FACTS

Who wrote the Book of Hebrews? Few books in the New Testament have generated more discussion than Hebrews. Unlike Paul’s letters, the author never identifies himself, leaving Christians for centuries to debate its origin. In this episode, we examine the earliest historical testimony from the Church, the internal evidence of the letter itself, and the leading candidates—including Paul, Luke, Clemen...

For centuries, critics have claimed that the Catholic Church either supported slavery or remained silent in the face of it. But what does the historical evidence actually say? In this episode, we examine Sicut Dudum, the 1435 papal bull of Pope Eugene IV, issued nearly sixty years before Columbus reached the Americas. In response to the enslavement of the inhabitants of the Canary Islands, Eugene...

Why does Scripture call Jesus the Lamb of God? Was it merely a metaphor, or is it the key that unlocks the entire story of redemption? In this episode, we trace the biblical theology of the Lamb from Genesis to Revelation. Beginning with the first sacrifices after the Fall, we follow the thread through Abel, Noah, Abraham, the Passover, the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the prophets, showing that bi...

The Southern Baptist Convention recently voted to move forward with a constitutional amendment formally prohibiting women from serving as pastors. In this episode, I examine the SBC’s decision, the reaction it sparked, and why I believe they arrived at the correct conclusion—but for the wrong reasons. Using the SBC article and Pope St. John Paul II’s  Ordinatio Sacerdotalis  as a point of comparis...

In this episode of FACTS, we step into the fourth century and examine one of the most important witnesses to early Christian baptism: St. Ambrose of Milan. Drawing directly from Chapters 2–4 of On the Mysteries, Ambrose takes us inside the baptismal rites of the ancient Church and explains what newly baptized Christians experienced as they entered the waters of regeneration. Far from viewing bapti...

Paul’s doctrine of the Church was never built on modern religious individualism. In this episode, we examine how many Protestants misunderstand Paul’s ecclesiology by reducing the Church to a voluntary gathering of believers rather than the visible, apostolic, and sacramental Body of Christ. Drawing from key Pauline texts such as 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 1–2, and 1 Timothy 3:15, we explore Paul...

Join us for a fascinating discussion with Dr. Tavo San Abri as we explore one of the biggest questions in theology, philosophy, and history: Which religion has the best historical case? In this episode, we walk through Tavo’s Comparative Theological Framework (CTF), a massive evidential approach that compares major world religions across categories such as attestation lags, witness density, archae...

We are launching a brand new series on how Protestants misunderstand Paul. In this first episode, we cover Romans 1–3 and one of the most misunderstood phrases in Pauline theology: “works of the law.” Many modern Christians read Paul as though he were condemning all forms of obedience, good works, or cooperation with grace, but is that actually what Paul meant in his first-century Jewish context?...

Tonight on the FACTS Podcast, Dr. Stephen Boyce sits down with author and podcast host Hannah Crews for a conversation on faith, history, conversion, and what it means to begin “learning to swim the Tiber.” From wrestling with Protestant assumptions to discovering the depth of the early Church, this discussion dives into the personal and theological questions that often reshape a person’s understa...

Did Ignatius of Antioch believe there was a bishop in Rome? One of the most common arguments against early Roman primacy is that Ignatius never explicitly mentions a bishop in his Letter to the Romans while repeatedly emphasizing bishops everywhere else. But is the argument really that simple? In this episode, Stephen Boyce examines the historical context surrounding Ignatius’ journey to Rome unde...

What is the Rosary—and where did it actually come from? In this episode of FACTS, Stephen Boyce and Pat May break down the real history behind one of the most misunderstood devotions in Christianity. Was the Rosary invented in the Middle Ages? Did Saint Dominic really receive it in a vision? And how do the The Gospel According to Luke, early monastic prayer, and centuries of Christian tradition al...

Did John Calvin faithfully follow Augustine of Hippo, or did he selectively use him for Reformation purposes? In this episode of FACTS, we examine the real historical relationship between Calvin and Augustine on grace, justification, the Church, apostolic succession, the Eucharist, prayer for the dead, and purgatory. Many claim Augustine was basically Protestant before the Reformation. But is that...

