Word & Table

How do we know what is true and false doctrine? A 5th Century French Father of the Church, Vincent of Lerins, laid down a helpful rule that became popular both with Catholics and Protestants around the time of the Reformation. Needless to say that makes him especially endearing to Anglicans. Email your question! Support Word & Table Music: Corde Natus ex Parentis by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications

Great questions from our listeners! Does Confirmation mean "becoming Anglican?" - Micah Thompson How does the church handle sacramental marriages that end up abusive? - Alyssa Keysor What would it take to reunite our Anglican churches with Roman Catholicism or other evangelical protestant denominations? - Seth Hedman Email your question! Support Word & Table Music: Veni Creator Spiritus by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications

In which Father Stephen summarizes every one of the 39 Articles of Religion in 35 minutes. That's less than a minute per article! Plus a short introduction explaining what the Articles are and are not. Email the show Support the show Music: "Ubi Caritas et Amor" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

How do we pray "in Jesus' name?" What does the common ending actually mean and how does the liturgy help us address God directly? Email the show Support the show Music: "Pater Noster" and "Blessing and Amen" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from "More Sublime Chant." Copyright GIA Publications.

What did Jesus really say about marriage and divorce? How has the church upheld such a difficult teaching? Email the show Support the show Music: "Invitatory and Night Hymn" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

Think the Ten Commandments is just a list of "don'ts?" Father Stephen and Alex dig into the "dos" behind the "don'ts" to show how the Ten Commandments truly is a holistic moral vision for human flourishing. Got a question? Email the show Like the show? Support the show Music "Alleluia Pascha Nostrum" and "Panis Angelicus" from More Sublime Chant by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

If the whole Bible is about Jesus, then where do we find him in the Old Testament? What's the difference between exegesis (getting something out of a text) and "eisegesis" (reading something into the text). And what's the difference between interpreting the Bible and any other book?

Sometimes you want to be inspired by the words of Jesus but you just cannot figure what he's talking about! Alex asks Father Stephen about several difficult passages in the gospels and learns how to interpret them. Give to the show Email the show Music: "Gloria in Excelsis" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant copyright GIA Publications.

Father Stephen and Alex talk about another Church Doctor, Basil the Great and what he did to clarify the teaching of Christ's nature, the Holy Spirit and also his work on the liturgy and monaticism. Email the show Support the show Music: Alma Redemptoris Mater by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from More Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications

Have you ever been tempted to sin? We're willing to bet you have. Father Stephen and Alex talk about temptation, how it is different from sin and God's purpose behind allowing us to be tempted. Email the show Give to the show Music: Agnus Dei from Missa Simplex and Missa de Angelis from Sublime Chant by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications

Cyprian of Carthage was a 3rd Century Bishop who lived as he wrote: dedicated entirely to the unity of the Church. Father Stephen introduces us to the life and writings of this beloved Father of the Church. Music: O Benedicamus Domino by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

A listener writes in with a very good question! Father Stephen responds in a special mini-episode.

Father Stephen focuses on the Pharisees in the gospels. Who were they, what was it about them that Jesus objected to, and what can we learn from them today? Email the show. Support the show. Music: "Agnus Dei" and "Ubi Caritas et Amor" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from More Sublime Chant and Sublime Chant, respectively. Copyright GIA Publications.

We talk about another early Church Father, Irenaeus of Lyons, his life, writings and theology. His encounter with early gnosticism occasioned some of the Church's first dogmatic and apologetic writings. You can read Book 3 of Irenaeus's "Against Heresies" here. Email the show. Give to the show. Music: "Sanctus (Ambrosian)" and "Only Begotten Word of God Eternal" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from More Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications.

Father Stephen talks about the Feast of The Holy Name, the last day in the Christmas Octave, why it takes place 8 days after Christmas, what naming means in traditional Jewish culture, and what is special about the name of Jesus in particular. Music: "Jesu Dulcis Memoria" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant copyright GIA Publications. Email the show Give to the show

A special bonus Christmas episode! Father Stephen and Alex discuss the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and why assuming humanity is essential to our salvation. We also include a huge thanks at the end to those who gave to the show this year. Thanks to you, Word & Table will return in 2018! Email the show. Give to the show. Music: "Salve Mater Misericordiae" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications

Father Stephen discusses why Greatest Commandment, identified by Jesus, is actually two commandments and why it really is the greatest out of all 613 commandments in the law. Music: "Ubi Caritas et Amor" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications.

Father Stephen breaks down the reason why Christmas is always December 25 but Easter moves around. More than you ever thought you wanted to know about solar and lunar dating and how Christians do it differently from Jewish and Muslim holy days. Email the show Support the show Music: "Creator alme Siderum." From Sublime Chant by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

Father Stephen introduces us to another Apostolic Father, Clement, an early bishop of Rome who knew Peter and Paul who wrote a letter admonishing the Corinthian Church. Music: "Creator Alme Siderum" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications. Email the show. Donate to the show.

We talk about the ancient Christian and Jewish practice of fasting and talk about the spiritual logic behind abstaining from food and why it's not about despising the body but honoring its proper place before God. Music: Kyrie Eleison and Gloria in Excelsis (Missa Simplex) from Sublime Chant by Richard Proulx and The Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications. Email the show. Donate to the show.