In This Episode Tim Staples discusses the evidence for Jesus’ birth on December 25, why scholars date early Christian documents the way they do, concerns about how these dates are presented in discussions with atheists, and the reasoning behind Jesus allowing demons to enter a herd of pigs in Mark 5. Questions Covered: 13:07 – How do we know that the birth of Jesus was on December 25? 21:28 – Why do we use the phrasing “the earliest documents were written X year” instead...
Feb 07, 2025
This discussion explores key theological and historical questions within Catholicism, including whether the faith allows for belief in precursor civilizations, the evidence for apostolic succession beyond the Gospel of Matthew, the Church’s stance on mystical visions, and how to effectively explain Church authority and apostolic succession to skeptics. Questions covered: 07:30 – Is there room in Catholicism for believing in precursor civilizations? 16:51 – What is the evidence for ap...
Feb 06, 2025
Questions Covered: 08:34 – Is it ok to raise your hands or hold hands during the Our Father? 13:20 – What does the Church have to say on environmentalism? I joined a club at school so I want advice on how I should approach it. 37:40 – Why do some Catholics refrain from using the word pray when discussing Mary when Church documents says Catholics pray to her? 48:50 – Would it be sinful for a Catholic to claim to be the Caliph of all of Islam?...
Feb 06, 2025
Questions Covered: 10:00 – Why are there time gaps in the bible when God speaks to us? 24:05 – What is your response to protestants who claim that an infallible canon is not necessary because the Jews didn’t have one during the time of Jesus? 37:11 – I was going to repeat my gift from last years but I have a challenge for you Cy and Tim. Repeat Johann Tetzels phrase in German and explain it and its misunderstanding from protestants. If you do I will double my donation! 47...
Feb 05, 2025
Questions Covered: 08:31 – Does the Catholic Church ever say that Moses and Elijiah were already in heaven at the time of the Transfiguration? 18:23 – What is the church’s stance on listening to non-Catholic gospel music? 37:13 – Do we have an idea on who the apostle who is not named on the road to Emmaus, is? 47:47 – Is the struggle against sin, even if one can never overcome it, still efficacious?...
Feb 05, 2025
Questions Covered: 09:48 – Are mosaic law sacrifices valid? 22:34 – Since we place urgency on baptizing babies, why isn’t that also applied to adults who need baptism? 33:59 – You mentioned that the Catholic Church has the fullness of truth, but do the other churches like the Assyrian church also contain the fullness of truth? 46:32 – Why did early Christians celebrate and practice Marian doctrines?
Feb 04, 2025
Questions Covered: 05:58 – Why do some Catholics believe in the 3 days of darkness and others don’t? 15:20 – Where is a good place for a fallen away Catholic to start in the bible? 20:05 – Why does the Catholic Church ignore what the bible teaches? 41:25 – What did Jesus mean when he called Peter the rock? Could Jesus have been referring to the original cornerstone of the second temple, which now sits in the golden dome Mosque? 44:11 – Where in the bible does it tal...
Feb 04, 2025
Questions Covered: 07:28 – Why does the Church believe babies can go to hell? 20:05 – Does a priest have to wear a stole when he blesses items like holy water? 23:44 – Why is it that protestants no longer have genuine consecration of the eucharist if Martin Luther was a priest and was able to consecrate? 29:45 – What is the difference between meat and fish, especially in the context of meatless Fridays? 34:15 – Why do Catholics use Aristotelian logic especially when...
Feb 03, 2025
Questions Covered: 3:46 – How do I convince a hardened atheist that God exists? Or even the historical figure of Jesus? 05:58 – How do we properly understand typology as pointing towards the New Testament? 14:10 – What does Jimmy think of the new document Antiqua et nova? Does he have any advice for the everyday person? 18:08 – I have a friend who doesn’t believe God loves sinners and uses Ps 5:5 as evidence. Are there other verses to combat this? 22:15 – What exact...
Feb 01, 2025
In this episode, we tackle an intriguing question: If God created Satan and loves all His creation, does God love Satan? Jimmy Akin provides thoughtful insights on this challenging topic, exploring God’s love, the nature of evil, and free will. Jimmy also answers listener questions on various aspects of Catholic faith and practice. Questions Covered: 04:41 – If God created Satan, and God loves all of his creation, does God love Satan? 07:09 – Am I cooperating with evil when I w...
