that the sole grounds of our justification is the righteousness of Christ, which righteousness is imputed to the believer, so that the moment a person has authentic faith in Christ, all that is necessary for salvation becomes theirs by virtue of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. The fundamental issue is this: is the basis by which I am justified a righteousness that is my own? Or is it a righteousness that is, as Luther said, “an alien righteousness,” a righteousness that is extra nos, apart from us-the righteousness of another, namely, the righteousness of Christ? From the sixteenth century to the present, Rome has always taught that justification is based upon faith, on Christ, and on grace. The difference, however, is that Rome continues to deny that justification is based on Christ alone, received by faith alone, and given by grace alone. The difference between these two positions is the difference between salvation and its opposite. There is no greater issue facing a person who is alienated from a righteous God. At the moment the Roman Catholic Church condemned the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone, she denied the gospel and ceased to be a legitimate church, regardless of all the rest of her affirmations of Christian orthodoxy. To embrace her as an authentic church while she continues to repudiate the biblical doctrine of salvation is a fatal attribution. We’re living in a time where theological conflict is considered politically incorrect, but to declare peace when there is no peace is to betray the heart and soul of the gospel.

[@aliasjones6381]

In all seriousness, who ARE the top philosophers of the day? Sam Harris, Pinker are popular but so shallow and narrow. Peterson is a bit one-note, Zizek is mostly rhetoric and bluster. The best philosophers of the day are unknown (vander klay) or long dead i think.

[@stevengrocce370]

Edmund Gettier in epistemology, Alsadair Macintyre ethics, Peter Inwagen incompatibilism and libertarian free will, Peter Singer ethics in utilitarianism, Daniel Dennett in philosophy of mind and atheism, Thomas Nagel an atheist though anti material reductionist, and less prominent are Ed Feser a thomist and Peter Kreeft a very prolific author on Catholicism and breaking down philosophy for anyone. I should also note that most people and philosophy students usually align themselves with a certain philosophical figure in history like Thomists with Aquinas, scholastics with Aristotle, Empiricists with Hume, etc. So it does not necessarily have to be conversion of contemporary philosophers but current holders of historical philosophical positions.

[@BishopBarron]

Charles Taylor, Jurgen Habermas, Jean-Luc Marion, Alisdair MacIntyre, to name a few.

[@aliasjones6381]

@@stevengrocce370 Yes, in my experience when I'm talking to nonChristians about philosophy, they'll either go to Zizek/Peterson/Harris or to historical figures (I identify with Descartes ;) ) I'll check out the other speakers you've mentioned --- thanks, Barron! -- but it just seems like the philosophical debate stage is fairly empty. It seems more philosophy is pushed incrementally and subtly through entertainment and culture. That's a topic for another video, though. I know, Bishop Barron, you take heat for analyzing philosophical underpinnings of modern culture, but there's a huge spiritual battle of philosophies being fought without debate or analysis. People need to know what they're consuming, and what it means! Again, thank you all.

[@jordand5732]

Edward Feser (Catholic) is good, but I adamantly disagree with his analysis of Integralism and some other things. William Lane Craig and Alvin Plantinga. Alexander Pruss is my favorite philosopher possibly of all time (Catholic).

[@matthewluisantero5051]

A lot, actually

[@francissweeney7318]

Galatians 1:8 Paul preached against those who like catholics preach another gospel. " But though we, or an Angel from heaven preach unto you otherwise than that which we have preached to you let him be accursed." The catholic doctrine is another gospel.

[@LesIsMoreFilms]

Do souls go to hell, though?

[@marypinakat8594]

God never created hell. He gave humans rules to abide by. If I break rules I disrupt the good order that God put within me and I create hell for myself and unavoidably for others which is so much of a bad thing to happen.

[@LesIsMoreFilms]

@@marypinakat8594 is there a physical hell though? That souls go to once they die?

[@killabaseballguy]

Thanks for deleting the thread

[@hiroyukifujita5685]

Whether written by Paul or not, the Epistle to the Hebrews contains the Egypto-gnostic doctrine of the Christ which was taught by Paul in accordance with “the beginning of the first principles of the oracles of God”-that is, of the divine wisdom which was communicated in the mysteries... This, for example, is a brief sketch of the twofold Horus who suffered as Horus in his mortality and overcame as Horus in spirit, who personates the redeemer from death. This was he “who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, though he was a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered: and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation” (Heb. V. 7). This in the Egyptian was the maimed and suffering human Horus who was saved from death in becoming the anointed son, the glorified sahu, the spirit perfected, the typical initiator into an existence hereafter that was called salvation to eternal life.” Citation from: Massey, Ancient Egypt: Light of the world.

[@marypinakat8594]

Out of tune.

