For anyone curious about the foundations, traditions, and everyday implications of the Catholic faith, Crash Course Catholicism offers a thoughtful and accessible entry point. Hosted by theologian Dr Caitlin West, this podcast breaks down complex theological concepts, historical context, and Church teachings into clear, manageable conversations. Each fortnightly episode focuses on a specific topic-from the sacraments and scripture to moral philosophy and liturgical practice-providing listeners with a structured yet engaging overview. Dr West’s approach is both scholarly and welcoming, making centuries of tradition feel relevant and comprehensible. Whether you're a lifelong parishioner seeking a refresher, someone exploring spirituality, or simply a person with questions about the world's largest Christian denomination, this series is designed to inform without overwhelming. Tune in for a calm, considered journey through the pillars of Catholic thought, all delivered in short, easy-to-digest segments perfect for a daily commute or quiet moment of reflection. You can find more from Dr Caitlin West and the podcast at her website.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 100

Crash Course Catholicism
Podcast Episodes
99 - The New Testament Pt. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:50
www.caitlinwest.com - In this episode, we continue our overview of the Bible by looking at the first five books of the New Testament: The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. We consider who wrote each book, when it was…
98 - The Old Testament Pt. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:40
www.caitlinwest.comIn this episode, we continue our overview of the books of the Old Testament. We discuss the Wisdom books and the Prophetic books, and consider what each book is about, who wrote it, when it was written…
97 - The Old Testament Pt. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:41
www.caitlinwest.comWelcome to the books of the Bible!In these next few episodes, we'll go through all 73 (!!) books of the Bible - both the Old Testament and the New Testament. We'll briefly summarise each book, and disc…
96 - The Bible: Introduction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:12
www.caitlinwest.comWhat is the Bible, really, and how do we read it? How can we say that the Bible is both the Word of God and the work of human authors? What should we do when we come across a tricky passage that we don…
95 - St. Augustine: Convert, Sinner, Saint. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:29
www.caitlinwest.comTo wrap up our deep dive into the existence of God, in this episode we take a look at the life of St Augustine. St. Augustine is a doctor of the church, and one of the greatest saints in the history of…
94 - Common Atheist Objections Pt. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:14
www.caitlinwest.com"The fact that people's religion tends to align with the culture and country that they grew up in shows that religion is just a cultural construct""There are so many hypocritical people who have used r…
93 - Common Atheist Objections Pt. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:24
"Atheists don't need to substantiate their position; the burden of proof lies with the theist because they're the one making a positive claim to belief.""God is just something people turn to for comfort." "Atheists just…
92 - Kalam, Fine Tuning, Beauty, and Consciousness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:00
In this episode, we continue our deep dive into the question: How do we know God exists? Today we will give an overview of various popular arguments for the existence of God, including the Kalam Cosmological Argument, th…
How Papal Conclaves Work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:36
In this short, bonus episode, we discuss what a papal conclave looks like. How does voting work? How many votes are needed for someone to be elected pope? Why is the process so secretive?The information in this episode c…