An Insider Pushing for Integrity

Welcome to celebrate creativity - episode 404 - an insider pushing for integrity  This episode will delve into the profound and often surprising role of the Catholic faith in the life and work of Stephen Colbert. I want to explore how his deeply personal spiritual journey, marked by both profound loss and a powerful conversion experience, has shaped his worldview, influenced his unique  brand of satire, and positioned him as an unexpected but significant voice in contemporary discussions about faith and how we decide to govern ourselves.

Stephen Colbert is definitely a widely recognized person - he is a sharp-witted satirist, and a late night host with a quick mind and an even quicker wit.

But far less known is the less discussed, but arguably equally central aspect of his identity - his deep and abiding catholic faith.  This is not just some nominal affiliation, but a foundational element that informs his very being.

Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Transcript

Welcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 404 - An Insider Pushing for Integrity  This episode will delve into the profound and often surprising role of the Catholic faith in the life and work of Stephen Colbert. I want to explore how his deeply personal spiritual journey, marked by both profound loss and a powerful conversion experience, has shaped his worldview, influenced his unique  brand of satire, and positioned him as an unexpected but significant voice in contemporary discussions about faith and how we decide to govern ourselves.

Stephen Colbert is definitely a widely recognized person - he is a sharp-witted satirist, and a late night host with a quick mind and an even quicker wit.

But far less known is the less discussed, but arguably equally central aspect of his identity - his deep and abiding catholic faith.  This is not just some nominal affiliation, but a foundational element that informs his very being.

You might ask how can a comedian known for his critical and often irreverent humor be so sincerely devout?  Well, that is the central question of this podcast episode.

Stephen Colbert grew up in a large, devout Catholic family. As the youngest of eleven children in a deeply Catholic household, faith wasn't just practiced but intellectually engaged with. His parents, particularly his father, were intellectual Catholics who encouraged questioning and critical thought within the framework of belief. This instilled in him the idea that faith and reason are not mutually exclusive but can co-exist and even strengthen each other.

When he was 10, his father and two brothers tragically died in a plane crash accident onEastern Air Lines Flight 212 on September 11, 1974,  The plane crashed during its approach to Charlotte, North Carolina. His father, James William Colbert Jr., and his brothers Paul and Peter, were among the 72 fatalities on board.But his mother's unwavering faith in the face of such immense loss profoundly impacted him. She embodied a form of radical acceptance and gratitude that became a cornerstone of Colbert's own spiritual outlook.
This early trauma, while devastating, later became a lens through which he understood the Christian message of sacrifice, suffering, and resurrection. It provided a framework for processing pain and finding meaning. He IS famously quoted as saying he "loves the thing that I most wish had not happened" because of the growth and empathy it fostered. This profound acceptance of suffering as part of the human condition is a deeply Catholic perspective.

He attended Charleston's Episcopal Porter-Gaud School, noting that even if he wasn't academically driven, the intellectual environment and exposure to religious inquiry would continue to shape his mind.

Colbert has described a period during his college years, specifically while at Northwestern University in the mid-1980s, where he considered himself an atheist. This wasn't necessarily a defiant or angry atheism, but more a result of intellectual questioning and a period of wrestling with existential doubts, which isn't uncommon for young adults. He expressed a deep sadness and distress over the idea that he might not his father and brothers again if there was no afterlife, which fueled his questioning of faith.

He was immersed in an academic environment where skepticism was often the norm, and he felt he had been "wrong all this time" about what he had been taught regarding faith.

The turning point came shortly after he graduated from Northwestern, when he was in his early twenties and working at The Second City in Chicago (initially in the box office, before joining the touring company).

He recounts a very specific, almost cinematic, experience:

It was a bitterly cold, typically gray Chicago winter day. He was walking down the street, likely feeling the anxiety and existential angst that he has described from that period.

