Clarifying Catholicism

"Simply put, according to Zubiri, a thing’s being is basically is how it relates to other things that are in the network of reality. And a thing’s being is defined by the sense of towards that reality impresses upon the intellect via the thing’s interaction with other things. I know this cup’s being because I’ve apprehended the cup interacting with other things, which situates the cup in the network of reality. The cup’s place in reality, its relation to other things, like liquid and tables, in turn, tell me what it is. Basically, we define things based on how they interact with other things. Being is relational and depends on things like utility and culture. Thus, according to Zubiri, being, like truth and reality, is dynamic, whereas for classical philosophy, being is static, fixed, rigid, and universal, and for modern philosophy being is in our mind alone and it shapes reality over time. Specifically, for Freidrich Hegel, being determines reality, whereas for Zubiri, reality determines being." Xavier Zubiri is a little-known Spanish philosopher who sought to develop a realist Metaphysics that accounted for a dynamic universe. His expertise and critiques of prior Western philosophical paradigms ultimately led him to craft a systematic philosophy that perhaps synthesized all the best elements of each school of thought, whilst correcting for their respective errors. In this series, Will Deatherage explores his seminal work, Sentient Intelligence. Special thanks to our script reviewers, including: Dr. Thomas Fowler, President of the Xavier Zubiri Foundation of North America Marcos Mendoza Jose Nunes For more information about Zubiri, check out: http://www.zubiri.org/ and https://thenewrealist.org/ Background Music: Balmfield by Inversnaid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy6Ln3SXHss&pp=ygUUYmFsbWZpbGVkIGludmVyc25haWQ%3D Outro: Inside My Head by ARSNK https://soundcloud.com/arsnkmusic/inside-my-head View our other series: Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_ Series on No Salvation Outside the Church: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPUAFb81XCeyFVJ6wCniYzX

"Here’s where things got interesting. The moment the monks leading the choir opened their mouths, I started tearing up. I admit it. I cried throughout that entire Mass, from start to finish. I felt fully awake, fully energized, and fully enraptured by love. I won’t go into too much detail, but those of you who’ve ever just felt overwhelmed with spiritual affection know exactly how I felt. Even thinking back to this experience, I already feel myself getting emotional."

"There are some people who think that the moment Jesus was conceived, He knew everything that was going to happen to Him instantly. Some go as far to say that He could’ve gotten His PhD in quantum physics the day He was born. In my opinion, these views detract from Jesus’s humanness. They make Him seem like a mutant or alien, far removed from human nature. Think about it. A human baby, by definition, is incapable of having a conceptual framework. That develops over time, and generally speaking it’s why many cultures consider around age seven as the “age of reason,” since that point, humans have gained their full capacity to deal with concepts. For Jesus to know everything about His fate the moment He was conceived would, in my opinion, make Him inhuman."

"I walked into that store wanting to buy stuff. I came out of it with a burning desire to support fellow Christians throughout the world. These people who are struggling so hard to culturally survive, they really are under attack from all sides, and yet they were so generous to me and the others on pilgrimage. And if they can show such kindness in their gifts to me, then I, as an American Catholic who isn’t threatened with persecution, yet, can do so much more to support my fellow Christians. It’s just incredible."

Prayer Tips from the Holy Land

"The priest assisting these couples said something that caught my attention. He’s a canon lawyer, specializing in annulments. He told us that in all his years of practicing canon law, he has never met a couple seeking annulment who prayed together every day. That act of prayer is an appeal to a higher power. It is the acknowledgment that the man and woman are powerless at satisfying every one of their desires. That role is God’s alone. And the recognition of mutual weakness in the face of God, seemingly ironically, is what binds these couples together. This is another type of love that has been compromised by the modern world. Not only are we taught to pursue pleasure over fulfillment, but we are taught that this is the end goal. Love for others has become transactional and utilitarian. Sex has been degraded from a creative activity, one that mirrors God’s creativity, into one that is done for individual pleasure. Furthermore, the notion that your significant other ought to fulfill every one of your desires leads to an idolatry that is bound to fail."

