Creedal

In this episode, Zac and Larry discuss the resurgence of metaphysical belief in modern society, particularly focusing on the two recent articles by Paul Kingsnorth and Ross Douthat. We explore the implications of Kingsnorth's argument in his Erasmus lecture, "Against Christian civilization," discuss the cultural and metaphysical collapse of the West, and the conflict between modernity and Christianity. The conversation al...

In this conversation, my friend Dr. Jon Askonas joins me to discuss the "A Future for the Family" project (https://afutureforthefamily.org/). We discuss the impact of technological development on family structures, the need for a proactive approach to technological development that empowers families, the history of technological change, the influence of military and corporate interests on social development, and the impor...

In this episode, Dr. Ethan Schimmoeller joins me to discuss the critical role of palliative care in medicine, addressing common misconceptions and the importance of understanding its purpose. We explore the intersection of Christianity and modern medicine, the historical influence of Christianity on the practice of modern medicine, the metaphysical foundations of medical practice, ethical dilemmas faced in end-of-life care, and a &...

In this conversation, Dr. Tom Ward joins the shot to talk about his journey to Catholicism, the role of family in nurturing belief, and the theological and philosophical contributions of Blessed John Duns Scotus to the Catholic Tradition. Our dialogue explores the challenges faced by converts, the importance of understanding church history, and the nuances of Scotus's thought, particularly regarding univocity and analogy in relatio...

In this episode, I explore the theology of the infancy narratives in Scripture, emphasizing the importance of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who is both fully man and fully God. Drawing on insights from Pope Benedict XVI's book, he explores the genealogy of Jesus, the Annunciation, the virgin birth, the visit of the wise men, and more, highlighting the profound theological implications of these events.

Chapters

00:00 The N...

In this episode of Creedal, we discuss what the Incarnation reveals about human dignity and apply those lessons to the ongoing debate about assisted suicide in the UK. Zac provides a detailed overview of the proposed legislation on assisted suicide, arguing against it from both moral and policy perspectives, and highlighting the dangers of framing such issues in a misleading way. In this conversation, Zac discusses the complex issu...

In this episode, Zac and Larry discuss Larry's observations from the Synod on Synodality in Rome.

• 00:00 Introduction and Conference Reflections
• 05:07 Insights from the Synod on Synodality
• 10:00 Expectations vs. Reality of the Synod
• 15:00 The Role of Laypeople in the Church
• 20:04 Pope Francis and Progressive Catholicism
• 25:04 The Vatican's Approach to American Catholicism
• 29:56 Conclusion and Future Implications
• 32:04 Th...

In this episode, Zac discusses the recent election in the United States, focusing on the failures of the media and the Democratic Party, Trump's broad appeal, polling failures, and the state of conservatism.

Sound Bites

• "I think there's room for optimism."
• "The media's framing backfired spectacularly."
• "We need to have interesting conversations."
• "This is a failure of the Democratic Party.&q...

In this conversation, Zac and Andrew discuss Andrew's book (co-written with David Paul Baird and Rev. Michael Ward) entitled 'Popcorn with the Pope.' We delve into specific films on the list, such as 'Au Revoir Les Enfants' and 'Babette's Feast', discussing various themes and ideas from each. Relatedly, we also discuss concerns about the impact of AI on the arts--both from labor and creative perspectives.

Buy the book here: https:/...

In this conversation, Zac and Alex discuss the limitations of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on human flourishing. They explore the role of intuition and embodiment in human understanding, and explore a Christian account of the development of understanding via the Sacraments. They also delve into the concept of emergent consciousness and the challenges of reducing the human mind to a material substrate or a product th...

In this episode, Zac and Andrew discuss various news articles in the 'Fake News' segment and then dive into a close read of an article by L.M. Sacasas titled 'Secularization Comes for the Religion of Technology.' They explore the concept of secularization and how it applies to the religion of technology, as well as the implications for society.

00:00 Will Barbers Save Civilization? 03:16 Fake News Segment 16:17 Secularization Co...

Today we're breaking down five Super Bowl commercials, including one that Zac describes as "the worst commercial I have ever seen."

1. Kia EV9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU7BJc96lI4
2. Microsoft Copilot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaCVSUbYpVc&ab_channel=Microsoft
3. Temu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Od0aOse1wc&ab_channel=Temu
4. He Gets Us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94BqlDQ-Ppo&ab_channel=HeGets...

My conversation with Dr. Larry Chapp today discusses the recent teaching edict of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith: Fiducia Supplicans. The document attempts to clarify the pastoral meaning of blessings, particularly in relation to "irregular unions," but falls short on several fronts. We discuss some of our issues with the document, including theological incoherence, the invention of straw man positions, and t...

Today on the show we tackle our usual "misinformation" segment before diving into "BAPism" the absurd ideology espoused by followers of a mysterious internet persona known as "Bronze Age Pervert." Using Graeme Wood's latest article as a starting point, we discuss the ideology and a few of its grievous errors before articulating the beginning of an alternative.

Grame Wood's article: https://www.theatla...

Today on the show, Tsh Oxenreider joins me to talk about literature, the craft of writing, converting to Catholicism, switching to dumbphones, and more.

Discussed on the show: Tsh's Substack: https://thecommon.place/ Tsh's website: https://www.tshoxenreider.com/ Tsh's new book: https://a.co/d/0s1bJey (coming Aug 29, 2023) Tsh's previous appearance on Vernacular: https://open.spotify.com/episode/59S7pO9aVjFYDXJPE8G776?si=mGcPkUD-Qu...