Show Notes

Guest Intro

Karlo Broussard, a native of Southern Louisiana, left a promising musical career to devote himself full-time to the work of Catholic apologetics. As a staff apologist and speaker for Catholic Answers, he travels the country giving talks on apologetics, the Bible, theology, and philosophy. Karlo holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in theology, and is working on his masters in philosophy. He also worked for several years with nationally known author and philosopher Fr. Robert J. Spitzer at the Magis Center. Karlo is one of the most dynamic and gifted Catholic speakers on the circuit today, communicating with precision of thought, a genuine love for God, and an enthusiasm that inspires.

Show Outline

Important terms

• ‘esse’ = a thing’s “act of being” (Latin termed used by Aquinas)
• ‘essence’ = the nature of a thing
• The real distinction between essence and existence is often summarized by saying there is a distinction between ‘what a thing is’ and ‘that it is.’

Questions answered by Karlo Broussard.

• What led you to write Prepare the Way and what can readers expect from it?
• What was your favorite part of the book to write?
• How would you categorize the proof of God that you provide? Is it Thomistic?
• Give us an outline of the main premises of the argument and how you defend them.
• Why should we think the conclusion is God?
• What strategies do you give to readers for dealing with the problem of divine hiddenness?
• Isn’t there still a major pastoral problem though? Isn’t God an unloving parent for hiding?

Important Quotes

The same holy mother Church holds and teaches that God, the source and end of all things, can be known with certainty from the consideration of created things, by the natural power of human reason. [First Vatican Council]

Resources Mentioned

• Prepare the Way: Overcoming Obstacles to God, the Gospel, and the Church by Karlo Broussard
• Five Proofs of the Existence of God by Dr. Edward Feser
• The Real Distinction Between Essence and Existence defended by Dr. Feser (Free audio)
• The episode with Trent Horn on the Counsel of Trent

Related Episodes

• In CORE #04, I discuss a Proof of God from Contingency