"Life is a roller coaster. Some people are afraid of certain parts. Perhaps the sudden drops? Maybe the parts when everything's upside down? Or how about the parts that go too fast? But the wise person learns to enjoy every moment, for God is the architect of the ultimate roller coaster. We have no idea where it's going, too often we forget to enjoy it, and before we know it, it's over."

"Again, primordial apprehension is the most basic apprehension humans experience. It is just raw stimulation. We experience this as babies before we can even form concepts about the world. And this is what makes Zubiri’s philosophy radically realist, for before we even attempt to rationalize the world by forming concepts about it, the way our minds are shaped are totally dependent upon things like the diets of our pregnant mothers, the environments we are born into, and how our parents/teachers educate us in our earliest days. Of course, all species participate in primordial apprehension. What makes humans unique, though, is our ability to connect these raw stimulations into a network of interrelated stimuli, which we will talk about next episode." Xavier Zubiri is a little-known Spanish philosopher who sought to develop a realist Metaphysics that accounted for a dynamic universe. His expertise and critiques of prior Western philosophical paradigms ultimately led him to craft a systematic philosophy that perhaps synthesized all the best elements of each school of thought, whilst correcting for their respective errors. In this series, Will Deatherage explores his seminal work, Sentient Intelligence. Special thanks to our script reviewers, including: Dr. Thomas Fowler, President of the Xavier Zubiri Foundation of North America Marcos Mendoza Jose Nunes For more information about Zubiri, check out: http://www.zubiri.org/ Background Music: Trackone by Inversnaid https://soundcloud.com/user-538421793/trackonehttps://soundcloud.com/arsnkmusic/sandbox Outro: Inside My Head by ARSNK https://soundcloud.com/arsnkmusic/inside-my-head View our other series: Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_ Series on No Salvation Outside the Church: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPUAFb81XCeyFVJ6wCniYzX

"The Church makes mistakes, both as a body of a believers and as a body of priests. Whether it be forced conversions, medieval military war crimes, or sex abuse cases, we are descendants of a man who is as thick headed as a rock. And I think that’s remarkable. Think about it. Jesus could have chosen someone who was more blameless or elegant. He chose a rather sloppy guy who apostatized when God needed Him most. And that’s beautiful. It tells me that no matter how weird or bad things may get in the Church, we are all part of the messy, chaotic legacy inaugurated by a man that Jesus called Satan. And, yes, when bad things happen they demand reform, but they also remind us of our frailty and humanness."

"For the Ancients and Scholastics, the senses are inferior to the intellect, which is located in the soul. For the Rationalists, the senses are also inferior to the intellect, which is, this time, located in the mind. For Kant, the Senses are organized by the intellect, but the intellect never reaches reality. For Hegel, the intellect, and by extension reality itself, fluidly shapes itself over time via dialectic. Notice how in each of these systems, there is a rather rigid distinction between the functions of the senses and intelligence. The strict division between mind and matter, especially the pervasive notion of the mind’s dominance over the body, makes all of Western philosophy, according to Zubiri, aim at a sensible intelligence, in which the body just delivers confused content to the almighty intellect, rather than a sentient intelligence, in which mind and body shape each other." Xavier Zubiri is a little-known Spanish philosopher who sought to develop a realist Metaphysics that accounted for a dynamic universe. His expertise and critiques of prior Western philosophical paradigms ultimately led him to craft a systematic philosophy that perhaps synthesized all the best elements of each school of thought, whilst correcting for their respective errors. In this series, Will Deatherage explores his seminal work, Sentient Intelligence. Special thanks to our script reviewers, including: Dr. Thomas Fowler, President of the Xavier Zubiri Foundation of North America Marcos Mendoza Jose Nunes For more information about Zubiri, check out: http://www.zubiri.org/ Background Music: Sandbox by ARSNK https://soundcloud.com/arsnkmusic/sandbox Outro: Inside My Head by ARSNK https://soundcloud.com/arsnkmusic/inside-my-head View our other series: Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_ Series on No Salvation Outside the Church: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPUAFb81XCeyFVJ6wCniYzX

"In addition to this observation, I see an even broader message, which is that there is a time and a place for God to manifest His love for us, and sometimes it doesn’t come as quickly as you’d like it to. Think of when you’re stressed or hurting. You might beg for God to send some sort of sign of His love. You might say, “God, if you are all-powerful, why are you letting this happen?” It could be an injury. It could be the death of a relative. It could be a breakup. I personally knew a lot of people growing up whose parents got divorced. They then asked that question and abandoned religion altogether."