Jan 31, 2025
Questions Covered: 03:17 – I’m about to turn 82; how can old people deal with technology and progress? 12:08 – Is God displeased with quiet / subtle presentations of faith vs. publicly declaring the faith? 19:03 – Am I being prideful because I find it hard to accept help? 28:45 – Jesus said forgive your brother 77 times 7, how do I forgive people who’ve hurt me while I’m still in relation to them? 35:44 – Is it immoral to celebrate the death of those we view as enem...
Jan 31, 2025
Questions Covered: 30:17 – In light of the new Vatican document, is it sinful to hold an anti-AI position? I don’t think we can practically use AI well. 34:10 – In another country (Switzerland), are they doing A.I. confession? Is this possible? What are the repercussions of this if true? 36:41 – Is the Vatican / Catholic Church open to inputting the Archives into A.I.? 46:50 – I think A.I. is great for making my life a bit easier (opinion/comment, not question). 49:29 ...
Jan 30, 2025
Topics Covered: 14:15 – Child Tax Credit 24:55 – Subsidiarity & Solidarity | CST 37:15 – China 47:00 – MAILBAG
Jan 30, 2025
Topics Covered: 03:40 – News 05:33 – Audience favorite topics 12:31 – Open AI 46:12 – Taylor Swift
Jan 29, 2025
Questions Covered: 13:52 – It doesn’t make sense to me why some people hear God in their prayers and others don’t? 19:38 – How is it that Protestants seem to experience the fruits of the faith, but without the sacrifices that Catholics do? 30:01 – As Catholics, we agree that we’ll probably be in Purgatory before going to Heaven. The Bible says that Jesus at the Second Coming will take everyone with him. Does that mean they’ll skip out on Purgatory? 35:33 – A Protestant fr...
Jan 29, 2025
Questions Covered: 05:53 – Catholic, married Methodist. He has a divorce; they have a civil marriage. I’m told I need to get an annulment. Why is this? 12:20 – I’m not Catholic; why does the Catholic church believe/profess the doctrine of Transubstantiation? 20:11 – I come across a lot of Protestants who have trouble with perpetual virginity of Mary. Who is James (“brother of Jesus”) in Gal 1:19; is he one of the 12 apostles? 29:40 – Is the celebration of the Eucharist/th...
Jan 28, 2025
Questions Covered: 03:09 – How do you compare Ephesians 2:8-9 to James 2:17? 06:43 – What is the church’s social teaching on immigration and treatment of immigrants? 17:00 – Why do we presume a valid Baptism for Protestants coming into the Catholic church? 21:37 – What is Opus Dei? 29:20 – It seems Mary’s condition of the Immaculate Conception helped her be sinless. Does this mean that children conceived sinfully are more prone to sin? 33:02 – What is the diff...
Jan 28, 2025
Questions covered: 6:21 – Why did you become Catholic instead of some other denomination? 29:46 – How did you arrive at your beliefs pre-conversion? 35:47 – How did you change your mind about Christianity not working for society? 42:36 – What came first for you: believing in the teachings of the Bible and the Church, or the sense of a personal relationship with Jesus? 46:05 – I experienced the same thing as Christine did with dreams coming true. What is that? 48:20 ...
Jan 27, 2025
Questions Covered: 11:44 – Is there a difference when you pray for specifics like for a job vs when praying in general like the Our Father? 23:26 – How can you tell the difference between a demonic manifestation and a soul in purgatory who needs prayers? 23: 33 – Is it true that the first bible came from Ethiopia? 28:47 – If God is all knowing, do we really have free will? 37:24 – How do I respond to the objection that Mary had a painless childbirth but yet still ex...
Jan 25, 2025
Questions Covered: 07:35 – Does 2 Jn 1:1-3. prove Sensus Fidelium? 12:42 – How are the different theological opinions in the east and west that would be needed to be reconciled for union? 19:38 – Why did God place the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden in the first place? 24:58 – Is it true that in biblical days women who gave birth to boys had to be secluded for 30 days and if they had girls it would be 60 days? 31:46 – Sola scriptura is very ...
Jan 24, 2025
Questions Covered: 05:49 – I’ve heard there’s 7 Sacraments. Two are mutually exclusive (Matrimony & Holy Orders). If a Catholic Man is unmarried/not ordained religious and receives the other 5 Sacraments, is he missing something/less than others who are married/ordained? 15:21 – When talking to Tom earlier, you left on a cliffhanger. Where in the Bible does it say you should be Catholic? 37:41 – As a non-Catholic, can I go to Confession? 44:02 – Is there a connection ...
