Considering Catholicism: Recent Episodes
Greg Smith
”If you‘re considering Catholicism, or just curious, then consider this...” Greg Smith explores the faith, beliefs, life, and culture of the Catholic Church for curious non-Catholics, and for Catholics who want to know their faith better and share it with others.
Why don’t Catholics just dedicate babies the way so many evangelical churches do? In this episode we look carefully at the difference between a sincere baby dedication and the Catholic sacrament of baptism. Dedication is a beautiful public commitment by parents and the church to raise a child in the faith—but it leaves the child’s spiritual state unchanged. Catholic baptism claims something more: that Christ acts first, remitting original sin, conferring sanctifying grace, and incorporating the child into His Body before the child can answer for himself. We examine the theology that produces dedication, the scriptural and historical reasons the Church has always baptized infants, and why the order of God’s action matters for both the child and the parents.
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Thomas named a frustration many people feel when they look seriously at Catholicism: on paper and in history the Church looks strong, bold, and majestic, yet in many ordinary parishes and contemporary voices it can feel soft, embarrassed by its own doctrine, and eager to concede to the spirit of the age. In this final episode of the series, Greg takes that dissonance seriously. He distinguishes it from the usual “Church of sinners” cliché, places Vatican II and its aftermath in the much longer pattern of how ecumenical councils actually work across centuries, and points to signs that the Church is slowly rejecting both extremes while the center of gravity reasserts continuity. The series ends where it began—with the question of trust, and the decision to stay in the boat Peter was told to stay in.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Thomas named the papacy as one of the biggest speed bumps on the Road to Rome. The questions are familiar: Who made a man in Rome the boss of Christianity? What about the corrupt popes? Can he just make things up? In this episode Greg takes those questions head-on, beginning with Jesus’ words to Peter in Matthew 16 and the early Church’s recognition of that office. He looks honestly at the mixed historical record of the men who have sat in the chair, explains the real (and limited) nature of papal authority, and asks the deeper question: if not the papacy, then what? For anyone who feels the weight of imperfect leaders yet still senses that Christ left His Church a visible center of unity, this episode is 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
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One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!
CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Thomas raised two related difficulties with the Mass: what the Catholic Church actually claims is happening on the altar, and how underwhelming or casual many ordinary parish celebrations can feel. In this episode Greg stays focused on the first question. Drawing on Scripture, the early Church, and the Church’s precise language of transubstantiation, he explains why Catholics insist that the whole Christ — body, blood, soul, and divinity — is truly present under the appearances of bread and wine. He contrasts this with the more limited role communion usually plays in evangelical Protestantism and shows why the Church has always treated the Eucharist as the source and summit of the Christian life. The gap between the extraordinary claim and everyday parish practice is real, but it is a separate question for another time.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Thomas asked the natural follow-up question to the “broken window”: if forgiveness cancels the debt but the damage remains, what happens to that remaining damage after we die? In this episode Greg takes up the common Protestant objection that any further purification after death seems to add something to the finished work of the Cross. Drawing on the Catechism, Scripture, and the Church’s long practice of praying for the dead, he explains that everyone in purgatory is already saved and will reach heaven. Purgatory is not a second chance or a third eternal destination; it is the final, merciful purification of those who die in God’s friendship but are still imperfectly ready to stand before Him. If you have ever felt the tension between being forgiven and still knowing you are not yet whole, this episode is 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
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Thomas asked a question that a lot of people carry quietly: if Christ has already paid the full price for our sins, why does the Catholic Church still talk about penance, temporal punishment, and making satisfaction? In this third episode of the Dear Doubting Thomas series, Greg takes up the “broken window” image Thomas used and the common Protestant retort that any further “doing” after forgiveness seems to add to the finished work of the Cross. Drawing on the Church’s careful distinctions between justification and sanctification, and on the difference between the lift that gets the plane off the ground and the journey that actually takes us somewhere, he shows why the call to cooperate in healing the remaining effects of sin is not a second invoice but a gift of mercy ordered to real transformation. If you’ve ever felt stuck between the anxiety of never knowing whether you’re fully forgiven and the casual sense that nothing more is required, this episode is 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
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Thomas wrestled with a very practical and painful question: Why does the Church insist we confess our sins to a priest when we can just tell God directly? In this episode Greg addresses the deeper anxiety underneath that objection—the fear that we’ll never really know if we’re forgiven, and the two common dead-ends many people fall into: anxious uncertainty or a shrugging casualness toward sin. Drawing on Scripture, the early Church, and his own experience, he explains why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not a barrier but a gift of mercy that gives us something we can’t get anywhere else: the audible words of absolution and a structured path for real growth in holiness. Whether you’re blocked from the sacraments right now or simply wondering why “just tell God” has never quite been enough, this episode offers clarity and hope.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Thomas wrote with a question that sits underneath almost everything else: Can the Catholic Church really be trusted with its extraordinary claims? In this first episode of the series, Greg responds personally and honestly to that foundational doubt. Drawing from his own long journey out of self-selected Christianity and into the Church, he explores why there’s no comfortable middle ground, why the visible imperfections of the Church can feel like cold water on genuine inspiration, and what finally led him to make the deliberate choice to trust the Barque of Peter anyway. If you’ve ever felt the tension between the beauty that draws you toward Catholicism and the very human failures that make you hesitate, this conversation is 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
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
In this final episode of the Mary in the Dock series, we examine the Assumption of Mary — the solemn teaching that, at the end of her earthly life, the Immaculate Mother of God was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory. Many Protestants find this doctrine especially challenging, arguing that it lacks any biblical foundation and was simply invented by the pope when it was defined in 1950. We give those objections a full and fair hearing, including the complete silence of the New Testament, the absence of clear early patristic testimony, and the apparent difference between the Catholic understanding and the Eastern Orthodox celebration of the Dormition. We then present the Catholic case: the biblical precedent of God assuming other holy figures, the ancient and widespread liturgical tradition in both East and West, and the deep theological fittingness of Mary’s bodily glorification as the New Eve and the New Ark. Whether you’re wrestling with this teaching or simply want to understand why the Church holds it with such conviction, this episode brings the entire series to a coherent and Christ-centered conclusion.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
In this installment of Mary in the Dock, we put the claim of Mary’s perpetual virginity on trial. Many Protestants see the “brothers of Jesus” mentioned in the Gospels and the word “until” in Matthew 1:25 as decisive proof that Mary and Joseph had a normal married life after Jesus’ birth. We examine those objections carefully and then explore the Catholic response — from the broader biblical and Jewish use of the word “brother,” to the idiomatic meaning of “until,” to the early and unanimous witness of the Church Fathers. Far from being a late ascetic invention, the perpetual virginity of Mary emerges as a profoundly fitting expression of her unique role as the New Ark and the Mother of God. Whether you’re wrestling with this teaching or simply want to understand why the Church has always held it, this episode offers a clear and Scripture-centered defense.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
In recent years, a number of dioceses have moved to remove or ban altar rails, even as some younger priests have begun reinstalling them. These disputes often follow a familiar pattern: one side appeals to history and theology, while the actual arguments on the ground tend to revolve around how a practice makes people feel. This episode steps back from the usual arguments to examine why the language of feelings so often dominates discussions about the liturgy — and why that creates problems on more than one side. Drawing a parallel to the common Bible study question “What does this passage mean to you?”, it argues that both Scripture and the Mass are better approached as a search for what is actually true rather than what feels meaningful in the moment. The result is a call to move beyond generational instincts and cultural assumptions toward a deeper, more consistent engagement with the Church’s tradition.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In the wake of the Pentagon’s recent effort to simplify its religious affiliation codes — and the resulting controversy when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was initially listed separately from other Christian groups — Utah senators Mike Lee and John Curtis publicly pushed back, insisting that Latter-day Saints are unequivocally Christian. The online debate that followed highlighted a much larger and older question: In a culture where anyone can claim any label, what does the word “Christian” actually mean? What are the historical and theological criteria, and who has the authority to define them?
Building on our previous episode about the visible criterion for orthodoxy, we trace how the early Church clarified the boundaries of authentic faith amid heresies, through the creeds, councils, and the role of Peter’s successor in safeguarding unity. We examine why self-identification, while sincere, has never been sufficient on its own — and why the same logic that leads some to say “anyone who feels like a Christian is a Christian” creates the same problems we see when words like “woman” are detached from objective reality.
Along the way we look honestly at specific groups: mainline and evangelical Protestants (real but imperfect communion), Mormons (self-identified Christians with a fundamentally different understanding of God and the Trinity), Jehovah’s Witnesses, Unitarians, and various progressive re-interpretations that retain the label while redefining core doctrines. We also address the common pushback that “Mormons are some of the nicest, most moral people you’ll meet” — and why that, while true and praiseworthy, doesn’t settle the theological question (just as being baptized and confirmed Catholic doesn’t automatically make someone a good or moral person).
If you’ve ever wondered how the Church distinguishes between orthodoxy and heresy, or why the Catholic Church doesn’t simply accept every sincere group’s self-definition, this episode offers clear, historically grounded answers with pastoral warmth. The goal isn’t exclusion for its own sake, but clarity — so that the faith Christ actually revealed can be known, guarded, and handed on intact.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
In a world flooded with thousands of competing voices — each claiming to represent “biblical Christianity” with their favorite proof texts — how do you actually tell authentic, orthodox Christianity from heresy? From the Gnostics and Arians of the early centuries to today’s endless online teachers and influencers, the problem is as old as the Church itself. In this episode we explore one of the clearest and most reliable answers the Church has ever had: the ancient principle captured by St. Ambrose — “Where Peter is, there is the Church.”
We unpack Jesus’ own words to Peter in Matthew 16, the witness of the Church Fathers, and the crucial distinction between the individual pope and the papacy itself. Along the way we address how this visible criterion for orthodoxy played out in history — from anti-popes to the East-West split — and why it still matters in our age of doctrinal noise and personal brands. Popes fall on a bell curve like the rest of us, but the office Christ established remains the living anchor that keeps the faith one.
If the question of authority and the pope has been the final hurdle in your journey toward the Catholic Church, this conversation offers honest clarity and genuine encouragement. The same Peter who denied Christ three times was still entrusted with the keys — a reminder that the Church has always been God’s mercy at work through imperfect instruments.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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 Episode 5 of the series Mary in the Dock: Ordinary or Extraordinary?, Greg Smith puts the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception on trial. Protestants often object that it has no clear biblical basis, appears to contradict “all have sinned” in Romans 3:23, and was a late invention that elevates Mary in ways that compete with Christ. Greg gives these objections a full and fair hearing before delivering a sharp, in-depth Catholic defense centered on the angel’s greeting to Mary in Luke 1:28 with the Greek word kecharitomene (perfect passive participle meaning “you who have been and remain fully graced”), paired with the total enmity of Genesis 3:15. Far from diminishing Christ, this teaching reveals the extraordinary power of His redemption: a preventive grace that preserved His mother from original sin from the first moment of her conception in view of the merits of the Cross. It flows naturally from Mary as the New Eve and New Ark, showing her as the first and most perfect fruit of Christ’s victory over sin. Listeners serve as the jury in this engaging courtroom discussion. Perfect for curious non-Catholics, Protestant pastors on the journey, and cradle Catholics rediscovering the depths of the faith.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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 Episode 4 of the series Mary in the Dock: Ordinary or Extraordinary?, host Greg Smith puts the Catholic doctrine of Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant on trial. Protestants often charge that this is fabricated typology with no explicit New Testament warrant, that it’s eisegesis used to justify later Marian dogmas, and that it risks over-elevating Mary in ways that compete with Christ. Greg gives these objections a full, fair hearing before delivering a robust Catholic defense rooted in rich biblical typology, including a detailed “constellation” of parallels between the Old Testament Ark and Mary: the Word of God, the manna, Aaron’s rod, the overshadowing by the Holy Spirit (using the exact same Greek verb ἐπισκιάζω in both Exodus 40 and Luke 1:35), the three-month stay, David’s dance vs. John the Baptist’s leap, and more. Early Church Fathers like Hippolytus, Athanasius, and Ephraim the Syrian affirmed this long before Constantine, and the teaching is thoroughly Christocentric—Mary as the pure vessel who brings God’s presence to his people. Listeners serve as the jury in this engaging courtroom discussion that builds directly on the New Eve episode. Whether you’re a curious non-Catholic, a Protestant pastor investigating the faith, or a cradle Catholic rediscovering these treasures, this episode will challenge you to decide: is Mary simply an ordinary woman, or the extraordinary New Ark the Church has always proclaimed?
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
The Acorn and the Oak: Development of Doctrine, Part 2
Picking up right where Part 1 left off, Greg and Cory apply the principles of authentic development to some of today’s most contested questions. They examine recent papal teaching on capital punishment and just war as examples still unfolding in the life of the Church, then look at three proposals (female ordination, Communion for those in irregular marriages, and same-sex unions) that the Church has consistently resisted. Along the way they show why these do not meet Newman’s criteria for genuine development and how the Magisterium, guided by the Holy Spirit, discerns growth from corruption. Honest, hopeful, and pastorally grounded—this episode models how faithful Catholics can engage difficult topics without anxiety or compromise.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
The Acorn and the Oak: Development of Doctrine, Part 1.
In this first part of our conversation with Cory, we explore the beautiful Catholic understanding of how doctrine develops. Far from “making things up” or changing with the culture, the Church deepens her grasp of the unchanging deposit of faith handed on by the apostles. Greg and Cory unpack Saint John Henry Newman’s classic idea, trace its roots to the early Church, and walk through clear, non-controversial examples like the Trinity, Christ’s two natures, sacramental theology, and the Marian dogmas. Using the acorn-to-oak image and Newman’s seven notes, they show how the faith stays the same while growing richer and more articulate over time. Perfect for Protestants wondering about “Catholic additions” and anyone wanting to understand how the Church avoids both fundamentalism and fluidity.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In Episode 3 of the series Mary in the Dock: Ordinary or Extraordinary?, host Greg Smith puts the Catholic doctrine of Mary as the New Eve on trial. Protestants often object that it’s typology overreach with no explicit New Testament warrant, risks elevating Mary at Christ’s expense, and developed too late under possible pagan influence. Greg gives the strongest objections a full, fair hearing, then delivers a robust Catholic defense rooted in Genesis 3:15 (the protoevangelium of total enmity between the woman and the serpent), the Annunciation in Luke 1 (Mary’s fiat of obedience undoing Eve’s disobedience), and the clear teaching of the early Church Fathers like Justin Martyr and Irenaeus writing already in the second century. Far from competing with Christ, the New Eve doctrine is thoroughly Christocentric—it magnifies the redemption won by the New Adam and sets the stage for every other Marian teaching. Listeners serve as the jury in this conversational courtroom discussion that asks the key question: is Mary simply an ordinary woman God used for a moment, or the extraordinary New Eve the Church has proclaimed since the apostolic age? Perfect for curious non-Catholics, Protestant pastors investigating Catholicism, and cradle Catholics deepening their faith.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In Episode 2 of the series Mary in the Dock: Ordinary or Extraordinary?, host Greg Smith puts the Catholic doctrine of Mary as Mother of God (Theotokos) on trial. Many modern evangelicals recoil at the title, calling it blasphemous or idolatrous and unknowingly echoing the ancient Nestorian heresy that split Christ in two. Greg gives the strongest Protestant objections a full, fair hearing — the lack of an explicit Bible verse, the risk of deifying Mary, and the historical cautions from Calvin — then delivers a robust Catholic defense rooted in Luke 1:43 (“mother of my Lord”), the Council of Ephesus (431 AD), and the affirmations of classical Reformers like Luther (“she is rightly called… the Mother of God”), Zwingli, and the Anglican Articles. Far from Marian excess, the doctrine safeguards the full reality of the Incarnation and the infinite value of Christ’s atonement. Listeners serve as the jury in this conversational yet intellectually sharp courtroom discussion that asks the key question: is Mary simply an ordinary woman God used for a moment, or the extraordinary God-bearer the Church has proclaimed for two thousand years? Perfect for curious non-Catholics, Protestant pastors investigating Catholicism, and cradle Catholics deepening their faith.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In the powerful opening episode of the new series Mary in the Dock: Ordinary or Extraordinary?, host Greg Smith puts the Catholic practice of Marian devotion on trial. Are prayers like the Hail Mary and the Rosary, asking for Mary’s intercession, and venerating her images really idolatry — or are they biblical, Christ-centered honor for the Mother of our Lord? Greg gives the strongest Protestant objections a full, fair hearing (sola scriptura, the one-mediator objection, and claims of late pagan corruption), then delivers a robust Catholic defense rooted in Scripture, the Greek of the New Testament, and the earliest Church Fathers — including evidence of Marian prayers from the third century, long before Constantine. Listeners serve as the jury in this conversational yet intellectually sharp courtroom-style discussion that tackles one of the most common stumbling blocks for Protestants investigating Catholicism. Whether you’re a curious non-Catholic, a Protestant pastor wrestling with these issues, or a cradle Catholic wanting to explain the faith more clearly, this episode will challenge you to decide: is Mary simply an ordinary woman, or the extraordinary New Eve the Church has always proclaimed?
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In this unscripted, freewheeling conversation recorded at the secret compound, Ed shares the profound shift happening in his heart as he prepares to enter OCIA and come into full communion with the Catholic Church. He reflects on how years of Protestant experience left him with a flattened faith — where baptism, communion, and even basic Christian practices became optional or merely symbolic — and how rediscovering mystery has brought wonder, weight, and meaning back into his life.
Greg and Ed explore the difference between modern “mystery” as unsolved puzzle and the New Testament mysterion — the transcendent, supernatural realities that point to realities beyond what we can measure or fully explain. They discuss the enchanted universe of medieval Catholicism, the flattening effect of the Enlightenment, and how stripping away divine mystery leaves a void that gets filled with everything from simulation theory to razor blades under pyramids.
Along the way they touch on cathedrals, real presence in the Eucharist, marriage as sacrament, C.S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Chesterton, and why so many today are hungry for a Christianity that is big, bold, substantial, and deeply rooted in the supernatural. If you’ve ever felt that modern life (and modern Christianity) has lost its magic, this episode will speak to that ache and point toward the ancient answer.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical today — Magnifica Humanitas — addressing the dignity of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and rapid technological change. In this short update episode, Greg reflects on the long anticipation for this document (echoing Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum), shares what we’ve already covered on the podcast and in our adult education academy, and explains why he’s choosing to read, mark up, and prayerfully reflect on the full 42,000-word text before offering in-depth thoughts in a couple of weeks.
He also gives important show updates: switching to interactive Zoom webinars for supporters, plans to resume regular Patreon content, and a sneak peek at the upcoming new podcast The History of Christendom.
If you want to join the live webinars walking through the encyclical together, become a Patreon or PayPal supporter today — links below. Thanks for your patience and support during a busy season!
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Greg dives into a surprising pattern that keeps surfacing in Catholic-Protestant conversations: why so many objections to Catholicism quickly circle back to sex, sexuality, and gender. From the intense pushback on Mary’s perpetual virginity and clerical celibacy, to contraception, the male-only priesthood, divorce, and the endless cultural tropes about “sexy nuns,” repressed priests, and naughty Catholic schoolgirls, these issues generate unusually visceral reactions. Greg asks the provocative question: Does this fixation tell us more about certain Protestant assumptions about the human body than it does about Catholic teaching? He traces how a quiet but seismic shift during the Reformation—and the cultural currents that followed—created two genuinely different visions of what it means to be embodied, sexual, male-and-female creatures made for communion. The result is a fascinating, charitable look at why these flashpoints keep dominating the conversation and what the Catholic vision of the body actually offers in a world that’s more confused than ever about sex, marriage, and human flourishing.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In the final part of this three-part series, Greg takes the philosophical foundation from Episode 1 and the moral schematics from Episode 2 and applies them directly to four very ordinary, everyday situations: money lending and usury, lying versus legitimate deception, disciplining children (including spanking), and gambling. Using the categories of intrinsically evil acts, prudential judgment, and authentic development of doctrine, he walks through concrete examples—medieval usury versus modern payday loans, the Nazis-at-the-door dilemma and broad mental reservation, parental decisions about spanking, and state-sponsored gambling—so you can see exactly how the object of the act, the privation of the good, and the virtue of prudence work in real life.
You’ll come away with clear, practical tools for reasoning through complex moral questions with the mind of the Church instead of slogans or partisan talking points. Whether you’re a Protestant pastor sorting through moral theology, a curious investigator exploring Catholicism, or a Catholic wanting to think more precisely about everyday decisions, this episode shows how the Church’s two-thousand-year habit of careful moral reasoning equips us to love God and neighbor with both clarity and charity.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In the second part of this three-part series, Greg builds directly on the foundation laid in “The Anatomy of Evil” and moves into the practical schematics the Church has spent two thousand years refining. He walks through the key categories of Catholic moral reasoning: universal, unchanging principles rooted in human dignity and the natural law; intrinsically evil acts whose object is always disordered; positive obligations that call us to active love and justice; the virtue of prudence that guides real-world application; and the legitimate space for prudential judgment where faithful Catholics of good will can disagree in good faith. You’ll also explore the idea of authentic development of doctrine—Newman-style organic growth that deepens without reversing—and what it means when the Magisterium declares something “inadmissible” in light of the Gospel.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
In a world of loud moral arguments and social-media slogans, real precision often gets lost. In this three-part series, Greg unpacks one of the most attractive features of Catholic moral theology: its remarkable clarity around evil as a privation (not a substance), intrinsically evil acts, prudential judgment, and authentic development of doctrine.
