Sword&Spade

Ross Arlen Tieken is a writer, educator, and seventh-generation Texan whose path into the Church ran through paganism, medieval scholarship, and a profound encounter with beauty. In this conversation with Jason Craig, Ross traces how a childhood hunger for something worth worshiping—cultivated on a farm in Shiner, Texas—led him from neo-paganism and a grant-funded expedition to study druids in rural England to the sacramental universe of Catholicism.

Chapters:
  • 00:00: Introduction and Ross's Texas Roots
  • 07:11: Catholicism in the Family and the Wound of Rejection
  • 09:58: A Search for Something Worth Worshiping
  • 13:40: Studying Neo-Paganism in England
  • 18:35: Medieval Magic, the Saints, and the Path to Conversion
  • 31:51: Distinguishing Magic from Sorcery
  • 37:55: The Sacramental World vs. the Technological Mindset
  • 46:05: Agriculture, Liturgical Cycles, and Participating in Creation
  • 51:37: The Occult, Spiritual Warfare, and Political Convictions
  • 01:05:41: Rootedness, Wealth, and Parting Advice for Fathers
Resources Mentioned:
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Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios

What is Sword&Spade?

The Sword&Spade podcast is about...