Best Crash Course Catholicism Podcasts (2025)

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99 - The Books of the Bible: The New Testament Pt. 1 27:50

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6d ago27:50

27:50

In this episode, we continue our overview of the Bible by looking at the first five books of the New Testament: The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. We consider who wrote each book, when it was written, and what its key aims and themes are. The aim of these episodes is to provide us with a bird's-eye view of the whole Bible, to help equip us t…

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A Catholic Response to Transhumanism | Fr. Michael Baggot, LC | Purposeful Lab 51:06

19d ago51:06

51:06

Father Michael Baggot, LC, professor of bioethics at Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, shares with Dr. Dan Kuebler about his vocation story and what led him to study transhumanism. They discuss the philosophies behind transhumanism, why it’s more prevalent than you think, the ethics of emerging technology and enhancements, and what C…

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BONUS - From Protestant to Catholic w/ Tim Hutchinson 1:24:40

21d ago1:24:40

1:24:40

In this episode, we take a brief intermission from our Bible deep dive to chat with Tim Hutchinson, a convert from Protestantism to Catholicism. Tim grew up in a vibrant Evangelical Christian community where he learned to love God and the Bible deeply. But one question kept troubling him: why are Protestant denominations so divided? Surely the Chur…

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What Makes Us Human? | Dr. Paul Symington | Purposeful Lab 49:06

27d ago49:06

49:06

Transhumanists want to use technology to alter our human condition, but what does it mean to be human? Dr. Paul Symington, chair of Franciscan University’s Philosophy Department, joins Dr. Dan Kuebler to talk about why we are both body and soul, what we understand (and don’t understand) about consciousness, Elon Musk’s Neuralink, and if there’s any…

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A Crash Course in AI | Dr. Fernanda Psihas | Purposeful Lab 51:08

1M ago51:08

51:08

What is AI, really? Dr. Dan Kuebler and Dr. Fernanda Psihas, computer science and physics professor at Franciscan University, explore all things artificial intelligence, including how AI works, why using ChatGPT is different from having a human conversation, how bias appears in algorithms, and where the future of AI is headed. Listen to more Purpos…

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98 - The Books of the Bible: The Old Testament Pt. 2 37:40

1M ago37:40

37:40

In this episode, we continue our overview of the books of the Old Testament. We discuss the Wisdom books and the Prophetic books, and consider what each book is about, who wrote it, when it was written, and what its key themes are. The aim of these episodes is to provide us with a bird's-eye view of the whole Bible, to help equip us to begin readin…

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Genetic Engineering: Ethical or Not? | Dr. Derek Doroski | Purposeful Lab 53:49

1M ago53:49

53:49

Genetic engineering has been brought from science fiction into reality, but it raises many ethical questions. Dr. Daniel Kuebler and Dr. Derek Doroski, a Franciscan University engineering and biology professor, discuss the moral dilemma of genetic engineering, addressing everything from how it can help produce medical products such as insulin to th…

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How Has Technology Changed Us? | Dr. Alex Plato | Purposeful Lab 56:07

2M ago56:07

56:07

Dr. Dan Kuebler talks with Dr. Alex Plato, philosophy professor at Franciscan University, about the impact of technology, for good and for ill, on society and on the human person. They explore how rapid technological advances have drastically altered our relationships with each other, ourselves, nature, and God—and how we always have the freedom to…

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97 - The Books of the Bible: The Old Testament Pt. 1 38:41

2M ago38:41

38:41

Welcome to the books of the Bible! In these next few episodes, we'll go through all 73 (!!) books of the Bible - both the Old Testament and the New Testament. We'll briefly summarise each book, and discuss what it's about, what its key themes are, and where it sits in the Bible and the broader narrative of salvation history. The aim of these episod…

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What Is Transhumanism? | Dr. Michael Deem | Purposeful Lab 53:11

2M ago53:11

53:11

In the new season of Purposeful Lab, Dr. Dan Kuebler discusses transhumanism, exploring how humans interact with technology and how technology changes us. He talks with Dr. Michael Deem, professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health, about the history of transhumanism, why the movement has escalated in recent years, and its et…

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96 - Introduction to the Bible 29:12

2M ago29:12

29:12

What is the Bible, really, and how do we read it? How can we say that the Bible is both the Word of God and the work of human authors? What should we do when we come across a tricky passage that we don't know how to interpret? Welcome to our next deep dive! In these next few episodes, we'll unpack some of the most common questions about the Bible, …

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95 - St. Augustine: Convert, Sinner, Saint. 44:29