Episode 1, “The Anatomy of Evil,” explores how human actions are good in their being yet can be morally disordered in their object—drawing on Aquinas, C.S. Lewis’s “bent” imagery, and concrete examples like homosexual activity and direct abortion.
Episode 2 lays out the practical schematics the Church has refined for two thousand years: universal principles, absolute norms, positive obligations, prudence, and Newman-style development (including the language of “inadmissible”).
Episode 3 applies those tools to four relatable everyday cases—money lending and usury, lying versus legitimate deception, disciplining children (spanking), and gambling—showing exactly how Catholics can reason faithfully through complex situations with both intellectual honesty and pastoral charity.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In this special conversation episode, Greg sits down with his friend and longtime collaborator Cory to mark the 10th anniversary of the night they both entered the Catholic Church together at the Easter Vigil in 2016. They share what they’re most grateful for after a decade—everything from the life-shaping rhythm of the sacraments and liturgical year, the communion of saints, the beauty that feeds the soul, and the simple joy of feeling truly “at home” in any Catholic parish on earth, to the doctrinal clarity and sense of vocation that have steadied their families. Greg also offers candid thoughts from his unique vantage point as a former Protestant pastor: the things that turned out even richer than he expected (deeper prayer and devotion, the dedication of our priests, the Church’s surprising integrity and resilience) and a few honest challenges he’s seen along the way. With warmth, gratitude, and zero sugar-coating, this episode is an encouraging look at what it really means to live the Catholic faith over the long haul. Whether you’re still investigating the Church or you’ve been in it your whole life, you’ll walk away refreshed and reminded why the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church is worth everything.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In this candid monologue, Greg retraces his own path from campus-ministry apologetics at a liberal university into the tight, intellectually satisfying world of Calvinism—training in a Calvinist seminary, embracing TULIP, and finding real comfort in the doctrine of Total Depravity. He walks through what made that system feel so compelling at the time: its logical clarity, its honest reckoning with human sin, and its God-centered awe. But as he circled back to the medieval Catholic thinkers he’d first glimpsed years earlier, and then encountered the big, colorful, sacramental fullness of Catholicism, that earlier framework began to feel incomplete. Greg contrasts the Calvinist view of a totally corrupted human nature with the Catholic teaching—rooted in Scripture and two millennia of tradition—that original sin wounds us profoundly but does not destroy the image of God within us. The result is a far more hopeful vision of grace that heals, elevates, and invites real cooperation in the lifelong work of sanctification.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Why do some Catholics want more Latin even in the regular Sunday Mass? In this episode, Greg explores how praying familiar parts like the Pater Noster or Sanctus in the Church’s historic tongue undoes a bit of the Tower of Babel’s confusion and brings us closer to the unity Pentecost began. Drawing on Scripture, saints, and even a funny Tolkien family story (yes, he loudly answered in Latin when everyone else switched to English), you’ll see why a common language fosters true catholicity—across centuries, time zones, and hemispheres. Practical tips make it doable for any parish, and the cultural parallels (Jews in Hebrew, Muslims in Arabic, even “Namaste”) show why shared sacred words matter. Warm, hopeful, and full of insight—perfect whether you’re investigating Catholicism or rediscovering your own faith.
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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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.
Greg revisits the famous (but legendary) story of Martin Luther hurling an inkwell at the devil to prove his sins were "forgiven and forgotten," a tale he once preached as a Protestant pastor. He contrasts Luther's extreme swing—from crushing monastic guilt to the infamous "sin boldly" advice—with the goofy online quip about "Irish guilt" vs. "Italian joy" in Catholicism. The episode unpacks how the Church avoids both ditches: honest examination of conscience, sacramental absolution that restores real joy, and the transformative work of grace that actually changes us (drawing from Trent, the Catechism, and saints like Francis de Sales and the Curé d'Ars). Ideal for anyone wrestling with assurance, scrupulosity, cheap grace, or passing faith to the next generation—showing why Catholic mercy is neither guilt nor license, but freedom.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Two weeks before Easter we’re doing something special. Join Greg for a livestream webinar. He’ll open the Gospels and Google Earth and walk the actual route Jesus took Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday — gate by gate, hill by hill, garden by garden. You’ll see exactly where He slept in Bethany, which path He took down the Mount of Olives, where the Upper Room almost certainly was, and why the geography makes every moment more powerful.
This is available for Patreon members (you can join on a 7-day trial to check it out). Follow this link:
Ever wondered what actually happens at the Easter Vigil—the "Super Bowl of the Catholic liturgy" where catechumens are baptized, confirmed, and receive their first Eucharist? In this second part of our OCIA: The Bridge to Rome series, Greg and Cory walk you through the whole nighttime journey: the dramatic Service of Light with the new fire and Paschal candle procession, the breathtaking Exsultet ("This is the night!"), the extended Liturgy of the Word tracing salvation history, the renewal of baptismal promises for everyone, and the climactic sacraments of initiation that bring new members fully into the Church. Whether you're in OCIA wondering what you're stepping into, a Protestant curious about the ancient beauty of Catholic worship, or a longtime Catholic wanting to fall in love with the Vigil all over again, this episode demystifies the holiest night of the year and shows why so many describe it as life-changing. Pull up a chair—we'll geek out on the symbolism, the timing, and the sheer awe of it all.
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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In this episode of the OCIA: The Bridge to Rome series, Greg and Cory dive into the heart of what OCIA is ultimately aiming for: the Sacraments of Initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. They explain how these three sacraments bring a person into full communion with the Catholic Church, marking the gateway to the Christian life as a death-and-rebirth in Christ, a strengthening by the Holy Spirit, and intimate union with Jesus in His Body and Blood.
The conversation covers key distinctions between catechumens (unbaptized) and candidates (validly baptized in other Christian traditions), the biblical foundations (especially the Great Commission and Pentecost), why Catholic baptism is regenerative rather than merely symbolic, how validity is determined (Trinitarian formula and intent), and the typical order of reception at the Easter Vigil. They also touch on practical questions inquirers often have—like documentation, Protestant "confirmation" practices, and why the Church recognizes some baptisms but not others—while keeping everything clear, charitable, and rooted in Scripture, tradition, and the Catechism.
Perfect as a preview for those considering OCIA, a supplement for current participants, or a refreshing reminder for lifelong Catholics rediscovering the power of these foundational sacraments on the road to the Easter Vigil.
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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
After four years of raw, honest conversations, Ed the Protestant returns with big news that longtime listeners have been praying for and waiting to hear. What started as burnout on modern church life in episode #8 has led to a profound shift—one that changes everything for Ed and challenges all of us to count the cost of following Christ fully. Greg and Ed unpack the weight of real commitment, the ontological reality of the sacraments, why Catholicism feels “more real” than anything else, and the bittersweet beauty of saying yes to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. If you’ve cheered Ed on, wrestled with similar questions, or wondered what happens when curiosity turns into conviction, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Ever feel completely done with church—burnt out, over it, ready to sleep in on Sundays and call it quits on the whole evangelical scene? You're not alone. In this raw, honest conversation, Greg and his longtime Protestant friend Ed open up about hitting that wall after decades in the contemporary American church world: the constant cultural chasing, overstimulation, theological flip-flops, leadership chaos, and guilt-driven busyness that left them both exhausted and questioning if church was even worth it anymore. They reflect on how that valley of despair actually cracked open curiosity about something deeper and more ancient—Catholicism—and Greg points to where it all began for Ed four years ago in episode #8, “A Conversation with My Protestant Friend.” If you're in that "done" place or know someone who is, this one's for you: real talk about burnout, why the seeker-church model backfired, and the surprising path that led two guys back to wanting to show up again—this time in the fullness of the historic Church.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Greg unpacks the often-misunderstood practice of asceticism—the spiritual training of saying "no" to ourselves so we can say a bigger "yes" to God. Far from misery or earning salvation, Lent's self-denial (fasting, giving things up) is biblical discipline, modeled by Jesus in the desert and echoed throughout Scripture, that builds freedom, self-mastery, and deeper union with Christ. Greg contrasts this ancient Christian heartbeat—alive in Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and early traditions—with its near-absence in much of modern evangelicalism, addressing common pushback like "Jesus already suffered for us" with grace and Scripture. Perfect for anyone in Lent wondering "why bother?" or curious why the early Church took spiritual training so seriously.
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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Greg sits down with his longtime Protestant friend Ed to tackle one of the biggest hurdles for many coming from evangelical backgrounds: the Sacrament of Confession (or Penance and Reconciliation). Ed shares his lifelong comfort—and unease—with keeping sins "just between me and God," while Greg explains how the priest acts in persona Christi (in the person or place of Christ) with the authority Christ gave to Peter and the Church to bind and loose, offering not just advice but true absolution. They unpack why saying sins aloud breaks their secrecy (shoutout to Chesterton's insight), why accountability partners or counseling can't pronounce forgiveness, and how this sacrament brings real freedom, a clean slate, and ongoing conversion without earning salvation. Perfect for Protestants wondering "Why a priest?" or Catholics wanting to appreciate the gift anew.
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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
In this follow-up conversation with Cory, we unpack why you can walk into one Catholic parish and experience a reverent, chant-filled Mass with Latin elements, then go to another and hear contemporary music or a more conversational style—yet both are fully valid Catholic Masses. We explain the Roman Missal (the "script" of the Mass), the difference between the unchanging Ordinary and the variable Propers, the legitimate options priests have (like different forms of the Penitential Rite or Eucharistic Prayers), and how music, language, priestly orientation, and posture for receiving Communion all create stylistic variety. Whether you're in OCIA, investigating Catholicism, or a longtime Catholic rediscovering the richness of the liturgy, you'll see how these differences reflect legitimate diversity in the one, universal Church—without changing the substance of the Eucharist. We also touch on the recovery of traditional elements like Gregorian chant and ad orientem celebration, all while keeping things practical and encouraging you to experience the beauty of the Mass in different settings. Twenty centuries. Twenty-four time zones. Two hemispheres. One Church—and one Mass with many beautiful expressions.
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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
In this conversation with Cory, we dive into the practical side of Catholic life: where you can actually go to attend Mass. We start with the basics—your local territorial parish—and then explore all the other valid options, from oratories at monasteries and religious houses, to campus chapels, military chapels, mission churches in rural or underserved areas, and even parishes that serve specific ethnic or cultural communities. Whether you're in OCIA, a curious non-Catholic, or a cradle Catholic rediscovering the faith, you'll learn why the Mass is the Mass no matter where you go, but the community and "flavor" can vary in beautiful ways. We also touch on the freedom (and responsibility) Catholics have in choosing where to worship, while encouraging a connection to the broader Church. Perfect for anyone wondering, "Okay, but where do I start?"
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Ever heard someone shrug off a clear Church teaching by saying, “Well, Jesus never said that”? It’s a line that’s been used for centuries to challenge Catholic doctrines, practices, and now even basic moral truths. In this snapshot episode, Greg takes on the argument head-on—whether it’s Protestants questioning sacraments, liturgy, or the priesthood, or (more alarmingly) some Catholics and clergy using it to defend things like homosexual acts or gay marriage. Jesus didn’t give an exhaustive rulebook for every modern issue, but that doesn’t mean “silence equals permission.” Greg walks through why this tactic echoes the serpent in Genesis, why the Gospels weren’t meant to be a complete moral encyclopedia, and how apostolic authority and the living Church fill in what the four Gospels don’t spell out. If you’ve ever felt that smug “Jesus never said…” line coming your way—or if you’re tempted to use it yourself—this quick, straight-talking episode will equip you to see through it and stay anchored in the fullness of the faith.
In the second part of this two-episode series, Greg moves from the initial Profession of Faith to the lifelong Catholic posture of religious submission of intellect and will to the Church’s authentic magisterium on matters of faith and morals. Drawing from forty years of ministry experience, he contrasts the deepening crisis of trust and doctrinal fragmentation in Protestantism with the stability offered by a divinely protected Church that demands—and deserves—trust. Using G.K. Chesterton’s insights and Catechism passages, Greg explains why this submission is liberating humility rather than blind obedience, and he strongly clarifies what it does not require: trusting every priest, parish council, or Catholic organization in every practical matter. This episode speaks directly to Protestant pastors and investigators who struggle with institutional authority, while reassuring all listeners that the Church’s guidance is Christ’s own protection against the spirit of the age. If you’ve ever asked whether it’s possible to trust the Church without losing your mind or integrity, this is the episode 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
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In the first part of this two-episode series on trusting the Church, Greg walks listeners through the solemn Profession of Faith that candidates make when entering full communion with the Catholic Church—usually right before Confirmation at the Easter Vigil or a regular Mass. He explains the exact words spoken (“I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God”) and why this public, sacramental vow carries the weight of a marriage promise. Using a four-level hierarchy of Church teaching drawn from the Catechism and magisterial documents, Greg shows what requires full, irrevocable assent and where there is room for honest questions and growth during OCIA formation. This episode is especially for those in OCIA, those considering the step, or anyone wondering how a convert can truthfully say “yes” to the fullness of Catholic doctrine. Perfect for Protestant investigators wrestling with authority and for cradle Catholics wanting to renew their own understanding of the faith they profess.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In this episode of our “OCIA: The Bridge to Rome” series, Greg takes listeners on a journey through the Stations of the Cross, sharing his unforgettable experience praying them on Jerusalem's Via Dolorosa at dawn amid echoing Muslim calls to prayer. He explores the devotion's rich history from early Christian pilgrimages and St. Helena's discoveries to Franciscan popularization and St. John Paul II's biblical alternative, detailing each of the fourteen traditional stations with their scriptural roots and traditional elements. Greg explains how they're arranged and prayed in churches worldwide, the challenges of the actual Holy Land path, and why this Lenten practice fosters deep empathy and conversion. Drawing contrasts with Protestant views and tying in films like "The Passion of the Christ," this monologue highlights the Stations as a bridge to Easter's glory, ideal for OCIA participants and faith seekers.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Get ready for something brand new on the Considering Catholicism Podcast! On Sunday, February 15 at 7:00 PM Eastern, we’re launching our first-ever live livestream webinar — and you’re invited. Here's the link: https://www.patreon.com/ConsideringCatholicism/events/150105481
In this exclusive Patron-only event, we’ll follow Egeria, the incredible 4th-century Spanish woman who crossed empires to pray at Mount Sinai, the burning bush site, and Holy Week in Jerusalem. Her diary reveals a hierarchical, sacramental, fully Catholic Church — long before anyone claims it “changed.”
45 minutes of maps, photos, history, and apologetic fire + 15 minutes of live Q&A with your questions.
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This “OCIA: The Bridge to Rome episode,” explains the Lenten practices of scrutinies and dismissals for those preparing for Catholic initiation. Drawing from the OCIA ritual and early Church tradition, he explores how dismissals restore ancient discipline for reflecting on God's Word, and scrutinies (with their minor exorcism prayers) offer healing deliverance from sin's influence for the unbaptized elect, tied to transformative Gospels. Reassuring and reflective, this monologue addresses common misconceptions while highlighting communal grace in the Period of Purification and Enlightenment. Ideal for OCIA participants, investigators, or anyone rediscovering how these rites unite believers across twenty centuries, twenty-four timezones, and two hemispheres in one Church.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In this installment of our "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome" series, we look at Lent—the Catholic Church's 40-day season of preparation for Easter. Drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and early Church history (from pre-Nicene fasts to Nicaea's formalization), Greg explores its biblical foundations in Christ's desert temptation, distinctive practices like Ash Wednesday, Stations of the Cross, liturgical shifts to penance, Friday fish fries, and Mardi Gras origins. He addresses "giving things up" as detachment for grace, varied Protestant perspectives, and Lent's timeless role in spiritual renewal. Perfect for curious non-Catholics, investigators, or cradle Catholics rediscovering the faith—this episode reveals how Lent unites the one Church across twenty centuries, twenty-four timezones, and two hemispheres.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
The Hundred Years’ War split Catholic Europe, with popes and bishops backing different sides in a brutal conflict between England and France. A teenage peasant girl named Joan followed voices she believed were from God telling her to fight for her occupied homeland — even when that put her at odds with churchmen allied with the English. Tried and burned by an ecclesiastical court, she appealed to the pope and died clutching a crucifix. Twenty-five years later the Church declared the trial invalid; five hundred years later she was canonized. Part 3 of our series on Catholic conscience when love of Church and love of country seem to collide.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In 1302 a devout lay Catholic was sentenced to death by a papal legate for refusing to surrender his city’s freedom to foreign control. He spent his life in exile, wrote the Divine Comedy, placed popes in Hell for political corruption — and died in full communion, now praised by recent popes as a gift to the Church. Part 2 shows how Dante distinguished the divine office of Peter from fallible political decisions, defended patriotism as a Christian virtue, and gives today’s Catholics clear permission — straight from Aquinas, Bellarmine, and the Catechism — to love the Church deeply while protecting their homeland when the two loyalties seem to collide.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
What do faithful Catholics do when the Vatican’s diplomatic choices seem to conflict with love of country or local sovereignty? It’s not a new question. For 150 years the popes formed a strategic alliance with the rising superpower France, invited French armies into Italy, and branded resisting Catholic cities as disobedient. Even the young St. Francis rode out on the pro-papal side. Part 1 of a calm, historical look at one of the longest tensions in Catholic life.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Greg and Ed the Protestant explore a tension many feel today—does belonging to the truly universal ("catholic") Church mean we have to downplay or even apologize for loving our particular homeland, culture, and people?
Drawing on St. Thomas Aquinas's teaching about patria (fatherland) and the virtue of piety, the Incarnation of Christ in a specific time and place, and their own experiences traveling the world, they argue that authentic Catholicism doesn't erase our rootedness in a particular place and people—it actually embraces and elevates it. Far from being in conflict, healthy patriotism and Catholic universality belong together: we bring the gifts of our homeland into the one Church that spans twenty centuries, twenty-four timezones, and two hemispheres.
A thoughtful episode for anyone wrestling with identity, culture, and faith in a polarized age.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Greg and Cory dive into "the Filioque clause"—those three controversial words ("and the Son") added to the Nicene Creed in the West—and explores why it became a flashpoint for the Great Schism of 1054. Triggered by Pope Leo XIV's recent visit to Nicaea (ancient Nicea) for the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, they break down the famous triangle diagrams illustrating Eastern and Western views of the Trinity, the "monarchy of the Father," papal authority, and whether this ancient divide is truly bridgeable today. With historical context, scriptural insights, and honest discussion from a faithfully Catholic perspective, this episode sheds light on the challenges and hopes for East-West reunification. A must-listen for anyone curious about what still separates Catholics and Orthodox after a millennium.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In this installment of the "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome" series, Greg explores Catholic moral teaching, starting with the shared love of the Ten Commandments across Christian traditions. He then unpacks what sets Catholicism apart: natural law as God's design knowable by reason, rejecting total depravity for a wounded-yet-redeemable human nature, distinctions in sin (mortal vs. venial, temptation vs. consent), the telos of acts, absolute moral norms, and virtue empowered by grace. Perfect for OCIA participants supplementing classes, curious non-Catholics previewing the faith, or Catholics equipping for evangelization. Discover why this vision often becomes the "aha" for Protestants investigating the Church.
Listen to Greg's series on the Seven Deadly Sins: The Seven Deadly Sins
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In this episode of the OCIA: The Bridge to Rome series, we dive into the Catholic liturgical calendar—what it is, how it works, and why it matters for anyone exploring the faith. Discover how the Church sanctifies time through seasons like Advent, Lent, and Easter, unfolding the mysteries of Christ's life year after year. Perfect for OCIA participants as a supplement, curious non-Catholics previewing the rhythm of Catholic life, or cradle Catholics seeking a refresher to share with others. We'll walk through the structure, colors, and feasts that make the calendar a living portal into the Paschal Mystery. Join us to see how this ancient cycle can transform your everyday into something eternal.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In Part 2 of our conversation, Jacob opens up about the final stretch of his road to Rome—approaching the Tiber with an 80% conviction, navigating the challenges of a supportive but non-converting spouse, and raising young children in a spiritually divided household. He reflects candidly on the RCIA (now OCIA) experience: the intellectual satisfaction of answered questions, the paradoxical beauty of surrendering the intellect in trust, and the initial spiritual unease that gave way to profound peace at Mass. Jacob shares how disciplined Catholic prayer—especially the Rosary—transformed his spiritual life, why he chose St. Teresa of Ávila as his confirmation saint, and what the Easter Vigil felt like when he finally received Confirmation and First Eucharist. Wrapping up, he talks about life as a new Catholic running mostly in Protestant circles while resting in the “panoptic” bigness of the one Church. A hopeful, honest look at the real joys and tensions of entering full communion.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Greg introduces Jacob, a 34-year-old software engineer (working in AI), husband, and father of soon-to-be-four who's recently come into the Catholic Church after a rich intellectual and spiritual journey from evangelical Protestantism. Jacob shares how reading the early Church Fathers, St. John Henry Newman, and even deep mystical works like St. Teresa of Ávila's Interior Castle gradually broke down his skepticism and drew him forward through beauty, truth, and the living tradition of the Church. Rather than tackling a laundry list of objections, Jacob describes how encountering the fullness of historic Christianity felt like discovering a vast, living civilization he'd only glimpsed from afar. This conversational two-part series begins here, with Jacob explaining the early steps that led him to cold-call a Catholic parish and start asking questions. Part 2 coming soon!
