Fulton John Sheen (1895-1979) was a renowned theologian and Catholic Bishop who became famous through radio and television exposure from 1930 to 1968. Life is Worth Living was on television in the 1950’s, and The Fulton Sheen Program in the 1960’s. Bishop Sheen taught theology, emphasizing the common ground all Christian faiths share. His programs are still available on television on EWTN. I never watched the originals in the 1950’s and 1960’s but have enjoyed lots of the reruns on EWTN. He was a blessed and talented lecturer.
William Franklin Graham, Jr. (1918 – 2018) was known as Dr. Billy Graham. He was a Baptist evangelist who became famous around the world because of preaching to large crowds and broadcasting his sermons. Hour of Decision was his radio show. He preached to more than 200 million people in more than 185 countries. Graham’s focus was on inviting people to accept Jesus as their personal savior and to then connect with a local church for Christian education and service. He developed ties with Catholic leaders and encouraged unification of Catholics and Protestants. He was famous also for strongly opposing racial segregation when it was still well established. I was always a Billy Graham fan but attended only one of his preaching events. It was at the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium.
Robert Emmet Barron (1959 – ) is a renowned theologian and Catholic Bishop who has become famous through his television news appearances, social media presence, public speeches, and his YouTube channel which has more than a million subscribers. Bishop Barron is the founder of Word on Fire which has the objective of evangelization, drawing people into the Christian Church, using Catholic history, art, architecture, philosophy, and theology to appeal broadly to interested folks. Bishop Barron is willing to record and publish theology discussions with just about anybody or any group, being faithful to Catholic theology while seeking common ground. I am a fan and am amazed at the depth of his theology and church history and his ability to be understood.
We should all thank God for Bishops Sheen and Barron and Dr. Billy Graham, who have been leading Christian evangelists of the last 100 years.
A Current Opportunity
Ten years ago, then Father Barron produced a ten episode course on Catholic theology. It is called Catholicism, and information about it and a free episode are here. For this month of September 2024, in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the course, all ten episodes are available free. The information is presented with visits to many important historical Christian locations and churches, understandable theological discussions, and information about early Church leaders and theologians. Protestants will learn about Catholic fundamentals that were rejected in the Reformation and will get a sound theological explanation of the great bulk of theology that is still common to Protestants and Catholics. I am currently enjoying an episode each evening and believe I would have enjoyed it even during my 32 Baptist, 16 Presbyterian, and 20 Lutheran years. It might help some Protestants better understand why some relatives have become Catholic. And it will be an excellent refresher of the basics for any Catholic. Certainly the many regrettable splits in the Christian Church have complicated the evangelism for which we are responsible, and better understanding of each other leading to more cooperation and less mutual criticism would help move us in the direction Dr. Billy Graham favored.
To read about it and get your free pass, go HERE.