The Sacramentalists

In this installment of The Sacramentalists Goes Scriptural, Fr. Wesley Walker, Fr. Creighton McElveen, and Fr. Hayden Butler dive into Acts 17:16–34 to examine St. Paul’s sermon at Mars Hill in Athens. Positioning Luke-Acts as a unified narrative of cosmic restoration and the reversal of Babel, the hosts explore how Paul’s distress over civic idolatry leads him not to fiery denunciations, but into charitable yet uncompromising philosophical engagement with Epicurean and Stoic interlocutors.The conversation unpacks the theological architecture of Paul’s address—contrasting ancient notions of localized,domestic deities with the transcendent Creator who needs no temple made by human hands. Drawing insights from Plato, Origen, St. Justin Martyr, and modern Pauline scholarship, the fathers address whether this sermon marks a departure from Romans 1 or represents the pinnacle of missional flexibility: meeting a culture in its search for the divine, quoting pagan poets, and redirecting human desire toward the revealed, resurrected Judge.Finally, the hosts offer pastoral reflections on Christian witness in our contemporary post-Christian landscape. Challenging modern pragmatic assumptions that judge ministry solely by mass immediate conversions, they emphasize the long, patient work of classical formation, reminding listeners that faithfulness often looks like tending to the small remnant that remains.

In this episode of The Sacramentalists, theologian Dr. Donald Wallenfang joins us to explore how philosophical phenomenology functions as a purely descriptive method to bracket our natural attitude and recover an immediate, lived encounter with sacramental reality. Grounding these insights in Carmelite spirituality and framing classical metaphysics as the "anchor" and phenomenology as the "sail," the discussion traverses Marion’s concept of "saturated phenomena," Edith Stein’s notion of empathy, Ratzinger’s Trinitarian anthropology, and Chauvet’s balance of objective grace and subjective participation. Ultimately, the conversation illuminates the paradox of the Eucharist, where divine presence can feel like an apparent shortage, requiring faith. By transubstantiating the ordinary elements of bread and wine, God reveals His immense reality without overwhelming human cognition. Concluding with reflections on kenotic self-emptying and the integration of faith with clinical psychology, this episode provides a rich framework for clergy, scholars, and laypeople seeking a deeper liturgical encounter. Check out Dr. Wallenfang's work on his YouTube channel, The Mendicant Philosopher, and be sure browse his books on Amazon. To support the show consider joining the Communion of Patreon Saints at patreon.com/thesacramentalists, and visit our official website at https://www.thesacramentalistspodcast.com/.

Death is an inevitable reality, but for the Christian, it is a conquered enemy. In this episode of The Sacramentalists, Fr. Hayden Butler, Fr. Creighton McElveen, and Fr. Wesley Walker explore the ancient Christian practice of memento mori—remembering our death—and how the Church’s liturgy and pastoral care guide us through the ars moriendi (the art of dying). Moving past modern culture’s death-denying tendencies and anxious escapism, the hosts discuss how the liturgical calendar, daily offices, and ascetical life train Christians to face mortality with hope rather than fear.Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Contra Mundum Clericals, crafting clergy shirts built for parish work. Get 15% off using code SACRAMENTALIST at contramundumclericals.com.Connect with us at thesacramentalists.org and join the Communion of Patreon Saints at patreon.com/thesacramentalists

Why does silence make us so uncomfortable? Frs. Wesley Walker and Creighton McElveen explore silence and solitude as a universal Christian vocation, drawing on Augustine, Mother Teresa, Levinas, St. John of the Cross, and Shusaku Endo's Silence to unpack restlessness, purgative suffering, and how solitude strips away the false self before God.Sponsored by Contra Mundum Clericals — code SACRAMENTALISTS for 15% off at https://contramundumclericals.com. Questions or topic ideas? Email [email protected]. Join the Communion of Patreon Saints for $5/month.