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
As New Year's Eve approaches and many of us think about resolutions, we're pulling a classic episode from the vault: "Our Duty to Improve."
In this candid conversation recorded a few years ago, Greg and Ed the Protestant reflect on a question that's both practical and deeply doctrinal: Does God expect us to become better versions of ourselves?
Drawing from Scripture (like the Parable of the Talents), the idea of stewardship, and their own experiences in evangelical and Catholic circles, they challenge the popular notion that "God loves you just as you are" means there's no call to grow, mature, or change. They talk about sanctification not as optional self-help, but as a real responsibility to steward well the time, body, relationships, and opportunities God has entrusted to us.
It's a timely reminder that salvation by grace is the starting line—not the finish—and that authentic Christian life should produce visible fruit over time.
Perfect for anyone making (or rethinking) New Year's resolutions through the lens of faith.
For a deeper dive into this topic, check out "Faith and Works, Part 4: A Call to Growth": https://www.patreon.com/posts/faith-or-works-4-139944861?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Most of us flip to January 1 without a second thought, but that date only works because Pope Gregory XIII fixed a 1,600-year drift in the old Roman calendar. The problem wasn’t just inconvenience—it threw Easter off by ten days, threatening the Church’s ability to celebrate Christ’s resurrection on the right Sunday. Gregory convened Jesuit astronomers, skipped ten days in 1582, and gave the world a calendar accurate to within a day every 3,300 years. Far from opposing science, the Church led it, proving faith and reason walk the same calendar page. A perfect New Year reminder that Catholicism still orders the time we live in.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
They weren’t kings, there weren’t necessarily three, and they brought a funeral spice—Greg unpacks the Magi like you’ve never heard. Matthew 2 meets the Church Fathers as pagan astrologers from Rome’s rival empire trek west, hijacked by a divine star, and end up worshiping a Jewish child. Explore the prophetic gifts, the reversal of Babel, and why Epiphany reveals Christ to the nations. Perfect for anyone rethinking the Christmas story from an evangelical angle.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Greg wishes all his listeners a blessed Christmas, shares his gratitude for their support, and looks ahead to the new year.
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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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.
Standing in Bethlehem's ancient cave, it's easy to see why tradition loves the image of the Lamb of God born among temple lambs—yet every nativity scene adds an ox and donkey the Gospels never mention. In this Christmas reflection, Greg explores how early Fathers like Origen and Ambrose saw Isaiah 1:3 fulfilled in these humble beasts recognizing their Creator while humanity missed Him. Discover layers of Jew/Gentile unity, creation testifying (Romans 1 & 8), Eden's harmony restored with the New Adam and Eve, Christ's transformation of the "unclean" donkey, and how pagan myth becomes historical fact in the Incarnation—the ultimate Lamb who redeems us all.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Ever wonder why Catholics make a big deal about the Annunciation on March 25, nine months before Christmas? In this episode, Greg dives into the heart of the Incarnation, contrasting the evangelical focus on the nativity manger with the ancient Church teaching that God truly became man at conception. Exploring Luke 1, the Catechism, and early Fathers, he unpacks Mary's pivotal fiat, the theology of life beginning in the womb, and how this hidden moment in Nazareth holds deeper significance than Bethlehem's drama. A fresh, orthodox take that's perfect for Advent reflection and anyone investigating the faith.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Every December the same claim pops up: Christmas is just repackaged Roman paganism—Saturnalia with a cross on top. But when you actually read what third-century Christians wrote, the story falls apart. Greg walks through the real reason the Church landed on December 25 (spoiler: it starts in Rome around 204 AD), dismantles the Saturnalia and Sol Invictus objections with primary sources, and shows why the gift-giving and trees are Victorian, not ancient Roman. A calm, sourced, charitable look at why the Catholic Church celebrates Christmas when she does—and why you can too without compromising with paganism.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Everyone’s seen the Shriners in their tiny cars and funny hats, but why has the Catholic Church been warning against Freemasonry for almost 300 years — and still considers it an excommunicable offense? In this episode Greg and Cory unpack the real origins of Freemasonry (hint: it’s got nothing to do with actual bricklaying), its Enlightenment roots, its deistic “Great Architect” religion, and why it set itself up as a direct rival to Catholic Christianity from day one. We trace how those ideas fueled both the American and French Revolutions, quietly shaped modern secular culture, and why — even today — a Catholic simply cannot square Masonic oaths with the Creed. If you’ve ever wondered why the Church seems to “punch down” on what looks like a harmless men’s club, this episode will flip the whole picture upside down.
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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
A peer-reviewed paper claims a glowing, seated-Buddha fractal generated from the Mandelbrot set is hidden in the Mona Lisa, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, Tutankhamun’s mask, and masterpieces across cultures—proof of simulation, aliens, or the collective unconscious. Greg explains what fractals and the Buddhabrot actually are, shows why the overlays are genuinely uncanny, and then pivots to the far more astonishing Catholic truth: beauty is a transcendental property of being itself. From Plato to Aquinas to the Catechism, the Church has always taught that creation is stamped with the splendor of its rational Creator—and that the ache we feel in front of great art is homesickness for 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
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Greg and Ed explore the difference between worship that is objectively real and worship designed to produce feelings, using C.S. Lewis’s famous critique of “The Green Book” as their launching point. They contrast a contemporary evangelical Christmas Eve production—where success is measured by how moved the audience feels—with the Catholic Midnight Mass, where Christ’s sacrifice is offered whether anyone feels anything or not.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
December 8 is the Solemn Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and every year we hear the same two objections: “Pius IX invented the Immaculate Conception in 1854” and “God can’t apply the Cross backward in time.” In this episode Greg walks line-by-line through the primary sources—from St. Ephrem in 373 to Martin Luther still preaching it in 1527—and shows why both claims collapse the moment you open a history book (or the Bible). Along the way he unpacks the two deepest reasons the Church has always believed this doctrine: Mary as the spotless New Ark and, even more powerfully, Mary as the New Eve who finally gives humanity’s obedient Yes where the first Eve said No. A fast, source-packed, occasionally cheeky defense that leaves no room for the usual drive-by tweets—and might just leave a few Protestant listeners speechless.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
What does it mean to call Mary the “Mother of God”? In this episode, Greg dives into the ancient debate at the Council of Ephesus (431 AD) over the term Theotokos and why it’s a cornerstone of Christian orthodoxy. Far from just being about Mary, this doctrine safeguards the truth of the Incarnation—that Jesus is fully God and fully man. Greg unpacks common Protestant objections, addresses misunderstandings, and explores how Theotokos shapes Catholic theology and liturgy today. Whether you’re curious about Catholicism or deepening your faith, this episode will challenge you to see Jesus in a new light.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
What if the Christianity you’ve always known is only the shallow end of a vast, ancient ocean? In this candid, burrito-fueled conversation (yes, really), Greg and Ed the Protestant unpack the longing that pulled Greg all the way home to the Catholic Church: a restless hunger to go “further up and further in,” deeper into the heart of the Church. From a worship leader who couldn’t imagine Catholics have music or preaching, to standing in the ruins of a medieval monastery and realizing modern evangelicalism is downstream from something far older and richer, this episode is for anyone who’s ever sensed there must be more to Christianity than the last thirty years of praise choruses and fog machines. If you’ve ever wondered why some of us can’t stop swimming upstream toward the apostolic trunk of the Church—and why we can never swim back—pull up a chair (and maybe skip the head-sized burrito). Come further up, come further in!
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
In Part 3 of Divine Mysteries, Greg lets five explosive Scripture passages—John 1, Colossians 1, Philippians 2, Hebrews 1, and Revelation—paint the full portrait of the eternal Son, from Creator-Logos to Returning Conqueror. Then he explores how the Christian East’s majestic Pantocrator and the West’s tender Sacred Heart are two complementary lenses on the same Chalcedonian Christ. Perfect for Western Catholics who need awe and Ortho-curious guys who love the Divine Liturgy: Rome never lost the East’s fire. Discover why a Pantocrator icon might be exactly what your prayer corner is missing.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
As "Ordinary Time" comes to an end this Sunday (November 23), here's a classic episode from the CC vault: Greg and Cory unpacking what "feasts" or "feast days" are in the Catholic Church, the end of Ordinary Time, and the celebration of the solemn feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe on November 23, 2025.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
The Athanasian Creed doesn’t stop at the Trinity. In its second half it lays down the Chalcedonian definition of the Incarnation—two natures, one Person—and declares it essential for salvation. Greg walks line-by-line through the creed, shows how Gregory’s “what is not assumed is not healed” drives the sacraments, and lands on the bodily resurrection and final judgment by the God-man. Practical takeaways: the dignity of every human body and a sacramental worldview that turns water, bread, and oil into pipelines of grace.
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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
What makes Christianity unique? It’s the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God in three persons. In this episode, Greg dives into why the Trinity is the non-negotiable heart of the Christian faith, using the Athanasian Creed to show its centrality and exploring why it’s so hard to grasp. From common analogies to the relational love that reflects God’s image in us, he unpacks this divine mystery with clarity and reverence. Join us to discover how the Trinity invites us into God’s eternal love, culminating in the beatific vision of heaven.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Greg and Cory dive into the practical options for Catholic parents educating school-aged children. They emphasize parents as primary educators, supported by parish programs and schools. Discussions cover Catholic day schools, homeschooling with Catholic intent, co-ops, and cautions about public or charter alternatives. Financial challenges, discernment, and the need for intentional family-parish-school collaboration are explored. The conversation urges deliberate choices to make Catholicism the strongest influence in kids' lives.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Greg and Cory explore the foundational principles of education and what sets Catholic education apart. They discuss how true Catholic formation goes beyond mere knowledge and skills to orient young lives toward knowing, loving, and serving God eternally. Drawing on historical and philosophical insights, they examine the challenges facing Catholic education in a secular world. The conversation critiques past shortcomings while emphasizing the need for intentional, competitive Catholic influences in children's lives. This sets the stage for the next episode on practical options for parents.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Why do Catholics make such a big deal about Mary? For many Protestants exploring Catholicism, the Blessed Virgin is the last hill to climb. In this episode, Greg dives into the four Marian dogmas—Mother of God, Perpetual Virginity, Immaculate Conception, and Assumption—through the lens of Mary as the New Eve. Discover how her role unlocks a deeper understanding of Scripture and the Gospel, pointing us to Jesus in a way that’s both ancient and illuminating. Perfect for OCIA candidates or anyone curious about the Catholic view of Mary.
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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
In this episode of OCIA: The Bridge to Rome, we unpack the communion of saints—the living, eternal family that unites the Church on earth with the triumphant saints in heaven. Drawing from the Apostles’ Creed and Scripture (Hebrews 12:1, Revelation 5:8, Luke 16:19-31), we show how the “dead” are truly alive in Christ, aware and interceding for us. Former Protestants will find clear answers to the objection that saints can’t hear us, with biblical evidence from the Transfiguration, the “cloud of witnesses,” and Christ’s promise of everlasting life. We explore veneration vs. worship, canonization, and practical ways to invite saints into your prayer life. Join us to discover how this 2,000-year communion strengthens your OCIA journey and draws you closer to Rome.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
In this milestone 400th episode, Greg and Ed celebrate at the Secret Compound, munching on gas station pizza and sipping celebratory beverages. They reflect on the incredible journey of Considering Catholicism, from its humble beginnings to a podcast that’s touched countless lives, including Ed’s ongoing path toward Catholicism. Greg shares the challenges of keeping the show authentic amidst pressures to conform and announces exciting changes, including a new Patreon platform for bonus content and a second podcast exploring Christianity’s impact on Western civilization. This episode is a heartfelt thank-you to listeners and supporters, a look back at favorite moments, and a bold step toward the future. Join us for a candid, inspiring conversation about faith, friendship, and what’s next for the show.
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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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Can you prove God exists like a math theorem? Greg shares his journey from a debate-obsessed college kid to a Catholic who sees belief differently. In this episode, he challenges the idea that faith is about airtight arguments, exploring five compelling reasons to believe—from the universe’s beginning to humanity’s universal sense of the transcendent. Whether you’re a skeptic, a curious non-Catholic, or a Catholic rediscovering your faith, this episode invites you to weigh the reasons and make a choice.
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)
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CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
Catholic Social Teaching, rooted in Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, is meant to guide Catholics in building a just society, but today it’s often a battleground for political agendas. In this episode, Greg reflects on preparing a lecture for his Catholic adult education course, exploring why CST divides progressives and conservatives and how technology like AI complicates its application. Drawing from Rerum Novarum’s timeless principles—dignity, common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity—he offers practical ways to live them out in 2025 with reason and discernment. Join us for a conversation about finding the heart of Catholicism in a messy, tech-driven world.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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 follow-up to episode #396 in the OCIA: The Bridge to Rome series, Greg takes listeners on a virtual tour of a Catholic church, revealing how its consecrated spaces—from the narthex’s sacred pause to the sanctuary’s holy altar—incarnate the Mass’s eternal worship. Through personal stories, like his clash with a megachurch architect over a church-turned-brewpub, Greg contrasts Catholic sacred space with Protestant functionality, showing how every relic, candle, and font makes heaven tangible. Rooted in Scripture and tradition, this episode invites OCIA inquirers, curious non-Catholics, and Catholics to see the church as a portal to the divine.
You might also enjoy: Noah's Ark to Peter's Boat: Typology in the Sistine Ceiling (#387)
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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 of the "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome" series, Greg explores the Catholic Mass as the central act of worship, explaining its purposes, structure, and profound biblical roots. He contrasts it with Protestant services, highlighting how the Mass engages the whole person—mind, heart, and body—while saturating participants with Scripture in ways that debunk common myths. Drawing from his own journey as a former Protestant pastor, Greg addresses objections like "re-sacrificing Christ" and shows how the Mass opens a portal to heaven's eternal liturgy. This overview serves as a preview for inquirers, a supplement for OCIA participants, and a refresher for Catholics seeking to share their faith.
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: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • 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.
[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] When a Protestant or non-Catholic wants to join the Catholic Church, they often hit a surprising snag: If they’re divorced and remarried, the Church requires an annulment for that first marriage—even if it wasn’t Catholic. Why? In this episode, Greg dives into listener questions about this tough scenario, explaining why the Church presumes all marriages valid (Canon Law 1060: “Marriage enjoys the favour of law. Consequently, in doubt the validity of a marriage must be upheld until the contrary is proven.”) and how natural law—God’s blueprint in creation—shapes this teaching. From Genesis to Romans, discover how marriage’s permanence isn’t just a Catholic rule but a universal truth, and why annulments are a path to mercy, not judgment.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome: Scripture, Tradition, and the Catholic Bible" explores how God’s revelation flows through Sacred Scripture and Tradition, guarded by the Magisterium. Greg shares his journey from Protestant sola scriptura to embracing the Catholic Bible’s 73-book canon, including the deuterocanonicals, rooted in the Septuagint and affirmed by early Church councils. He contrasts Catholic complementarity with evangelical Bible-only approaches, debunking myths about "added" books, and highlights Tradition’s living role, drawing from Dei Verbum and St. Basil. This episode grounds OCIA participants and global listeners in the Church’s full revelation. Visit consideringcatholicism.com for more, including episodes #133 and #220 on Catholic vs. Protestant Bibles.
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ONATE WITH PAYPAL] Join Greg and Ed the Protestant at the secret compound in the Piney Woods for a heartfelt and candid conversation as Ed shares a long-awaited update on his journey toward Catholicism. With the 400th episode of Considering Catholicism approaching, Ed reflects on nearly four years of exploring the faith alongside listeners, responding to a listener’s email from Steve, who faces similar challenges as a Protestant considering the Catholic Church. Greg and Ed dive into the emotional and spiritual weight of seeking truth through the Church’s authority, especially when it involves tough personal decisions. With chainsaws buzzing in the background and the promise of gas station pizza on the horizon, this episode teases big news from Ed—tune in to hear what’s next! Packed with wisdom, humor, and orthodox insight, this is a must-listen for anyone following Ed’s road to Rome.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg and Ed the Protestant dive into a lively discussion about the fading concept of sin in contemporary Protestant and Evangelical churches. They explore how the gospel’s power hinges on the reality of bad news—sin’s eternal consequences—before the good news can shine. Ed shares his recent experiences at a modern evangelical church, where sermons focus on self-improvement and "living your best life" rather than confronting sin head-on. Greg argues that this shift turns pastors and even Jesus into life coaches, diluting the urgency of salvation and the church’s mission. With their signature blend of humor, insight, and orthodoxy, they unpack why a gospel without sin misses the mark. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation that challenges the modern church’s approach and teases an exciting announcement from Ed about his journey toward Catholicism.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] This episode in the series "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome" dives into the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds as vibrant summaries of the Gospel. Greg shares his journey from a deconstructed Evangelical hipster “fellowship” to embracing the Creeds’ role in guarding the apostolic faith against heresies, drawing from the Catechism and early Church fathers like St. Irenaeus and St. Athanasius. He contrasts Catholic creedal unity with evangelical “no creed but Christ” and subjective faith statements, highlighting the Nicene Creed’s power in Mass. This episode invites OCIA participants and global listeners to see the Creeds as a living roadmap for conversion.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg delves deeper into the Catholic mystical tradition, defining mysticism as a profound union with God and tracing its history from early Church fathers to modern saints. Highlighting figures like St. Hildegard of Bingen, St. Teresa of Ávila, St. John of the Cross, St. Padre Pio, St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, and St. Joan of Arc, he explores visions, ecstasies, and miracles that far surpass contemporary Pentecostal experiences in depth and transformative power. Contrasting these with charismatic gifts, Greg explains how Catholic mysticism—rooted in prayer, sacraments, and Church discernment—offers intimate, lifelong encounters with the divine. Addressing Protestant, Catholic, and secular listeners, this episode emphasizes the Spirit’s enduring, profound work in the Church.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this first part of a series on the Holy Spirit’s role in extraordinary experiences, host Greg Smith explains charismatic gifts like speaking in tongues, prophecy, words of knowledge, and healing, addressing questions from curious listeners. Drawing from Scripture and the history of Pentecostalism, including the Azusa Street Revival and more extreme manifestations like holy laughter and snake handling, he demystifies these phenomena for Catholics, Protestants, and secular audiences. Greg unpacks the Catholic Church’s affirming yet discerning stance, rooted in the Catechism and papal teachings, emphasizing balance and authenticity. Teasing Part 2, he hints at how Catholic mysticism parallels these gifts in even more astonishing ways.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Discover the Spirit’s role and how sacraments like Baptism and Eucharist use matter—water, bread, oil—to effect divine change, rooted in Scripture and the Catechism. Greg contrasts Catholic efficacious sacraments with evangelical symbolic ordinances, highlighting their incarnational power. This episode enriches your OCIA journey, guiding you to experience God’s grace through material signs.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Building on his episode about Michelangelo's Creation of Adam (#385, "God's Finger"), Greg shifts focus to the nearby Deluge panel on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, where Noah's Ark resembles a Roman basilica, symbolizing the Church as salvation in a perishing world. Contrasting modern views of the Church as a social club or cultural mirror, he unpacks biblical typology from Genesis to Peter’s boat miracles and Jonah’s fish. This episode emphasizes the Catholic Church as the ark of eternal life, inviting seekers to embrace its saving role.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg continues the series "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome" by exploring the Church as Christ’s living Body and instrument of grace. Discover its nature as the Body of Christ, People of God, and Temple of the Holy Spirit, its threefold mission, hierarchical structure, and four marks, drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and Lumen Gentium. Greg contrasts the Catholic view of a visible, apostolic Church with evangelical emphases on an invisible fellowship, offering reflections for unity. This episode guides your OCIA journey, revealing the Church as the home for your faith. Visit consideringcatholicism.com for more insights.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Dive into Michelangelo's iconic Creation of Adam fresco and uncover how it flips the secular view of religion as humanity's quest for the divine. Greg explores the Christian narrative of God reaching down to redeem a fallen world, debunking misconceptions about Catholicism as "works-based" salvation. Using the metaphor of a drowning man grasping a life preserver, he explains grace as God's initiative and our cooperative response. This episode invites curious seekers and rediscovering Catholics to see faith as receiving God's outstretched hand.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Building on the chivalry episode's exploration of masculine ideals, Greg humbly unpacks the complementary feminine genius as by St. John Paul II in four key qualities—receptivity, sensitivity, generosity, and maternity—and integration with bold action through scriptural quotes and teachings. He integrates these concepts with examples of heroic women like Deborah, Judith, Esther, Mary, and saints including Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, Joan of Arc, Teresa of Ávila, Frances Xavier Cabrini, Edith Stein, and more, showing how their courage stems from feminine strengths. With disclaimers about his perspective as a man and personal anecdotes, Greg critiques modern challenges to this vision in secular culture and issues calls to action for women to reclaim it through pro-life advocacy, evangelization, and spiritual motherhood. This episode highlights complementarity with masculinity, offering feminine genius as a timeless Catholic alternative for building the Kingdom amid contemporary chaos.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome" continues by focusing one the main character in the Gospel story: Jesus Christ. Delve into the Incarnation—Jesus as fully divine and human in hypostatic union—and His redemptive mission through life, death, resurrection, and ascension, with insights from Scripture and the Catechism. Greg contrasts Catholic sacramental Christology with evangelical atonement emphases, offering reflection prompts to bridge perspectives. To go deeper, check out these episodes:
- Snapshot: Christ the King (#156)
- What is the "Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe?" (#283)
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg explores the medieval Catholic ideal of chivalry—a powerful blend of manly courage, martial skill, and Christian virtue aimed at defending the vulnerable and imitating Christ. He defines the term's origins and meaning, drawing on etymology and historical context. Featuring quotations from sources like Ramon Llull's "Book of the Order of Chivalry," St. Bernard of Clairvaux's writings on the Templars, and Thomas Aquinas on fortitude, Greg unpacks how this vision integrated faith and action. Through examples of saints like St. George, St. Michael, St. Joseph, St. Martin of Tours, Godfrey of Bouillon, and St. Louis IX, plus chivalric figures in Arthurian legends and Dante's Divine Comedy, he reflects on chivalry's role in a holistic Catholic worldview. He also critiques the modern shift away from robust manly virtues toward emotive expressions in Christianity, including the erosion via standing armies and the longing among Protestants and evangelicals for godly masculinity, calling for a reclaiming of this timeless ideal.