A stranger, possibly a Gideon or someone affiliated with a religious outreach, handed him a small, green paperback New Testament (specifically, New Testament, Proverbs, and Psalms). t was so cold and humid that the pages of the little Bible were slightly frozen together, and he had to "crack" it open over his knee.

He opened the Bible to a section in the front that listed verses for different life situations, such as "anxiety." He followed the prompt for "anxiety," which led him to Matthew Chapter 6, specifically verses like Matthew 6:27: "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

He describes this moment as a profound and immediate lightening of his spirit. He wasn't reading the words; he felt as though the words were "speaking off the page" directly to him. The message of not worrying, of trusting in a higher power and letting go of anxiety, resonated deeply with his internal struggle.

He stood on that street corner in the freezing cold and continued to read the Sermon on the Mount. He has famously stated, "My life has never been the same."

This story speaks to a genuine, personal encounter that brought him back to faith, rather than simply an inherited belief. It shows a deep, intellectual, and emotional wrestling with profound questions.

Relatability: Many people, religious or not, can relate to periods of doubt, anxiety, and searching for meaning. His story offers a tangible moment of finding peace and direction.

Foundation for His Worldview: This "reversion" experience informs his entire worldview, particularly his public persona. It explains his comfort discussing faith, his ability to engage with serious theological concepts, and his belief that even in the face of suffering (like his early family tragedy), there is a deeper meaning and a reason for gratitude.

Source of His Unique Voice: It provides the bedrock for how he approaches comedy and satire. He can satirize hypocrisy within religious institutions or among those who claim faith, precisely because he deeply values the core tenets of his faith and sees the "misuse" of it as something worthy of critique. He's not an outsider mocking, but an insider pushing for integrity.

This moment in a cold Chicago street, with a frozen Bible, is not just a personal anecdote; it's a foundational experience that shaped the Stephen Colbert we know today – a brilliant comedian and a complex, thoughtful public intellectual with a deep spiritual core.

There is no question that The Catholic faith is profoundly important to Stephen Colbert and his family, and it's something he has discussed openly and thoughtfully throughout his career, often providing a nuanced perspective that challenges common stereotypes about religious public figures.

For Colbert, Catholicism provides a fundamental moral and ethical framework. He often discusses concepts like charity, forgiveness, humility, and the importance of grappling with suffering.

Basis for Satire: While his "Colbert Report" character was a satirical, often hypocritical, conservative pundit who sometimes used religion for political gain, Stephen Colbert himself uses his faith to critique the misuse of religion, particularly when it's wielded for power, exclusion, or political opportunism. He sees satire as a way to "hold up a mirror" to incongruities and hypocrisies, including those within the Church itself, but always from a place of love and commitment to the underlying spiritual truths. As he's put it, "What is worthy of satire is the misuse of religion for destructive or political gains. That's totally different from the Word, the blood, the body and the Christ. His kingdom is not of this earth."

Humility and Gratitude: His faith is deeply intertwined with his philosophy of gratitude. He believes that even in suffering, there is something to be grateful for, and that this impulse towards gratitude naturally seeks an object, which he calls God.

Teacher of Catechism: For a period, he taught Sunday school (catechism classes) to seven-year-olds preparing for First Communion and Reconciliation, which further illustrates his active engagement  .

Colbert is often seen as a prominent example of a "thinking Catholic" or a "progressive Catholic" who can reconcile deep faith with liberal political views and intellectual skepticism. He engages with theological concepts on his show, has interviewed numerous religious figures (including Jesuit priest Fr. James Martin, whom he humorously calls his "chaplain"), and discusses his faith in a way that resonates with both believers and non-believers.

Challenging Stereotypes: His public persona has helped to challenge the stereotype that all devout Catholics must adhere to a strict conservative political ideology, demonstrating that a vibrant faith can coexist with diverse perspectives on social and political issues.

In summary, the Catholic faith is not just a nominal affiliation for Stephen Colbert; it is deeply embedded in his personal history, his intellectual framework, his sense of humor, and his understanding of the world. It provides both comfort and a lens through which he engages with complex issues, making him a unique and influential voice in contemporary culture.