3M ago44:29

44:29

To wrap up our deep dive into the existence of God, in this episode we take a look at the life of St Augustine. St. Augustine is a doctor of the church, and one of the greatest saints in the history of Christianity. But before his conversion, he spent his youth struggling with sin, heresy, vanity, and lust. He was the product of a culture that cele…

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94 - God's Existence: Common Objections Pt. 2 35:14

3M ago35:14

35:14

"The fact that people's religion tends to align with the culture and country that they grew up in shows that religion is just a cultural construct" "There are so many hypocritical people who have used religion to abuse others, to start wars, or to seek power. These people undermine the validity of religion." "We no longer need God; science explains…

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93 - God's Existence: Common Objections Pt. 1 33:24

4M ago33:24

33:24

"Atheists don't need to substantiate their position; the burden of proof lies with the theist because they're the one making a positive claim to belief." "God is just something people turn to for comfort." "Atheists just believe in one god fewer than Christians do." "There is no evidence for the existence of God." "If God is good and He loves me, t…

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92: God's Existence: Kalam, Fine Tuning, Beauty, and Consciousness 40:00

4M ago40:00

40:00

In this episode, we continue our deep dive into the question: How do we know God exists? Today we will give an overview of various popular arguments for the existence of God, including the Kalam Cosmological Argument, the fine tuning of the universe, William Paley’s Watchmaker Argument, the argument from aesthetic experience, and Pascal’s wager. ⁠D…

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BONUS: How Papal Conclaves Work 11:36

4M ago11:36

11:36

In this short, bonus episode, we discuss what a papal conclave looks like. How does voting work? How many votes are needed for someone to be elected pope? Why is the process so secretive? The information in this episode comes from "Universi Dominici Gregis", an apostolic constitution which outlines the prescriptions for papal elections. The full do…

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91 - God's Existence: Aquinas' Five Ways Pt. 2 28:09

5M ago28:09

28:09

In this episode, we continue our deep dive into the question: How do we know God exists? Today we will wrap up our discussion of St. Thomas Aquinas's Five Ways by analysing the Fourth Way (the argument from gradation/degree) and the Fifth Way (the argument from order). Aquinas' Five Ways are among the most famous arguments for the existence of God,…

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90 - God's Existence: Aquinas' Five Ways Pt. 1 35:42

5M ago35:42

35:42

Welcome to our deep-dive into the question: How do we know God exists? In this series, we return to the topic of God's existence, which we covered aaall the way back in Episode 2 (!!), and we break it open to explore it more deeply. In this episode, we look at St. Thomas Aquinas's first three 'ways', or arguments for God's existence. These are amon…

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89 - Love! 38:47

5M ago38:47

38:47

Welcome baaaaaaaack it's Season 3! In this season, we're plumbing the depths of Catholicism and the Catechism, doing deep-dives into topics that we have only touched on previously, like the existence of God, the bible, the social doctrine of the church, and theology of the body. In this episode, we round off an exploration of the three theological …

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Purposeful Lab | Dr. Deborah Savage | What Are the Feminine and Masculine Genius? 52:59

7M ago52:59

52:59

Dr. Dan Kuebler talks with Dr. Deborah Savage, theology professor at Franciscan University and the director of the Institute for the Study of Man and Woman, about the complementarity of man and woman, the feminine genius and masculine genius, and how a proper understanding of sexuality leads to human flourishing. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episo…

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Purposeful Lab | Dr. Abigail Favale | The Purpose of Sex and Gender 52:12

7M ago52:12

52:12

Dr. Abigail Favale, author of The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory, and Dr. Dan Kuebler explore the meaning of sex and gender, how modern culture and the feminist movement have fallen away from this truth, and how Catholic Church teaching provides a fuller vision of the reality of man and woman. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and disco…

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Purposeful Lab | Dr. Andrew Sodergren | The Psychology of Gender Dysphoria 1:01:42

7M ago1:01:42

1:01:42

Dr. Dan Kuebler and Dr. Andrew Sodergren, director of Psychological Services at Ruah Woods Psychological Services, discuss the rise of gender dysphoria, as well as the importance of integrating a Catholic understanding of human sexuality into psychology and therapy. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos…

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Purposeful Lab | Dr. Paul Hruz | The Truth About Gender-Affirming Care 54:05

7M ago54:05

54:05

Dr. Dan Kuebler and Dr. Paul Hruz, professor of pediatrics, endocrinology, and diabetes at the Washington University School of Medicine, talk about the difference between gender dysphoria and disorders of sexual development, the dangers of gender-affirming care, and how medical treatment can better work toward true health. Listen to more Purposeful…

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Purposeful Lab | Dr. Rashad Rehman | What Are Intersex Conditions? 42:08

