Purposeful Lab

Dr. Stephen Hildebrand, provost of Franciscan University, returns to Purposeful Lab to talk with Dr. Dan Kuebler about the Catholic view of human flourishing. They discuss the importance of both body and soul, how faith transforms every aspect of life, and what good formation for young people should look like today, especially with the challenges of technology and artificial intelligence.

We all have different parts that make up our inmost selves, and we all are in need of healing. Dr. Gerry Crete, founder of Transfiguration Counseling and Coaching and author of Litanies of the Heart, explains to Dr. Dan Kuebler what “parts work” is, why healing from past wounds can help us flourish, and the importance of cultivating healthy relationships with God, others, and ourselves.

Dr. Dan Kuebler sits down with Dr. Stephen Sammut, psychology professor at Franciscan University, to talk about why college students are experiencing increased anxiety, depression, addiction, and other issues. They also investigate how modern society’s understanding of the human person, breakdown of the family, and lack of authentic connection are negatively impacting young adults.

How does someone go from studying Shakespeare to healing people through therapy? Dr. Matthew Breuninger, founder of Wellspring Counseling and Coaching, shares with Dr. Dan Kuebler about his journey to the field of psychology. He also talks about virtue formation, why we need to focus on our interior lives and not just our behaviors, and how different types of therapy can all lead to healing.

More people are seeking therapy, so why are mental health problems still rising? Dr. Anthony Isacco, director for the MS in Clinical Psychology Program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and Dr. Dan Kuebler discuss how an integrated approach—one that’s rooted in Catholic anthropology—can help better treat the whole person, rather than just a diagnosis. Dr. Isacco also shares about his work doing psychological evaluations for future seminarians.

In this new season of Purposeful Lab, Dr. Dan Kuebler explores the Catholic approach to mental health and human flourishing. He talks with Dr. Christin Jungers, professor of mental health counseling at Franciscan University, about the current mental health landscape, what role faith can have in counseling, and the importance of treating people holistically.

How can we unite faith and science in the search for truth?
In this conversation with Dr. Stephen Hildebrand, provost and theology professor at Franciscan University, Dr. Dan Kuebler explains why he wrote his book Darwin and Doctrine: The Compatibility of Evolution and Catholicism. They also discuss how we can approach scientific theories like evolution in light of the Catholic faith.
You can watch the video version of this episode on Faith and Reason here.

How can we know through reason that God exists?
Dr. Dan Kuebler and Dr. Logan Gage, philosophy professor at Franciscan University, explore the arguments for God’s existence, intelligent design, and the connection between scientific and philosophical reason. They also talk about the works of St. John Henry Newman, the newest Doctor of the Church.
You can watch the video version of this episode on Faith and Reason here.

Modern society often presents science as a field that can stand completely alone, but is that true?
Dr. Michael Hanby, professor of religion and philosophy of science at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute at the Catholic University of America and author of No God, No Science, explains to Dr. Dan Kuebler the relationship between science, theology, and philosophy—and why the Christian doctrine of creation is essential to understanding our world.
You can watch the video version of this episode on Faith and Reason here.

Can the faith coincide with—and even enrich—evolutionary theory?
Dr. Dan Kuebler talks with Dr. Matthew Ramage, theology professor at Benedictine College, to unpack Pope Benedict XVI’s writings on creation, why evolutionary theory doesn’t mean God’s creative power is any less, and how God’s creation works as a “symphony.”
You can watch the video version of this episode on Faith and Reason here.