Robert Barron
American Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester, theologian, author, and founder of Word on Fire Ministries
Robert Barron (American Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester, theologian, author, and founder of Word on Fire Ministries) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Catholic Church, Catholic Church sexual abuse cases, Artificial intelligence.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Catholic Church
Barron argues the Church's global influence remains enormous, with the pope as the world's most recognized religious leader.
“The pope is the most recognized religious leader in the world”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:44:50
Barron says the Church explains its positions during elections but never endorses a party.
“But we never say, therefore vote Democrat or vote Republican”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:45:37
Barron argues that Christians have lost their edge and that living by Christ's counsels would rapidly change the country.
“if every Christian in this country started living according to what we call the evangelical councils”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:19:06
Catholic Church sexual abuse cases
Barron says priests found guilty of abuse are removed under a zero-tolerance policy and that accusations are reported to police.
“we have a zero tolerance policy they're out of the you know the priesthood”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:38:15
Barron contends that because of its reforms, the Church is now among the safest institutions for young people.
“I think it's fair to say that institutionally, one of the safest places for a young person is the Catholic Church because we're so attentive to the problem”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:37:31
Barron rejects the claim that the celibate priesthood produces people attracted to children.
“What I think is really false, the insinuation that somehow— the celibate priesthood produces people who are attracted to children. I think that's demonstrably false”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:34:38
Other remarks
Barron, citing Aristotle, argues friendships and marriages flourish when the partners jointly love a transcendent third.
“a friendship will flourish when it goes beyond the two friends loving each other”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:46:13
Artificial intelligence
Barron predicts AI will take jobs, which he sees as a problem for human dignity tied to work.
“Jobs will be taken for sure by AI. And so if work is tied to human dignity, that's really a problem”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:40:30
Antisemitism
Barron distinguishes biblical Israel from the modern state and says Catholics may criticize Israeli government policy while the Church opposes antisemitism.
“a Catholic can certainly be critical of the government policies of the state of Israel, as we would have any other government”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:31:53
Indulgence
Barron says indulgences remain a legitimate teaching but should never be bought or sold, as happened before the Reformation.
“So in itself, it's a legitimate thing, but not to be buying or selling”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:31:07
Pornography
Barron says pornography has become a societal blight and that government intervention to restrict access is needed.
“I think there does have to be some kind of government intervention when it comes to pornography”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:21:18
Prayer
Barron says that when people write to him in despair, he recommends performing a daily simple act of love.
“I'll say, perform every day the simplest act of love”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 1:10:50
Rite of passage
Barron argues that modern society has many uninitiated people because religion no longer presides over coming-of-age rituals.
“I think we have tons of uninitiated people. They've not been brought through that process”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 57:40
Social media and adolescent mental health
Barron says, based on studies and his pastoral work, that young people, especially young women, are being harmed by social media.
“young people, especially young women, are getting damaged like crazy on social media”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 46:06
Sacrament of Penance
Barron cites Jordan Peterson's view that confessing one's failures before a representative of God is psychologically healthy.
“I can't imagine anything psychologically healthier than that. Wow. And he was talking about Catholic confession”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 17:45
Problem of evil
Barron argues that evil is not a thing but a privation of good, which God permits rather than causes.
“evil is frightening, but essentially it's a type of non-being. It's a lack of a good that ought to be there, like a cavity in a tooth”
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: #682 - Bishop Robert Barron (Sep 10, 2026) · Listen from 9:23
Appearances
#682 - Bishop Robert BarronThis Past Weekend w/ Theo Von · Sep 10, 2026 · 1 h 53 min
Theo Von talks with Catholic Bishop Robert Barron about prayer, evil, love, addiction and pornography, the clergy abuse crisis, artificial intelligence, and finding purpose.
Often appears with
- Theo Von · 1 shared episode