You also might like these episodes on similar topics:
- Warrior Monks (#198)
- Those Who Work, Those Who Fight, and Those Who Pray (#197)
- The Crusades (#157)
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome" continues by describing the Gospel story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Greg unpacks the grand narrative of salvation history as the foundation of the Catholic faith. Explore how the Bible's story—from Genesis' perfect creation through the Fall, God's redemptive covenants, and Jesus' Paschal Mystery to Revelation's ultimate restoration—invites you personally into God's plan. Want to dig deeper? Check out episode #187: What is the Bible About?
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this sequel to “The Art of Dying, Then and Now” (#379), Greg delves deeply into the Catholic concept of a "good death," drawing from the Catechism and tradition. He explains how death is transformed by Christ, details the essential sacraments like reconciliation, anointing, and viaticum, and covers practices such as prayers to St. Joseph and communal commendations. Extending to funeral rites, Greg contrasts the resurrection-focused Catholic liturgy with secular or evangelical "celebrations of life" that emphasize personal legacy over Christ's victory. This conversational monologue invites listeners to reflect on how Catholic teachings offer profound hope amid mortality, perfect for those considering or rediscovering the faith.
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Suggested Episodes:
- What Happens When We Die (#69)
- A Good Death (#85)
- Will I Be Judged? (#86)
- Snapshot: Taking Death Seriously (#149)
- What is Heaven? Part 2: The Moment of Death (#339)
- The Art of Dying, Then and Now (#379)
[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this episode, Greg explores the stark contrasts between the medieval Catholic guide "Ars Moriendi" and contemporary secular books on "The Art of Dying." He breaks down the historical steps for a faithful death—overcoming temptations, sacraments, and communal rituals—against modern focuses on autonomy, pain management, and legacy-building in hospices. Reflecting on why the Catholic approach offers eternal hope amid today's medicalized views, Greg invites listeners to consider how faith transforms our final moments. A thoughtful monologue for those curious about Catholicism's timeless wisdom on mortality.
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Suggested Episodes:
- What Happens When We Die (#69)
- A Good Death (#85)
- Will I Be Judged? (#86)
- Snapshot: Taking Death Seriously (#149)
- What is Heaven? Part 2: The Moment of Death (#339)
A readable English version of the Ars Moriendi is the 15th-century adaptation known as "The Book of the Craft of Dying" (also called "The Craft for to Die"), which is based directly on the medieval Latin text and was printed by William Caxton in 1490 as one of the first English versions. This is available on Wikisource in a shorter, accessible form with modernized spelling for easier reading, covering the key elements like spiritual preparations, temptations (e.g., despair), faith affirmations, prayers, and devotions. It's fully in English, free to read online, and text-based without illustrations (though the original blockbook's woodcuts are not part of this adaptation). You can link to it at: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Book_of_the_Craft_of_Dying/shorter.
A more complete scholarly edition with the full Caxton text in Middle English (still readable but with archaic spelling), there's a free facsimile on Google Books at: https://books.google.com/books?id=8a5YAAAAcAAJ.
One of the best online versions of the medieval Ars Moriendi that includes woodcut illustrations is the digitized copy from the Library of Congress, specifically the blockbook edition from Germany, circa 1466. This version, part of the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection, features the iconic eleven woodcut illustrations depicting the dying man (Moriens) facing temptations from demons and receiving inspirations from angels, culminating in a scene of salvation or damnation. The digital scans are high-quality, showcasing the detailed and dramatic artwork, and the resource is freely accessible under the Library of Congress's open access policy, making it ideal for your podcast audience of curious non-Catholics and cradle Catholics rediscovering the faith. You can link to it directly at: https://www.loc.gov/item/49038880/.
[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Learn why set prayers and saint intercessions enrich heartfelt devotion, with Catechism quotes and saint insights, then explore essentials like Our Father and Hail Mary with origins and uses. Greg contrasts with evangelical spontaneous emphases, reflecting on unity. This episode equips your OCIA prayer life, bridging words to divine dialogue.
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Recommended Episodes:
- The Hail Mary Prayer (#34)
- Explaining the Rosary to a Protestant (#59)
- Teaching a Protestant to Pray the Rosary (#60)
[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Another installment of the series "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome." In this episode, Greg introduces the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). Discover the CCC’s history as John Paul II’s "sure norm," its four-pillar structure (Creed, Sacraments, Morality, Prayer), unmatched value for authoritative answers, and versatile use in study or reference. Greg contrasts with Protestant fragmented sources, offering reflections on unified truth. This episode empowers your OCIA with the CCC as your ally against misinformation and myths about the Catholic faith.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] What if the Christianity you’ve known is like the shadows on the wall in Plato’s cave—flat, limited, and only a fraction of the real thing? In this episode, Greg explores how Protestantism, since Luther’s reforms, has often shrunk the faith’s vision of God, the Church, sacraments, saints, and salvation, leading to today’s minimalist pop Christianity. Through compelling examples and personal reflections on his own Road to Rome, he contrasts this with Catholicism’s expansive, colorful worldview that spans 20 centuries and the globe. Step out of the cave and discover why embracing a bigger faith might transform your spiritual journey.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] The Considering Catholicism Podcast launches "OCIA: The Bridge to Rome," a series designed to illuminate the path into the Catholic Church. In this inaugural episode, discover how OCIA serves as the bridge across the Tiber River for those on their Road to Rome, offering a holistic journey of faith formation rather than a simple class. Greg breaks down key terms, the ancient origins of the process, and the stages from inquiry to full initiation, making it accessible for curious seekers, current participants, alumni, and mentors alike. Whether you're previewing the experience or supplementing your own, this episode provides a clear map to guide your steps. Visit consideringcatholicism.com for more resources on exploring the Catholic faith.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg shares a story from a golf outing where an awkward stranger handed him a Gospel pamphlet asking, "Am I Going to Heaven?" He praises the bold evangelism of Protestants but critiques the pamphlet's narrow "faith alone" view, offering a fresh Catholic perspective on how baptism and grace transform us to perform good works (for a deep dive into the Catholic position on this debate, see the "Faith or Works?" series, episodes #301-311. Contrasting Protestant urgency with Catholic strengths in charitable action, Greg calls for blending both to proclaim the fullness of salvation in the Church. This episode challenges listeners to evangelize boldly while embracing Catholic doctrine.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In the final part of "The Church and Her Fathers," Greg introduces key Church Fathers—their lives, writings, teachings, and accomplishments—highlighting their unity on core Catholic doctrines despite minor disagreements. He explores how they represent the early, developing Church, maturing over centuries while preserving its identity, and stresses continuity to today. Greg shares why engaging the Fathers converts Protestants, including Newman's famous quote, and wraps the series with an encouraging call to discover the Church's roots.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In Part 3 of "The Church and Her Fathers," Greg tackles an anti-Catholic X post dismissing the Church Fathers as mere “fragments” of history, connecting it to the series’ exploration of the Church’s visible nature and biblical roots. He exposes the flaws in claims about “lost voices” and late Christianity, highlighting the Fathers’ diverse origins and doctrinal unity as evidence of the Catholic Church’s continuity. Drawing from his Protestant past, Greg shows how the Fathers bridge the apostles to today, countering evangelical dodges. He sets the stage for a deeper dive into their lives and writings in Part 4.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In part two of the series on the Church, Greg delves deeper into Catholic teachings from the Catechism, emphasizing the Church as both visible and invisible, human and divine. He explores the three-fold nature—the Church Militant on earth, Suffering in purgatory, and Triumphant in heaven—with direct quotes from CCC 954 and insights from Doctors like Aquinas and Augustine on their interconnected unity through the Communion of Saints. Addressing Protestant listeners, Greg explains the Catechism’s affirming view of other denominations as in imperfect communion through baptism, while calling for greater ecumenical unity. This episode invites seekers to reconsider the Church not as a mere institution but as Christ’s enduring, mystical body spanning time and eternity.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In Part 1 of a four-part series called “The Church and Her Fathers,” Greg dives into a pet peeve: why evangelicals insist on calling early Christianity a “movement” instead of “the Church.” Tracing the term’s modern origins in missions and Reformation biases, he calls it infantile and passive-aggressive anti-Catholicism. With a strong biblical rebuttal, Greg shows how this language contradicts Scripture’s clear use of “church” and invites listeners to reconsider the visible, enduring body Christ founded.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this second part of the baptism series, Greg Sshifts to adults and older children, explaining when infant rules end (around age seven per canon law) and how personal intention takes over. He outlines the OCIA process for unbaptized catechumens, adaptations for ages 7-18, and recognition of most Protestant baptisms if Trinitarian. Canon law is walked through step-by-step, with practical US insights and unusual cases like emergency baptisms or impediments for those in unrepented sin handled orthodoxly and charitably. He strengthens the discussion by emphasizing baptism's regenerative nature as being "born again," contrasting it with evangelical symbolic views, and highlighting Protestant diversity on the sacrament.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this first part of a two-episode series on Catholic baptism, Greg explores the doctrinal heart of the sacrament, explaining why infants are baptized and how it aligns with Scripture and ancient Church tradition. He clarifies that baptism brings regeneration—being "born again"—with references to the Catechism and Bible, while contrasting it with common Protestant views. The episode then dives into canon law's guidelines for infant baptism, including requirements for parents, godparents, and the "founded hope" of a Catholic upbringing. Practical parish insights and exceptional cases, like baptisms for children of same-sex couples, are handled with orthodox clarity and pastoral charity. He also bolsters the discussion with analogies for baptism's ontological change and the varied Protestant positions on the sacrament.
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Suggested episodes:
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139, "Why Does the Church Baptize Infants?"
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209, "Are Catholics Born Again?"
[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg and Cory dive into the often-confusing generational conflicts simmering in many Catholic parishes, where aging baby boomers shaped by 1960s and 70s pop culture clash with younger millennials and Gen Z seekers craving transcendence and tradition. They explore how boomers emphasized horizontal community and cultural relevance, leading to beige churches and casual liturgies, while today's converts yearn for vertical worship, smells and bells, and a countercultural faith rooted in the Church's 2,000-year history. Drawing from their own journeys as converts, Greg and Cory debunk myths tying these tensions solely to Vatican II, instead pointing to broader cultural shifts and the need for principled arguments over aesthetic preferences. They warn against repeating boomer mistakes by making the Church a slave to generational trends, urging listeners to focus on continuity, charity, and faithfulness to Christ.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg and Cory revisit the challenges parents of small children face in bringing their children to Mass. In Episode #360, Greg had responded to a listener named Claire who shared that teaching her kids to sit still and pay attention in Mass was a struggle, and asked why Catholic Churches didn't have the same kind of dynamic "kid's church" programs that contemporary evangelical churches do. Cory, as a parent of four small children, had some additional thoughts.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this lively conclusion to a three-part series looking at myths about Catholicism, Greg and Ed the Protestant unpack how "Hollywood"—from Reformation-era propaganda to modern films, novels, and TV—ingrains unconscious biases against Catholicism through tropes like fat, greedy bishops, ugly scheming monks, mean ruler-wielding nuns, and spooky cathedrals that twist sacred awe into dread. They challenge the pervasive vibe that nobody truly believed the faith, portraying it as an elaborate con everyone winked at, questioning how such a "scam" could endure for centuries with genuine devotion from saints, martyrs, and everyday believers. Drawing on the "Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect" and personal anecdotes—like Protestant pastors' misconceptions and the absurd "candle-lighting priest" cliché—they highlight how these visceral impressions hinder apologetics, much like racial stereotypes, and urge listeners to investigate the Church firsthand beyond media distortions and "common knowledge" to discover authentic faith.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this engaging opener to a two-part series, Greg and Ed the Protestant dive into how "Hollywood"—a catch-all for mass media from Reformation propaganda to modern movies, music, and novels—subtly shapes our perceptions of reality, including Christianity and Catholicism. At the secret compound, they explore how repeated tropes in popular culture groove neural pathways, bypassing rational thought to instill unconscious biases, as illustrated by examples from Plato's warnings on music to rock anthems by Bob Seger and Pink Floyd promoting rebellion and negativity. They discuss the "Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect," where media gets facts wrong on familiar topics yet we trust it on everything else, and highlight how our limited personal networks (about 200 people) force reliance on biased storytelling for broader knowledge. They discuss modern portrayals of freedom as chaos, fathers as doofuses, and societal norms, questioning why we accept these as "common knowledge." Teasing the next episode, they set up how these distortions hinder apologetics and evangelization, urging listeners to question media narratives against the Church's timeless orthodoxy. Join them for a thought-provoking chat that blends humor, intellect, and fidelity to the Catechism, perfect for curious seekers and rediscovering Catholics.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg lays the intellectual foundation for how the "noble savage" trope, rooted in Enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau, converges with the Reformation’s Black Legend to demonize Catholicism in popular culture. Tracing the noble savage from ancient Greece to Romanticism, he shows how it idealizes the "exotic other" as pure while portraying the Church as corrupt, amplified by Protestant propaganda that cast Catholic Spain as uniquely cruel. This narrative oversimplifies history, ignores secular brutalities, and promotes relativism, clashing with Catholic teachings on original sin and redemption. Greg previews upcoming conversations with Ed the Protestant, where they’ll explore how Hollywood builds on these ideas to shape perceptions of the Church.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg shares a listener's email from Dylan, whose honest conversation with his former Calvinist pastor turned into a one-sided barrage of critiques without real engagement. Drawing from his own Protestant past, Greg explores why so many Catholic-Protestant debates devolve into unconstructive patterns, using the hilarious Monty Python "Argument Clinic" sketch (https://youtu.be/ohDB5gbtaEQ?si=vjz-JsE0vZ18zDqH) as a spot-on illustration and real-life examples like misconceptions about justification, the Mass, and Mary. He breaks down the difference between valid and persuasive arguments, offering practical, charitable advice on how to respond, when to step back, and how to pray for unity while staying rooted in Catholic orthodoxy. Perfect for anyone investigating the faith or dealing with tough family talks, this episode encourages focusing on what draws you closer to Christ amid the noise.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg Smith responds to a listener's email expressing shock at perceived anti-Semitism in Catholic online spaces. He clarifies the Catholic Church's official teachings on Judaism and the State of Israel, emphasizing respect, shared roots, and a balanced call for peace amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. Greg distinguishes between binding doctrines on faith and morals versus prudential political judgments, critiques inconsistencies in how some Catholics approach these issues, and draws lessons from St. Augustine's City of God for navigating earthly complexities. He also contrasts Catholic nuance with Protestant evangelical affinities for Israel, reassuring converts that the Church rejects all prejudice.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg responds to a listener's heartfelt email about her journey toward Catholicism and a major hesitation: how the Church approaches children's ministry compared to engaging evangelical programs. Drawing from his consulting experience with megachurches, Greg critiques the entertainment-focused model, shares data on high youth dropout rates, and explains Catholic teachings on family worship as the "domestic church." He offers practical advice for parents facing pew battles, emphasizing that forming faith through Mass rhythms builds lasting commitment. Whether you're a Protestant investigating or a Catholic parent, this conversation provides encouragement and orthodox insight.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg responds to listener Shandra's heartfelt question about the Catholic Church's historical involvement in injustices like the transatlantic slave trade and the subjugation of Ireland. Drawing from his own conversion journey as a former Protestant, he shares a thought experiment: What if the Church hadn't existed as a societal force? Exploring real historical "control groups" from Eastern Christianity and analogies like C.S. Lewis's grumpy Christian, Greg argues the Church acted as a moderating influence amid human sin, rather than its cause. He avoids detailed apologetics, focusing instead on empathy, facts about historical biases, and theological hope for imperfect vessels.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Building on Part 1's takedown of KJV-onlyism, Greg delves into the heart of Bible translation debates in this thought-provoking conclusion, examining three key issues: faithfulness to ancient manuscripts (spotlighted by the Johannine Comma), the doctrinal weight of unique words like "full of grace" in Luke 1:28, and dynamic equivalence with modern language and inclusive phrasing. These choices are often shaped by theological agendas, exposing the inherent weaknesses of sola scriptura without apostolic tradition to guide interpretation. But the Church's 2,000-year tradition provides a stable foundation amid these controversies. This episode empowers listeners—whether investigating Protestants or faithful Catholics—to confidently embrace approved translations like the NABRE and RSV-CE for a richer encounter with Scripture.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this first installment of a two-part series, Greg responds to a fundamentalist chain letter claiming the King James Version (KJV) is the only true Bible, unpacking its bizarre mindset and deep anti-Catholic roots from the Reformation era. Greg refutes the claims with historical facts, manuscript evidence, and theological insights, showing why the KJV is a valuable but flawed translation. He then guides listeners through trusted Catholic Bible options like the NABRE, RSV-CE, and Douay-Rheims, which include the full canon and balance fidelity with readability. Ideal for Protestants grappling with Bible debates or Catholics seeking clarity, this episode teases Part 2's deeper exploration of translation controversies and the pitfalls of sola scriptura.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Continuing their conversation Secret Compound, Greg and Ed tackle the deeply personal challenges of considering Catholicism when opposition comes from within the home, particularly from a spouse. Responding to a listener's email about navigating a Protestant spouse and a complex marriage situation, they explore the emotional and spiritual dilemmas of pursuing the Catholic faith in a divided household. Greg emphasizes the Catholic Church’s teaching that salvation is fullest within the Church, yet not a binary exclusion of non-Catholics, using the analogy of concentric circles. Ed shares his approach of moving slowly and respectfully to avoid conflict with his wife, while Greg advises presenting one’s faith journey as a pursuit of becoming the best version of oneself for the sake of the marriage. They also address the high bar of Catholic teachings on marriage, acknowledging the pain of irregular situations and the crosses some bear, like a cantor who faithfully serves but cannot receive the Eucharist. This episode offers hope and practical wisdom for those wrestling with family dynamics while seeking the fullness of Christ’s Church.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg and Ed the Protestant return to the Secret Compound and dive into the real challenges faced by those considering Catholicism, especially when it means navigating opposition from friends, family, or fellow Protestants. They explore the emotional and social costs of pursuing the Catholic faith, drawing from listener emails about anti-Catholic sentiments and personal struggles. Greg shares his own experience of losing professional relationships upon converting, while Ed reflects on the liminal space of being drawn to Catholicism while still tied to Protestant roots. They discuss how Jesus warned that following Him would come with a cost, citing biblical examples like the apostles' martyrdom and encouraging listeners to respond to criticism with gentleness and respect, as advised in 1 Peter 3. This episode offers a compassionate yet bold look at the sacrifices of discipleship and how to stand firm in faith despite pushback.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In Part 2 of a two-part series, "Protestant Games," Greg dismantles the Protestant “Berean Gambit”—their claim that Acts 17:11 proves sola scriptura. Far from a mic-drop, this move backfires, showing the Bereans trusted Paul’s oral apostolic tradition—resurrection, Trinity, Gentile inclusion—checked for consistency with the Old Testament, aligning with Catholicism’s view of Scripture and Tradition as one. Check out episodes #133, #134, #220-246, and #299 at ConsideringCatholicism.com for more on the Bible and the Church!
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In Part 1 of a two-part series, Greg tackles Protestant apologist Gavin Ortlund’s 5 Reasons I Am Not Catholic, which shakes cradle Catholic Iris and others with evangelical critiques. Instead of playing the “rigged game” of proving Catholicism by Protestant rules (sola scriptura, sola fide, Bible-only faith), Greg flips the script, showing these premises are unbiblical, ahistorical, and rejected by most Christians across time. Tune in to Part 2 for a deep dive into Acts 17:11 and the Bereans!