"Why should being belong to things themselves, rather than the process of knowing things? Why should we equate being, truth, and reality? How can we assume that knowledge belongs to the soul rather than the body? Why does the spiritual, assuming it exists, have so much power over the physical when it comes to knowledge? Doesn’t the physical world have just as much to do with forming a person’s intellect as a supposed spiritual one does? Why should we assume that the universe is eternal and its laws unchanging?" Xavier Zubiri is a little-known Spanish philosopher who sought to develop a realist Metaphysics that accounted for a dynamic universe. His expertise and critiques of prior Western philosophical paradigms ultimately led him to craft a systematic philosophy that perhaps synthesized all the best elements of each school of thought, whilst correcting for their respective errors. In this series, Will Deatherage explores his seminal work, Sentient Intelligence. Special thanks to our script reviewers, including: Dr. Thomas Fowler, President of the Xavier Zubiri Foundation of North America Marcos Mendoza Jose Nunes For more information about Zubiri, check out: http://www.zubiri.org/ Background Music: Sluagh Swamp by Tony Manfredonia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_uHExgznJI&pp=ygUMc2x1YWdoIHN3YW1w Outro: Inside My Head by ARSNK https://soundcloud.com/arsnkmusic/inside-my-head View our other series: Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_ Series on No Salvation Outside the Church: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPUAFb81XCeyFVJ6wCniYzX

"If you are a convert or considering converting to Christianity, appreciate your family, friends, and cultures that you came from. Secondly, if you are Catholic, don’t be bitter towards people you may have left to get where you are today, even if they turn against you. If anything, be grateful for all the things they did to help orient your life to goodness. Don’t get preachy or judgy with them. If this Christianity thing really is the way of happiness, then you won’t need to say it; they’ll see it. That said, you ought to have a passion for showing non-Christians the way to Christ. Your Catholicism isn’t something to hide, but it isn’t something to stubbornly and arrogantly flaunt in people’s faces."

"The Second Vatican Council’s integrity relies on its continuity, but so long as there is skepticism of the council’s continuity, whether that comes from progressives or traditionalists, its realization will be greatly hindered. Thus, an attack on Lumen Gentium’s interpretation of NSOC should be considered an attack on the council’s legacy, which is why it is crucial to protect the council’s continuity with a robust method, such as the one proposed by this thesis. Given the post-conciliar popes’ defenses of the council, a failure to adhere to the hermeneutic of reform is a failure to preserve the Gospel, and as John Paul II observes, “It is the Spirit who impels us to proclaim the great works of God: […] ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!’" Read the Thesis Here: https://clarifyingcatholicism.org/essays/theses/florence-and-vatican-ii-on-other-religions-discontinuity-or-reform/ Music: Clarity by ARSNK: https://soundcloud.com/arsnkmusic/clarity-ft-joe-pettis Outro: Bright White by Shifting Shadows https://from-the-forest.bandcamp.com/album/lighthearted-ep The Second Vatican Council’s theology of other religions is frequently cited as an example of doctrinal discontinuity in the Catholic Church, since the language of Lumen Gentium 16 from Vatican II seemingly contradicts that of Cantate Domino from the Council of Florence. At face value, the two statements appear at odds; whereas the latter condemns non-Christians to hell, the former asserts that practitioners of other religions can be saved. However, an analysis of each document’s source, authoritative level, intention, assumptions, scope, reception, and accompanying theological ideas reveals that they actually express and apply the same dogmatic principles to different time periods and cultural contexts, which constitutes authentic reform, rather than discontinuity. Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_

"But even on His worst days, He was there. This is where the importance of Him touching the disciples after His transfiguration comes in. Even after this mind-blowing occurrence, this great revelation, He was still the same Jesus they knew and loved. That’s the neat thing about Christianity’s belief that Jesus was fully human AND fully divine. There is zero difference between the majesty and power of God when He is shining like the sun and when He’s bleeding to death on the crucifix. In good times and bad, in sickness in health, God is God. And God is with us. He always has been and He always will be."