In this episode of the FACTS Podcast, Stephen Boyce and Pat May take a deep dive into a powerful 1551 letter from John Calvin—and uncover a major tension at the heart of the Reformation narrative. Calvin argues that the Church needed “reformation,” pointing to widespread practices like prayers for the dead and the intercession of saints as corruptions. But there’s a problem…He also admits those sa...

The Vatican’s 2026 document on Anglican patrimony reveals how elements of the Anglican tradition are now fully lived within the Catholic Church through the Ordinariate. In this episode, Stephen and Pat explore the history of Christianity in England—from the mission of Gregory the Great and the See of Canterbury, through the Reformation, to the modern restoration of Anglican patrimony under Anglica...

From the Upper Room to the Empty Tomb, Holy Week reveals the full story of redemption. In this episode, we walk through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday—unpacking the institution of the Eucharist, the sacrifice of the Cross, the silence of the tomb, and the victory of the Resurrection. This is not just history—it is the Gospel in motion. If you'd like to don...

What if the Old Testament you grew up reading isn’t as fixed as you think? In this episode, we dive into the real evidence behind the Septuagint (LXX), the Masoretic Text (MT), and the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS)—and what they reveal about the state of Scripture in the first century. From Goliath’s height to the missing verses of Esther, from Genesis chronologies to Stephen’s speech in Acts of the Apos...

Most people assume that the Jewish canon of Scripture was already fixed and universally agreed upon in the time of Jesus—but the historical evidence tells a very different story. In this episode of FACTS, Stephen Boyce and Pat May take a deep dive into the world of Second Temple Judaism to examine what different Jewish groups actually believed about Scripture. From the Pharisees and Sadducees to t...

Joined by Steven Alspach from The Catholic Brothers, we break down the historical context behind iconography and examine where Gavin Ortlund and other Protestant critiques miss the mark. From the early Church to the development of Christian art, we take a closer look at the evidence and challenge some of the most common assumptions surrounding icons. If you'd like to donate to our ministry or...

In this episode, Dr. Stephen Boyce explores the origin and historical development of the Septuagint (LXX), the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. We examine the ancient traditions surrounding its creation under Ptolemy II Philadelphus, including the well-known account preserved in the Letter of Aristeas and later repeated by Philo of Alexandria and Flavius Josephus. We also discu...

In this episode of  FACTS , Stephen Boyce and Pat May explore the life and controversy surrounding Marcion of Sinope—one of the most influential and dangerous figures in the history of early Christianity. Arriving in Rome in the mid–second century, Marcion brought with him wealth, influence, and a radical theological proposal. He argued that the God of the Old Testament was not the same God reveal...

Were the resurrection accounts contradictory, or are we reading them with the wrong expectations? In this episode, we take a careful look at the resurrection narratives in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Rather than forcing harmonization or dismissing differences as errors, we examine how ancient historians wrote, how eyewitness testimony was preserved, and how narrative compression, selective nami...

In this episode of FACTS, Dr. Stephen Boyce explores one of the most beautiful and overlooked writings of the early Church — the  Epistle to Diognetus . Written in the second century, this anonymous apology offers a stunning portrait of early Christian identity before Constantine, before the great councils, and before Christianity held cultural influence. What did Christians actually believe about...

Is Ash Wednesday apostolic? Medieval? Biblical? Or something in between? In this special Ash Wednesday episode of FACTS, Dr. Stephen Boyce examines the historical development of the imposition of ashes, tracing its roots from the biblical symbolism of dust and repentance to the public penitential practices of the early Church, and finally to its formal codification in the medieval West. Were ashes...

Stephen Boyce and Pat May examine Against Heresies Book III, chapters 3–4 from Irenaeus of Lyons to explore a bold claim: that the early Church could have sustained itself in faith and practice even if the apostles had never left written texts. According to Irenaeus, the apostolic tradition was deposited in the successors of the apostles and preserved publicly in the churches. So much so that even...

In this co-recorded discussion with Susan Sonna, we take a careful, historically grounded look at Origen of Alexandria, cutting through centuries of caricature and polemics to ask a more basic question: Who was Origen actually, and how should the Church understand his legacy? Rather than treating Origen as either a misunderstood saint or a condemned heretic, this conversation focuses on primary so...