Jan 24, 2025
Questions Covered: 05:42 – Can you become Catholic on your deathbed? 15:01 – My wife and I are Protestant, but I’m leaning towards Catholicism. What becomes of our marriage? Do I have to divorce her to become Catholic? 28:51 – My daughter and I listened to (Lutheran). If God is all-knowing, why did He create Satan, and why did He create people who would go/choose Hell? 43:10 – I’m converting this Easter, but my family is anti-Catholic. How can I better explain Catholic be...
Jan 23, 2025
Questions Covered: 01:59 – My sister and I grew up Catholic. She married a protestant and started going to Protestant services. Today she invited us to her baptism, even though she has already been baptized. Should I attend? 06:08 – What is the Church teaching on reporting illegal activity of someone who is in a vulnerable position? For example, reporting a poor person for stealing food. 17:05 – What is the Catholic view of the Elect and predestination? 22:56 – My Penteco...
Jan 23, 2025
Questions Covered: 07:00 – What is the Catholic perspective on cynicism and anger? 15:38 – Why do y’all have so many titles for Mary? 21:45 – In Leviticus 10 two dudes are killed for doing something liturgically wrong, but later two other dudes did something liturgically wrong but were not killed. What’s the deal with that? 31:58 – How do I deal with spiritual attack without being superstitious? 41:37 – I want to go to a Protestant Bible study to promote the Catholi...
Jan 22, 2025
Questions Covered: 02:00 – I’m in a Monday night Ignatius Bible study. We’re talking about the giving of the keys to the kingdom. I’ve looked at Scripture and the Catechism; what is the limit of the pope’s authority? 10:28 – I’m Catholic and have numerous hidden tattoos that are religious in nature. What is the Church’s opinion/teaching on this? 13:07 – There seem to be some conflicting verses; death of Judas in Matt vs. in Acts. Joseph’s father being Jacob vs. Hele. Are these ...
Jan 22, 2025
Questions Covered: 05:53 – What advice would you give to help me from falling into the sin of envy? 13:39 – Angels have free will; since Satan is an angel and he rejected God, can he return to God and be redeemed? 18:19 – I have a Catholic friend and we go to daily mass together. My friend is taking classes at protestant global outreach on prayer for healing; what is your opinion about this? Is this okay? 23:21 – How do I handle with leaving the church I’m from and joinin...
Jan 21, 2025
Questions Covered: 01:20 – How does the issue of free will square with papal infallibility? 06:13 – I like how some protestants treat Jesus’ words of righting wrongs before approaching the altar. Has the Catholic Church fallen off following this? 14:33 – One thing I frequently hear is Acts 10:41 as evidence for rejecting regenerative baptism. How do I respond? 21:46 – I’m orthodox. What’s the premise of the papacy? 29:00 – Do the letters to the Corinthians giv...
Jan 21, 2025
Questions Covered: 06:46 – What is the purpose of holy water? 14:46 – Why would John’s account of what Jesus do after his baptism differ from the other gospel accounts? 20:03 – My question would be about Jesus’ sisters regarding the immaculate conception. The claim I’ve seen is that sister doesn’t have the same range of meaning as brother. This means they must be Jesus’ biological sisters. 22:46 – I’m Lutheran. I believe the saints pray for us, but I don’...
Jan 20, 2025
Questions Covered: 00:59 – Did Mary and Mary Magdalene also receive the gift to forgive sins since they were present when Jesus breathed on his disciples and commissioned them? 05:22 – If I’ve fallen away from the Church what do I need to do to return? 07:22 – Did Catholics chain up the bible and limit access to it? Is this true? 12:07 – How does one fully trust God for everything? 18:28 – What are your thoughts on the fracturing and divisions in the Catholic ...
Jan 18, 2025
Questions Covered: 04:09 – In the scenario that a person is changed into an object or an animal since the rational soul is the form of the body and the body changes, does that mean the person dies? 11:10 – 2 Tim 1:12-14 Does the Greek version indicate that the deposit will be preserved? 17:55 – I was baptized in the Mormon church. How do I go about being a part of the Catholic Church? 20:58 – How is prayer efficacious? I know God’s not a genie in a bottle. 29:48 – D...
Jan 17, 2025