"Each conciliar document has a fundamentally different intention, the former focusing on Christian unity with the East, not formally commenting on the subject of other religions, and the latter systematically and thoroughly commenting on that matter; given their different intentions, there is clearly no contradiction here. The assumptions each council makes are also starkly different. The former assumes that its audience has no excuse to leave the visible Church because the Gospel has been thoroughly embedded into society. The latter, on the other hand, addresses a post-Christendom world and recognizes the value other religions can serve as preparation for Christ. There is no discontinuity here, either. Florence’s scope is confined to Coptic Christian audiences, and its expression of NSOC is arguably directed at Christians who are considering leaving the Church. Lumen Gentium is addressed to the universal Church, as well as non-Christians. Thus, the differences in scope also signify no discontinuity. Florence’s expression of NSOC was soundly rejected by both theological and magisterial authorities, whereas Vatican II’s has (so far) been staunchly defended; there is no discontinuity here. Finally, the theological beliefs like invincible ignorance that the Florentine Fathers believed in, even if Cantate Domino did not acknowledge them, are invoked by Lumen Gentium, which demonstrates continuity between their theologies." Read the Thesis Here: https://clarifyingcatholicism.org/essays/theses/florence-and-vatican-ii-on-other-religions-discontinuity-or-reform/ Music: Clarity by ARSNK: https://soundcloud.com/arsnkmusic/clarity-ft-joe-pettis Outro: Bright White by Shifting Shadows https://from-the-forest.bandcamp.com/album/lighthearted-ep The Second Vatican Council’s theology of other religions is frequently cited as an example of doctrinal discontinuity in the Catholic Church, since the language of Lumen Gentium 16 from Vatican II seemingly contradicts that of Cantate Domino from the Council of Florence. At face value, the two statements appear at odds; whereas the latter condemns non-Christians to hell, the former asserts that practitioners of other religions can be saved. However, an analysis of each document’s source, authoritative level, intention, assumptions, scope, reception, and accompanying theological ideas reveals that they actually express and apply the same dogmatic principles to different time periods and cultural contexts, which constitutes authentic reform, rather than discontinuity. Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_

"Lumen Gentium 16 holds considerable magisterial weight in its theology of other religions. It was carefully crafted by a commission of bishops and theologians, approved by a consensus of bishops from across the world and in union with the pope, contains sententia fidei proxima teachings, intends to comment directly on the relationship between Catholicism and other religions, operates with a historically refined concept of other religions, teaches to the universal Church, has been persistently defended by subsequent popes, and relies on an impressive library of references to justify its teachings." Read the Thesis Here: https://clarifyingcatholicism.org/essays/theses/florence-and-vatican-ii-on-other-religions-discontinuity-or-reform/ Music: Various Songs from Embraced by the Spirit by Bob Metivier: Embraced by the Spirit https://bobmetivier.bandcamp.com/album/embraced-by-the-spirit Copyright 2012 , Robert G Metivier. Outro: Bright White by Shifting Shadows https://from-the-forest.bandcamp.com/album/lighthearted-ep The Second Vatican Council’s theology of other religions is frequently cited as an example of doctrinal discontinuity in the Catholic Church, since the language of Lumen Gentium 16 from Vatican II seemingly contradicts that of Cantate Domino from the Council of Florence. At face value, the two statements appear at odds; whereas the latter condemns non-Christians to hell, the former asserts that practitioners of other religions can be saved. However, an analysis of each document’s source, authoritative level, intention, assumptions, scope, reception, and accompanying theological ideas reveals that they actually express and apply the same dogmatic principles to different time periods and cultural contexts, which constitutes authentic reform, rather than discontinuity. Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_

