Episode 40: Q&A w/ Bishop Varden

Episode 40: Q&A w/ Bishop Varden

Author: Exodus 90 October 1, 2025 Duration: 1:10:43

In this Q&A session with Bishop Erik Varden, Jamie Baxter and Bishop Varden explore:

  • The nature of love and self-forgetfulness
  • Philosophical perspectives on progress
  • The relevance of Stoicism
  • The implications of artificial intelligence
  • The importance of maintaining joy in celebratory seasons
  • And more!

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This January, take up the example of the Fathers and embrace a life of prayer, asceticism, and fraternity. Leave behind the pharaohs and idols that keep you enslaved and take up the journey to the promised land. Join tens of thousands of men from all around the world for the Exodus 90 Challenge. We start January 5th, 2026. Download the Exodus 90 app or visit Exodus90.com to learn more

Visit Desertfathers.com to join our email newsletter for updates and reflections.

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We owe a special thanks to our partners. Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden is...

• 🦉...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog, coramfratribus.com


• 🎥 ...produced by EWTN


• 🎙️ ...edited and supported by Saint Kolbe Studios


• 🧡...and brought to you by Exodus 90, download the Exodus 90 app today

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Chapters


00:00 Introduction and Context of the Q&A Session

03:07 The Nature of Love and Self-Forgetfulness

09:03 Philosophical Perspectives on Progress and History

18:45 Stoicism and Its Relevance to Christian Living

21:41 Artificial Intelligence and Wisdom from the Desert Fathers

29:19 The Solitary Life and Its Impact on Humanity

35:09 Challenges of Prayer and Asceticism

44:42 Living Joyfully in Celebratory Seasons

49:35 The Discipline of Speech and Communication

54:07 Practical Wisdom for Financial Responsibility

58:38 Navigating Romantic Relationships and Spiritual Priorities

01:07:57 Conclusion and Blessing






Tags:


Desert Fathers, Bishop Erik Varden, Q&A, love, self-knowledge, humility, progress, Stoicism, artificial intelligence, prayer, asceticism, financial responsibility, romantic relationships


There’s a particular kind of stillness that feels almost impossible to find now, a quiet where you might actually hear something other than the next notification. Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden is built around that search for quiet, drawing direct lines between our fragmented modern experience and the ancient, radical journey of the early Christian monastics. This isn’t a history lesson, though you’ll certainly learn. Instead, Bishop Varden, with the Exodus 90 community, acts as a guide through a year-long exploration, starting at the new year. Each episode becomes a point of reflection, using the stark wisdom of those who went into the literal desert to find God as a mirror for our own crowded lives. You’ll hear their stories and sayings unpacked not as relics, but as surprisingly urgent counsel for anyone feeling parched by the pace and pressure of today’s culture. The rhythm of this podcast is intentional-meant to be absorbed slowly, creating space to consider how their pursuit of essential truth challenges our own attachments and distractions. It’s an invitation to see your own daily landscape, with all its demands and digital noise, as a place where that same transformative silence can be cultivated.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden
Podcast Episodes
Bonus Roundtable: On Discernment: Three Approaches [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:39
Have a question for Bishop Erik Varden? Bonus Roundtable Discussion - On Discernment: Three Approaches Join us for a special bonus roundtable discussion in Desert Fathers in a Year with host Jamie Baxter from Exodus 90,…
Episode 24: On Discernment: Three Approaches [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:16
Episode OverviewJoin host Jamie Baxter from Exodus 90 for Episode 24 of Desert Fathers in a Year, titled “On Discernment: Three Approaches.” This episode continues the exploration of the fifth chapter of the Desert Fathe…
Bonus Roundtable: Lust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:38
Do you have a question for Bishop Varden? Submit your questions here.Episode OverviewJoin host Jamie Baxter from Exodus 90 and guests Adam, Doyle, and Jared for the bonus roundtable discussion of Episode 23 of Desert Fat…
Episode 23: Lust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:33
Submit your questions to Bishop Erik Varden by emailing hello@desertfathers.com.Episode OverviewThis episode delves into the Desert Fathers' insights on lust, drawing from Abba Poemen’s counsel to a brother wrestling wit…
Bonus Roundtable: Austerity at Home, Charity Abroad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:44
Desert Fathers in a Year: Episode 22 Bonus Roundtable - Austerity at Home, Charity AbroadEpisode Overview:In this Bonus Roundtable for Episode 22 of Desert Fathers in a Year, host Jamie Baxter, joined by Adam Doyle and J…
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Duration: 11:12
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Duration: 32:40
Desert Fathers in a Year: Episode 21 Bonus Roundtable - Necessary WordsOverviewIn this bonus roundtable discussion for Episode 21 of Desert Fathers in a Year, host Jamie Baxter and guests Adam, Doyle, and Jared dive into…
Episode 21: Necessary Words [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:46
Necessary Words: Confession, Freedom, and the Danger of Silence🏜️ Welcome to Desert Fathers in a Year!In today’s episode, we explore the powerful story of Abba Serapion, who struggled with a seemingly small vice—secretly…
Bonus Roundtable: Words that Wound [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:15
Desert Fathers in a Year: Episode 20 Bonus Roundtable - Words That WoundEpisode OverviewWelcome to the bonus roundtable discussion for Episode 20 of Desert Fathers in a Year, hosted by Jamie Baxter from Exodus 90. In thi…
Episode 20: Words that Wound [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:23
Episode 20: Words That Wound🏜️ Welcome to Desert Fathers in a Year!In this episode of Desert Fathers in a Year with Bishop Erik Varden, we explore the story of Abba Achillas, who transforms a wounding word into a path of…