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Why do American evangelicals passionately support modern Israel, especially in conflicts like Israel-Iran? In the final part of our Seeking Roots, Finding the Church series, Greg Smith shares why Americans, including evangelicals, admire Israel’s pioneer spirit and military prowess, akin to Davy Crockett at the Alamo. Buy notes that dispensationalist theology, tied to their chase for Jewish roots (Episode 1) and reliance on the Masoretic Text (Episode 2), also fuels their political commitment, contrasting with the Catholic view of the Church as the New Israel. Responding to claims like Senator Ted Cruz’s, Greg shows why the Church, not a nation, is the true fulfillment of God’s covenant.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Why do evangelicals trust a Jewish canon finalized centuries after Christ over the Bible of the apostles? In part two of our Seeking Roots, Finding the Church series, Greg shares his journey from a Calvinist seminary where the Masoretic Text was taught as the “authentic” Old Testament to Catholicism, where he discovered the Septuagint’s role in the apostolic Church. Explore how evangelicals’ search for “Jewish roots” leads them to a post-Christian Rabbinic tradition and the myth of the “Council of Jamnia,” missing the Church’s authority as the New Israel. Discover why the Septuagint, affirmed by early Church councils, offers the true Christian canon and covenant, rooted in the apostles celebrated on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Why do American evangelicals love Holy Land trips, seder dinners, and supporting the modern state of Israel? In this first of a three-part series, "Seeking Roots, Finding the Church," Greg explores how evangelicals, seeking a faith with gravitas, embrace a romanticized pre-Christian Jewish identity, imagining a simple, intimate faith free of “elaborate” Catholic or Orthodox traditions. He shares a story from St. Peter’s Basilica that reveals their crisis of imagination and explains how their focus on Old Testament promises overlooks the Church as the New Israel. Discover why the apostolic tradition, founded by Christ’s apostles, fulfills Israel’s story and offers the true heritage they seek.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg tackles Catholic and Protestant views on sex, asking: whose take is stranger? From marriage as a sacrament to celibacy as a gift and Mary’s perpetual virginity, he defends Catholic teachings as biblical and healthy against Protestant critiques on divorce, contraception, and more. Using the Cathar heresy as a cautionary tale, Greg shows how Catholicism balances sex’s sacred purpose. Perfect for curious non-Catholics, skeptical Protestants, and Catholics rediscovering their faith.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Is Catholicism a house of cards, ready to collapse under one false teaching? In this episode, Greg responds to a listener—an evangelical exploring Catholicism—who fears he can’t be certain the Church is the truth. With fun analogies like burritos and bridges, Greg unpacks why Protestantism’s “modest” claim is a mirage and how Catholicism’s evidence makes it a rational choice. Inspired by G.K. Chesterton, this episode is for curious non-Catholics and Protestants ready to cross the Tiber. Join Greg for a sharp, lively dive into faith, doubt, and truth.
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[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Why does the Mass feel so formal, and how can you love it? In this episode, Greg responds to Darcy, a 25-year-old evangelical exploring Catholicism, who’s struggling with the Mass’s structure—repetition, kneeling, and call-and-response. He unpacks why our culture overvalues spontaneity, how the Mass’s form protects truth, and why the early Church wasn’t as “casual” as we think. With practical tips and answers to common questions, Greg helps listeners embrace the liturgy’s beauty.
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In the final episode of the series on heaven, Greg and Cory explore the eschaton—the ultimate end of God’s plan, where Christ returns to renew creation as the New Heaven and New Earth. They unpack the biblical parallelism between Genesis 1-2 and Revelation 21-22, where God restores communion between Himself, humanity, and creation, fulfilling our deepest longings for belonging. Drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and saints like Irenaeus and Teresa of Avila, they emphasize that our destiny isn’t a disembodied heaven but a redeemed creation where we live bodily with God forever. The sacraments, especially the Eucharist, offer a foretaste of this reality, making Catholicism’s physicality a compelling draw. Greg also references a prior standalone episode, Will We See Our Dogs in Heaven? (#319), for those curious about pets in the afterlife. Join them for a profound, hopeful vision of eternity that transcends clichés and anchors our faith in God’s redemptive love.
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Greg and Cory delve into the radical Christian teaching of the physical resurrection of the body, a cornerstone of Catholic eschatology that sets Christianity apart from other worldviews. They explore how the resurrection restores humanity to God’s original design in Genesis, uniting body and soul as seen in Christ’s own resurrection. Contrasting this with prevalent cultural and religious ideas—like Gnosticism or modern transhumanism—that prioritize escaping the physical, they highlight why the body matters to God’s redemptive plan. Drawing from Scripture and tradition, they discuss how the incarnation necessitated a physical savior to heal our flesh, making the resurrection central to the Gospel. The conversation also touches on how Catholicism’s sacramental nature reflects this truth, celebrating the material world God created. Join them for a thought-provoking look at why the resurrection is not just a future hope but a transformative reality shaping our faith today.
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Greg and Ed unpack a recent experience at a casual evangelical worship service, contrasting its informal, emotion-driven approach with the objective beauty of the Catholic Mass. They describe a service filled with pop culture references, minimal Scripture, and a vague "remembrance" with Wonder Bread and grape juice, lacking the structure and transcendence of Catholic liturgy. Drawing on C.S. Lewis’s The Weight of Glory, they argue that true worship holds intrinsic value, like a sublime waterfall, whether it moves you or not. With decades as evangelical insiders, they critique the Protestant chase for emotional highs, which fades with diminishing returns. The Catholic Mass, steeped in Scripture and sacramental depth, invites participation in something eternally true, not just a fleeting feeling. Join their candid, humorous reflection on why they’re grateful to be on the road to Rome.
In this lively episode of Considering Catholicism, Greg and Ed the Protestant tackle a listener’s critique that the show is too harsh on Protestants, sparking a candid discussion over tacos. They reflect on their tone, owning occasional snark while defending the need to draw distinctions between Catholic and Protestant beliefs, as truth claims—like sacraments or authority—demand clarity. Drawing from C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, they explore why you can’t linger in the “hallway” of generic Christianity forever; at some point, you must choose a room. Greg apologizes for any uncharitable jabs but reaffirms the podcast’s mission: to invite listeners to consider crossing the Tiber into the Catholic Church. Ed shares his journey, stuck in the hallway due to personal circumstances, yet driven to seek truth. Join them for a mix of humor, humility, and honest reflection on navigating Christian differences.
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Greg and Cory explore the three destinations awaiting every soul after the particular judgment: heaven, hell, and purgatory. They unpack Catholic teaching on these eternal and temporal states, using Dante’s Divine Comedy and Scripture to illustrate heaven as perfect communion with God, hell as eternal separation, and purgatory as a remedial journey to holiness. Addressing misconceptions, they clarify that purgatory is not a “second chance” but a purifying path for those destined for heaven. Join them for a vivid, accessible dive into what awaits us beyond death, grounded in the Catechism and Catholic tradition.
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In this continuation of the series about Heaven, Greg and Cory dive into the Catholic teaching on judgment, exploring the two moments every soul faces: the particular judgment at death and the final judgment at the end of time. They unpack how God’s justice and mercy intertwine, dispel common misconceptions, and discuss why our choices—rooted in faith, hope, and love—matter profoundly. Drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and vivid imagery like Michelangelo’s Last Judgment, they offer a sobering yet hopeful look at what it means to stand before God. Join them for a conversation that challenges modern assumptions and invites reflection on living in God’s grace.
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Ever wonder why medieval manuscripts show knights fighting giant snails or rabbits wielding swords? Or why Gothic cathedrals are covered in grinning gargoyles and quirky carvings? In this episode, Greg dives into a wild X thread that sparked a reflection on the medieval Catholic worldview—a universe alive with God’s purpose, where every doodle and stone figure meant something eternal. He contrasts their enchanted perspective with our selfie-obsessed culture, asking what our social media “marginalia” says about us and how Catholics today can learn from the faith that built cathedrals. Join Greg for a fun, thought-provoking look at why the medieval mind might just have something to teach us.
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Greg Smith and Cory Lakatos dive into the profound question of what happens when we die. In this second episode of the Heaven series, they explore the separation of soul and body, the particular judgment, and the three intermediate destinations—heaven, purgatory, or hell. They debunk pop-culture myths like reincarnation and clarify why death feels so unnatural. Rooted in the Catechism and enriched by insights from C.S. Lewis, this episode offers orthodox answers for curious non-Catholics and Catholics seeking deeper understanding of the afterlife. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism!
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Join Greg Smith and Cory Lakatos as they kick off a deep dive into Catholic teaching on Heaven. In this first episode, they lay the foundation by defining key terms like "soul," "heaven," "purgatory," "beatific vision," and more, ensuring you’re ready for the journey ahead. Expect clear, orthodox insights drawn from the Catechism, with a conversational style that’s engaging for curious non-Catholics and cradle Catholics alike. Tune in to clear up pop-culture misconceptions and get a solid start on what the Church really teaches about the afterlife.
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Greg Smith reflects on the joyful inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, unpacking its rituals, from the emotional moment Leo received the Fisherman’s Ring to the inclusive rite of obedience. He answers why the ceremony is grand yet humble, why it’s called the Mass for the Petrine Ministry, and how Leo’s Chicago-to-Peru journey shapes his universal call. Greg reveals the Catholic Church as the Roman Empire transformed, where Peter’s bones and Michelangelo’s dome proclaim Christ’s victory. With world leaders and Eastern patriarchs gathered, this episode explores a mature faith uniting two hemispheres, one Church. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism!
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What’s “Reformed” theology today? Greg Smith, a former Reformed pastor, unravels the tweed-coated posturing of a brand that claims intellectual edge but feels like evangelicalism with elbow patches. From preaching TULIP to questioning its cracks, he exposes a vague identity coasting on buzzwords. Catholicism’s 2,000-year depth—think Aquinas, cathedrals, Chesterton—makes Reformed flexing look silly. Join Greg’s journey from Calvinism to Rome, and ask: Is Reformed just a brand for smarter but generic evangelicals? Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism!
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Greg addresses conservative non-Catholic friends asking if Pope Leo XIV is “red” or “blue,” arguing that the 2,000-year-old Catholic Church transcends American political categories. Acknowledging concerns about Pope Francis’s perceived meddling on issues like immigration and climate change, Greg explores where red and blue ideologies intersect with Catholic teaching, reassuring listeners that Leo XIV’s balanced approach offers hope for unity. Citing Leo XIV’s first homily, which warns against reducing Jesus to a political avatar and living in “practical atheism,” Greg invites listeners to let the Church’s wisdom shape their civic life. Join him for a heartfelt call to prioritize the City of God over partisan divides.
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Hours after white smoke announced Pope Leo XIV, Greg reflects on Cardinal Robert Prevost’s election as the first American pope. Exploring Leo XIV’s choice of name, traditional regalia, and call to “build bridges,” Greg sees hope for a pope who unites past and future, left and right, in a tumultuous century. Rejecting speculation, he calls for loyalty, prayer, and faithful living, grounding his commitment in Christ’s promise to the Church. Join Greg for a heartfelt reaction to a historic moment.
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Dive into the wild Tartaria conspiracy and discover a deeper truth: modernity bulldozed a sacred way of life, but Catholicism holds the key to reclaiming it. Host Greg explores how cathedrals, G.K. Chesterton, and the Mass connect us to a lost world, and why today’s souls are hungry for roots—and why the Church is their home–sparking a Catholic revival among young seekers. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism!
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In this episode, Greg Smith dives into Flannery O’Connor’s bold claim: “If it’s only a symbol, to hell with it.” Reflecting on his own conversion and a pivotal moment on Ireland’s Skellig Michael, Greg explores why the reality of Catholic sacraments and aesthetics matters. He critiques three groups—liberal Protestants, evangelicals, and progressive Catholics—who treat the Church’s sacred elements like props, stripping them of their truth. A must-listen for anyone wondering if Catholicism is more than just beautiful symbols.
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What kind of pope does the Church need today? In this episode, Greg argues against the modern expectation of a charismatic, media-savvy “influencer” pope, reflecting on how John Paul II’s global brand set a new standard that shaped perceptions of Benedict XVI and Francis. Instead, Greg calls for a quiet, faithful steward who guards the truth, cleans up scandals, and focuses on the Church’s core mission. A counterintuitive take for our media-driven age, this episode challenges listeners to rethink what makes a pope effective. Join us for a thoughtful exploration of the papacy’s role in the 21st century.
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Greg dives into the Vatican politics shaping the 2025 papal conclave, revealing a 60-year fight for the Church’s soul between the Concilium and Communio visions born after Vatican II. While Concilium’s openness to modern culture has often aligned with Western leftist ideals, Communio champions timeless tradition, and these dueling perspectives will divide the cardinals choosing the next pope. Far from American left-right divides, this struggle defines the conclave’s stakes, offering insight into what’s next for the Church. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism!
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When Pope Francis’s funeral drew millions and the world’s eyes turned to Rome, it revealed something unique: only the Catholic Church has a global leader. In this episode, Greg explores why the papacy matters, how it holds Christianity together, and what the upcoming conclave says about the need for one voice in a divided faith. Join us to discover why the pope’s death stopped the world—and why it should matter to you. Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism!
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Pope Francis' funeral will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at St. Peter's Basilica. But he has chosen to be buried in another church, the Basilica of St. Mary Major on the Esquiline Hill in central Rome. This magnificent basilica, founded in 432 AD, is the home of the relic of the Holy Manger and the Salus Populi Romani, one of the most beloved icons of the Catholic Church. Greg explains why this church is a hidden gem and ought to be near the top of your list of places to visit when you go to Rome.
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Pope Francis passed away this morning. He was 88 years old and had served as the Holy Father 12 years. We pray for the repose of his soul and for the transition the Church will undergo in the weeks ahead. Greg shares some thoughts about what might or might not happen, and how we should approach those possibilities.
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Two years ago, after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Greg described what insights into the Holy Week can be gained from visiting Jerusalem. Perhaps he'll lead a Considering Catholicism pilgrimage to Israel someday!
(With Greg so busy during Holy Week this year, we're sharing this classic from the vault.)
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Two years ago, after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Greg described what insights into the Gospel can be gained from seeing the Sea of Galilee firsthand. Perhaps he'll lead a Considering Catholicism pilgrimage to Israel someday!
(With Greg so busy during Holy Week this year, we're sharing this classic from the vault.)
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This was the 13th episode of Considering Catholicism, way back in 2022. Since then, the challenges to a biblical and Catholic understanding of the human person and the resurrection have grown more dramatic. Just one year ago, in 2024, the United States Government declared March 31, Easter, to be "Transgender Visibility Day."
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What does it mean to be confirmed in the Catholic faith? Greg unpacks the sacrament of Confirmation, exploring its roots, its role in strengthening believers, and why it’s more than just a rite of passage. It's the Holy Spirit equipping us for a bold, purposeful life. A compelling look at how Confirmation seals us as witnesses to Christ in a world that needs it now more than ever! Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism!
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Is the world overpopulated, or are we facing a demographic free fall? In this episode, Greg and Ed dive into the startling reality of population collapse, debunking the overpopulation myth with hard numbers—like the critical 2.3 replacement rate—and real-world stats from nations like Japan and South Korea. They explore why shrinking birth rates threaten economies, cultures, and even our sense of purpose, while contrasting secular anti-human narratives with Catholic teaching on the family as the heartbeat of human flourishing. A wake-up call for anyone who’s bought into the population bomb lie! Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism!
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Does the Catholic Church’s stance on contraception doom families to misery?Greg and Ed unpack whether the ban on birth control truly burdens households or if rejecting it has unleashed unexpected struggles in our modern world. Were large families a source of strain—or a strength we’ve lost? Could the Church’s unwavering authority hold a deeper truth about happiness we’ve overlooked?
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The Good Samaritan: just a call to help the needy? Explore a 2,000-year-old Catholic twist—Christ as rescuer, the Church as refuge. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho might lead to Rome, revealing salvation’s depth beyond morality. A surprising ride awaits! Support this ministry so more people can consider Catholicism!
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How can heaven be perfect if the things that bring us joy in this life are not there with us? For example, the one creature that God gave us capable of being man's best friend: how can I be happy in heaven without my dog who brings me so much happiness?
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Last week, those who have prepared to enter the Catholic Church at Easter attended the "Rite of Election" at their local cathedral. The "catechumens," those who will be baptized at Easter signed the "Book of the Elect" along with the bishop. What does "election" and "the elect" mean? And how does the Catholic Church's use of these New Testament terms differ from how they are used in Reformed theology (Calvinism)?
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Catholic leaders—priests, bishops, even popes—sometimes share their opinions about various political issues. Some Catholics and those considering Catholicism often wonder, "Do I have to agree with them?" Greg and Ed ask whether all Catholics have to all have the same politics.
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The Catholic Church is a universal community, transcending time, space, races, languages, nations. So can you be a faithful Catholic and still be patriotic, loyal to your own place, time, tribe, and nation? Greg and Ed discuss the Catholic concept of "patria."
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Lent is a time of self-denial, which is a feature (not a bug) of ancient Christianity. It's a form of "asceticism," which Protestants and Evangelicals abandoned. Greg explains what asceticism is, and why sometimes telling ourselves no is a yes to God.
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As Lent begins, it's time for the annual Lent-bashing on social media (particularly on X) by some Protestants and fundamentalist Evangelicals. Greg takes on the most common myths they drag out every year.
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Greg and Ed speculate about how the Catholic Church might (or might not) change whenever Pope Francis passes.
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Pope Francis has been in the hospital for a couple of weeks. We are praying for his recovery, but it raises the question: what happens when a pope passes? Greg and Ed talk about the process of papal transitions.
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In practice, most Protestants believe that after justification we are called to grow in sanctification through good works, which is the Catholic position. So, what's this whole faith vs. works controversy really about? Greg wraps this series by suggesting that it's about whether you believe the Church is a real thing, with real sacraments, that really dispenses grace.
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This is one of those age-old debates—“Once saved, always saved?” or can you lose your salvation? And who’s really fretting at night—Catholics, or our Protestant and Evangelical brothers and sisters?
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Greg tackles one of the trickiest, most misunderstood words in Catholic theology: “merit.” The very mention of merit sets off alarm bells for many non-Catholics (and even some Catholics!), who suspect that we’re advocating a system where we earn salvation through human effort. But does the Catholic Church really teach that?
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The whole Faith vs. Works debate really kicked off in 1517, when Martin Luther complained about the Catholic Church charging German peasants money for something called "indulgences." Since then, Protestants will pull this out as a kind of trump card: "The Catholic Church sells salvation through indulgences! That proves it believes in salvation by works!" Greg takes this topic on, explains the myth from the reality, and brings the receipts.
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We've been talking about how salvation is a multi-phase process, not a single event. It involves justification, which is entirely by grace through faith and repentance. It also involves sanctification, the journey towards holiness, maturity in Christ. But what happens if we don't complete that journey by the time we die? Can unholy people stand before a holy God? The Catholic doctrine of purgation (the process) and Purgatory (the state) is a kind of spiritual chemotherapy that burns all the metastic and residual sin out of us so that we can enter heaven having been made clean.
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Greg and Ed discuss their friend Danny, who is going through an extremely difficult experience. Ed realizes that before he began considering Catholicism, he didn't really have a way to make sense of this kind of suffering, but he's begun to see the value in it. Greg explains that Catholicism teaches us that Danny might be closer to the Kingdom of God than either of them.
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Catholicism identifies three categories of sin: original, mortal, and venial. What are the differences? How are they addressed or overcome in salvation? And to which types are our good works applied?
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Protestants teach that we have "imputed righteousness" because Christ, in a one-time legal transaction, swaps our guilt and debt for his innocence and perfect credit score. Based on the totality of scripture, Catholicism (and all its ancient branches) teaches infused righteousness. We are gifted new life planted in us like a see, but we must cooperate with God's grace to cultivate that new life through good works until it bears fruit. Salvation is the totality of that process.
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Greg explains that the "Romans Road," a handful of cherry-picked verses from the first half of Paul's Letter to the Romans, is the interpretive lens for man Protestants. They read the words of Jesus through this limited view of Paul. But when he began reading Paul through Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and parables, Catholicism lept of the pages. And the Protestant Romans Road became his Road to Catholic Rome.
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Greg takes the tired old cliche that Catholicism is a works-based religion in which we earn our way to heaven on our own steam by looking at some Bible stories that illustrate the Catholic position.
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This next installment of the Arguing with Protestants series, takes on the tired old cliche that Catholicism is a works-based religion in which we earn our way to heaven on our own steam. In this first installment of a series-within-a-series, he "brings the receipts" on what Scripture and the Catholic Church actually teaches on the issue.
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This is the 300th episode of the podcast, released almost to the day on the third anniversary of the show. Greg explains that so many arguments with Protestants are endless and result in frustration because Protestants play "Proof Text Poker." Catholics make the mistake of trying to play it with them rather than seeing that it's often a trap, a dishonest Protestant tactic.
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Protestant apologists claim that the Bible is the foundation, the beginning of the Church. Catholicism has always said the Church came first and the Bible arose from and derives its authority from the Church. So, which is it? Greg points out that Protestants make logical errors of conflation and equivocation when they confuse passages about the "Word of God" with the written Bible.
