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

• Videos
  • Bishop Barron on Effective Evangelization (Bishop Barron)
  • Bishop Barron on “What is God?”
  • Bishop Barron on Christianity and Ethics
• DVD's
  • CATHOLICISM: The New Evangelization (Word On Fire)
  •  Faith Clips (Word On Fire)
•  Articles  
  • The Joy of Evangelization (Bishop Barron)
  • Practical Strategies of Evangelization (Bishop Barron)
• Books
  • Seeds of the Word: Finding God in the Culture (Bishop Barron)
  • Word On Fire: Proclaiming the Power of Christ (Bishop Barron)
  • Answering Atheism: How to Make the Case for God with Logic and Charity by Trent Horn
  • Thomas Aquinas: Spiritual Master by Bishop Robert Barron
  • Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
  • The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led me to Faith by Peter Hitchens
  • Surprised by Joy: The Shape of my Early Life by C.S. Lewis
  • Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
  • On Guard by William Lane Craig
  • Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas

• Study Program 
  • The Mystery of God: Who God Is and Why He Matters (Bishop Barron)

• Websites
  • StrangeNotions.com (A Meeting Place of Faith and Reason)
  • Word On Fire (Proclaiming Christ in the Culture)

Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and, again, be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.