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WOF 045: Why Young People are Leaving the Church

After perusing the latest Pew Study on why young people are leaving the active practice of Christianity, Bishop Barron noticed that (once again) the reasons they offer for abandoning Christianity are entirely not compelling. That is to say, any theologian, apologist, or evangelist worth his salt should be able easily to answer these objections to faith and hopefully encourage the youngster to reconsider the Truth of the Church. With this in mind for today’s episode, Bishop offers smart, passionate responses to the common misconceptions and objections that continue to lure young people away from God. The listener question asks which books are best for evangelizing atheists from both a rational and emotional standpoint.

Topics Discussed

  • 0:17  – Introduction, Bishop’s trip to Lake Placid and current reading list
  • 3:25 – Bishop’s reaction to young people leaving the church?
  • 5:15 – Should we avoid pressuring them and let young people return on their own?
  • 7:48 – Some common objections: Is religion the opiate of the people?
  • 11:10 – Has science disproven religion?
  • 15:15 – If religion causes so much violence, how can it possibly be right?
  • 17:50 – Does the sex abuse scandal invalidate the Church?
  • 20:53 – Is it better to be open-minded to all world religions?
  • 26:48 – What if church is too boring and you don’t have time?
  • 30:40 – How would Bishop Barron encourage young people to return to the Church?
  • 32:09 – Question from listener: What are some good books to battle atheism both from a rational and emotional standpoint?

Bonus Resources