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Protestant apologists like Wesley Huff claim that the Roman Catholic Church didn't exist in ancient times, that the early church was a sort of nondenominational, generic Christianity, a sort of proto-Protestantism. Greg responds by pointing out this involves both category (verbal sleight of hand) and factual errors, and that Catholicism is the ancient and original Christian faith.
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Hebrews 12:1 tells us to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." In 1 Corinthians 9:27, St. Paul said that he did works of faith lest "after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified." But in 2 Timothy 4:7, written from prison before his martyrdom, he declares, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." What does Catholicism teach about disqualifying ourselves, losing our salvation, and failing to finish the race?
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The author J.R.R. Tolkien was not only one of the greatest storytellers of the 20th century, he was also a devout Catholic. In a letter to his son, he described, "the one great thing to love on this earth." Greg explain what it is, and why.
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In the song, on the twelfth days of Christmas, his true love gave to him "12 drummers drumming." But in Catholicism, the twelfth day of Christmas is Epiphany. Among other things, it commemorates the visit of the "magi from the East" to the Christ child and their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Greg and Cory discuss the nature, history, and significance of this important feast day.
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From the podcast vault, this is Greg's annual response to something that blows Protestant minds: Catholicism kicks off the new calendar year with the Solemnity Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. Why? To the Protestant mind, this is just paganism and idolatry. They ask, "How did the Catholic Church come up with something so outrageously unbiblical?"
A reflection on Mary and the Messiah she gave birth to on this happy morn.
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Every Christmas, we revisit this classic episode from the Considering Catholicism Podcast. Greg, Ed, and Cory discuss the disappearance of genuine Christmas carols. Why haven't any new ones been written in more than 100 years? How does it reflect changes in Christianity and the broader culture in the West?
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For thousands of years, Catholics used to celebrate Christmas communally with processions, public gatherings, pilgrimages, etc. But in America, especially over the last 50-100 years, Christmas traditions have become private, family affairs. Why? Greg and Cory talk about what was and what has changed.
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Greg shares an update on what's been going on behind the scenes and where the podcast is going next.
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Lords a leaping? Maids a milking? Partridges in pear trees? What's the "12 Days of Christmas" and what does it have to do with Catholicism? Greg and Ed explain why Catholic Christmas lasts 12 days and what happens during them.
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Every year on December 12, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is the patron saint of Mexico and dear to the Mexican people, but also the patron of the Americas. Her story, miracle, and relic is astounding and hard to believe for Protestants. Greg and Ed explain.
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The Catholic Church, through Pope Francis, has declared 2025 to be a Jubilee Year, a Year of Mercy. The faithful are invited to travel to Rome, or to their local cathedral, and walk through a special door to receive an indulgence from sin. Protestants and Evangelical think this is more Catholic salvation by works mumbo-jumbo. But is it? Greg and Cory discuss the biblical roots and parallels with altar calls and revivals in Protestantism and Evangelicalism.
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Every year, the Catholic Church celebrates the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Ed asks what this doctrine means and why it matters so very much.
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Every year at this time, the Church celebrates the Feast of Christ the King. What is this celebration, and why did the Church adopt it only 100 years ago?
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Catholics talk about the "Sacred Heart of Jesus." There are images, paintings, and devotional prayers dedicated to it, and Pope Francis just released a 30,000 word encyclical about it. To Protestants or American Evangelicals, the language and images feel kind of weird. But what is it? Greg and Cory unpack the concept, imagery, history, and practices.
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The most sobering and somber subject in Christianity is Hell. Greg and Ed discuss what it is and why some souls end up there.
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The Catholic Church teaches that in addition to Heaven and Hell, there is a third possible destination for a soul upon death: Purgatory. Protestants reject this, but most don't really understand what Purgatory is and why it is vital to God's justice and the soul's journey toward full communion with Him.
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In this first of three episodes on the "Last Things," Greg and Ed explore what heaven is, and is probably not, like.
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Ed asks Greg how the Catholic liturgy evolved. Was the worship of the early Church more informal and unstructured? When did all the complex parts and pieces of the mass get added? Greg explains that the premise of the question is problematic, and that the worship of the early Church probably resembled a Catholic mass more than it did a non-denominational "worship gathering."
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Recently, Ed went to a Protestant Evangelical funeral, which was more of a "celebration of life." He asks Greg if Catholic funerals are different. Why and how?
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For secular folks this is Halloween, for Catholics it's the eve of All Saints Day, but for Protestants it's Reformation Day, when Martin Luther nailed his complaints against the Catholic Church to a cathedral door in Germany. Today, Protestants celebrate what they imagine is a heroic and prophetic scene. But as Greg explains in this snapshot, it's nothing to celebrate.
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Last year, Greg and Ed talked about Halloween. Since it's coming up, we thought it's worth revisiting the conversation. Can Christians participate? Are its origins really in the Catholic Church incorporating pagan Celtic rituals? And has the Church adopted pagan rituals throughout history, including Easter celebrations?
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If, as we say in the Nicene Creed, the Catholic Church is the "one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church," what about those outside of it? Can they be saved and go to heaven? Greg and Cory explain what the Church teaches.
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Recently, Pope Francis made some headlines by saying that religions are like languages, each trying to express something about God in its own way. A lot of people, including many of our listeners, were confused and asked what he meant. Greg and Cory try to explain.
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One of the Catholic Church's seven sacraments is Anointing of the Sick. It used to be called "last rites" or "extreme unction," but the new name more accurately describes the sacrament. What is it? What's does it accomplish?
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When it comes to theological errors, there's nothing new under the sun. There are only so many ways to fall off the tightrope of orthodox Catholic doctrines, and in every era the same mistakes get repeated under new names by new false teachers.
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Protestantism is built upon "Five Solas." "Sola" is Latin for "alone," and so the battle cry of the Reformation became: Sola Scriptura ("Scripture Alone"), Sola Fide ("Faith Alone"), Sola Gratia ("Grace Alone"), Solus Christus ("Christ Alone"), Soli Deo Gloria ("Glory to God Alone"). The Reformers intended these to be a refutation of Catholicism, and Protestant apologists today think of them as Kryptonite to the Catholic Church. But in this conversation from a few years ago, Greg and Cory take them on one-by-one.
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Several years ago, one of the first conversations between Greg and Ed the Protestant was about the Catholic sacrament of Confession (or Reconciliation as the Church calls it). We've had a lot of listeners asking about confession lately, so it seems a good time to pull this one out of the vault.
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Greg and Ed continue their conversation about those who say they are spiritual but not religious. What exactly does that mean? And why does Greg say that he's religious because he's spiritual?
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It's popular to say, "I'm spiritual, not religious" as a reason for not attending church or participating in organized religion. Where did this idea come from, and what does it mean? Part 1 of Greg and Ed's discussion.
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For the last 43 years, Catholics have been going on pilgrimages to a town in Bosnia and Herzegovina called Medjugorje, where a group of "visionaries" or "seers" claim that the Blessed Virgin Mary has been appearing to them everyday. Under three successive popes, the Vatican has investigated these claims. Last week, it released a report on its findings. Greg and Cory discuss what the Vatican found and its recommendations to the faithful who visit there.
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A common objection to religious faith or belief in anything supernatural is that "Science" has disproved that there is anything outside of the material universe. This objection is often delivered with mockery and condescension for those ignorant fools clinging to religion. In this episode, Greg says, "Wait a minute? Is that actually true? How could the natural sciences disprove, or even tell us anything about, the supernatural?"
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Cory recently went on a spiritual retreat to a monastery. He shares why, what, and how of retreats. Have you ever considered going on one?
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Greg describes one of the most troublesome afflictions that a Christian can face, what it can do to you, and how to overcome it.
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What keeps some people away from Christ and the Church? In Part 5 of this series, Greg and Ed talk about how some people need an invitation, how hard it can be to do that, and what are expectations should be when we invite them.
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Catholics are talking about In Vitro Fertilization after the major political candidates in the US elections have indicated support for IVF. Why does the Church oppose it? And if it isn't going to be made illegal in the foreseeable future, what should Catholics do?
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Greg shares some news and updates about the podcast and this ministry.
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What keeps some people away from Christ and the Church? Greg and Ed revisit why we must offer a Christianity that wrestles with the ultimate questions.
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Greg and Dominican friar Father Nick Monco discuss why young Catholic women are drawn to traditional expressions of faith, the cultural and theological significance of chapel veils, and the generational divide in the church regarding tradition vs. modernity.
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What keeps some people away from Christ and the Church? In Part 4 of this series, Greg and Ed talk about how to talk to those around you about what the Catholic Church believes, and why those conversations matter.
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What keeps some people away from Christ and the Church? In Part 3 of this series, Greg and Ed talk about "vaccinating people against the Gospel" by offering a Christianity that isn't about the ultimate questions.
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What are “tabernacles” and where should they be placed in a Catholic Church? How are Episcopal or Anglican churches similar to or different from the Catholic Church? Greg and Cory answer listener questions.
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What does the Catholic Church teach about the meaning and interpretation of dreams? And how has the Catholic Church both changed and yet remained the same over two millennia? Greg and Cory answer listener questions.
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What keeps some people away from Christ and the Church? In Part 2 of this series, Greg and Ed discuss the most basic reason: "attachments," things that we love more than we love God.
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What keeps some people away from Christ and the Church? How do we understand their lack of interest or their motivations? And more importantly, how do we respond? In this first episode of an occasional series, Greg and Ed explore how there is no single reason explanation, and so there is no single solution for evangelization.
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Greg and Cory continue their discussion of Catholic eschatology and how it differs with much of American evangelicalism. Will there be a "rapture" of Christians, with everyone who didn't accept Christ "left behind?" Will there be a thousand-year reign of Christ in the city of Jerusalem?
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When will Jesus return? How will the world end? These are the sort of questions addressed by the branch of theology known as "eschatology." But Catholic eschatology differs in focus and emphasis from that of many American evangelicals. Greg and Cory discuss how the Catholic Church approaches the "end times."
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The Lord can comfort and bless us in times of pain and suffering. But can our suffering be redemptive for others? Greg shares the Catholic practice of "offering up" our pain as a participation in the Cross of Christ, asking him to use it for the salvation and sanctification of people we care about.
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Greg responds to listener questions and comments. Does this podcast set up Protestant "straw men" to knock down? What do Protestants believe? And what is "Oneness Pentecostalism?"
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Greg and Cory continue their discussion of the legendary musical stage play "Les Mis," an adaptation of the classic novel by Victor Hugo. In Part 2, they share the Catholicism that shines through their favorite scenes.
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Greg and Cory are bringing back the popular feature "Book Club." But this time with a twist, as they reflect on the Catholicism that shines through the legendary musical stage play "Les Mis," an adaptation of the classic novel by Victor Hugo. Part 1 shares the themes that make it an explicitly Catholic story.
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In the final episode in this Deep Dive series, Greg reflects honestly on how well many Catholics hear and know the scriptures.
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Greg takes Ed into the woods to have "the sex talk." Why does the Catholic Church care so much about sex and sexuality? In our secular postmodern culture, and increasingly in the Protestant evangelical world, who, what, when, where, you have sex with is irrelevant. Most people today can't understand why Catholicism makes a big deal out of it.
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Ed the Protestant shares how exploring Catholicism has opened his eyes to the bigger, unseen world around us.
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In this "Deep Dives" episode, responds to the Protestant charge that the Catholic Church kept the Bible in Latin so the ordinary people couldn't read it for themselves (and discover that Catholicism is unbiblical).
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Greg answers your questions. How is Mary the Mother of God? Is it pagan to pray to dead people? And why are sacramental records so important to the Catholic Church?
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If you're considering Catholicism, at some point someone is going to say to you, "But the Catholic Church is corrupt! How could you think of joining it?!" In the second of two conversations responding to this criticism, Greg and Cory discuss the more exotic charges of corruption in the Church: sedition, magic, and weird conspiracies.
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In this "Deep Dives" episode, Greg explains Catholic "hermeneutics," the rules and guidelines for properly interpreting the Bible.
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If you're considering Catholicism, at some point someone is going to say to you, "But the Catholic Church is corrupt! How could you think of joining it?!" In the first of two conversations responding to this criticism, Greg and Cory discuss "garden variety" corruption in the Church: money, sex, abuses of power.
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Greg often hears from listeners whose friends and family cannot understand their interest in Catholicism, or who react negatively to their desire to become Catholic. He and Ed the Protestant talk about why and how to respond.
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Few things drive Protestants more crazy than the Catholic Church calling Mary the "Queen of Heaven" and our "advocate." Greg and Ed explore why and how she has earned those titles.
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Greg answers your questions. Did Mary have free will when she agreed to bear Jesus? Did the Church just make up its objections to artificial birth control? And why are the Southern Baptists debating whether to affirm the Nicene Creed?
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What "lens" should we the Bible through? History? Moral lessons? Spiritual insights? The Catholic Church teaches that scripture speaks to us in four "senses" or "modes."
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The Roman Catholic Church is the only Christian denomination that has held the line, maintaining a total ban on artificial contraception, even within marriage. Why? Greg explains the philosophical and theological ethics that underlie the Catholic position.
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Humanae Vitae: online at the Vatican website
We talk a lot about the oral tradition of the apostles and how it formed (and still forms) the foundations of Catholic doctrine. But several listeners have written in asking how those oral traditions were transmitted and preserved in the generations immediately after the apostles. In this episode, Greg dodges a bear attack while doing his best to answer.
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In this "Deep Dives" episode, Greg asks why Catholics and Protestants have different Old Testaments.
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The most fundamental difference between Catholicism and Protestantism is Protestant rejection of the "real presence" of Christ in the Eucharist. Jesus said, "This is my body, and this is my blood," and from the beginning the Catholic Church has taken him at his word. Protestants consider the doctrine of "transubstantiation," that the bread and wine are transformed into Christ's body and blood ridiculous. In this two-year old conversation from the podcast vault, Greg and Cory explain this most essential Christian mystery.
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Yesterday was the Feast of "Corpus Christi," which is Latin for "Body of Christ." Catholics celebrated with processions, carrying the consecrated Eucharist through public spaces. But other than a few Anglo-Catholic Episcopalians, Protestants do not celebrate Corpus Christi. Why is the Eucharist such a big deal for Catholics?
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In this "Deep Dives" series, we explore the formation of the New Testament and refute the Protestant doctrine of "sola scriptura."
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In this "Deep Dives" series, we explore what the Catholic Church teaches about the Bible and the role the Bible plays in the Catholic faith. In this installment, we discover what the Church teaches about how the sacred scriptures and sacred tradition work together.
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A listener wrote in about the challenges of inviting non-catholic friends to mass for the first time. Greg and Ed talk about the process of evangelization and whether an invitation to mass should always be the first move in sharing the Catholic faith.
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Ed the Protestant recently led worship at a contemporary evangelical church, and describes it like visiting an old girlfriend. It was comfortable, but not where he wants to be anymore. He and Greg talk about what they found missing in that world and why they considered (or are considering) Catholicism.
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In this "Deep Dives" series, we explore what the Catholic Church teaches about the Bible and the role the Bible plays in the Catholic faith. In this installment, Greg asks how the Church functioned before the Bible as we know it was completed. And did the completion of the Bible render the teachings and traditions of the apostles invalid?
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The Vatican, headquarters and home to the papacy, is its own sovereign nation. It's small (108 acres), but it has its own army (the Swiss Guard), embassies in 180 countries, status in the United Nations, and until 1999 printed its own currency. But why does the pope have his own country in the first place? In this second of two conversations, Greg and Cory explore the Vatican city-state since 1929.
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The Vatican, headquarters and home to the papacy, is its own sovereign nation. It's small (108 acres), but it has its own army (the Swiss Guard), embassies in 180 countries, status in the United Nations, and until 1999 printed its own currency. But why does the pope have his own country in the first place? In this first of two conversations, Greg and Cory explore the reason and history of the Papal States.
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In this new "Friday Deep Dives" series, we explore what the Catholic Church teaches about the Bible and the role the Bible plays in the Catholic faith. In this first installment, Greg asks what exactly is meant by the term "God's Word" or "Word of God." Is that the same thing as the Bible?
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Greg answers questions listeners have sent in about the Traditional Latin Mass and why some younger priests are starting to wear cassocks again.
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Greg answers questions listeners have sent in about joining the Catholic Church, what relatives can (and can't) do if the parents aren't baptizing their kids, and whether you have to attend your "geographic parish" or if you can shop around for one that suits you.
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Last week, two things happened on this podcast: we passed 100,000 total downloads and we wrapped up a 10-week Bible study of Genesis on Fridays. So, to start our run at 200,000 downloads, we're launching a new feature: Friday Deep Dives.
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For 1600+ years, the Catholic Church took the gospel to the ends of the earth. But eventually, revolutionary changes in Europe and the Americas (the Protestant Reformation, the Enlightenment, revolutionary ideologies, etc.) shattered the old Christian civilization and the Church's missionary efforts had to cope with hostile modern and post-modern cultures at home. Greg and Cory continue their conversation about the Church's missionary history.
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Christianity was born in a pagan world. At first, it was an oppressed sect but it came to overcome the religions of Greece and Rome, the Celtic and Germanic tribes, and carried the gospel to the ends of the earth. How and why were Catholic missionary efforts so successful?
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The sons of Israel lie to their father and sell their brother Joseph into slavery in Egypt. But the Lord takes what they intend for evil and lays the foundation to save the two nations.
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A listener asked why entering the Catholic Church is so much more complex than joining a nondenominational church. Greg and Ed discuss what entering the Church means and the steps involved.
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Protestants like to say that Catholicism is a religion of merit that teaches we are saved by our own good works. Is that true? Greg and Ed discuss how salvation by faith gets us airborne, but good works pilot us to our destination.
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What's the origin of the word "Israel?" In Hebrew, it means "wrestles with God." Why was this the name of Jewish nation, both ancient and modern? Because the grandson of Abraham literally wrestled with God one night, and his descendants have metaphorically kept wrestling with the Lord ever since.
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Greg knows a Catholic priest who was criticized for not having a "vision." Greg and Ed discuss how destructive the "vision thing" has been in the evangelical world, and how comforting it is that the sacramental and pastoral ministry of Catholic parishes is mostly predictable and consistent across the planet.
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Evangelical and Pentecostal Protestants say that salvation begins with being "born again" or "born again in the Spirit." They also say that the Catholic Church doesn't believe in or help Catholics to become "born again," and so many or most Catholics aren't really saved. Is that true? Greg and Ed the Protestant explore what being "born again" means in the Bible and how the Catholic Church brings that about in the life of every baptized Catholic.
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Abraham chose to believe God's promise for innumerable number of descendants, despite the circumstances of his life. And then God tested his faith through the loss of his nephew, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the command to sacrifice his only son.
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Many listeners that are considering Catholicism ask Greg about whether they should consider Eastern Orthodoxy. In this second of two episodes, Greg and Cory discuss why they chose the Roman Catholic Church.
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The Orthodox churches of the East are the "other half" of the ancient Church founded by Jesus' apostles. They have been separated from the Roman Catholic Church since the Great Schism of 1054. In this first of two episodes, Greg and Cory discuss what Orthodoxy is and why it is separate from the Church of Rome.
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The Lord called a man to leave his country and travel to a distant land. He gave that land to this man and his descendants, and promised that one day they would be as numerous as the stars of the sky or the grains of sand on the beach. And he gave this man a new name: Abraham, the Father of Nations.
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As we reflect on the joy of Easter, Greg and Cory recall one of the most profound and revolutionary works of Catholic literature, St. Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Creatures.
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This was the 13th episode of Considering Catholicism, back in 2022. Since then, the challenges to a biblical and Catholic understanding of the human person and the resurrection have grown more dramatic. In 2024, the United States Government declared March 31, Easter, to be "Transgender Visibility Day."
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In Genesis chapter 11, the story widens to encompass the peoples, tribes, nations, and languages that make up human history. And we begin to understand that God's plan of salvation will involve one small tribe, one chosen nation, through which he will bless the whole world.
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A 19-year old listener named "Kate" has been investigating and considering Catholicism. But she is facing harsh resistance and rejection from her Protestant friends and family who argue that Catholicism is a false Christianity and she is falling for an unbiblical religion.
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A 19-year old listener named "Kate" has been investigating and considering Catholicism. But as she discusses and debates with her Protestant friends and family, she still wrestles with an important question: how do we know that the Catholic Church is the original Church that Jesus established, instead of a distortion what Jesus intended?
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Almost everyone has heard of Noah's Ark, usually in Sunday School or children's bibles. But it's a very adult story that looks back to the Fall, establishes covenants with all mankind, and points forward to our salvation in Christ and his Church, the "new ark" of Peter.
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A young listener named Caiden wrote in to ask about the medieval Catholic religious military orders (like the Knights Templar) that fought in the Crusades. In the previous episode (#197), Greg and Cory discussed the medieval Catholic society that produced these orders, and in this episode, they get to specifics.
Here’s our previous episodes on the Crusades: The Crusades (#157).
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A listener asked about the medieval military religious orders; Catholic warrior monks like the Knights Templar that fought in the Crusades. To answer the question, Greg and Cory begin by exploring the Catholic society that produced them. Here’s our previous episodes on the Crusades: The Crusades (#157).
