Church History for Chumps

It's the 5th century, and the slightly complicated relationship between the Christian church and the Roman Empire is in full swing.  A dusty missionary named Patrick arrives at the coast of Ireland. He finds a unique, nature-centered culture with a rich relationship with the spiritual realm.  The table is set for the birth of Celtic Christianity. John and Thomas are joined by Dr. Brad Melle o...

Takashi Nagai was the biblical Job of the 20th century.  A Japanese radiologist and convert to the Catholic faith, he lost everything when his home, and the home of thousands of other believers, became an atomic wasteland at the conclusion of the Second World War.  Like Job, his story would become a monument to faith and perseverance in the face of tremendous suffering and carnage. In the midst of...

The year is 70 AD.  Christianity has existed for less than 40 years.  Unrest is growing in Jerusalem between factions of militant Jewish citizens and their Roman captors.  A siege is about to break out that will alter the history of Christianity and Judaism forever.  Thomas and John are joined by Pastor Joshua Palmer to chop it up.  Support the show

Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish priest who, while imprisoned at a concentration camp, volunteered to die in the place of another man.  But his legacy doesn't end there. His life was marked by deep devotion to his faith, service to the needy, and a sacrificial love that lasted until he died.  He also REALLY vibed with the Virgin Mary, which can make talking about him a little awkward for us as P...

Polycarp (not a Pokémon) was a beloved and well respected church leader in the 2nd century.  After facing tensions from the oppressive Roman Empire, this 86-year old legend refused to deny his faith in Jesus and was burnt at the stake as a result.  In this episode, John and Tommy explore the life of Polycarp, the supernatural occurrences around his death, and the response of the Christian communit...

Around 270 AD, years before anyone ever contemplated “van life,” a dude named Anthony had a similar idea: “What if I got rid of all my stuff, left this terrible city, and wandered around in the desert until God spoke to me?” What followed was an explosion of communities of men and women that would commit themselves to simple lives of work, prayer, and solitude. And, of course, living in the desert...

I'm sure you have a lot of questions. What is church history? Am *I* a chump if I'm listening to this? Why didn't Thomas join John for this trailer? This trailer will answer all of that and more.  Support the show