WOF 486: Celebrating 25 Years of Word on Fire
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
Release Date: 04/21/2025
WOF 496: The Evangelical Power of the Nicene Creed
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
The Nicene Creed was written 1,700 years ago and is one of the earliest summations of the core doctrinal beliefs of the Christian faith. We continue to recite it to this day at almost every Sunday Mass. Yet despite its foundational importance to Catholic belief and practice, the Creed remains an underutilized resource not only for catechesis but also evangelization. Today we discuss the enduring importance of the Creed and how we can employ its truths about the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Virgin Mary, the dark reality of sin, the hope of salvation, and much more to evangelize the...
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WOF 495: The Bigger Story of the Bible with N.T. Wright (Part 2)
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
Today we bring you the second half of a conversation between Bishop Barron and biblical scholar, N.T. Wright, at Word on Fire’s recent Evangelisation & Culture Conference in London. We hear the conclusion of the conversation and dive into some of the listeners’ questions, ranging from questions on artificial intelligence and motivations for reading the Bible, to the varying opinions of the show The Chosen. Enjoy! Link: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our...
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WOF 494: What to Expect from a Pope Leo XIV Papacy
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
On May 8, 2025, the college of cardinals stunned the world by electing Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a native of the South Side of Chicago, as our new pope. What kind of papacy should we expect from this American pope? How should we interpret his papal name, Leo XIV, and his background as the former head of the Augustinian religious order? Are there any early signs of what his priorities will be? And how should we think about him in relation to his predecessors, including Pope Francis? A listener asks about contemporary misunderstandings of Catholic theology. 00:00 | Introduction 01:45 |...
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WOF 493: The Bigger Story of the Bible with N.T. Wright (Part 1)
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
Today we bring you the first half of a conversation from earlier this year between Bishop Barron and biblical scholar, N.T. Wright, at Word on Fire’s Evangelisation & Culture Conference in London. The two discussed approaching the Bible as a bigger story—one that’s holistic, hopeful, and invitational. Enjoy. Link: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and...
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WOF 492: What Catholicism Can Teach Us About Multiculturalism
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
The meaning and socio-political implementation of the term “multiculturalism” has become a flashpoint throughout the West. Supporters of multiculturalism argue that societies that embrace diverse norms and values are not only more dynamic and vibrant, they are also more just and represent the ideal form of the modern democratic state. On the other hand, critics of multiculturalism argue that permitting or deliberately engineering a society that embraces different and even contradictory norms and values is not only incoherent, it undermines the very foundation of a stable civic order. What...
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WOF 491: Parliamentary Address: The Rhythm of Divine Mercy (Part 2)
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
In February 2025, Bishop Barron returned to the Palace of Westminster in London, UK, to address religious leaders and members of Parliament. The focus of his talk was the rhythm of divine mercy—the abounding love that arises within us when we accept the grace of Christ. Today we bring you the second half of that talk. Enjoy! Link: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and...
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WOF 490: Bishop Barron Responds to His Critics
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
We continue celebrating twenty-five years of proclaiming the Gospel; evangelizing the culture; supporting the faithful; and inviting the disaffiliated, the forsaken, and those who have fallen away back to Christ and his church. However, over the years, attacks against Bishop Barron and Word on Fire have come from many sources, including online anti-evangelists who hate religion in general and Christianity in particular and from those who posture themselves as the Church’s greatest defenders. What is the substance of these detractions? What motivates them? Do they pose an actual threat to the...
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WOF 489: Parliamentary Address: The Rhythm of Divine Mercy (Part 1)
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
In February 2025, Bishop Barron returned to the Palace of Westminster in London, UK, to address religious leaders and members of Parliament. The focus of his talk was the rhythm of divine mercy—the abounding love that arises within us when we accept the grace of Christ. Today we bring you the first half of that talk. Link: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some...
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WOF 488: The Legacy of Pope Francis
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
Pope Francis passed away at the age of eighty-eight on Easter Monday. He was the first pope from Latin America, the first Jesuit pope, and the first pope to take the name “Francis,” after St. Francis of Assisi. What stood out in his twelve-year pontificate? How does his papacy compare with those of his immediate predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope St. John Paul II? What should we continue to champion from Francis’ legacy as the Church charts her course into the future? Today we discuss Pope Francis’ influence on both the Church and the world. A listener asks how to deal with...
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WOF 487: “Ipsum Esse” & Catholic Social Teaching (Part 2)
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
Today we conclude Bishop Barron’s lecture at Charles University in Prague. During the talk, he focuses on St. Thomas Aquinas’ distinctive notion of God as “ipsum esse” and its connection with some of the principal themes of Catholic social teaching. Enjoy! Link: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.
info_outlineWord on Fire is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. That’s twenty-five years of proclaiming the Gospel, evangelizing the culture, and working hard to bring people to—or back to—Christ and his Church. It’s worth pausing to look back to remember where it all began and how the ministry has grown along the way. What is Word on Fire’s origin story? When, where, and why did Bishop Barron—then Fr. Barron—first conceive of the idea to found Word on Fire? What were the early years like? What have been some major developments along the way? What obstacles were encountered, what lessons learned? And what does the future look like for the next five, ten, and even fifty years?
A listener asks how he might be able to become a part of the Word on Fire religious order.
00:00 | Introduction
01:22 | Minnesota bishops visit state capital
02:55 | A brief look at Bishop Barron’s early priestly life
06:18 | Bishop Barron’s cathedral project
06:58 | Word on Fire’s beginning
09:49 | Beginning the Catholicism series
11:24 | Cardinal Francis George
14:30 | Early days with Fr. Steve Grunow
15:41 | Reddit’s “Ask Me Anything”
18:48 | Sunday Sermons
23:22 | Bishop Barron Presents
25:45 | The Word on Fire Show
27:07 | Public speaking events
28:32 | Speaking at Google and Facebook
29:57 | Expanding into the United Kingdom
31:17 | Word on Fire’s Institute and Publishing
33:58 | The Word on Fire Bible
37:08 | Looking into the future
38:32 | A message to donors
39:17 | Listener question: How can I join Word on Fire’s Third Order?
40:35 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
Links:
- Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.