I think it's especially moving that Stephen Colbert still carries that very Bible, a tangible reminder of this transformative moment. This isn't just a story; it's a living part of his spiritual practice.

This religious experience fundamentally reoriented his life and provided him with a renewed sense of purpose and meaning. It wasn't just a fleeting feeling but initiated a lifelong commitment to active faith.

It is said that his faith provides a robust moral and ethical framework - as exemplified by Catholic social teaching, which emphasizes dignity, community, justice, and care for the poor. This is a key aspect that allows him to reconcile his faith with his progressive political views.  Besides being incredibly witty, he is not afraid to speak truth to power.

And Stephen Colbert is able to explicitly and implicitly integrates concepts like charity, forgiveness, humility, and the importance of grappling with suffering into his public discourse. He often models these virtues, even in comedic contexts.

Most people agree that his satire, especially on the Colbert Report, attack on faith itself, but a critique of its misuse. His famous quote, "What is worthy of satire is the misuse of religion for destructive or political gains. That's totally different from the Word, the blood, the body and the Christ.
In other words, His kingdom is not of this earth," 

His onscreen character allows him to highlight the hypocrisies of those who wield religion for power, exclusion, or political opportunism. His faith gives him an insider's perspective, allowing him to satirize from a place of understanding rather than pure cynicism.

And he understands that humor can be used as a vehicle for truth. Laughter can disarm and open people to uncomfortable realities, making his critiques more effective.

His sincere philosophy of gratitude, is linked to his faith and his mother's example. This is a powerful, counter-cultural message: that even in suffering, there is something to be grateful for, and this gratitude points towards God. This doesn't mean welcoming suffering, but finding meaning and even growth within it.

Stephen Colbert is a comedian who even touches on the problem of evil and hell - framed in terms of the absence of God's love or the consequences of free will. This demonstrates a deep engagement with theological questions, not just a superficial adherence to dogma.



Stephen Colbert is a prominent example of a "thinking Catholic" or a "progressive Catholic" who demonstrates that deep faith can coexist with liberal political views and intellectual skepticism. He challenges the simplistic narratives that equate strong religious belief solely with conservative ideology.

And he is willing to engage with theological concepts on his show and in interviews, often with humor and intellectual rigor.

Colbert's public persona has helped to humanize and diversify the image of Catholics in contemporary culture. He bridges divides, showing that faith can be a source of intellectual inquiry, moral guidance, and even humor, rather than a rigid set of rules or an exclusionary ideology. His ability to discuss his faith openly and thoughtfully resonates with a wide audience, believers and non-believers alike.

Stephen Colbert's Catholic faith is not merely an aspect of his life, but its very backbone. It shapes his humor, his resilience, his worldview, and his unique ability to connect with people on a deeper, more meaningful level. It is the unseen anchor that grounds his extraordinary public life.

And despite any current setbacks, I have no doubt that a person as sincere and talented as Stephen Colbert will bounce back stronger than ever.

Stephen Colbert always seems to be able to bring out the best in his guests - and he has had many excellent individuals express their philosophies, but my personal favorite is Dr. Francis Collins, a brilliant man from Staunton Virginia - my original hometown.  And I hope by the end of this podcast, you will see why I believe he is one of the greatest men alive.

Born on April 14, 1950, Francis Sellers Collins was raised on a small farm in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. His father, Fletcher Collins Jr., was neurofibromatosis a drama professor at Mary Baldwin University - the same school I from which I graduated. His mother, Margaret, was a playwright, and their home was a vibrant center for music and theater, often hosting folk music figures. This upbringing in Staunton, with its blend of intellectual curiosity and artistic expression, clearly shaped the multifaceted individual he became. He was even homeschooled until age 10, then attended Robert E. Lee High School, graduating at 16. By the way, the cover art for this episode is of a structure I believe was designed by one of Francis’s Collins Staunton ancestors - a building that I used to call home.

