Godsplaining

Are We Too Quick to Cut People Off? Noelle Mering Weighs In

August 17, 2026·33 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Why are more people cutting off family members, friends, and loved ones? What does the rise of “no contact” reveal about the way we understand relationships? Fr. Gregory sits down with Ethics and Public Policy Center Fellow and author Noelle Mering to explore the growing phenomenon of fractured relationships. They discuss the influence of social media and therapy-speak, the meaning of “toxic” and “traumatic,” our increasing discomfort with disagreement, and the temptation to treat relationships like online spaces that can simply be blocked, muted, or unfollowed. Noelle and Fr. Gregory also consider how politics and ideology can reshape our understanding of family, obligation, and identity—and why Christian faith offers a radically different vision of love: one rooted in relationship, responsibility, forgiveness, and the dignity of the person in front of us.   Pre-order No Contact by Noelle Mering here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/804101/no-contact-by-noelle-mering/ Check out her book Awake, Not Woke: https://tanbooks.com/products/books/awake-not-woke-a-christian-response-to-the-cult-of-progressive-ideology Follow her work with Theology of Home: https://theologyofhome.com/   Send your questions for the friars to: godsplaining@opeast.org Subscribe to our channel https://www.youtube.com/c/Godsplaining   Support the Podcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/godsplaining Shop merch: https://godsplaining.org/store/   Shop Books Written by the Friars Justice: Judge Rightly, Give Freely: https://a.co/d/0dx0V5AT O Sacred Banquet: Exploring the Eucharistic Mystery with Saint Thomas Aquinas: https://a.co/d/0hLdv7oU Witness: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/witness-1 Training the Tongue: https://stpaulcenter.com/store/training-the-tongue-and-growing-beyond-sins-of-speech Your Eucharistic Identity: https://ignatius.com/your-eucharistic-identity-yeip/ St. Dominic's Way of Life: https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Dominics-Way-Life-Knowing/dp/1681929392 Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly: https://www.amazon.com/Prudence-Choose-Confidently-Live-Boldly/dp/1681927322/   Connect on Social Media Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godsplaining/ Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/godsplaining/ Follow us on X: https://x.com/godsplaining   To learn more about the Province of St. Joseph visit: www.opeast.org To support the Province of St. Joseph visit: www.dominicanfriars.org

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