What's a sermon actually for? Frs. Creighton McElveen and Wesley Walker explore sacramental preaching — why the Anglo-Catholic homily is inseparable from the liturgy, what a sermon is NOT (moralism, politics, a lecture, stand-up), and a real rubric for judging whether a sermon succeeds: biblical fidelity, theological rigor, and proclaiming Christ crucified. Fr. Wesley also breaks down his actual weekly process for writing a sermon, from diagramming the collect to consulting Keble and Newman.Questions or topic ideas? Email [email protected]. Join the Communion of Patreon Saints for $5/month.

In a culture saturated with sensationalized media, modern Christians often view spiritual warfare through the lens of pop-culture novels and residual "Satanic Panic" paranoia. We treat the cosmos like a high-stakes thriller where a single accidental misstep can trap us in the demonic. In this episode, Frs. Hayden Butler and Wesley Walker provide a pastoral, traditional course correction. Moving past the "main character syndrome" that blames every minor physical ailment or broken spotlight on the devil, the hosts recover a robust, liturgical framework for spiritual engagement. True spiritual warfare is not a dramatic, macho crusade; it is found in the quiet, integrated disciplines of the ancient Church. By recovering a proper Christian anthropology—body, soul, and spirit—and anchoring ourselves in the ordinary proficiency of the sacraments, we inhabit Christ’s definitive victory. Discover why the fullness of the baptized life, the Daily Office, and regular confession remain the most potent defenses against the powers of darkness.Please consider joining the Communion of Patreon Saints to support our work in perpetuating the Anglo-Catholic faith!

After a year away, The Sacramentalists are back. Frs. Wesley Walker, Creighton McElveen, and Hayden Butler relaunch the show — reintroducing themselves, explaining what pulled them away from recording, and digging into what actually defines the Anglo-Catholic way: consensus Catholicism, the priest-theologian model, and what Fr. Hayden calls the tradition's "shireliness" — a deep rootedness in small, prayer-formed parish community. Honest, funny, and theologically substantive — the perfect entry point whether you're new to the show or coming back with them.Questions or topic ideas? Email [email protected]. Join the Communion of Patreon Saints for $5/month.

In this bittersweet episode of The Sacramentalists, we say (mostly) farewell to our co-host, Fr. Wesley. As he steps back from regular podcasting to focus on doctoral studies, parish life, and family, we reflect on the journey of the show, memorable episodes, and what it’s meant to pursue beauty, truth, and sacramentality together.Joining us is the other co-founder of the pod, Myles Hixson, who helps us send Fr. Wesley off with good humor, deep gratitude, and a few theological tangents.

In this episode of The Sacramentalists, Frs. Creighton and Wesley welcome New Testament scholar Dr. Matthew Bates to discuss his provocative new book, Beyond the Salvation Wars: A New Vision of the Christian Life.Bates argues that many of our debates about salvation—whether framed in terms of “faith alone” or “works righteousness”—have become theological dead ends. In their place, he offers a fresh and deeply biblical model centered on allegiance to Jesus as King, which he contends better captures the shape of the gospel and the fullness of the Christian life.We explore the implications of his proposal for sacraments, church unity, and discipleship, as well as the strong reactions it’s provoked from Reformed critics. Does allegiance theology open the door to a more sacramental faith? How does it help us move beyond stale binaries and recover a truly catholic vision of salvation?We would love to hear from you! Send us your feedback and questions to [email protected] or reach out to us on Twitter @sacramentalists. Be sure to join our Communion of Patreon Saints for only $5 a month.

In this special crossover episode of The Sacramentalists Podcast and The Classical Mind Podcast, we dive deep into St. Bonaventure’s The Journey of the Mind to God—a spiritual and philosophical masterpiece that maps the soul’s ascent to divine union. Together, we explore Bonaventure’s vision of contemplation, the role of intellect and love in knowing God, and the ways in which his thought is deeply sacramental, drawing from both Scripture and the broader Catholic tradition.Join us as we discuss the structure of Bonaventure’s journey, the influence of St. Augustine and Pseudo-Dionysius, and how this medieval classic speaks to modern Christians seeking a deeper, more mystical encounter with God. Whether you're new to Bonaventure or a longtime admirer, this episode will challenge and inspire you to see creation, reason, and revelation as pathways to divine illumination.