[@herptek]

Dialogue in evangelization is somewhat problematic in principle. The gospel is proclaimed as it is and is not itself subject to revision based on reasons articulated by our opponents. This will inevitably make the ordeal a rather unreciprocated dialogue. Catholicism is after all believed dogmatically and most reasons we may have for believing are secondary or apologetic by nature, reasons that make it easier to believe in a faith that is already given from above in its entirety. We cannot afford the faith to be subjected to or evaluated and revised by the intellectual stantards of the modern world (which are in any case faulty to begin with), which is what we would be required to do in order to engage in impartial dialogue. Dialogue is not a way of finding unchanging truths, but all too often a way of finding and settling for the lowest common denominator instead: The position that everyone is comfortable with, one that doesn't require a conversion or a change of belief or practice. A shallow, false unanimity is often the result. That is the danger that has to be kept in mind when engaging in dialogue in the event a christian has to engage in it. But we know what to do in face of obstinate unbelief; Matthew 10:11-15: "Whenever you enter a city or a village, find out who is worthy to be your host, and make your lodging there until you go away. When you enter this house, you are to wish it well; and so, if the house is worthy, your good wishes shall come down upon it; if unworthy, let them come back to you the way they went. And wherever they will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that city or that house; I promise you, it shall go less hard with the land of Sodom and Gomorrha at the day of judgement, than with that city."

[@gilcostello3316]

For the clerical class to begin to truly listen to laity, they will have to restore The Royal Priesthood, cancelled many hundreds of years ago by the clerical class so they would no longer have to engage with laity in terms of discerning policies, missions, etc.-why lay missions died. The clerical class decided to discern all on their own, keeping laity totally locked out. This is precisely how clerics for at least 50 years could hide the sexual molestation of children so successfully, probably the most succsessful criminal enterprise in all of Church history-not ONE cleric, not even the most dedicated to holiness, of the many thousands of clerics who knew would come forward, their bishops locking their minds in place, what would have never happened if there had been an Assembly Life in every Parish as Jesus insisted, and Paul's refrain: "Do not absent yourselves from the Assemblies!" No worries, Paul. They all were cancelled. Josef Cardinal Ratzinger expressed his great lament at this serious damage being done by an entrenched clericalism in his 1961 book, The Meaning of Christian Brotherhood--demonstrating there is nothing new under that dark sun, and all of it still firmly in place, what Ratzinger also addresses in that book with a frightening speculation on the future of the Church that now seems certain will come true. If Assembly Life had been in effect at every Parish this past 50 years, this horror story, this scandal where even angels were probably crying out for millstones, would have never happened. THIS is why Pope Francis never tires of pointing to this horrid clericalism that has possessed the workings of the Church for many hundreds of years, and is STILL corrupting her with its poisonous clerical camaraderie, the direct cause of the utter silence of the entire clerical class, as children in parishes across the globe were being offered up to Baal, sometimes on the actual altars in the parish churches. And that sinister clerical camaraderie is still firmly in place, what Francis has been unable to unhinge, the purpose of his Synod on Synodality, trying to restore the Royal Priesthood while being forcefully resisted by the clerical class with rigid, universal resistance. Here's one of my many hundreds of laments over the last 40 years, what no cleric will listen to or respond to: There is a persistent phenomenon in the Church, that easily generates the phenomenon of universal sloth in the Church because the Church no longer has the Royal Priesthood, cancelled many hundreds of years ago by the clerical class, a great tragedy/assault against the Church Josef Cardinal Ratzinger wrote about in his book 1961 book, The Meaning of Christian Brotherhood. This dynamic called the Royal Priesthood established by Jesus (“They will know you by your love for one another”), IS NOT POSSIBLE ABSENT ASSEMBLY LIFE, the latter cancelled many hundreds of years ago by the entire clerical class-no resistance from any cleric. This helps to understand why Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality serves a singular, all-important purpose: RESTORTATION OF THE ROAYL PRIESTHOOD, cancelled uniformly and quietly at every parish by the clerical class across Christendom many centuries ago. And every cleric in the universal Church today, other than Pope Francis, Left & Right, is fighting tooth and nail to make sure the Restoration of the Royal Priesthood Never Happens. And they are winning against Francis, keeping in mind that his vital mission, the only mission that can restore Lay Missons to the laity, to move them out of a universal slothful lukewarm life imposed on them by the clerical class many hundreds of years ago. Pope Francis has been spending his entire pontificate on this one mission: Restoration of the Royal Priesthood, what scares the entire clerical class trapped inside a clerical camaraderie that green lighted priests sexually molesting children for at least a half century, and it was and remains this clerical camaraderie that sent clerics whole-hog into sacrificing children on Satan’s altars, and there were reports of some priests feeding altar wine to kids, and once drunk, they sexually molested the kids on the altars in their parishes. ONLY the restoration of the Royal Priesthood can stop the endless satanic abuses in the Church. And that absolutely requires the restoration of Assembly Life, Mystagogy and Spiritual direction (Royal Priesthood) for both cleric and lay. There is no other way for the Church to move in this new millennium, what Pope Francis stands alone in fighting for, with the entire clerical class warring against his initiative.

