Church History for Chumps

Have you ever wondered why Protestants don't have a richer view of the sacraments (a fancy word for 'visible means of grace,' like baptism if you're a Protestant, or confession if you're a Catholic)? Or ever wondered why most Protestant churches tend to be so "dressed down" and casual, compared to high-church settings? Well then you're in good company.  Join...

At this point, people really should have learned to stop making up new ideas about Jesus' nature. But some people never learn.  This week, we end up with Eutychianism, an overcorrection of the heresy of Nestorianism. This one suggested, "What if Jesus' two natures were just kind of, like, blended together into one?"  We'll break down why that's problematic, but also h...

The Council of Nicea might be one of the most commonly misunderstood events in church history.  Everyone from TikTok influencers, Joe Rogan, and that one guy who wrote the Da Vinci Code, have different opinions on what went down on that fateful day in 325 AD.  So hey, let's uh, break up some myths! Also, our wonderfully fun guest Ben Lansing (of Our Church Speaks) will be joining in as well....

Through our Hefty Heresies series, we've kind of done a "series within a series" as we cover the four major Christological heresies of the early church (following Arianism and Docetism).  This week we're covering Nestorianism (kind of a part 3 for our series within a series), which was borne from a dude who thought that Docetism was just the worst.  Also: in the first minute or...

Not often do you have the privilege of interviewing a relative of one of the figures you talk about. But today is a special day.  Today John and Tommy are joined by long time-friend (and Tucson LEGEND) Tom Askew, who shares the story of his great x 17 grandmother, Anne Askew.   This was a fun episode to record, and Tom was a delightful guest. Give it a listen and let us know what you think.  @chur...

The worst persecution against Christians that the world has ever known has just ended. Christian leaders bear scars of torture and violence all across their bodies. The priests and bishops who kept the faith despite the brutality of the Romans now look forward to a brighter future.  But here's a question...what do you do with the Christians who sold out? The ones who traded in the Scriptures...

This week, the guys are joined by Michael, the man and mind behind Creative Orthodox, an online page that explores the virtue and beauty of the ancient Orthodox faith.  In addition to geeking out about Abba Arsenius and the rest of the Desert Fathers (you know how we do), he also shares a big part of his  story and how the stories of the saints and Fathers have kept the flame of his faith ignited....

Docetism (or Apollinarianism for people who like syllables) is basically the evil little brother of Arianism.  While Arianism said that Jesus wasn't cool enough to be God, Docetism said that Jesus was too cool to be a human. It was an idea born in the shadow of Arianism's larger threat, but still created a troubling take on Jesus that the early church needed to sort out.  Also, at around...

For our WW2 homies: This isn't the Aryanism (with the blue eyes and blonde hair stuff) that Hitler was a big fan of. This was, rather, one of the most vicious heresies that Satan ever hurled at the 4th century church: the view that Jesus was not God.  But let us be clear: All Arianisms suck. They suck hard.  We're psyched to be back for Season 2! And we're psyched that you're h...

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BACK LIKE WE NEVER LEFT.  For just a little bit, though.  While we continue getting our ducks in a row for the official launch of Season 2, we just couldn't help but drop a little teaser in honor of All Saints' Day.  Be blessed, friends. We'll see ya real soon.  Support the show

Do you ever wish you could step into a time machine and see what some of the earliest Christians were doing? Well, say no more. Kinda. The Didache is one of the oldest Christian documents, with some scholars arguing its circulation even before some of the Gospels were written.  Join us as we chat about this cool little Christian guidebook, its discovery, and some of its contents. Note: THANK YOU A...

In our day, technological breakthroughs seem to happen every two or three weeks.  Things were a little different in the 15th Century.  Enter the man known as Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg (what a name!).  He would introduce one of the most groundbreaking, culture shifting, Reformation igniting devices the world had yet seen: the printing press.  Crazy stuff, man.  IG: @churchhistory...

From the age of 13, young Simeon knew that he was destined for greater things.  Or at the very least...much higher things.  Join Thomas and John as we talk about Simeon Stylites, a 5th century monk who began an interesting monastic practice: committing your life to living in isolation at the top of a pillar.  It's uncanny to say the least, but it sure gives us a lot to talk about.  @churchhis...

This week, Thomas and John kick their feet up a little bit for a lil' Q&A episode. Big thanks to all of our IG followers who contributed! Ever wondered which figures from church history our beloved hosts would love to grab a drink with? Or maybe their favorite crowd pleasing recipe? Tune in for answers to these and more.  And as always, make sure you follow us on IG (@churchhistory4chumps...

More than a century before the English Reformation kicked off, there was already something cooking across the pond.  And it wasn't blood sausage.  In this episode, John and Thomas talk about the so-called Morning Star of the Reformation, John Wycliffe.  Support the show

Francis of Assisi had it made in the shade to be a handsome, wealthy Italian noble. But boy did Lord have other plans.  John and Thomas talk about our new favorite wolf-talking, poverty-living, Gospel-preaching son of a gun.  Support the show

Nope, don't worry, we didn't accidentally sneeze on the keyboard when we typed this episode's title.  Wilgefortis was a popular folk saint during the Middle Ages, and her story is...well...just hit play. It'll make sense real soon.  Support the show

Okay, hear us out...is it possible that the Prosperity Gospel formed as a teaching as a trauma response to the Great Depression? Seriously, I'm still not sure.  Anyways. This week we'll talk about one of the most polarizing faith healing evangelists of the 20th century: A.A. Allen. We'll talk about his legacy and the strange amount of controversy around it.  Support the show

Lawrence (not Brother Lawrence, but he was dope too) was one of the seven deacons in the city of Rome in the 3rd Century.  While he was one of many martyrs under the reign of Emperor Valerian, his story is one for the ages.  In this episode, John and Tom chat about the role of deacons in the church, awesome pre-martyrdom punchlines, and why patron saints are kind of cool.  Support the show

If the name is any indication, the Black Death was probably NOT a good time.  In the shadow of a sweeping disease that killed half of Europe's population, a young English woman committed to a simple life of prayer and isolation as an anchoress.  In her small and prison-like cell, this woman would experience remarkable visions from God. Her name is unknown, but history would later deem her Jul...

For this special episode, John and Tom sit down with Ben Lansing, the artist and creator behind the page @ourchurchspeaks.  Ben is a talented artist who has used his skills to highlight prominent church figures from across the centuries on his IG page.  During this conversation, Ben shares his wild and fascinating theological journey, and how his deep appreciation for church history became formati...

No matter how many times you hear the haunting accounts of the slave ships traveling across oceans, in conditions that would be inexcusable for cattle, let alone humans, it always puts a pit in your stomach. This was the reality for much of the Western world in the mid-18th century. But slowly and steadily, the Spirit of God was awakening a conviction among His people to foster a change that would...

February 1692. Salem Massachusetts.  Two young girls, feeling unwell, begin to go into "fits." This consists of screaming, vomiting, contorting their bodies, and making strange noises.  This began one of the most well known religious controversies in American history.  #spookyhours  Support the show

John, Thomas, and the esteemed Dr. Melle are BACK. And they're all out of bubble gum.  The good doctor leads the guys through yet another captivating conversation on the Celts. The guys discuss the missional posture of the Celtic monks, how we as Westerners can adopt a more Celtic lens of the world, and Brad's favorite Irenaeus quote.  Support the show