7M ago42:08

42:08

Dr. Rashad Rehman talks with Dr. Dan Kuebler about the definition of gender and how the term has been misconstrued, what intersex conditions are, and the ethical treatment of these conditions. Dr. Rashad Rehman is a professor of philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville. His primary area of research is in bioethics, specifically bioethica…

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Purposeful Lab | Dr. Stephen Hildebrand | The Nature of Man and Woman 43:00

8M ago43:00

43:00

In this season of Purposeful Lab, host Dr. Dan Kuebler explores the nature of man and woman. He talks with Dr. Stephen Hildebrand about higher education today, why people are struggling with what it means to be male and female, and how Christianity helps us be who God created us to be. Dr. Stephen Hildebrand is the vice president for Academic Affai…

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88 - Hope! 31:54

8M ago31:54

31:54

Happy 2025! Let's talk about Hope! Pope Francis has declared 2025 a jubilee year - a year of reconciliation, healing, and mercy. The theme for this jubilee year is "Pilgrims of Hope." So what does it mean to have Hope? How can we grow in Hope, even when bad things are happening? How can we be signs of Hope to others? We'll also wrap up this episode…

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87 - Mary: Conceived without sin 31:36

9M ago31:36

31:36

What does the "Immaculate Conception" mean? Where do we see evidence of Mary's sinlessness in the Bible? What did the early church fathers have to say about Mary? Why is Mary so important? In this episode, we look at the Catholic church's dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Donate via PayPal Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: crashcourseca…

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86 - How Annulment Works 33:33

10M ago33:33

33:33

What is a declaration of nullity, and how is it different from divorce? Can the Catholic church ever dissolve a marriage? What factors would render a marriage null? What does the process of annulment involve? In this episode, we look at the often-misunderstood process of annulment. Donate via PayPal Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: crash…

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85 - Some Useful Terminology 31:37

10M ago31:37

31:37

What's the difference between doctrine and dogma? What's an ecumenical council and how is it different from a synod? What's an encyclical, or an apostolic exhortation, or a papal bull? In this episode, we cover terminology that often comes up in Catholic teaching: DoctrineDogmaEcumenical councilSynodApostolic ConstitutionEncyclicalApostolic Exhorta…

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84 - How The Pope Works 38:53

11M ago38:53

38:53

Why does the Catholic church have a pope? What does the pope do? Is he always infallible? Who chooses the pope? What should we do about bad popes? In this episode, we look at how the papacy works. Donate via PayPal Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: [email protected]. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholici…

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83 - How Angels Work 33:26

11M ago33:26

33:26

What does the Catholic church teach about angels? How many angels are there? Can they read our minds or see the future? Can I give my guardian angel a name? In this episode we cover the church's teaching on the angels, and tell some stories of the relationship of the saints to their guardian angels. Donate via PayPal Support us on Patreon! Contact …

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82 - St. Paul and St. Mary Magdalene 36:21

12M ago36:21

36:21

Paul and Mary Magdalene were not part of the twelve apostles, but they WERE two incredibly important figures in the early Christian church. They were also both just completely awesome. In this episode, we wrap up our discussion of the apostles with the stories of Saints Paul and Mary Magdalene. Donate via PayPal Support us on Patreon! Contact the p…

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81 - The Apostles (IV): Thomas, Bartholomew, Simon, Jude, Judas, and Matthias 30:34

12M ago30:34

30:34

Who were the apostles? What were their lives like? What do we know about them? In these episodes, we unpack the lives of the apostles (plus a couple of bonus extras). Today, we continue with Matthew and John. Donate via PayPal Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: [email protected]. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcou…

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80 - The Apostles (III): Matthew and John 30:19

1y ago30:19

30:19

Who were the apostles? What were their lives like? What do we know about them? In these episodes, we unpack the lives of the apostles (plus a couple of bonus extras). Today, we continue with Matthew and John. Donate via PayPal Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: [email protected]. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcou…

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79 - The Apostles (II): Andrew, Philip, James the Greater, James the Lesser. 24:55

1y ago24:55

24:55

Who were the apostles? What were their lives like? What do we know about them? In these episodes, we unpack the lives of the apostles (plus a couple of bonus extras). Today, we continue with four apostles: Andrew, Philip, and the two Jameses. Donate via PayPal Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: [email protected]. Instagram: …

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78 - The Apostles (I): Simon Peter 25:40

1y ago25:40

25:40

Who were the apostles? What were their lives like? What do we know about them? In the next few episodes, we're going to unpack the lives of the apostles (plus a couple of bonus extras), beginning with this episode on Simon Peter. Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2 Support us on Patreon! Contact the podc…

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77 - The Mystery of Suffering 36:16