[@EbrooSJ]

St. Paul was more "successful" that day than Blessed Charles de Foucault in his lifetime. God plays the longest of the long game. Perhaps, for many of us, "success" would be fatal to our own salvation and we must be content with having carried out the command obediently, and leave everything and everyone in God's hands.

[@marypinakat8594]

''God does not require that we be successful, only that we be faithful.'' *- Mother Theresa of Calcutta*

[@EbrooSJ]

@@marypinakat8594, thank you. That thought came to my mind too, as I was typing my response.

[@marypinakat8594]

@@EbrooSJ Keep up the good work. God bless! ☆

[@sydneyrica1802]

I don’t want to seem disrespectful to Bishop Barron but who added Ben Shapiro’s image to the area where he talks about modern philosophers? Is that the stance of this channel? Do the people who run this channel believe that Ben Shapiro is a philosopher?

[@BishopBarron]

No.

[@honestabe4161]

First!!!

[@SowerOfMustardSeed]

Honest Abe 👍🏼

[@stevenwiederholt7000]

Fifth! :-)

[@marcuswilliams7448]

I note the screen shot of Barron and Shapiro and recall the silliness of the Bishop calling Jesus the so-called "privileged route" to salvation contrary to the Lord's own word, that Jews can be saved through the Law, contrary to St. Paul, and that even atheists of good will can be saved as the receive the grace of Christ indirectly. Would that a better confession had been made while thousands of thousands watched.

[@BishopBarron]

Well friend, it's the teaching of Vatican II. I'm not sure what you expect a bishop of the Catholic Church to teach.

[@marcuswilliams7448]

I noted that in the interview as well, which I would say was the most repugnant point. Meaning, it wasn't your own opinion, but the official teaching of the Roman Church, though quite clearly contradicted by the Chief Cornerstone and the Least of all Apostles. Those remarks demonstrate what all should freely admit with Martin Luther, Councils can and obviously do err. What I would expect for a bishop of the Church to do is anathametize any teaching that contradicts the clear and plain testimony of Christ and the Apostles, even as Paul bids in Galatians 1.

[@BishopBarron]

@@marcuswilliams7448 Oh you're a Protestant. Okay, I thought you were an arch-conservative Catholic. To you I would say that Luther presents a very narrow and selective reading of Paul. Take a look at the marvelously universalist passages in Ephesians, Colossians, and Romans to get a sense of why the Catholic Church has a more generous view of the possibility of salvation.

[@marcuswilliams7448]

I am (in the opinion of Rome) an ordination-less Lutheran pastor. And to be more generous, there are many things I've learned from listening to the various platforms on which you've appeard. However, this point is quite plain, Bishop. Vatican II calls Christ the privileged route, though he himself says I am THE route. Any attempt to remove the exclusivity of that proclamation is to obscure what amounts to the clarity of Scripture, to say nothing of the merit of Christ itself. What portions of Paul's epistles you mentioned specifically are you referring to, if you don't mind? For any narrowness credited to Luther's account can be attributed to Jesus and Paul, the latter of whom refers to the Jews who reject Christ as the natural branches that have been removed and replaced by wild shoots grafted in.

[@marcuswilliams7448]

I would also like to ask you something concerning the so-called Eucharist Crisis in the Roman Church. I watched your conversation about this issue and it is quite a sad and unfortunate thing that such misunderstanding pervades among your people. I wonder whether or not Vatican II's notion of grace indirectly received contributes to the problem? In other words, if grace can be received indirectly, even by an atheist of good will (a unicorn, if I can say so), then what is to be sought in the Sacrament? Or why hold it in a high position?

[@williamwightman8409]

"Worship of false Gods. Is that a problem? Yes that is always the problem" - Bp. Barron, because they are all false Gods. Christian idolatry is the worship of a God that does not exist except in the vivid minds of men (this is definitely a evolved frontal lobe issue) . Let's blame that on Paul and his bottomless energy for converting the Gentiles. The actual truth is way different and more interesting than Paul could have imagined (although he was quite creative at times, i.e. salvation by continuous sacrifice of a man-god). This all reminds me of the Mirror of Erised. In this case this new salvation-biased religion of the gentiles is nothing more than a global Mirror of Erised. Christianity is ultimately defined by the Desire to sacrifice the divine to maintain the life of the temporal.

[@johnkalbert2014]

Jesus