"This episode has demonstrated that it would be problematic to categorize Cantate Domino’s expression of No Salvation Outside the Church as an infallible statement. Though it was endorsed by a council and pope, neither the council fathers nor the pope actually drafted it. It seems to present a widespread theological opinion, or a sententia ad fidem pertinens, rather than a de fide doctrine, does not seek to define any soteriological or eschatological doctrines, makes changeable assumptions about other religions, and it is aimed at a very small portion of the Christian population. Finally, several doctrines that argued in favor of salvation for non-Christians had already been accepted before the council, and within a century of its conclusion, well-respected theologians and authorities already rejected its expression." Read the Thesis Here: https://clarifyingcatholicism.org/essays/theses/florence-and-vatican-ii-on-other-religions-discontinuity-or-reform/ Music: Curious by Eli Moore: https://soundcloud.com/elimoore/curious Hip Hug Her cover by Eli Moore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfG9XTxWPMg Outro: Bright White by Shifting Shadows https://from-the-forest.bandcamp.com/album/lighthearted-ep The Second Vatican Council’s theology of other religions is frequently cited as an example of doctrinal discontinuity in the Catholic Church, since the language of Lumen Gentium 16 from Vatican II seemingly contradicts that of Cantate Domino from the Council of Florence. At face value, the two statements appear at odds; whereas the latter condemns non-Christians to hell, the former asserts that practitioners of other religions can be saved. However, an analysis of each document’s source, authoritative level, intention, assumptions, scope, reception, and accompanying theological ideas reveals that they actually express and apply the same dogmatic principles to different time periods and cultural contexts, which constitutes authentic reform, rather than discontinuity. Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_

"Analyzing the source, type, intention, assumption, scope, reception, and interrelation of magisterial statements can help to distinguish their abiding principles from their changeable expressions and applications. These criteria can also be used to evaluate whether two seemingly incompatible magisterial statements are discontinuous with each other, which is precisely what the following chapters will attempt to do with Cantate Domino from the Council of Florence and Lumen Gentium from the Second Vatican Council.” Read the Thesis Here: https://clarifyingcatholicism.org/essays/theses/florence-and-vatican-ii-on-other-religions-discontinuity-or-reform/ Music: Cabin Fever by ARSNK: https://soundcloud.com/arsnkmusic/cabin-fever Outro: Bright White by Shifting Shadows https://from-the-forest.bandcamp.com/album/lighthearted-ep The Second Vatican Council’s theology of other religions is frequently cited as an example of doctrinal discontinuity in the Catholic Church, since the language of Lumen Gentium 16 from Vatican II seemingly contradicts that of Cantate Domino from the Council of Florence. At face value, the two statements appear at odds; whereas the latter condemns non-Christians to hell, the former asserts that practitioners of other religions can be saved. However, an analysis of each document’s source, authoritative level, intention, assumptions, scope, reception, and accompanying theological ideas reveals that they actually express and apply the same dogmatic principles to different time periods and cultural contexts, which constitutes authentic reform, rather than discontinuity. Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_

"This episode has demonstrated that the Church is not only obligated to restate or reapply its fundamental principles to changing situations but that failing to do so would ironically yield discontinuity. This is why the theologian Henri Bouillard writes, “a theology which is not up to date is a false theology.” Read the Thesis Here: https://clarifyingcatholicism.org/essays/theses/florence-and-vatican-ii-on-other-religions-discontinuity-or-reform/ Music: Through the Storm by Erik Jackson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf62iBa_RNQ Outro: Bright White by Shifting Shadows https://from-the-forest.bandcamp.com/album/lighthearted-ep The Second Vatican Council’s theology of other religions is frequently cited as an example of doctrinal discontinuity in the Catholic Church, since the language of Lumen Gentium 16 from Vatican II seemingly contradicts that of Cantate Domino from the Council of Florence. At face value, the two statements appear at odds; whereas the latter condemns non-Christians to hell, the former asserts that practitioners of other religions can be saved. However, an analysis of each document’s source, authoritative level, intention, assumptions, scope, reception, and accompanying theological ideas reveals that they actually express and apply the same dogmatic principles to different time periods and cultural contexts, which constitutes authentic reform, rather than discontinuity. Series on Ecumenical Councils: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtPeT-lOsnFhGn2bShv0vAoL Series on Magisterial Authority: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_

