WOF 486: Celebrating 25 Years of Word on Fire

WOF 486: Celebrating 25 Years of Word on Fire

Author: Bishop Robert Barron April 21, 2025 Duration: 41:09

Word on Fire is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. That's twenty-five years of proclaiming the Gospel, evangelizing the culture, and working hard to bring people to—or back to—Christ and his Church. It's worth pausing to look back to remember where it all began and how the ministry has grown along the way. What is Word on Fire's origin story? When, where, and why did Bishop Barron—then Fr. Barron—first conceive of the idea to found Word on Fire? What were the early years like? What have been some major developments along the way? What obstacles were encountered, what lessons learned? And what does the future look like for the next five, ten, and even fifty years?

A listener asks how he might be able to become a part of the Word on Fire religious order. 

00:00 | Introduction
01:22 | Minnesota bishops visit state capital
02:55 | A brief look at Bishop Barron's early priestly life
06:18 | Bishop Barron's cathedral project
06:58 | Word on Fire's beginning
09:49 | Beginning the Catholicism series
11:24 | Cardinal Francis George
14:30 | Early days with Fr. Steve Grunow
15:41 | Reddit's "Ask Me Anything"
18:48 | Sunday Sermons
23:22 | Bishop Barron Presents
25:45 | The Word on Fire Show
27:07 | Public speaking events
28:32 | Speaking at Google and Facebook
29:57 | Expanding into the United Kingdom
31:17 | Word on Fire's Institute and Publishing
33:58 | The Word on Fire Bible
37:08 | Looking into the future
38:32 | A message to donors
39:17 | Listener question: How can I join Word on Fire's Third Order?
40:35 | Join the Word on Fire Institute


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Each week, The Word on Fire Show-Catholic Faith and Culture offers a thoughtful conversation with Bishop Robert Barron. This podcast explores the rich intersection of belief with contemporary life, examining everything from art and philosophy to current events and personal spirituality through a Catholic lens. Listeners will find deep dives into theological concepts, reflections on scripture, and discussions on how ancient wisdom addresses modern challenges. The tone is engaging and accessible, designed for anyone curious about the deeper questions, whether they are longtime in their faith or simply exploring. Bishop Barron brings his distinctive perspective as a theologian and communicator to these dialogues, making complex ideas relatable. It’s a space for meaningful exploration, where faith is presented as a compelling force for understanding our world and our place within it. New episodes arrive weekly, continuing a long-running series of insightful commentary and analysis.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
Podcast Episodes
WOF 442: Dante Ascends the Paradiso [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:46
We have arrived at the end of our journey with Dante. At the top of Mount Purgatory, Dante ascends the Paradiso and in the highest heaven, he beholds the divine glory of the beatific vision: God the Father, the Son, and…
WOF 441: Did Bill Maher Become an Ally? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:27
The atheist political commentator and television host Bill Maher has long been a bitter critic of Christianity. In additional to regular swipes at Christians on his shows, Maher also devoted an entire documentary film, s…
WOF 440: Atoning for the Seven Deadly Sins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:22
Our journey continues through Dante's poetic imagery of the seven deadly sins. As Bishop Barron describes them in order of their severity, we discover that in order to atone for each sin, those in purgatory are punished…
WOF 439: Is Christianity Useful to the West? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:24
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 cu…
WOF 438: Damned Alone—But Saved Together [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:22
Continuing the journey in the fourth lecture of Bishop Barron's course, "Dante's Catholic Imagination," we see notion that "we're damned alone, but we're only saved together" on full display as Dante climbs Mount Purgato…
WOF 437: Is Safety Culture Good for Us? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:42
Terms like "safe spaces," "trigger warnings," "harm reduction," "micro-aggression," "emotional wellbeing" and "fragility" are dominating the culture as well as the governance of many institutions. But by some measurement…
WOF 436: Dante's Poetic Vision of Hell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:25
We continue with the third lecture of Bishop Barron's course, "Dante's Catholic Imagination." We uncover the horrors of hell as Virgil takes Dante on a journey to see the three levels of sin and their corresponding punis…
WOF 435: The Enduring Relevance of St. Thomas Aquinas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:30
Most in contemporary secular culture have probably never heard of the name "Thomas Aquinas." However, his thought remains more pertinent than ever—not only to theology and philosophy but also to current conversations on…
WOF 434: Blocked by the Beasts of Sin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:50
We continue now with the next lecture from Bishop Barron's popular course, "Dante's Catholic Imagination," available in its entirety inside the Word on Fire Institute. We follow as Dante tries to go forward on his journe…

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