meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture

WOF 439: Is Christianity Useful to the West?

The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture

Brandon Vogt

God, Vogt, Catholicism, Catholic, Faith, Christianity, Barron, Religion & Spirituality, Christian, Church

4.9 • 5.5K Ratings

🗓️ 27 May 2024

⏱️ 30 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Is Christianity a useful religion to the West? Atheist Richard Dawkins recently claimed that, while still an atheist, he considers himself a “cultural Christian” because of Christianity’s utility in supporting Western cultural and political values, which he laments are under attack. Former atheist Ayaan Hirsi Ali also recently shared that she became a Christian upon realizing that Christianity is necessary to preserve Western political norms.

There are some complex and even troubling underlying questions about making the connection between Christianity and utility, especially as it relates to contemporary “Western values.” How is the utility defined and in response to what specific societal goals? Is Christianity’s utility limited to the West alone? Aren’t there some “Western values” that are antithetical to Christianity?

A listener asks how to respond to the common criticism from atheists that Christians only believe in God because they are scared of death.

00:00 | Intro
01:32 | Bishop Barron’s recent farm visit
03:00 | Recapping Richard Dawkins and the New Atheism
07:14 | Unpacking Richard Dawkins as a “cultural Christian”
12:38 | Can Christianity be culturally useful without a fixed cultural aim?
14:13 | Making moral judgments without a fixed standard
16:43 | The fundamentality of Christian thought in the West
19:51| Remembering the doctrinal dimension of Christianity
21:51 | Other influences in Western thought
25:16 | Is linking Christianity and Western thought evangelically helpful?
27:23 | Listener question
29:44 | Join the Word on Fire Institute


NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I'm Matthew Petrucic Senior Director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show.

0:07.0

Thanks for joining us. Is Christianity a useful religion to the West?

0:12.0

The high profileprofile atheist Richard Dawkins recently made news

0:16.8

by claiming that while still an atheist, he considers himself a cultural Christian because of Christianity's utility in supporting Western

0:26.0

cultural and political values which dock and laments are under attack.

0:31.1

The former atheist Ayanne Hersi Ali also recently shared that she became a Christian

0:36.4

upon realizing that Christianity is necessary to preserve Western political norms.

0:42.4

Now while Christians may be pleased to hear something Western political norms.

0:42.6

Now while Christians may be pleased to hear something positive about their religion for a change,

0:47.6

there are some underlying complex and even troubling questions about making the connection

0:52.4

between Christianity and utility,

0:54.8

especially as it relates to contemporary Western values.

0:58.8

What, for example, defines useful and in response to what specific societal goals.

1:04.8

Is Christianity's utility limited to the West alone?

1:08.3

Aren't there some Western values that are antithetical to Christianity?

1:12.4

And doesn't even make sense for an atheist to use

1:14.9

the moral language of utility at all? Here today to help us get some clarity on

1:19.6

these and related questions is Bishop Robert Barron.

1:23.0

Well, welcome back to the studio, Bishop. Today we're talking about the putative

1:36.5

usefulness of Christianity and whether talking about the faith in that way even

1:41.1

makes sense. Right.

1:43.0

But before we do, what have been up to recently?

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Brandon Vogt, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Brandon Vogt and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.