Church History for Chumps

'Evangelicals' is one of those terms that the news loves yet doesn't seem to understand.  It's a strange word in Christian circles. It doesn't connect neatly to one tradition or denomination. It's often lumped in with voting blocs, and usually it's a bad word. Or a really, really good word. Depending on who you're talking to.  So let's get down to the b...

The 12th century was kind of a strange time. While knights and tough guys all across Europe were fighting crusades, everyday people seemed to be starting their own movements.  Most of them were heretical.  In the fog of heresy however a new group arose. Led by a lay preacher with a penchant for poverty and a love for the lingua franca, Peter Waldo launched the Waldensians. These proto-reformers wo...

Ever since the Venetians got involved, we knew the crusaders were in trouble. (Apologies to any listeners from Venice)  Led by the grizzled military veteran Doge Dandalo, the crusaders were forcibly detoured by the exploits of the Venetians in order to repay their massive debt. Eventually, they found their way outside the walls of the gem of the Eastern Roman Empire. What would follow would be one...

Pope Innocent III wasn't out to have history repeat itself. He was determined for his crusade to be a spiritual endeavor backed by pious Christians as they retook the Holy Land from the Ayyubids.  Unfortunately, the Fourth Crusade ran into its fair share of issues before it even started. Political rivalries, financial issues, and changing spiritual values all severely impacted recruitment for...

The Third Crusade was over. Saladin and Richard the Lionheart had perished. The Crusader States sat with a reinforced coastline but without its prize jewel: the city of Jerusalem itself. The year is 1198. A new figurehead ascends to leadership. Innocent III, at only 37 years of age, ascends to his papal throne with an eye toward the Holy City. Within months of his election he has already prepared...

American Christianity has a knack for being...interesting.  The 19th Century spawned a number of new denominations, each with their own different takes on the classical traditions that their fathers and grandfathers immigrated to America with.  The 20th Century though, that's a whole new story.  One of the more eclectic traditions to surface during this period came from an early rift between...

There are few passages of Scripture more influential than the Great Commission. The words of Jesus to His followers, calling them to go out into the world and make disciples, have rung out for two thousand years. And the Church's answer to that call has often been as diverse as the Christians responding to it. In some periods, Christians were committed to a grassroots method of simple living,...

Irenaeus of Lyon was easily one of the most influential early church theologians of this time. At the very least he definitely had the most vowels in his name. Just a quick glimpse at his rap sheet: he was (sorta) discipled by Polycarp. He endured a wave of Roman persecution. He fought tooth and nail against the Gnostics. AND he wrote the most enduring, detailed defense against a wide range of ear...

Was the early church truly pacifist? Oof, that's a tough question to answer. And to be honest, we're not quite sure there is a neat and simple answer for that question.  But if you want to hear enough church father quotes to make your head spin, then THIS is the episode for you.  And remember, you don't have to be a pacifist so make sure you SMASH that Follow button! Or Subscribe bu...

The late 17th century was a wild time for Christianity in England.  While the Catholics and Anglicans fought to be the top dog of the land of beans and toast, Baptists quietly went about changing stuff with no one's permission.  Benjamin Keach was such a Baptist as these. Torn between the worlds of Particular and General Baptists, Keach was an innovator of catechism and liturgy.  But perhaps...

The siege of Acre was a grueling yet spectacular success for the Crusader armies. With the coastline cleared and easy access to supplies secured, the greatest task was before them: to siege the city of Jerusalem and retake the True Cross. In the Islamic camps, fear and paranoia were spreading through the ranks as Saladin's health continues to ravage him, and murmurs of betrayal are were frequ...

The Siege of Acre has been a punishing ordeal for both Muslim and Christian armies. Each time the Crusaders believe they're inching towards victory, Saladin pulls yet another trick out of his seemingly endless hat.  But today we will see the riveting conclusion of the grandest siege of the Crusade era, and perhaps of all medieval history.  Also, did someone say Discord? Yeah we have a Discord...

