Episode notes
In this episode, we continue our series on St Thomas Aquinas' Five Ways by exploring his Third Way: the Argument from Contingency. Aquinas begins with a simple but profound observation: the things we encounter in the world don't have to exist. You exist, but you could have failed to exist. The same is true of trees, mountains, planets, stars, and everything else we encounter in the created world. Philosophers describe things like these as contingent beings. But if everything were contingent, i.e. if everything depended upon something else for its existence, then what ultimately explains why…
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Crash Course Catholicism
Dr Caitlin West · Devotional & Spiritual · English
Catholicism can seem overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. Crash Course Catholicism breaks down the beliefs, traditions, and teachings of the Catholic Church in a way that's thoughtful, accessible, and engaging. The first 50 episodes of this podcast are a summary of the Catechism of the Catholic
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12 Oct 2026 · 29 minNew
124 - Your Body Reveals the Meaning of Life: Theology of the Body Part 5
What is the meaning of your life? And how is that meaning revealed through your body? In this episode, we continue our deep dive into St John Paul II's Theology of the Body, exploring one of its most important concepts: the spousal (or nuptial) meaning of the body. Drawing on the creation of Adam and Eve in Genesis, John Paul II explains that our very existence is a gift from God, and that our bodies reveal something profound about our purpose: we are created to love and be loved, to give ourselves freely to others, and to receive others as a gift. In this episode, we discuss: Why God…
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5 Oct 2026 · 12 min
Catechism 101: The Teleological Argument
Why does nature behave in such consistent and purposeful ways? And can this tell us anything about the existence of God? In this final episode of our series on St Thomas Aquinas' Five Ways, we explore his Fifth Way, commonly known as the Teleological Argument. Aquinas observes that things in nature consistently act towards particular ends, even when they have no intelligence or understanding of those ends themselves. From plants growing towards sunlight to the regular laws governing the natural world, Aquinas asks a deeper question: why is nature directed towards intelligible outcomes in the…
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28 Sep 2026 · 28 min
123 - You Were Made for Relationship: Theology of the Body Pt. 4
What if needing other people isn't a sign of weakness? What if it's actually part of God's design for the human person? In this episode, we continue our deep dive into St John Paul II's Theology of the Body. We return to Genesis to explore the creation of Eve and two fundamental experiences of the human person: original unity and original nakedness. Through Adam and Eve's encounter, John Paul II reveals what it means to be created male and female, why human beings are made for relationship, and how our bodies reveal a deeper calling to love, communion, and self-gift. In this episode, we…
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21 Sep 2026 · 15 min
Catechism 101: The Argument from Gradation
In this episode, we continue our series on St Thomas Aquinas' Five Ways by exploring his Fourth Way: the Argument from Gradation, or Degree. This is perhaps the most challenging of Aquinas' Five Ways. Beginning with the observation that things possess qualities like truth and goodness to varying degrees, Aquinas asks what makes these comparisons possible. Ultimately, he argues that these degrees of perfection point towards a reality that possesses maximal truth, goodness, and being. In this episode, we discuss: What Aquinas means by "degrees" of truth and goodness Why goodness isn't limited…
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14 Sep 2026 · 34 min
122 - The World Can't Tell You Who You Are: Theology of the Body Pt. 3
Who are you when you strip everything else away? Before your job, your relationships, your achievements, and your possessions, what makes you you ? JPII argues that the question "Who am I?" is one of the most fundamental human questions. Through his experience of original solitude, Adam discovers that he is not just another animal, or a passive part of Creation. He is something else: a child of God. In this episode, we discuss: Why Jesus points us to Genesis to understand the true meaning of marriage and human sexuality What it means to be created in the image of God What the original human…
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25 Aug 2026 · 7 min
Catechism 101: The Argument from Efficient Causality
In this episode, we explore St Thomas Aquinas' Second Way , also known as the Argument from Efficient Causality . This is a classic cosmological argument for the existence of God. Aquinas begins with a simple observation: everything we encounter in the world has a cause. Houses are built by builders, paintings are painted by artists, and trees grow from seeds. But if every cause depends on another cause, where does the chain ultimately begin? Aquinas argues that there must be a First Efficient Cause that gives existence and causal power to everything else. In this episode, we discuss: What…
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17 Aug 2026 · 13 min
Catechism 101: The Argument from Motion
In this episode, we explore St Thomas Aquinas’ First Way, also known as the Argument from Motion. This is one of the most influential philosophical arguments for the existence of God. Building on our introduction to cosmological arguments, we unpack Aquinas’ reasoning step by step. What does he mean by “motion”? Why does every change require a cause? And how does observing change in the world lead Aquinas to conclude that there must be an Unmoved Mover upon whom everything else depends? In this episode, we discuss: What Thomas Aquinas means by “motion” The difference between potentiality and…
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9 Aug 2026 · 45 min
121 - How AI is Changing Warfare | Magnifica Humanitas Part 5
How is artificial intelligence changing war, and what does the Catholic Church have to say about it? In the final part of our series on Pope Leo's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, we explore Chapter 5 and the conclusion of the encyclical, examining how artificial intelligence is reshaping warfare, global conflict, and the pursuit of peace. Pope Leo argues that the digital revolution is transforming the nature of war through cyberattacks, information manipulation, autonomous systems, and AI-assisted military decision-making. Yet he also offers a profoundly hopeful alternative: the call to…
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2 Aug 2026 · 16 min
Catechism 101: The Cosmological Argument for God's Existence
How do we know that God exists? Can reason lead us to God? In this episode, we begin a new series exploring one of the most famous arguments for the existence of God: St Thomas Aquinas’ cosmological argument. Before diving into Aquinas’ First Way, we take a step back and look at the big picture. What exactly is a cosmological argument? How does it work? And why did Aquinas think that observing the ordinary world around us could lead us to the existence of a First Cause or Unmoved Mover? In this episode, we discuss: What a cosmological argument is Why we often reason from visible effects to…
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26 Jul 2026 · 38 min
120 - Truth & Freedom Under Threat | Magnifica Humanitas Part 4
In Part 4 of our series on Pope Leo's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, we explore Chapter 4, which describes how artificial intelligence is reshaping truth, work, and freedom. Pope Leo warns that AI is not simply changing the tools we use. Instead, it is transforming the way we seek truth, the way we work, and the way we exercise our freedom. In this episode, we discuss: * How AI is amplifying disinformation and blurring the line between truth and opinion * Why Truth is a common good and not a tool for power * The importance of education, critical thinking, and digital sobriety * Why work is…
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