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In Genesis 4, we see Adam and Eve, exiled from Eden. They begin their family, the human family, by having two boys, Cain and Abel. And the first death in human history isn't from old age or being stepped on by a Wooly Mammoth, it is a murder.
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Our culture says that it values equality and democracy, but is really obsessed with functionality and power structures. Catholicism, on the other hand, presumes a sacred ordering of things. Why? Greg and Ed discuss hierarchy and ask whether we need more of it.
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A listener wrote in to share her journey from Wicca to full-blown Satanism, under the patronage of demons, to Catholicism, to entering the Church through the RCIA process. She also mentions that Ed and Greg's conversations on this show were helpful to her along the way.
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In Genesis 3, we learn how mankind fell from grace when Adam and Eve, tempted by the serpent, disobeyed God and ate fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil... and how they took the world down with them. But while the Fall brought death and decay, God responded with the promise and prophecy of a day when all will be made right again.
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Before 1517, Christians imagined the universe as "enchanted," full of mystery, wonder, and awe. But the Protestant Reformation reduced Christianity to Bible study, the spiritual transaction of "accepting Jesus," and grateful obedience to God's law. The mysteries of the faith were intellectualized, spiritualized, and sanitized. Greg and Ed the Protestant discuss how Catholicism preserves the "mystical" quality of biblical Christianity and the faith as it was practiced for 1500 years.
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Why is Catholicism more "mystical" in character and practice than Protestantism or Evangelicalism? And why does the Catholic Church refer to the sacraments as "mysteries of the faith?" A protestant evangelical listener named Doug asked why his evangelical friends speak of "accepting Jesus" as a mystical transformation but act as if after that, nothing "mystical" ever happens in the church or life of the Christian. Greg and Ed the Protestant discuss the biblical roots of the mystical nature of the sacraments.
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Genesis chapter 2 tells the story of the creation of Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, and Adam’s work. And we’ll see why mankind’s two genders, male and female, are an essential part of the image of God in man.
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We begin a study of the Book of Genesis with the creation of the cosmos and what the Bible and the Catholic Church tell us about how God brought it about. Greg unpacks the first chapter of Genesis, the six days of God's creative work, and the seventh day of rest.
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Why is Mary sometimes called the "Star of the Sea?" And why are statues of her sometimes even more prominent than statues of Jesus in Catholic Churches? A listener recently visited a beautiful, historic Catholic church in Duluth, Minnesota, but was puzzled by one of its architectural features, so he emailed Greg to ask.
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Most people today don't think that the Bible makes much sense. Even Christians who respect it as God's Word struggle to explain it. In this episode, Greg unpacks the big story that the Bible tells: it's bookends, it's plot, and it's central point.
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Ed the Protestant returns to ask Greg about the differences between Protestant pastors and Catholic priests. In Part 2, they explore what a Catholic priest is, and how priests differ from Protestant ministers or pastors.
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Ed the Protestant returns to ask Greg about the differences between Protestant pastors and Catholic priests. In Part 1, they explore how much contemporary evangelical Protestantism revolves around the personality of the pastor rather than doctrine and sacraments.
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How does someone officially enter the Catholic Church, so they become eligible for the Eucharist and other sacraments? Former guest Angie Griffith (episodes #164-165) rejoins us to share her experience of joining the Catholic Church through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program, which is something like the Church's "new members class." [Note: it's being rebranded by the Church as OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults).]
If you're interested in Angie's podcast or the prayer videos she mentions in the episode, those links are down below.
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Angie's podcast: https://www.yougetwhatimsaying.com/
Angie's Catholic prayers memorization videos: https://www.tiktok.com/@catholicprayersvault
Last year, Ed the Protestant asked Greg why Catholics make such a big deal out of Lent. In this re-released episode, Greg explains the liturgical season of "Quadragesima," Latin for "40 Days," which in Old English English came to be known as "Lent."
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In the last of a series of episodes about marriage, guest Carla Niziolek explains the process by which the Catholic Church considers declaring that a valid sacrament of matrimony never occurred, leaving the parties free to remarry.
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In the third of a series of episodes about marriage, guest Carla Niziolek explains the various grounds the Catholic Church considers to declare that a valid sacrament of matrimony never occurred, leaving the parties free to remarry.
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In the second of a series of episodes about marriage, Greg and Cory take on some common myths about Catholic sacrament of holy matrimony.
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The Catholic Church's understanding of marriage differs greatly from Protestant, evangelical, or secular concepts. It's not just "traditional." The Church teaches that matrimony is a sacrament, that contraception is a sin, and that divorce is impossible. Greg and Cory highlight these distinctive Catholic teachings.
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What is the Catholic perspective on marijuana and its legalization for recreational use? Greg explains how it can diminish our essential human qualities. If you're interested, Denver's Archbishop Samuel Aquila has written a wonderful pastoral letter on the subject: "That They Might Have Life."
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Within the next few years, artificial intelligence paired with mass-scale robotics manufacturing will change our economy, workplaces, and daily lives in ways we can't imagine. But our belief in technology as the solution to our problems and a means to shaping the world to our desires runs up against a Catholic vision of humanity, the place and role of science, and the nature of reality. In this bonus episode, Greg shares his thoughts from a couple of years ago on "plastic modernity."
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If you're reading the news, you might be thinking that the Catholic Church is abandoning Catholic doctrine, morality, and tradition. It's like the old joke about whether the pope is Catholic. Greg and Cory explore this question and explain that, just as a human body gets sick when it fights a virus or infection, the body of the Church is showing the symptoms of fighting the viruses and bacteria of post-modern civilization. The Holy Spirit will pull her through, and eventually, she'll develop immunities, but it might be a wild ride as she fights the infection.
See also:
What Happened to Catholicism in America Over the Last 50 Years? Part 1
What Happened to Catholicism in America Over the Last 30 Years? Part 2
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People who are considering Catholicism, especially those coming from Protestant or Evangelical backgrounds, are sometimes hesitant to commit because of doctrinal differences between Catholicism and what they were raised to believe. Greg and Cory explain why, in many cases, these are the easiest speed bumps to overcome on the way to becoming Catholic.
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People who are considering Catholicism are sometimes hesitant to commit because of its historical baggage. Incidents like the Crusades, sexual abuse, or financial scandals can be a barrier to joining the Church. Greg and Cory share some perspective on the Church's very real, and sometimes exaggerated, historical baggage.
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Many folks who are considering Catholicism have to overcome hurdles or barriers on their road to the Church. In this three-part series, Greg and Cory take on these speed bumps. This first installment, they explore the Catholic cultural barriers that can make non-Catholics uncomfortable.
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Marxism has been in the news again lately. Cultural Marxism (i.e., "wokeism," DEI, and radical social justice movements) and various globalist ideologies try to challenge, undermine, and overwhelm historic Catholic Christianity despite every pope since the mid-1800s specifically condemning Marxism and communism. Every Marxist or communist government around the globe has persecuted Christians and the Catholic Church. In this episode, Greg explains why Catholicism and Communism (Marxism) are diametrically opposed to each other and can never be reconciled—not as a matter of economics, but as a matter of faith and worldview.
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All Christian churches practice the sacrament of baptism, but they don't all understand it in the same way. From a Catholic perspective, Greg answers three questions: 1) Why do we baptize? 2) Who/what/when/where do we baptize? 3) Why did Jesus get baptized by John the Baptist if Jesus had no sin?
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As our society kicks out the load-bearing walls of the civilization that Catholicism built, things are going to get weirder and darker. Spiritual warfare and demonic activity will become more obvious. But we have armor and weapons for times like these. Greg shares two powerful Catholic prayers of protection.
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The Lorica/Breastplate of St. Patrick
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today,
Through the strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.
I arise today,
Through God's strength to pilot me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.
I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
On the second anniversary of the podcast, Greg finally tells his own story: how he became a Christian, his life as a Protestant, and his conversion to Catholicism. Learn why he started this podcast, what motivates him, and the vision to take it to the next level.
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1 Timothy 4:1-5:
“Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
On January 1, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. For most American Protestants, especially evangelicals and Pentecostals, the idea that Mary could be called “the Mother of God” is jarring, even offensive. But as Greg explains, this ancient truth only reinforces the power of the Gospel.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Mary
Anyone considering ancient and biblical Christianity, particularly Catholicism, has to ask, “Why does the Christian life have to be so hard? If God wants us to follow him, why doesn't he just make it easier? Is living the Christian life, as the Catholic Church lays it out, worth it?"
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Christianity, Christian Life
What was Mary doing in the manger? Obviously she gave birth to Jesus among the sheep, but why her? Why was she chosen? And did her role end once he was born and raised? As Greg explains, Mary's place in the manger, and the Church that would eventually come from it, was and is far more significant than we realize.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Christianity, Mary, Christmas
Part 2 of Greg's conversation with Angie Griffith, a Considering Catholicism listener who spent over a decade as a music industry executive in Nashville. After COVID lockdowns disrupted her career, she found herself immersed in New Age religion as a way to "manifest" success in online businesses and podcasting. But she has since burned her Tarot cards, crushed her crystals, and is entering the Catholic Church.
Angie is the host of the "You Get What I'm Saying" podcast.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Christianity, conversion, the occult
Angie Griffith spent more than ten years as an executive in the music industry in Nashville. She was also enmeshed in New Age religion. Then the Holy Spirit, through a range of events and influences (including the Considering Catholicism Podcast), opened her eyes. She burned her Tarot cards, smashed her crystals, and began taking steps to enter the Roman Catholic Church.
In this episode, Angie shares her story. In the next episode (#165), she and Greg explore the seduction of New Age beliefs and practices.
Angie is the host of the "You Get What I'm Saying" podcast.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Christianity, conversion, the occult
If you’re not crazy for being a Christian, can you realistically pull it off? Because living out your faith, living the Christian life, in the face of all of the struggles of this world and all that life in general throws at us? Well, that can sometimes seem impractical or even impossible.
So, is Christianity impractical? I mean, can anyone really live this way?
YouTube: Is Christianity Impractical?
YouTube: Is Christianity Crazy?
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Christianity, doctrine, culture
How do all the agnostics, atheists, secularists, nihilists, and neopagans that make up our 21st-century culture view the Christian religion? Culturally, we’re living through the last days of the new Roman world. And how did the Romans view Christians? Generally, they thought that they were crazy. They considered the Christian religion silly and nonsensical and Christians to be dangerous anarchists, a threat to the order and worship of the State, to the civil religion of the empire. That’s what the establishment, the elites, the deep state, think of you and me: we’re dangerous because we worship a crazy religion instead of the technocratic bureaucracy of the modern globalist elites. So, is Christianity crazy? An insane idea? A nutty religion? Are Christians just wacko religious extremists?
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Christianity, doctrine, culture
Every year, Greg tries to build a new Christmas playlist on his phone, and every year, he realizes how few decent Christmas carols there are. Why not? Why haven't any new Christmas carols been written in the last 100 years or more? Ed the Protestant and Cory lend their insights into the problem.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Christmas, Christmas music
A listener named John asks, "What about bad popes who lived immoral lives, etc? How can they lead the Church?" As Greg explains, there have been good popes, bad popes, and mostly average popes, but the office of the seat of Peter is greater than any man who occupies it.
Listen to two previous episodes about the papacy:
38: “A Protestant Asks, ”Why Do Catholics Have a Pope?”
39 “More Protestant Questions About the Pope: Can He Just Make Stuff Up?”
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, pope, papacy
We have begun Advent, the liturgical season of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. Advent means "coming" or "arriving," but what, exactly, is coming? And has it all arrived yet?
To learn more, watch the series of four videos, "Discover Advent:"
Part 1: https://youtu.be/DxxC6UkyMGM?si=4_ysAk9YE165btSy
Part 2: https://youtu.be/d0dST3iZKs4?si=iJa1n6yrpxkdZLOk
Part 3: https://youtu.be/RwFjqu0zuVg?si=vPINRPz-hgwWIy3p
Part 4: https://youtu.be/rTVP5iFnOwQ?si=UxhhotIV_wfoCwkm
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Advent, Christmas, Christ
Those who want to change the Church's teaching on homosexuality and same-sex marriage like to argue from Jesus' silence on the issue: "If Jesus didn't bother mentioning it in the gospels, it shouldn't matter." Protestants have made similar arguments against Catholicism for 500 years. Greg points out that this is a crazy standard, because there are a whole lot of things that Jesus never talked about that we recognize as essential to Christian morality, ethics, and social justice.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, doctrine, morality, homosexuality, same sex marriage
Ed asks about the Crusades: did the Catholic Church really launch brutal wars of colonization, invading Muslim ancestral lands with hordes of Catholic knights to rape, pillage, and steal the Middle East? Greg explains that much of what people think they know comes from Hollywood and isn't exactly what happened.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Crusades, Catholic History
In the last snapshot ("The End of Ordinary Time"), Greg pointed out that the Catholic Church has a major feast to celebrate the end of ordinary time and the liturgical year. That feast is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or Christ the King. It anchors us in the truth of Christ's supremacy and gives us hope that whatever the world throws at us, he is greater.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, time, liturgical calendar
Ordinary Time is coming to an end, very soon. If that sounds alarming and weird to you, then listen to this short explanation of the Catholic conception of time, and the cycles and landmarks that ought to define our lives.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, time, liturgical calendar
Ed the Protestant asks about the Catholic Church's commitment to charity and the poor. Greg explains where that comes from and the related but very different concept of Catholic Social Justice.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, charity, social justice
Greg answers questions sent in by listeners (send your own to consideringcatholicism@gmail.com):
- "I'm a recent convert to Catholicism, but my wife is still Protestant. We disagree over which church to raise our children in. My wife loves the passion of her evangelical church and Catholics seem so lukewarm. Do y9u have any advice?"
- "When the priest consecrates the Eucharist, how does the Catholic Church know that he's doing it correctly? How can it be sure that its liturgies and formulas actually work?"
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, family, sacraments
What does the Catholic Church teach about Satan and demons? Is he, or are they, the opposing force in the universe to God and angels? What do they know? What can they do? Can they possess us? What is an exorcism? Greg and Cory explain that in Catholic doctrine, while the demons possess vast intelligence, their power leads nowhere because in futility they have chosen nothing, an emptiness of God's presence.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Good and Evil, Doctrine, Morality
This iconic motto is all over merchandise at the University of Notre Dame. Non-Notre Dame fans find it arrogant and annoying. But most don't realize that it's a double entendre, and that the real meaning, the deeper meaning, is perhaps a formula for how to live well, on the path to sainthood.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Mary, Our Lady, discipleship, sainthood
What does the Catholic Church teach about what evil actually is? Is it the opposite of good, like light/dark or yin/yang? Is it moral failing? Being outside of God's will? A social construct? Greg and Cory explain that in Catholic doctrine, evil is nothing at all: it is literally no thing, a void, an emptiness, non-being.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, Good and Evil, Doctrine, Morality
In this snapshot, Greg discusses why it's important to take death seriously in a culture that doesn't, and takes comfort in Catholicism which offers a coherent, comprehensive, and mature approach to death, dying, and remembering those who have gone before us.
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----more----Keywords: Catholic, Catholic Church, All Souls Day, Death, Dying, Memento Mori
For secular folks this is Halloween, for Catholics it's the eve of All Saints Day, but for Protestants it's Reformation Day, when Martin Luther nailed his complaints against the Catholic Church to a cathedral door in Germany. Today, Protestants celebrate what they imagine is a heroic and prophetic scene. But as Greg explains in this snapshot, it's nothing to celebrate.
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Greg and Ed discuss the concept of happiness and the responsibility to cultivate happiness in one's life. Pursuing immediate gratification does not lead to genuine happiness, but rather, pursuing goodness, truth, and beauty can bring lasting joy. They also touch on the negative impact of consuming negative media and the importance of surrounding oneself with positivity. We all have a duty to pursue a more positive and joyful outlook in life.
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Snapshots are a type of episode: around 10 minutes on a single topic. Today, Greg follows up on a recent episode about whether UFOs are aliens, angels, or something else. What should Christians, and Catholics in particular, believe? Greg reviews and recommends a new book on the topic: "Only Man Bears His Image" by Daniel O'Connor.
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Greg answers questions sent in by listeners (send your own to consideringcatholicism@gmail.com!):
- How do I overcome my distrust of the Catholic Bible (the "deuterocanonical books)?
- Can salvation be lost? What if I commit a mortal sin and don't confess to a priest?
- Why was the Immaculate Conception necessary?
- Does Marian devotion sometimes cross the line into idolatry?
- Can I disagree with some Catholic doctrines and still be Catholic?
- Why do we need Purgatory? Why can't God just "beam me up?"
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We are a small non-profit ministry dedicated to educating and equipping people to live, share, and defend the historic Catholic faith. We receive no support from any organizations and rely completely on the generosity of our listeners. Help us to keep going and expand this ministry.
Greg and Ed have an honest talk about what stewardship means. Because our life is a gift, God expects us to try and become the best possible versions of ourselves that we can be.
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We are a small non-profit ministry dedicated to educating and equipping people to live, share, and defend the historic Catholic faith. We receive no support from any organizations and rely completely on the generosity of our listeners. Help us to keep going and expand this ministry.
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Greg was traveling in the Rocky Mountains last week, and revisited a contemporary evangelical Protestant church that he attended sometimes before he converted to Catholicism. These are his reflections on the differences that he noticed seeing it again through Catholic eyes.
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We are a small non-profit ministry dedicated to educating and equipping people to live, share, and defend the historic Catholic faith. We receive no support from any organizations and rely completely on the generosity of our listeners. Help us to keep going and expand this ministry. Contact Greg at ConsideringCatholicism@gmail.com.
Greg and Ed talk about Halloween. Can Christians participate? Are its origins really in the Catholic Church incorporating pagan Celtic rituals? And has the Church adopted pagan rituals throughout history, including Easter celebrations?
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What are angels? How are they different from us? What do they do? What are the types or categories? Do we have a guardian angel, and what does he do? Greg and Cory unpack the nature of these spiritual beings.
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UFOs are in the news again, as Congress holds hearings about what the government knows about them. How should Christians feel about this issue? What does the Catholic Church teach? And how do we make sense of it. Greg and Cory sat down to discuss it all.
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Greg and Ed discuss one of the most divisive issues between Catholics and evangelicals: infant vs. believer baptism.
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So you or your friends or family are looking for a new church. How do you pick one? Is it like standing in the cereal aisle at the grocery store, surveying the various colors, textures, shapes, and tastes, and finding one that suits you (or your "needs," whatever those are) best? Greg and Ed talk about the choices and how to navigate them.
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Ed the Protestant had breakfast with three of his friends, and they couldn't understand his attraction to Catholicism. From their perspective, it seems full of mystical rituals instead of being straightforward, simple, and rational. Ed tells Greg about his conversation, and they talk about how to respond to this charge that Catholicism seems...spooky.
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What must someone believe as infallible "dogma" in order to be "in the Catholic faith?" How does that differ from doctrines, teachings, and recommended beliefs? There are important but subtle differences that carry different levels of authority. This is the second half of Greg and Cory's conversation about knowledge, belief, and faith (see the episode, "What is Faith?" for the first part).
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An invitation to take a free online course with Greg Smith about Catholic church history (and some other updates about the podcast).
Sign up for the class at LANEcatholic.org
The conversation with Cory about knowledge, belief, and faith will resume in the next episode on the regular schedule.
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Christianity makes truth claims, like that Jesus rose from the dead. But what if we aren’t sure? Greg and Cory discuss the difference between certain knowledge, confident belief, and the mystery of saving faith.
Greg and Ed continue their conversation in the woods about the Bible, this time asking whether it is really the "Word of God?"
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Greg and Ed sit in the forest and continue their conversation about the Bible--its sources, how it was compiled, the difference between the Catholic bible (a.k.a. "the Bible") and Protestant bibles--by asking who wrote the New Testament and how it was put together.
Protestants have been told that Catholic Bibles are wrong and weird and that medieval popes snuck suspicious extra books into the Catholic Bible! Which is tampering with God's Word, right?! Ed asks Greg about this while they sit in the forest, and Greg explains that the correct question is not why Catholic Bibles have extra books but why Protestants took books out that had been there for 1,500 years.
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Why is modern life so unsatisfying? Why are so many of us discontent? Greg and Cory reflect on how Catholicism offers a boring yet fundamentally satisfying antidote to heal our frantic postmodern souls.
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Supposedly, during the dark ages, the Catholic Church threw the brave scientist Galileo Galilei into a dungeon for discovering that the earth revolved around the sun because the Church wanted to keep the people in intellectual darkness. Greg and Cory explain that this is a myth, and probably everything you think you know about it is wrong.
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Many assert that Christianity, and Catholicism in particular, is opposed to science. Greg and Cory explain why that's not strictly true, but that some people misuse the word "Science" to describe something that is, by definition, opposed to all the world's religions.
Greg and Cory wade into a thorny subject: Catholic vs. Protestant views of the creation of the world and mankind, evolution and whether the early chapters of Genesis are to be understood literally. As they illustrate, nothing about this topic is simple.
