The Cordial Catholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast I talk with author and Early Church expert Rod Bennett, one of my favourite guests of all time. We dig deeply into Rod's famous book Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words, now almost 20 years old, and mine what Rod, an evangelical, discovered when he began to read from the Early Church Fathers, the very first Christians after the apostles.What Rod discovered, of course, led him to convert to Catholicism and he's been writing ever since, including a book forthcoming in 2021, Four More Witnesses. In this episode we dive into how the Early Church worshipped, what they believed about authority and the succession of apostles, and Rod's incredible challenge to non-Catholic Christians – wait for it at the end, it's worth it!For more from Rod Bennett please visit his Amazon author page and purchase his fine books.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by William Albrecht and Father Christiaan Kappes to discuss Mary in the Scriptures and through the eyes of the Early Christians. We dig into the idea of Mary as the New Ark, Mary's perpetual virginity, and how the Early Christians saw and understood the role of Mary – and how they read their Bibles accordingly. This is a truly groundbreaking episode, and a great introduction to how Catholics understand (and have always understood!) Mary! Be sure to check out Mary Among the Evangelists: The Definitive Guide for Solving Biblical Questions About Mary.William Albrecht is a Catholic convert, a seasoned apologist, debater, and one of the hosts of the Reason and Theology show. For more from William visit his website.Father Christiaan Kappes, PhD is the Academic Dean and Professor at Saints Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA. For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by Ralph Martin to talk about tackling division, confusion, and darkness in the Catholic Church. We talk about some of the divisions in the Church between different Catholic factions – on the left and on the right – and how these Protestant-like groups at damaging the Church. We look at how to understand sometimes unclear and ambiguous teachings from the Pope and Bishops; and how we can remain in the "radical centre" of the Catholic Church. It's a great and engaging conversation and I hope you enjoy it!Ralph Martin's new book A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward is available now from  Renewal Ministries.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by author, apologist, speaker, and radio host Gary Michuta to talk about the problem that Protestants have with their Bible. Gary is the author, among other things, of Why Catholic Bibles Are Bigger? and in this episode we tackle, in depth, the problem that exists from Protestants trying to live "Bible alone" faith with a Bible that, as we'll see, is missing some very important parts!It's a great conversation about the deuterocanonical canonical books of the Bible and their importance – as God's Word – and what happens when they're not in the Protestant canon. What's missing? What's missed? And what important theological developments are completely unknown to Protestant Christians as a result? For more from Gary visit his website and check out his books including, Why Catholic Bibles Are Bigger, on Amazon.To see my appearance on Gary's radio show, Hands On Apologetics, check it out on YouTube. And subscribe to his great show on any podcast platform.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

BONUS EPISODEWelcome to a special episode of The Cordial Catholic. Normally, I release these special After Show episodes of the podcast to patrons of the show. This week, I thought I'd give everyone access and, hey, maybe you'll consider becoming a patron, too!In this episode, we talk about what's coming up on the show in the next couple of months including clips from my interviews with Gary Michuta on the Problem of the Protestant Bible, William Albrecht and Fr. Christiaan Kappes on the Historical and Biblical Mary, and Rod Bennett on the Early Church and the challenge it presents to Protestant Christians. Plus, more behind-the-scenes information on what's coming up on the show! If you're interested in becoming a patron and helping to fund the work of this show please visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to these Cordial Catholic Aftershow episodes as well as early access to upcoming content. Patrons who can give $5/mo or more are entered into draws for free books every month and patrons who can give at the highest tier of $15/mo or more are producers on the show and get to help me plan the guest list, plan topics, and pick questions for guests who are coming up. Please do consider supporting this show monthly or even giving a one-time donation through PayPal. Thanks for listening to this show and hope you enjoy this special, bonus episode!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by Catholic convert, author, apologist, and podcaster Eric Robinson to talk about the sacraments. What are the sacraments? What do Catholics believe about them? And why, according to a Catholic convert, are they so incredible? We dig deeply into some of the sacraments and touch on exactly why they're fundamental to the life of a Catholic, why they're exactly how God has always interacted with humankind, and why all non-Catholic Christians should carefully consider their relationship to these ancient, biblical sources of grace within the Church.It's a great conversation! Expect more from Eric in the future!Check out Eric's website and his podcast Polycarp's Paradigm, available everywhere.And be sure to listen to Eric's episodes on Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony since we didn't get a chance to talk about these at length in this discussion!For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by apologist, speaker, and author Dr. Douglas Beaumont to discuss Scripture, Tradition, and authority from his perspective as an Evangelical convert. We dig deeply into how Protestants and Catholics understand Scripture differently, the interpretation of Scripture, what Catholics (and Protestants!) mean by "tradition", and the important role of authority in deciding how to understand or interpret the Bible. Dr. Beaumont brings a unique and incredible perspective to a difficult and sometimes complicated conversation – and decodes it all for us with ease, grace, and clarity!Doug's new book from Catholic Answers Press is With One Accord and is highly recommended!For more on Doug visit his website where you can find more information on his speaking, by his fabulous books, and follow him on his upcoming pilgrimage.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by the incredible Joe Heschmeyer to talk about the papacy. We dig into the reasons why we need a Pope, the deep biblical roots of the papacy – beginning with Peter – and some amazing evidence from the Early Church. Plus, much more. In fact, this episode is so packed with information you're going to want to listen to it again when you finish – I can almost guarantee!For more from Joe visit his website Shameless Popery, check out his wonderful podcast The Catholic Podcast (available everywhere), and be sure to get his fantastic new book packed with even more information on the papacy, Pope Peter. Pope Peter is also available from the Catholic Answers store.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. For more information about sponsoring the show, keeping this podcast going, and helping me to continue to deliver quality content please visit the Patreon page.  Even $1 or $2 a month can go a long way to helping make this podcast sustainable and will give you access to a special Patron-Only podcast featuring behind-the-scenes content and early access to upcoming material. If you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by Father Vincent Lampert, an experienced exorcist for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and the Pastor of of St. Michael and St. Peter Parishes in Brookville, Indiana. Father Vincent is also the author of Exorcism: The Battle Against Satan and His Demons from Emmaus Road Publishing.In our fantastic conversation we talk about the activities of Satan and demons, how they manifest and interact with humankind, who can be possessed, what different types of possessions may look like, and what the Catholic response should be to the very real work of Satan and demons. For more from Father Vincent Lampert check out his book and visit the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. For more information about sponsoring the show, keeping this podcast going, and helping me to continue to deliver quality content please visit the Patreon page.  Even $1 or $2 a month can go a long way to helping make this podcast sustainable and will give you access to a special Patron-Only podcast featuring behind-the-scenes content and early access to upcoming material. If you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. James Merrick, an Anglican academic and former priest to talk about his journey into the Catholic Church.We dig into topics of liturgy, authority, the Magisterium, and why Anglicans can find a home in the Catholic Church – in the fullness of faith. It's a great conversation. For more from Dr. Merrick visit the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and Emmaus Academic. He is also a regular contributor at Ascension Press, Angelus News, and the National Catholic Register. Please visit those sites to read his work.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. For more information about sponsoring the show, keeping this podcast going, and helping me to continue to deliver quality content please visit the Patreon page.  Even $1 or $2 a month can go a long way to helping make this podcast sustainable and will give you access to a special Patron-Only podcast featuring behind-the-scenes content and early access to upcoming material. If you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Support the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic