Research On Religion | St. Francis of Assisi

Posts Tagged ‘St. Francis of Assisi’

Robert Joustra on Zombies, Cylons, Charles Taylor, and the Apocalypse

It is the end of the world as we know it! Actually, when hasn’t it been the end of the world as we know it?! That is the question that motivates a fascinating new book looking at the world going to hell. Prof. Robert Joustra discusses “How To Survive the Apocalypse: Zombies, Cylons, Faith, and Politics at the End of the World,” which he co-authored with Prof. Alissa Wilkinson. We cover everything from Battlestar Galactica to The Walking Dead, all through the lens of the philosophical work of Charles Taylor. We even talk Mad Men and Breaking Bad for good measure.

This is our annual trick and treat for you as you celebrate Reformation Day! Check out our previous spooky Halloween episodes in the archives.

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]

Billie Livingston on Religion, Writing Fiction, Crooked Hearts, and Mercy

Billie Livingston, an independent novelist and poet, discusses the role of faith in her life and fictional writing. Our conversation meanders broadly through a number of different topics including the publishing industry, where works of literature are inspired from, and how the role of mercy and guilt play into Billie’s own writings. We discuss her most recent novel “The Crooked Heart of Mercy” and learn how she views her spiritual journey in light of her many life experiences.

Join us on Facebook or Twitter for regular updates on guests!

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]

R.R. Reno on Pop(e) Francis

Tags: bureaucracy, church organization, Curia, dogs in heaven, First Things, Jorge Maria Bergoglio, media, Pope Francis, red leather shoes, reform, St. Francis of Assisi, Vatican Bank, way of literalism, way of poverty

We kick off the new year with a look at Pope Francis and why he has been so enormously popular. Dr. Rusty Reno, editor of “First Things,” provides his impression of the first two years of the Jesuit from Argentina and the way he resembles his namesake, Francis of Assisi. Rusty points out the “way of poverty” and “the way of literalism” are important aspects of this pontiff’s style, as well as a penchant for provocative comments. We also chat about the challenging task of reforming the Curia and why an outsider is important.

Make a new year’s resolution to listen to Research on Religion weekly via iTunes or another RSS feed. Thanks!

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]

Jon M. Sweeney on The Pope Who Quit

How often has a pope willingly resigned from his position? In our interview with Jon Sweeney, we get insight into the life and times of Peter Morrone (a.k.a., Pope Celestine V) who reigned for 15 weeks in 1294 before quitting his post just before Christmas. This fascinating tale of a spiritual hermit who lived a humble life, yet ascended to the papacy in one of the more incredible tales of the Church’s history, reveals the 13th century struggles between the ecclesia spiritualis (spiritual Church) and the ecclesia carnalis (the worldly church of power). It also tells us a great deal about our contemporary religious life.

Please visit our archives for more great interviews, and tell your friends of this incredible free library of information!

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]