"The second big debate surrounding infallibly taught doctrine is about moral issues that Jesus didn’t directly teach about and instead rely more on ethical systems derived from reason alone. Take contraception, for example. Where does Jesus say that contraception cannot be used by couples? Remember how I mentioned natural law earlier in this episode? Well, given how sparse or arguably even non-existent Christ’s teachings are about contraception, a vast majority of arguments against their use comes from the idea that sex is intrinsically ordered towards procreation." Why does the Catholic Church have so many rules? And with over 2,000 years of councils, papal documents, and catechesis, does every Church teaching have the same amount of relevance today? In this series, Will Deatherage aims to explain the origins of the Church's teaching authority, how the Church exercises its teaching authority, and how to properly interpret magisterial documents. To see the rest of the playlist, click here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_ This video series is based on Francis Sullivan's Magisterium: Teaching Authority in the Catholic Church: https://www.amazon.com/Magisterium-Teaching-Authority-Catholic-Church/dp/1592440606 Background Music: Various by inversnaid Outro Music: Overjoyed by Kathleen Alpurado Special thanks to Msgr. Paul McPartlan of the Catholic University of America for his role as consultant for this series.

"Obviously, a pope speaking on an airplane is very different than every bishop in the world agreeing about something. And bishops all agreeing that Jesus is the Son of God is very different than the bishops all agreeing that Jesus’s favorite food was, indeed bacon. So, when the Church teaches, the weight of the teaching is going to depend on the infallibility of the subject, the nature of the object, and the context." Why does the Catholic Church have so many rules? And with over 2,000 years of councils, papal documents, and catechesis, does every Church teaching have the same amount of relevance today? In this series, Will Deatherage aims to explain the origins of the Church's teaching authority, how the Church exercises its teaching authority, and how to properly interpret magisterial documents. To see the rest of the playlist, click here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_ This video series is based on Francis Sullivan's Magisterium: Teaching Authority in the Catholic Church: https://www.amazon.com/Magisterium-Teaching-Authority-Catholic-Church/dp/1592440606 Background Music: 1st Interlude by From the Forest Outro Music: Fall Weather Remix by ARSNK Special thanks to Msgr. Paul McPartlan of the Catholic University of America for his role as consultant for this series.

"Time after time, throughout the earliest ecumenical councils, Rome’s position won out, even though Rome was hardly a political powerhouse after the rise of Constantinople. Between Monophysitism, Nestorianism, Monothelitism, iconoclasm, and others, the Roman positions ultimately defeated heresies at every turn. Some, myself included, argue that this is because Rome, having been replaced by Constantinople as the capital of the empire, was free from being tainted by the pervasive political influence that eastern bishops had to deal with. But, heading into the second millennium, that would change, as the papacy accumulated immense political power and wealth." Why does the Catholic Church have so many rules? And with over 2,000 years of councils, papal documents, and catechesis, does every Church teaching have the same amount of relevance today? In this series, Will Deatherage aims to explain the origins of the Church's teaching authority, how the Church exercises its teaching authority, and how to properly interpret magisterial documents. To see the rest of the playlist, click here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnp45TCxDtNMKUDRtQ15pZDTBCCj4Xg_ This video series is based on Francis Sullivan's Magisterium: Teaching Authority in the Catholic Church: https://www.amazon.com/Magisterium-Teaching-Authority-Catholic-Church/dp/1592440606 Background Music: Various by Catholic LoFi Outro Music: Various by From the Forest Special thanks to Msgr. Paul McPartlan of the Catholic University of America for his role as consultant for this series.