St. John Henry Newman - The Oxford Sermons | 3. Evangelical Sanctity the Completion of Natural Virtue

St. John Henry Newman - The Oxford Sermons | 3. Evangelical Sanctity the Completion of Natural Virtue

Author: CatholicCulture.org August 12, 2025 Duration: 29:41

"The true light of the world offends more men than it attracts; and its divine origin is shown, not in its marked effects on the mass of mankind, but in its surprising power of elevating the moral character where it is received in spirit and in truth."

St. John Henry Newman's Oxford Sermons, delivered during his time as an Anglican preacher at the University of Oxford, were instrumental in shaping the Oxford Movement, which sought to revive High Church traditions within the Church of England and ultimately led to many conversions to Catholicism.

In addition to the profound influence these sermons had on both Anglican and Catholic theology, they also bore a personal significance for Newman’s own conversion to Catholicism years later.

These fifteen sermons, though deeply interconnected in theme and insight, are not sequential in nature; rather, each stands on its own as a distinct and self-contained reflection on faith and reason. Newman lays the groundwork for themes developed in later works, such as Grammar of Assent and Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine.

In this third sermon, Newman distinguishes the transcendent calling of the Christian from the achievement of ordinary virtue contemplated by "natural" religion or mere ethics.

Links

The Influence of Natural and Revealed Religion Respectively full text: https://newmanreader.org/works/oxford/sermon3.html

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Imagine having a great library of foundational Catholic texts, not just on your shelf but given a clear and engaging voice. That’s the experience offered by Catholic Culture Audiobooks. Voice actor James T. Majewski lends his talent to a rich collection of over one hundred recordings, transforming written classics into immersive listening. The selections have a particular emphasis on the profound works of St. John Henry Newman and the early Fathers of the Church, connecting modern ears to timeless wisdom. Within this podcast, you’ll encounter a varied tapestry of material-from papal encyclicals and personal letters to poetry, sermons, and complete book-length works. This includes significant titles like St. Augustine’s "De Doctrina Christiana" and St. Athanasius’s "Life of St. Anthony," all presented with thoughtful narration. It’s a resource for deepening understanding, enriching personal spirituality, or simply enjoying some of history’s most important Christian writings in a fresh, accessible format. Each episode is a direct production of CatholicCulture.org, created to make these essential works part of your daily routine, whether during a commute, a walk, or quiet reflection. The entire catalog serves as an auditory companion for education and spiritual growth, bringing the depth of Catholic tradition to life through the spoken word.
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