Historical Jesus

The Feast of the Passion (or Beheading) of Saint John the Baptist is commemorated annually on August 29. It marks the martyrdom and death of John the Baptist, unlike his other major feast on June 24, which celebrates his birth. The word "passion" comes from the Latin word passio, which means "suffering" or "enduring." Christians believe John the Baptist's death mirrors Christ's ultimate sacri...

Widely revered across the spectrum of Western Christianity—including by Catholics, Protestants, and Anglicans—Saint Augustine (354-430) is one of the most influential Church Fathers and theologians. Enjoy this ENCORE Presentation! 5 Minutes in Church History podcast at https://amzn.to/3BoedCq Saint Augustine books available at https://amzn.to/3ZpyqQT Saint Monica books at https://amzn....

August 26 is the annual Feast Day of Saint Monica (332-87), Augustine of Hippo’s mother, and an early North African Christian saint best known for her unwavering faith and the 17 years she spent praying for the conversion of her son, Saint Augustine (354-430), who is one of the most influential Church Fathers and theologians. Saint Augustine books available at https://amzn.to/3ZpyqQT Saint M...

Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) gives us one of the first historical treatments of the life of Jesus in his pioneering book (1906) that reviews all prior work on the question of the "historical Jesus" and points out how Jesus of Nazareth's image has changed with the times—while offering his own synopsis and interpretation in this seminal work of biblical criticism. Quest of the Historical Jesu...

The Woman Caught in Adultery (adulterae) is a New Testament passage (pericope) that relates a message of mercy and forgiveness balanced with a call to holy living have endured in Christian thought. Both "let him who is without sin cast the first stone" and "go, and sin no more" have found their way into common usage. The English idiomatic phrase to "cast the first stone" is derived from this passa...

Celebrated annually on August 24 by the Catholic Church, the Church of England, and other Western Christian traditions to honor Bartholomew the Apostle. Often identified as Nathanael from the Gospel of John, an early follower introduced to Jesus by Philip. He Preached the Gospel in regions including India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Armenia. Tradition holds he was martyred in Armenia by being flayed...

We continue the Gospel of Mark's fast-moving account of the fascinating life of Jesus of Nazareth. Gospel of Mark available at https://amzn.to/3X3m9Ba Historical Jesus books available at https://amzn.to/43rnYbq                                &nb...

The Book of ACTS continues the story of Christianity and is the fifth book of the New Testament. It recounts the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its message across the Roman Empire. Breathe Bible Audio CD available at https://amzn.to/3CPRa4x The Acts of the Apostles book available at https://amzn.to/3M6sTId Historical Jesus books available at https://amzn.to/43rnYbq   ...

STORY of AMERICA 🇺🇸 Ferdinand Magellan's 1519-22 expedition was the first known circumnavigation of the Earth. The Portuguese explorer’s epic voyage opened trade routes connecting much of the world, including America. Enjoy this HISTORICAL JESUS Extra. Check out the YouTube version of this episode at https://youtu.be/SZKSM8ZVxQ4  which has accompanying visuals including maps, charts, ti...

STORY of AMERICA 🇺🇸 Warriors of the Powhatan paramount chiefdom of Tsenacommacah launched a deadly military offensive against English settlers in Virginia on March 22, 1622. English retaliation resulted in a tragic, decade-long conflict that led to destruction and suffering and redefined Powhatan-English relations in the colony. Check out the YouTube version of this episode at...

Celebrated annually on August 22, the eighth day (the octave) after the Solemnity of the Assumption (August 15), the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an official liturgical feast day linking Mary's bodily assumption into heaven with her coronation as queen. Established in 1954 by Pope Pius XII, the day honors Mary as the Mother of Jesus, designated by Christians as the King of Kings, and re...

Let’s conclude exploring the rich meaning and transcendent comfort of the world’s best known and most loved poem, Psalm 23. The Lord Is My Shepherd by Robert J. Morgan available at https://amzn.to/4zmmQXp Oasis Worship music available at https://amzn.to/3SBdGpu Music by Stuart Townend available at https://amzn.to/4hCpxxI ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when j...