1y ago36:16

36:16

In this life, are we supposed to suffer or to be happy? Why does God allow us to suffer? Is suffering compatible with joy? In this episode, we explore the mystery of suffering. Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2 Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: [email protected]. Instagram: htt…

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76 - How Jesus' Humanity Works 26:23

1y ago26:23

26:23

Did Jesus always know that he was God, or did he acquire that knowledge at some point during his childhood or adolescence? Were there things that Jesus didn't know when he was on earth? Did he know what was going to happen in the future? Was Jesus ever tempted to sin, or to despair? In this episode, we discuss the incredible mystery of the hypostat…

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75 - Eucharistic Miracles 25:31

1y ago25:31

25:31

Every. Single. Mass. Is a miracle. Eucharistic miracles remind us of that fact. In this episode, we discuss four amazing incidents, three of which occurred in the last thirty years. In each of these miracles, a communion host transformed into human tissue: specifically, into tissue taken from a living human heart that was in agony. Each of these mi…

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74 - Bl. Carlo Acutis: An ordinary teenager who became a saint 31:59

1+ y ago31:59

31:59

Pope Francis has just announced that Blessed Carlo Acutis is going to be the first millenial saint. Carlo Acutis was an ordinary teenager who died suddenly at the age of 15. He was known for his love of God, and in particular for his love for Jesus Christ, truly present in the Eucharist. Carlo loved soccer, animals, nutella, gaming, and coding. His…

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73 - How Freedom Works 29:44

1+ y ago29:44

29:44

If the point of my faith is to set me free, why are there so many things I *have* to do as a Catholic? What should I do when I feel like I'm doing things because I have to and not because I want to? What's the difference between being free and doing whatever I want? In this episode, we discuss interior freedom. Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal…

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72 - How Vocation Works 29:56

1+ y ago29:56

29:56

Does everyone have a vocation? How do I know what my vocation is? Can I say no to God's call? What if I make the wrong choice? In this episode, we discuss what it means to live out our call to holiness and apostolate in a unique, personal way. Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2 Support us on Patreon! Co…

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71 - St. Gianna Beretta Molla: Wife, Mum, Doctor, Saint 29:36

1+ y ago29:36

29:36

St. Gianna Beretta Molla was born in 1922. As a young woman, she wanted to be a missionary but eventually saw that God was calling her to marriage and family life. She became a pediatrician, and she and her husband Pietro had three children. They lived a full and joyful life. When she was pregnant with her fourth child, she was diagnosed with a ben…

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70 - How Indulgences Work 23:51

1+ y ago23:51

23:51

What's an indulgence? How do I obtain one? Is it true that the Catholic church sold indulgences in the past? In this episode, we wrap up our discussion on penance and contrition in the lead-up to Holy Week. Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2 Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: crashcoursecatholi…

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69 - How to go to Confession (and make it a good one!) 28:18

1+ y ago28:18

28:18

What should I say in the confessional? What happens if I forget one of my sins, or forget to say my penance? Can non-Catholics go to confession? This episode is a practical guide for going to confession. Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2 Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: crashcoursecatholicis…

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68 - Lent and Easter 27:40

1+ y ago27:40

27:40

What are the origins of Lent? Do I have to give something up? Why is there no mass on Good Friday? How long does the Easter season last? (Hint: ages) In this episode, we discuss the Lenten and Easter Seasons. Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2 Support us on Patreon! Contact the podcast: crashcoursecatho…

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67 - Ecumenism and Apostolate 32:06

1+ y ago32:06

32:06

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19) How does the Catholic church dialogue with other faiths and denominations without compromising on the truth? Why is it important to have friends who don't share my beliefs? How can I be genuinely open to others' opinions without becoming relativistic? In this episode, we wrap up our d…

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66 - Unity and Diversity 33:41

1+ y ago33:41

33:41

How do we balance unity and diversity within the Catholic church? Do Catholics have to accept every single one of the official teachings of the church? Does union with the pope mean accepting and believing every single thing he says? In this episode, we discuss unity and diversity within the Catholic church. Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.co…

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65 - Gifts and Charisms of the Holy Spirit 28:20

1+ y ago28:20

28:20

What are charisms? Do Catholics believe that people can speak in tongues? How do I know what my unique gifts are? Happy New Year! Welcome to our first episode of 2024! ⁠⁠Donate via PayPal⁠⁠:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2 Support us on ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠! Contact the podcast: [email protected]. ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠:ht…

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64 - Advent and CHRISTMAS!!! 22:21

1+ y ago22:21

22:21

What should we do during Advent? Have we always celebrated Christmas on the 25th December? What are the origins of the Christmas tree and the nativity scene? In this episode, we discuss one of the most beautiful and important times in the Catholic calendar. ⁠⁠Donate via PayPal⁠⁠:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2 Support …