The Department of Nuance

In 1997, the Bernardin Center was founded at Catholic Theological Union to continue the legacy of the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. For almost 30 years, the Bernardin Center has hosted programs and funded a full-tuition scholarship for students whose research, ministry, and experiences align with the priorities of Bernardin himself: reconciliation and peacemaking, interreligious dialogue, lay leadership, and the consistent ethic of life.The Department of Nuance is the next chapter of the Bernardin story. Here, you'll hear timely conversations about the most pressing issues facing the Catholic Church and world at large. Led by our Bernardin Scholars and co-hosted by writer and Media Fellow Madison Chastain, this podcast invites you to the table for lively dialogue that meets our increasingly polarized online landscape with nuance, consideration, and clarity. bernardincenter.substack.com

The Department of Nuance is a education podcast hosted by The Bernardin Center, with 13 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

The Bernardin Center hosts The Department of Nuance, a education show with 13 episodes published.

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  The Department of Nuance

  Ep 11: Diverse Bodies and Catholic Sexual Ethics

  Jun 12, 202550 minS0

  <p>June is Pride month, which often invites extra attention and conversation in the Catholic Church about the Church's official teaching on matters of sexuality and gender.</p><p>While the areas of LGBTQ+ Catholic study and ministry have expanded over the decades, the Church’s teaching has remained relatively consistent: That only those sexual acts that are both unitive and procreative, between one man and one woman, are rightly ordered. Discussions of these topics still often center what is believed to be "natural,” but contemporary science and social progression reveal to us more and more how physical bodies and gend...

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  The Department of Nuance

  Ep 10: The Papacy in the Digital Age

  May 16, 202557 minS0

  <p>On May 8th, 2025 the world was introduced to Pope Leo XIV.</p><p>Imagine our surprise, here at Catholic Theological Union, when the red curtains parted to reveal a familiar face. That’s right, the Pope went to CTU. </p><p>It’s only been a week and already much has been made of the first US-born Pope. The first Pope for whom English is the first language. A Pope born in Chicago. </p><p>Not only this, but we have a young Pope. A Pope who has a smartphone in his pocket, who knows how Twitter works. This Pope...

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  The Department of Nuance

  Ep 9: Ecumenism Part 1 - Charism and Catholic Education

  Apr 30, 20251h 6mS0

  <p>Ecumenical dialogue is one of the core values shared by Catholic Theological Union and our namesake, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. Interdenominational relationships between Christian groups are a key part of community-building, peacemaking, and a robust theological education. </p><p>When modern life keeps us siloed in all sorts of ways, including religiously, it can be easy to forget how much we have in common with each other as Christians</p><p>Today, we’re kicking off what we hope to be a multi-part series exploring the topic of ecumenism. </p><p>This particular episode focuses on Catholic education as a cr...

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  The Department of Nuance

  Ep 8: Civil Disobedience and Nonviolent Resistance

  Apr 2, 202552 minS0

  <p>We've seen some frightening things in the news recently, particularly here in the United States. Many people are asking themselves, "What do I do? How can I respond? What strategies are most effective?"</p><p>In times of hopelessness, it can be easy to fall into the trap of believing that only violence adequately responds to violence, and it can be hard to differentiate nonviolent activism from careless passivity.</p><p>Just as easily, we can get complacent. It behooves us all to think critically about the differences between legality and justice.</p><p>In Episode 8 of the Department...

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  The Department of Nuance

  Ep 7: Conflict Resilience

  Feb 26, 20251h 3mS0

  <p>It should go without saying that we find ourselves in a church, country, and world rife with conflict. But what is the difference between simply resolving disagreements and instead having conflict resilience? Now more than ever, we need to learn how to have difficult conversations with each other in ways that are rehumanizing, nuanced, and healthy. </p><p>In this episode, Bernardin Scholar Peter Denio is back to dialogue with longtime friend of the Bernardin Center, internationally recognized negotiation professional Bob Bordone. Bob provides real-life examples - at the personal, local, and global levels - of how we can...

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