Francis Collins initially pursued a passion for chemistry, earning a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia (1970) and a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Yale University (1974). However, a pivotal biochemistry course at Yale sparked his interest in molecular biology and the "blueprint for life": DNA. He then made a significant pivot, enrolling in medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning his M.D. in 1977. This dual background in physical science and medicine gave him a unique perspective for the groundbreaking work that would follow.

Before the Human Genome Project, Collins made a name for himself as a brilliant "gene hunter." At the University of Michigan, he developed a groundbreaking method called positional cloning. This technique allowed scientists to identify disease-causing genes without knowing in advance what the functional abnormality of the disease was.

Using positional cloning, his lab was instrumental in the discovery of the genes responsible for:

Cystic Fibrosis (1989): A major breakthrough.
Neurofibromatosis (1990)
Huntington's Disease (1993)
Type 1 Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia and Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (a rare form of premature aging).

Director of the Human Genome Project (1993-2008): In 1993, Collins was tapped to lead the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), one of the institutes within the NIH. In this role, he spearheaded the International Human Genome Project (HGP). This ambitious, multidisciplinary, and international endeavor aimed to map and sequence the entire human DNA instruction book – approximately 3 billion base pairs.

Against immense scientific and logistical challenges, and in a famous race with a private venture, Collins announced a "working draft" of the human genome in June 2000, and a completed, high-quality sequence in April 2003. This achievement truly ushered in the era of genomic medicine, transforming our understanding of biology, disease, and evolution. It laid the foundation for personalized medicine, gene therapies, and countless future scientific discoveries. It is indeed widely regarded as one of the most significant scientific undertakings in human history, and has been compared to Columbus’s discovery of America.

He was Director of NIH (2009-2021): In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Collins as the 16th Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world. He was asked to remain in this role by Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, making him the only presidentially appointed NIH Director to serve more than one administration. He oversaw a staggering breadth of biomedical research, from basic science to clinical trials.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Collins played an absolutely crucial role. He led the NIH's massive efforts to understand, treat, and prevent the virus, including the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) program. This program dramatically streamlined and accelerated the development and testing of vaccines and therapeutics, leading to the fastest vaccine development in history.

No "Cure" but Pivotal in Treatments: While he didn't personally "find the cure for Covid" (there isn't one single "cure" in the traditional sense, but rather effective treatments and prevention), he was instrumental in marshalling the scientific resources that led to the development of highly effective vaccines and a range of life-saving therapeutics that significantly reduced severe illness and death. His leadership was central to the scientific response that mitigated the pandemic's worst impacts.

He also became a prominent public voice in explaining the science of COVID-19, advocating for vaccines, and tirelessly working to combat the wave of misinformation and disinformation that surrounded the pandemic.

Dr. Collins stepped down as NIH Director in December 2021, and recently retired from his laboratory position at NIH in February 2025, after a remarkable 32-year career at the agency.

Beyond his scientific prowess, Dr. Collins is well-known for his strong Christian faith (specifically as an evangelical Christian) and his belief that science and religion can coexist and even complement each other. His bestselling book, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief, explores this deeply.

 Dr. Francis Collins is a towering figure in modern science, a Staunton native who led the unparalleled Human Genome Project, providing the foundational "instruction book" for human biology. He then helmed the world's largest biomedical research agency (NIH) through a global pandemic, accelerating the development of life-saving vaccines and treatments. Beyond his scientific acumen, his unique voice bridging science and faith has made him a beacon for thoughtful inquiry and public understanding. He truly is one of the greatest people alive.  And he also plays a mean banjo, in addition to the pump organ, guitar, cello, piano, mandolin, autoharp, and violin.

Join celebrate creativity for episode 405 - The Practical Newside of Genealogy.

Sources include: the language of God by Francis Collins, perplexity AI, and especially Gemini AI.

Thank you for listening to celebrate creativity.