As a Christian, how should you organize your life, set your priorities, spend your time? Greg and Ed talk about how in the evangelical Protestant world the highest priority was/is "mission," while Catholicism stresses that life is lived according to "vocation."
After a few weeks of summer break in episodes, Greg and Ed the Protestant gather again in the secret compound on the Summer Solstice to talk about different answers to the question, "Why should I go to church on Sunday?"
On a cold April day, Greg and Ed the Protestant sit in the piney woods and talk about the Catholic Church's authority, and what it means to "bind and loose."
Part 2 of a conversation between Greg and Cory (who develops family and parish community ministries) about the challenges of developing "community" and relationships in a typical Catholic parish.
Part 1 of a conversation between Greg and Cory (who develops family and parish community ministries) about the challenges of developing "community" and relationships in a typical Catholic parish.
Greg and Ed the Protestant conclude their exploration of the Seven Deadly Sins by discussing Lust and Chastity.
Greg and Ed the Protestant explore what glutton isn't, what it is, and the antidote of temperance.
Greg and Ed the Protestant continue their exploration of the Seven Deadly Sins by tackling Sloth, which is far more subtle and dangerous than mere laziness. It is the "noontime demon."
Greg and Ed the Protestant discuss greed, how deceptive it can be, and what generosity means.
Greg and Ed the Protestant continue their exploration of the Seven Deadly Sins, this time discussing wrath, how it differs from anger, how it takes control of a life, and how the corresponding virtue of meekness does not mean weakness.
Greg and Ed the Protestant continue their discussion of the Seven Deadly Sins. In this episode, they look at envy, how it differs from jealousy, and how it is second only to pride as a rejection of God.
Greg and Ed the Protestant explore the first of the seven deadly sins, pride. It comes first because it is the capital sin, the source from which the other six flow. Then they discuss the antidote that Catholicism prescribes: humility.
Greg and Ed the Protestant begin a series of episodes exploring the classic Catholic list of the Seven Deadly Sins. In this introduction, they discuss what "deadly sins" are, why they are called that, where the list came from, and how they operate in our lives.
Our Easter week reflections continue in an unusual direction: Greg and Cory discuss the classic novel "Frankenstein" and what it has to teach us about life vs. artificial life, God vs. playing God, as well as unexpected consequences and moral responsibility.
One of the monumental works of Catholic poetry is St. Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Creatures" (the "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" poem). Greg and Cory reflect on what this poem really means in light of the Resurrection.
Greg just got back from a pilgrimage to Israel, the Holy Land, and describes what insights into the Gospel can be gained from seeing Jerusalem firsthand.
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Greg just got back from a pilgrimage to Israel, the Holy Land, and describes what insights into the Gospel can be gained from seeing the Sea of Galilee firsthand.
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Ed asks Greg about appearances of the Virgin Mary, which seem pretty sketchy to Protestants. Greg explains Catholic doctrine, belief, and practice around "Marian Apparitions."
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Greg is leaving for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Israel). Ed asks why Catholics go on pilgrimages, while Protestants go on "Bible trips" and "mission trips."
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Greg and Ed explore the profoundly Catholic vision of the classic 1963 film "The Sound of Music."
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In the final installment of their conversation about faith, belief, and doctrine, Greg and Cory tackle the H-Word: heresy. What is it? Is it mean or unfair to call someone a heretic? When do our beliefs cross some line and become heretical?
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In the final installment of their conversation about faith, belief, and doctrine, Greg and Cory tackle the H-Word: heresy. What is it? Is it mean or unfair to call someone a heretic? When do our beliefs cross some line and become heretical?
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Step by step, our cultural influencers keep moving the boundary markers of the faith. They say they aren’t changing Christianity, just enlarging or adapting it to the modern world. But at what point does it simply become a different religion from the historic Christian faith? The second of three episodes in which Greg and Cory ask what role truth plays in modern faith.
Does it even matter what we believe anymore? In 21st century Christianity, isn’t what we do more important than what we believe? Is your “conscience” and spiritual intuition the supreme authority? The first of three episodes in which Greg and Cory ask what role truth plays in modern faith.
Ed the Protestant looks at a lot of Catholic religious paintings and statues and ask, "Why are they kind of weird? The composition, the colors, the subject matter seems so out of step with modern aesthetic tastes." Greg responds.
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Ed the Protestant asks, "What is Lent, where does it come from (not in the Bible), and why do Catholics practice it?"
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What is Hell? Why would God send anyone there? Didn't the Catholic Church just make it up to scare people into obeying? Greg and Ed continue their discussion of the "Last Things."
What is Purgatory? If Jesus saves us by grace, why should anyone go there? And if it isn't mentioned in the Bible, did the Medieval Catholic Church just invent it? Greg and Ed continue their conversations about the "Last Things."
What is heaven? What would it be like? And why would you want to go there? Also, will your dog or cat get to go with you? Greg and Ed continue exploring the "Last Things" of Catholicism.
Greg and Cory continue their discussion of how the historical Christian, particularly Catholic, understanding of funerals is at odds with current cultural trends. (Part 2 of 2)
How are current trends in the format of funerals in America and Europe a significant break with historic Christian understandings of the body, death, and the central claim of the Gospel? (Part 1 of 2)
Greg and Ed review one of the most well-done Catholic films of all time: the 1986 Academy Award-winning masterpiece "The Mission," starring Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons.
Greg and Cory talk about the natural moral law that is necessary to hold communities together, even if it is made up of diverse religions.
Greg and Ed the Protestant discuss Christianity's belief in the transcendent realm, and why it reject's the atheistic or materialist notion that the physical world is all that is or all that counts.
Greg and Ed the Protestant discuss why Catholicism holds the line on historic Christian doctrines of sex and personal moral accountability.
On the first anniversary episode of this podcast, Greg explains to Ed why he asks listeners to consider Catholicism rather than C.S. Lewis-style "mere" or generic Christianity: because mere Christianity is inadequate for the challenges of the 21st century.
Greg and Cory's discuss how Pope Benedict XVI taught us to read and respect the scriptures. The last of three conversations about Benedict's intellectual legacy and contributions to Catholicism.
Greg and Cory discuss Pope Benedict XVI's warnings against the "Dictatorship of Relativism" that threatens to oppress the 21st century. This is the second of three conversations about the Benedict's intellectual legacy and contributions to Catholicism.
Greg and Cory discuss the legacy of the recently-departed Pope Benedict XVI, focusing on his encouragement to "be not confused" by the false conflict between faith and reason, religion and science, or the various intellectual fads that sweep the Church. This is the first of three conversations about Benedict's intellectual contributions to Catholicism.
When we die, do we go straight to heaven, or are we judged? And does it really matter, if "Love Wins" in the end? Greg and Ed talk about what historic Christianity and the Catholic Church teach about judgment after death.
The Christian faith should prepare us for death. In fact, it should prepare us to face death without fear, and to die well. In fact, Catholicism has a long tradition of something called “The Good Death,” or “The Happy Death.” What is that, and how do we obtain it?
Greg and Cory explore one of the biggest barriers in dialogue between Catholics and Protestants: Tradition vs. Primitivism.
Greg and Ed chat about American pop culture, comparing and contrasting it to the timeless nature of Catholic civilization.
Fans of Catholic novels always mention the 1959 A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter Miller, as one of their favorites. In this episode of Book Club, Greg and Cory discuss this profound work of Catholic science fiction.
This is the second of a two-part episode in which Greg, Cory, and Ed the Protestant discuss G.K. Chesterton's famous essay, "Why I Am A Catholic." You can listen to the first have of their conversation in Episode #75. And you can read the essay on the ConsideringCatholicism.com website.
Greg brought Ed the Protestant and Cory Lakatos together on the podcast for the first time to discuss G.K. Chesterton's famous essay, "Why I Am A Catholic." You can read the essay on the ConsideringCatholicism.com website. This is the first of a two-part conversation continued in Episode #75.
Part 2 of Greg, Ed, and Cory discussing why and how Christmas carols are no longer part of America's "Holiday Season."
Greg, Ed, and Cory ask why traditional Christmas carols are disappearing. Part 1 of a two-part conversation.
Greg's message on the Feast of the Nativity. Merry Christmas from One Whirling Adventure and the Considering Catholicism podcast!
After considering Catholicism for a year, Greg's Protestant friend Ed shares where he's at, whether he's ready to enter the Catholic Church, and asks, "How Catholic can I be without actually becoming Catholic?"
In this Church Chat with Ed, Ed asks Greg about whether and why Catholics have a "Sunday Obligation."
Join podcast host Greg Smith for a once-in-a-lifetime Lenten journey: a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and to Turkey, the land of the New Testament churches. Learn more: www.pilgrimages.com/gregsmith/holyland/
When people stop believing in the Church's central doctrines, they don't believe in nothing: they pick and choose, like in a cafeteria line, and make themselves a plate of pleasing doctrines to suit their own personal tastes.
I told Ed the Protestant that I had a surprise and to meet me at the parish this afternoon. When he arrived, I had him walk through an exhibit displaying the Church's history of Eucharist miracles, then I sent him into the chapel for his first taste of Eucharistic Adoration. When he came out, I turned on the recorder and got his impressions.
Along with the decorations, every year the same myths get brought out about how the Catholic Church was corrupted by the ancient pagans, and invented its Christmas celebrations by borrowing pagan festivals. So, it's time for Greg and Cory to swat down this nonsense and tell the truth about why and how the Church celebrates the Feast of the Nativity on December 25.
Greg and Cory explore the differences between Lutheranism and Calvinism, and how the road to Rome differs depending on whether you begin in Germany or Geneva.
Greg has produced four short videos exploring the connections between the Eucharist and Christmas. You can find them on the ConsideringCatholicism.com website and social media. Ed the Protestant sat down with Greg to explore how the Nativity of Christ echoes down through the ages in Holy Communion.
On the last Sunday before the season of Advent begins, the Church celebrates the Feast of Christ the King. Greg and Cory talk about where this celebration came from, what it means, and how we can apply it in our lives.
Greg and Cory discuss the "Five Solas," the framework that supports the Protestant worldview and keeps Catholicism at a distance…and how cracks can form in that worldview.
In this installment of Book Club, Greg and Cory discuss a novel by Michael O'Brien which, while in the science fiction genre, is a profoundly Catholic story: Voyage to Alpha Centauri.
For Protestants and other non-Catholics, relics are one of, if not the, weirdest things about Catholicism. Why do Catholics have and treasure relics -- bits of bodies and clothing -- of the saints?
Greg and Cory discuss "sacramentals" (not sacraments), objects and devotional practice which have been blessed by the Church.
Ed asks Greg what Catholicism believes happens to us when we die. Greg explains the "Four Last Things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell." And that we must always memento mori, "remember our death."
Father Noah Thelan is a new, young Catholic priest. Greg asks him about why and how he became a priest, what it means to him, and what he hopes to accomplish in his priesthood.
In this Book Club episode, Greg and Cory discuss Robert Hugh Benson's 1907 novel Lord of the World, which has been strongly recommended by the last two popes (Benedict XVI and Francis).
On the fall equinox, Greg and Ed venture into deep, piney woods and discuss the present and future hope represented by "the Communion of the Saints."
Greg asks Father John Kartje, the Rector/President of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake and Mundelein Seminary, about what a Catholic priest is, how priests are formed in the seminary, and about what qualifies or disqualifies men to advance to ordination.
Paul Kraus, a prosecutor who has spent his career working with family and child abuse cases and is now running to become a family court judge, talks about what he has learned and how his Catholic faith will provide a framework for justly applying the law.
Ed the Protestant has never held or owned a rosary, much less prayed it. So Greg teaches him how.
Ed is curious about the Rosary, and Greg explains where it came from, its purpose, and why Catholics pray it.
I had to overcome my Protestant fear of the Hail Mary, but once I did, I realized that it isn't really about Mary at all.
Ed was deeply moved by Greg's explanation of the significance of the Blessed Virgin Mary back in Episode #29, and wrote an article about how it impacted him. In this follow-up conversation, they explore what "To Jesus Through Mary" really means.
J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, in a letter to his son, said, "Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament." Greg and Cory explore what he meant and why.
Protestant theology flat-out rejects Catholic Eucharist doctrines. Why? And how should Catholics respond to the objections of their Protestant friends and family?
In our ongoing series on the Eucharist, Greg and Cory explore why the Eucharist is also called "Holy Communion," and why that communion is a miracle, not just a vague sense of community.
In November, Michigan voters will face a decision. "Proposal 3" would permanently amend the state constitution by enshrining the most extreme pro-abortion laws in the nation. Michigan's governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has vowed to "fight like hell" for it. In response, a priest in Lansing has launched a 54-day prayer campaign to "fight like heaven" for the protection of life. Greg and Father Gordon Reigle discuss why and how we can join in this important fight.
In a series of ongoing conversations about the miracles of the mass and the Eucharist, Greg and Cory try to explain exactly what the Church teaches about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
In this ongoing series on the Eucharist, Greg and Cory talk about miracles, how the priest acts in the person of Christ, and the invocation of the Holy Spirit during the mass.
Every Catholic mass is nothing short of a miracle. As part of our series on the Eucharist, Greg and Cory discuss how the field of "metaphysics" helps us to wrap our minds around how the supernatural intervenes in the natural world during the celebration of the mass.
The whole Old Testament points towards the Gospel, and so it is full of hints, clues, and foreshadows of the Eucharist. Part of the series of episodes on the Eucharistic Revival.
Ed asks Greg, "If I become Catholic, how will it make my life better in the here and now?" (Part 3 of 3 about Salvation).
Ed asks Greg if Catholics can lose their salvation once they join the Church (Part 2 of 3 about Salvation).
Greg and Ed compare Protestant anxiety about being saved to the comfort of Catholicism (Part 1 of 3 about Salvation).
In the first of a series of lessons on the Eucharist, Greg explains why it's such big deal to Catholics when it's only a medium-sized deal to Protestant Evangelicals.
The bishops of America are deeply concerned that too few Catholics understand, believe in, or take the Eucharist in a "coherent" way. And so, they have launched a three-year "Eucharistic Revival." In this first episode in a regular feature on the Eucharist, Cory and I discuss the why, what, and how of this revival.
Graham Greene's The Power and the Glory and Shusaku Endo's Silence both tell the story of a persecuted Catholic priest forced to choose between martyrdom and apostasy. In this installment of Book Club, Cory and I explore how the two novels are mirror images that explore the same theme with inverted characters and plots.
Who is, or isn't, "Catholic?" What do you have to believe or do to "be Catholic?" What about people who don't or won't do those things? Are they still Catholic?
In Episode 32, I answered Ed's question, "Why do Catholics have a pope?" But we kept going, and covered the everything from whether the pope can make up new doctrines, to megachurch pastors, to why Pope Francis seems to meddle in politics, and whether papal infallibility means he can tell me who will win the Super Bowl.
Ed asked why Catholics have a pope, which seems crazy to them. I gave him an answer that most "cradle Catholics" wouldn't typically give.
Some argue that the novels of JRR Tolkien, particularly his 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, are the greatest Catholic novels of the 20th Century. Generations of converts to Catholicism have cited it as an important step on their Road to Rome--including Cory and I. In this installment of Book Club, we share why.
We're launching a new recurring feature on the podcast: "Book Club." In this first installment, Cory and I talk about what, exactly, makes a story "Catholic."
My Protestant friend Ed finally got around to asking me about the biggest problem that Protestants have with Catholicism: the Virgin Mary.
I was asked to speak at a conference just a few days after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the Dobbs decision. Here's what I said.
Part 2 of a two-part episode exploring how and why the Catholic Church in America has shrunk and Catholicism has lost influence over the last half century. (Episodes 26-27.)
It's been exactly 30 days since the last episode released. An update on what's been going on, what's happening, and what's ahead for Considering Catholicism.
Over the last half century, the Catholic Church in America has shrunk and Catholicism has lost influence. Why? Part 1 of a two-part episode.
Greg's Protestant friend Ed brings up all the arguments that he's heard that Catholicism isn't real Christianity.
This installment of the Worldviews series asks whether we can make our lives, and our world, anything we want it to be through the power of technology.
What makes cathedrals special? And how do they fit into the life of the Catholic Church?
Is Catholic devotion to the saints pagan idolatry? Greg and his Protestant friend Ed talk about the saints.
Greg and his Protestant friend Ed talk about the sacrament of confession and reconciliation.
A conversation with the new president of the Paulist Fathers, Father René Constanza, about his journey of faith and the Paulist mission of evangelization and culture to the people of North America.
This second installment in the Worldviews series examines a "nice" God whose primary purpose is to make you happy, on your terms.
What are some of the practical challenges that church musicians face when planning and leading worship in their congregations? In this second part of the conversation between Ed and Audrey, they talk about volunteers, expectations, and generations. For the first part of the conversation, see Episode 17 in the podcast library.
How and why is the music different in Catholic and Protestant churches? Part 1 of a conversation with two experienced professionals, one from each tradition. Ed Schief, representing Evangelical Protestantism and Audrey Thomas, representing Catholicism.
A new feature on the podcast, "Worldviews" will explore the major competitors to the Catholic Christian worldview. This first installment explains why Marxism is fundamentally incompatible with Christianity.
Meet Devin Jenkins, an 18 year-old high school senior who discovered, considered, and converted to Catholicism. He shares why, and what the Church should do to reach more young people.
My open letter to Nina Jankowicz, director of the new Disinformation Governance Board in the Department of Homeland Security.
I finally took my Protestant friend Ed to his first Catholic mass. Afterward, over tacos, he shared his impressions.
Part 2 of explaining the mass to my Protestant friend Ed before he experiences it for the first time at the cathedral.
There's a new movie out for Easter 2022: "Father Stu." It's the true story of a very unusual Catholic priest. I took my Protestant friend Ed to see it. Here's our review, and thoughts about its Catholic message.
Another Church Chat with my Protestant friend, Ed. He's agreed to come to a mass with me at the cathedral. But we got together first so I could prepare him by explaining the purpose and form of the mass to him. But the conversation ran long, so this episode is in two parts.
Easter is heart of the Christian message. Transgender ideology is in the news every single day. Can these two concepts be reconciled?
My Protestant friend Ed and I talk about the difference between salvation and sanctification, and how our Catholic good works aren't intended to save us, but they are intended to make us stronger.
I sat down with a member of the millennial generation, Cory Lakatos, to talk about the vocation of Catholic parenthood in 21st century America, and the choices, costs, and even criticism that can come with it.
In March 2022, podcast host Greg will be leading a field trip to Catholic holy sites in Detroit (through the Lakeshore Academy for the New Evangelization). This bonus episode is a preview of three locations: The Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica, and the Solanus Casey Center. Learn more at https://www.lanecatholic.org/
The second "Church Chat with Greg and Ed" explores Protestant vs. Catholic prayer, the sacraments as means of grace, confession, Purgatory, and whether "Love Wins." Also, why Protestantism is like a nutrition shake while Catholicism is a trip to the supermarket.
My friend Ed is considering Catholicism, and lately we've been getting together to talk about the Church. He gave permission for me to record our conversations so that curious non-Catholics to learn what he is learning, and Catholics could listen and learn how to have an evangelistic conversation. I don't know what Ed will ultimately decide, but these "Church Chats with Greg and Ed" are evangelization in action, in real-time.
Father Mike Cilibraise's journey is about more than just a career change from law enforcement to ministry, it is a story of how God brought him back to faith and into the life of the Church.
This bonus episode reviews the Catholic moral teaching on warfare, applies it to the current conflict in the Ukraine, and asks why the pope and bishops aren't declaring the Ukrainian resistance a "just war" and asking us to pray for their victory.
A conversation with Carla Niziolek, Director of the Lakeshore Academy for the New Evangelization and creator of LANE Kids, about how and why she became Catholic and the journey faith into the Church. Prayer: The Hail Mary.
A deep-dive conversation about evangelization, discipleship, and parish ministry strategy with Cory Lakatos, Director of Community Life at Our Lady of the Lake and Director of Communications and Family Ministry at the Lakeshore Academy for the New Evangelization. Prayer: The Glory Be.
“Many Roads Lead to Rome, From Many Directions.” A conversation with Cory Lakatos, who's study of Church history brought him into the Catholic Church. Prayer: The Sign of the Cross.
This is a podcast for anyone who’s curious about Catholicism. Who might be considering entering the Church. Taking their faith more seriously. Or maybe maybe coming back to it. And it’s for anyone—a lay person, church staff, or clergy—who wants to become a better evangelist.
Come with host Greg Smith as meets people, has interesting conversations, explores topics, visits places, and discovers the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints.
Catholicism pursues Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. It has rational and moral aspects, but also a strong element of mystery. Father Michael Burt shares how the mystery of the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, brought him into the Church and then into the priesthood. Prayer: The Apostles' Creed.
Greg Smith explores the faith, beliefs, life, and culture of the Catholic Church for curious non-Catholics, and for Catholics who want to know their faith better and share it with others. Produced by One Whirling Adventure.
Episode 1 Summary:
- Introducing the podcast and host
- Is Catholicism Still Relevant?
- Guest: Father Michael Burt
- Prayer: The Our Father
Blog: www.OneWhirlingAdventure.org/consideringcatholicism
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChuA2v6EiakEol43xUosSIg
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