Finally, the question that everyone (usually our wives and loved ones) constantly asks us. "Why bother studying church history?"  "Isn't it all so boring?" "Isn't it just a bunch of dead guys?" So after putting on a brave face and pretending these questions didn't hurt our feelings, Taylor and John have decided to put this discussion to bed once and for...

Frederick I was no ordinary crusader.  As a young man, he'd participated in the disastrous Second Crusade. Now in his sixties, Frederick was adamant to not follow in the footsteps of those who attempted to liberate the Holy Land before him. Discipline, organization, and preparation were pivotal to how his massive army would be run.  And yet the German crusade through Asia Minor would end in s...

The disgraced King of Jerusalem, Guy of Lusignan, had lost everything.  His kingdom, his freedom, his integrity.  When Saladin, Sultan of the Islamic world, agreed to free him from captivity, he was forced to swear no retaliation upon release. Guy agreed. But he would not keep that vow. In no time, Guy gathered a small army of willing Crusaders to attempt an impossible mission.  To retake the Holy...

The fall of Jerusalem in 1187 sent shockwaves all throughout the Christian world.  The holy city had been a prize proudly held by the Crusaders since 1099, and now it was held firmly in the grasp of their enemies.  However, a new storm was brewing in Europe. Widespread propaganda, recruitment campaigns, even a newly instituted "Saladin Tithe" to pay the way to the Levant.  The Third Crus...

In the 12th Century, Saladin is steadily gathering the infinity stones of Islamic territories.  Mosul, Aleppo, Damascus. The threat of a united Islamic front appears plausible, and this is a terrifying reality for the Crusader States. Because they know that their foes have their eyes fixed on Jerusalem.  And in 1187, the city that had been a Christian stronghold for nearly a century, falls to the...

It's pretty fascinating to look at the idea of 'church membership' through a historical lens.  It's fair to assume that the early church probably wasn't having people fill out visitor cards or handing out coffee mugs with the church logo on it.  So that leaves us in a tricky position: what does it look like to truly 'belong' to a church in this day and age? And w...

The Second Crusade was, for all intents and purposes, filler content. Not much land traded hands, the Franks kind of embarrassed themselves, not many crazy battles. Boring, am I right? The Third Crusade though? That's where things get poppin. In the decades between the two holy skirmishes, the Islamic world finds itself in a state of renewal under a newly unifying Kurdish Dynasty. Soon, the e...

This one goes out to all our pals in California. And anyone who really likes gold. The early half of the 19th century was a massive time of western expansion in the United States. One of the most fascinating movements among this era was the explosive migration of young men flooding into California, hoping to make it rich off of gold. But what was the church doing during this time? Well, sending mi...

Who wants to go on a trip?! Our journey through the Crusades have brought up an interesting topic: what's the deal with Christians traveling far and wide to visit so-called holy sites?  Well join us today as we dig deeper into the historical idea of going on pilgrimage within different eras of the faith, and what it means for us today. And why maybe, just maybe, you should talk to your pastor...

Let's take it back old school for a minute.  In the 4th century, the church was moving a little differently. In the east, Greek was still the common language, and they were loving the easy access to the earliest biblical texts.  The Latin speakers had a problem though: there were few Latin translations of the Bible, and the ones that existed were pretty lousy.  Enter Jerome. The hot-headed, e...

Did you know that jet fuel can melt steel beams? Or wait, it can't.  I'm not sure anymore.  People love conspiracy theories though. There's something very punk rock and anti-establishment about deciding that we don't accept the facts that we're being given. But when does going down a quick YouTube rabbit hole for fun turn into something that may not be great for our hearts...

Who doesn't love a little Indiana Jones reference, right? It seems like the Western Christian world has been fascinated for ages with the mystical (and possibly magical) qualities of such objects like the Shroud of Turin or the Holy Lance. But what does the historical church have to say about these objects? And do they honestly hold up to scrutiny? The simple answer is...no? But also, maybe?...

"So great was the disaster of the army and so inexpressible the misery that those who took part bemoan it with tears to this very day." The Second Crusade failed to capture lightning in a bottle a second time. What was proposed as a rousing show of support to Christian brothers ended with dissent, accusations, and rumors of betrayal.  It's a bad time.  Thanks for joining us as we wr...