A review of some of the more interesting/enlightening books I've read  this past year, though not all of them have to do with Catholicism. Enjoy!

Our series of mini-biographies we call "Catholic Lives" takes a look at  the life and career of Orestes A. Brownson (1803-1876), a convert from  New England whose spiritual journey took him from Evangelical revivalism  to Unitarianism and the Transcendentalist Movement, before entering the  Catholic Church in 1844. A thinker with a wrestling, combative style,  Brownson became one of the premier Catholic thinkers in 19th century  America, and someone whose political thought was grounded in the need  for transcendent truths, above all the truth of the Catholic faith.

Controversies in Church History will return to regular (or semi-regular) podcasting in the spring. Until then, take a listen to a short audio presentation of post on the blog post concerning recent news items involving the Church in the past week. Cheers!

There is a specter haunting the Catholic world, whose name is "integralism." The term "integralism" has been used in recent years by Catholic thinkers who want to reassert the Church's teaching on the superiority of the spiritual power to that of the temporal power, and the rights of the Church over society. Some Catholic thinkers have even brought this term into American political debate on the Right. Some have decried this trend as a resurgence of theocracy or even of fascism. In this episode, I will discuss the historical origins of "integralism" in 19th century Spain and early 20th century France, before discussing its relevance for the Church today.

In 1871, the German Empire began passing laws meant to control the Catholic Church in Germany, which it regarded as a potential fifth column. This legislation inspired attempts by other German speaking countries, and within five years governments arrested and exiled bishops, removed priests from their parishes, seized church property and expelled religious orders from their countries. This episode has become known as the "Kulturkampf," the civilizational struggle between a modernizing German nation and the retrograde Catholic Church. Join me for this episode as I dive into the causes, effects and legacy of this traumatic event in the history of Europe and the Catholic Church. CORRECTION: in the podcast I incorrectly refer to Silesia as a province of Germany populated by a French minority. Silesia was a Polish minority province. I meant to refer to Alsace-Lorraine, a former French territory conquered by Prussia during the Franco-Prussian War.

In 1899, pope Leo XIII wrote a letter to Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore, condemning something called "Americanism." Many contemporary Catholic historians and scholars have claimed that "Americanism" is a phantom, a term of abuse by "conservative" Catholics hurled at their opponents. In this episode, we will talk about what "Americanism" is and and isn't, the American Church in the 19th century, and why pope Leo XIII condemned the ideas associated with the term "Americanism."  Pax Christi! Please subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform and share with friends. You can also subscribe on YouTube and find us on the web at churchcontroversies.com. Pax Christi!

Catholic images, beliefs, and even practices, dot the plays of William Shakespeare, the greatest playwright in the English language. And relatives of his can be identified as Catholic, even one that was executed for treason. But was William Shakespeare himself a Catholic? In this episode, we dive into the evidence for Shakespeare as a Roman Catholic, and take a look at the changing landscape of historical and literary scholarship that has led the "Catholic Shakespeare" thesis to become a popular one in recent decades. 

Delve into the liturgical reformers of the 1960s. Uncover conspiracy theories and critique academic work. Explore the shift in the liturgical movement and the relationship between liturgy and society. Discover the unintentional development of doctrine and the need for changes in the liturgical life. Examine the mysterious outcome of historical interactions and the influence of God's providence.

In response to a viewer's request, I hereby present you with the story of my conversion to the Catholic Church, and how I went from atheism to believing in Jesus Christ. 

Our series of mini-biographies we call "Catholic Lives" takes a look at the life and career of Orestes A. Brownson (1803-1876), a convert from New England whose spiritual journey took him from Evangelical revivalism to Unitarianism and the Transcendentalist Movement, before entering the Catholic Church in 1844. A thinker with a wrestling, combative style, Brownson became one of the premier Catholic thinkers in 19th century America, and someone whose political thought was grounded in the need for transcendent truths, above all the truth of the Catholic faith.