#338 Cardinal Burke - The New Testament

Cardinal Raymond Burke returns to the Shawn Ryan Show to walk through the New Testament, explaining its structure, historical basis, and theological meaning. The conversation centers on the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the defining event of the Christian faith, the fulfillment of Old Testament promises, and the establishment of the Church through the apostles and sacraments. Burke addresses common questions about the reliability of the Gospels, the role of Mary, the nature of the Eucharist, and what ordinary believers can do to live out their faith in a challenging world.

The Historical Foundation of the New Testament

Burke begins by addressing the most contested claim in the New Testament: the resurrection of Jesus. He points to multiple lines of evidence beyond the Gospel accounts themselves. The empty tomb is a starting point — Christ's body was completely transformed at the resurrection, which is why no physical relics like bones or hair exist. More striking, Burke argues, is the conversion of Saint Paul. Paul, originally named Saul, was a zealous Pharisee who actively persecuted Christians and was present at the stoning of Saint Stephen. On the road to Damascus, he was thrown from his horse, struck blind, and confronted by the risen Christ. After his baptism, scales fell from his eyes, and he became the Church's greatest teacher. His letters in the New Testament co