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Benedictine Thought & Action

Benedictine Thought & Action

Written by: Mount Marty University
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Benedictine Thought & Action is a conversational podcast exploring what it means to live, teach, and lead in the spirit of the Benedictine tradition today. Hosted by librarian John Badley and theology professor Jason Heron, the show dives into the intersection of prayer, study, and work — tracing how faith, intellect, and practice shape the life of the university and the wider world. Through lively, often humorous dialogue, the hosts connect ancient monastic wisdom with modern questions of education, theology, community, and culture. From John Chrysostom to John Dewey to John Denver, no idea is too lofty or too local to be part of the conversation. Grounded in the Benedictine values of Awareness of God, Community, Hospitality, and Lifelong Learning, each episode invites listeners to think deeply, act intentionally, and rediscover the balance between contemplation and engagement — between thought and action.

Mount Marty University 2025
Christianity Ministry & Evangelism Spirituality
Episodes
  • Interview with Sarah J. Barton
    Apr 17 2026

    In part one of a two-part conversation, John and Jason are joined by Dr. Sarah Jean Barton, a theologian and occupational therapist at Duke University, to discuss her book, "Becoming the Baptized Body: Disability and the Practice of Christian Community." The episode kicks off with fond memories of John and Sarah’s divinity school days and their shared experience walking the Camino de Santiago.

    Sarah opens up about her unique career journey, explaining how her early experiences working as a caregiver for children with complex medical needs revealed a heartbreaking pattern of exclusion from faith communities. This led her to merge her occupational therapy training—which focuses on what people do to occupy their time, including worship—with a deep theological inquiry. The trio discusses the problems with traditional theological responses to disability (which often rely on sin, pity, or superficial inspiration), the need to stop "footnoting" disabled bodies in theological anthropology, and the importance of recognizing the actual, lived discipleship of people with intellectual disabilities.

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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Interview with Larry Chapp
    Apr 3 2026

    In this episode, John and Jason sit down with Dr. Larry Chapp, a retired theology professor and the current owner and manager of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker Farm near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Larry shares his fascinating background—from growing up as a "nerdy" fireman's son and a "fire-breathing atheist" in Lincoln, Nebraska, to becoming a prominent theologian specializing in Hans Urs von Balthasar.

    The conversation dives into Larry's midlife discernment to leave a successful 20-year academic career at DeSales University to literally "walk the walk" of Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin by starting a farm. Larry helps clear up common misconceptions about the Catholic Worker movement, explaining Dorothy Day's deep orthodox faith, her nuanced critique of capitalism, and why the movement is often mistakenly categorized as purely leftist. The guys also explore the differences between urban houses of hospitality and rural agronomic farms, how to become a "YouTube farmer," and wrap up with book and guest recommendations.

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Interview with Roberto de la Noval | Part 2
    Mar 20 2026

    In part two of a two-part conversation, John and Jason are joined by Rob De La Noval, a theology professor at Boston College. The guys connected with Rob after reading three of his articles on teaching theology published in the University of Notre Dame's The Church Life Journal. The discussion centers around the art of teaching introductory theology to modern college students and the necessity of moving away from the traditional "salvation history" approach.

    Rob, drawing on Lonerganian philosophy, argues that introductory theology classes shouldn't just be an introduction to an academic discipline, but an introduction to oneself that addresses fundamental human questions—such as "Why do I suffer?" and "Is there an ultimate meaning?". The trio explores the concept of "awareness of God" as discovering one's own seeking and self-presence. They also discuss the need for teachers to have the "smell of the sheep," the necessity of intellectual conversion and returning to a childlike wonder for educators, and how the current cultural zeitgeist of relativism affects the modern classroom.

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    1 hr and 7 mins
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