Let’s continue exploring the rich meaning and transcendent comfort of the world’s best known and most loved poem, Psalm 23. The Lord Is My Shepherd by Robert J. Morgan available at https://amzn.to/4zmmQXp Music by Sounds Like Reign available at https://amzn.to/4gyzew2 Music by Stuart Townend available at https://amzn.to/4hCpxxI ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials...

Let’s explore the rich meaning and transcendent comfort of the world’s best known and most loved poem, Psalm 23.  The Lord Is My Shepherd by Robert J. Morgan available at https://amzn.to/4zmmQXp Music by Stuart Townend available at https://amzn.to/4hCpxxI ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet...

Jesus and the Woman taken in Adultery is a story found in the Gospel of John. There is, however, a broad academic consensus that the passage is a later interpolation added after the earliest known manuscripts of the Gospel of John. Nevertheless, many scholars conclude that the story does record an actual event in the life of Jesus and believe it was a well-known story circulating in the oral tradi...

The Gospels of Mark (5:21–43) and Luke (8:40–56) present the story of Jairus and his 12-year-old daughter whom Jesus raised from the dead. Some biblical scholars interpret this event as Jesus seeing death as a falling asleep, informing Christians how their transition from one world to the next is seen from God’s perspective. God sees death as a Dormition in anticipation of the gr...

Chapter 12 from the Book of Revelation describes a "woman clothed with the sun" who gives birth to a male child, which some Christian interpreters view as a symbolic representation of Mary crowned in heavenly glory, thereby providing biblical foundation and support for the Assumption of Mary. Chapter-A-Day Audio Bible available at https://amzn.to/4i2XdlE   John Stange books available at https...

STORY of AMERICA 🇺🇸 VJ Day marks the day the Empire of Japan surrendered in 1945, which ended World War II (1939-45). August 14-15, 1945: Japan announced its intent to surrender, and Emperor Hirohito's surrender speech was broadcast, leading to massive celebrations in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and other Allied nations. September 2, 1945: The formal signing of the surrender documents took pla...

August 15 is the annual Feast of the Bodily Assumption of Mary (aka Solemnity of the Assumption / The Dormition of the Theotokos). It commemorates the "falling asleep" (death), resurrection, and bodily assumption into heaven of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. The day thus honors Mary entering heaven. Christian denominations that celebrate the Feast include Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Or...

Let’s conclude the fascinating saga of Catholic sailor Jacques Cartier’s voyages to what would soon be Christian New France. The Kingdom of Saguenay was a fanciful, mythical country rich in gold and diamonds supposedly located, according to the Natives, inland of present-day Quebec City. Cartier tried in vain to reach this realm on several occasions. From 1541 to 43 France attempted to...

Christian voyager Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) led his third and last expedition to the St.-Lawrence river valley in 1541. A new headquarters was established a few miles upstream from the Amerindian village of Stadacona, near the present site of Quebec City. This time Cartier was to be followed by Jean Francois de la Rocque, sieur de Roberval, with a party of colonists. After a wait which lasted th...

16th century Christian adventurer Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) and his followers passed a bitter winter with the help of Iroquoian Chief Donnacona at Stadacona. Many of his party died from cold and scurvy before he could set sail for France the following spring in 1536 after erecting a cross near the river, praying for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and offering baptism to the local i...

Religious zeal motivated the rulers of European nations to explore and create colonies in North America and to convert the native peoples and sanctify Christian global dominance in the name of Jesus. Catholic navigator Jacques Cartier sailed the Saint Lawrence River (which he named) encountering Lake St-Peter and Nun’s Island. Along the way he visited the future ‘steeples & spires&...

European nations explored and created colonies in North America, motivated by God, Gold, and Glory. Particularly in the strongly Catholic nations of Spain, Portugal and France, religious zeal motivated the rulers to convert the native peoples and sanctify Christian global dominance in the name of Jesus. Check out the YouTube version of this episode at https://youtu.be/TnSJy8BKjp4 which has accompa...

The first European explorer known to have sailed up the St. Lawrence River itself was Jacques Cartier. At that time, the land along the river was inhabited by the St. Lawrence Iroquoians. Because Cartier arrived in the estuary on Saint Lawrence's feast day of August 10th, 1535, he named it the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River. Check out the YouTube version of this episode at ...