Church History for Chumps

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...

The Second Crusade has begun. Louis VII and Conrad III, respective Kings of France and Germany, have gathered their troops and are prepared to walk in the footsteps of their crusading forefathers.  Their troops eagerly anticipated sharing the glory of the heroic first crusaders. The morale was sky high.  But things were not as they seemed. Both German and French armies faced tough losses right awa...

The year is 1144. The County of Edessa falls to the Seljuks.  The first major blow to the Crusader States takes place, and the Latin Franks have to decide their response.  Generations have passed since the successful first Crusade where Western Christendom accomplished one of the most stunning military victories in recorded history. It's time to see if lightning can strike twice.  Join John a...

Sometimes the doctrinal and cultural differences that exist within the Christian church can feel overwhelming. We want to live united within the Body of Christ, but we also want to honor truth and our own church tradition.  How can we do it? Is it even possible? Fear not, dear listener. Two podcasters are here to shine the light for you.  Join Tay and John as we share about our experiences in diff...

The rumblings of the Second Crusade have begun.  But before that, we have to set the stage with one of the most influential figures, not just in rallying troops to take up the cross, but in all of medieval Christianity: Bernie of Clairvaux.  Bernard was a man of many hats: monk, mystic, theologian, teacher, papal advisor, and even a reformer (but not the protestant kind).  To us, Bernie is a perfe...

Just War Theory seems to be a phrase that's thrown around a lot lately. But where does it come from? Who does it come from? And why is it still relevant today? For this episode, John and Taylor are going to dive into the deep cuts of none other than Augustine himself. We'll explore the oft-quote passages from the Contra Faustum where this idea originated that would shape hundreds of year...

You know, when Taylor and John meet with our Board of Trustees every third Tuesday, we usually ask the same question: Where was the whimsy in the last episode?  This week, we're pushing whimsy on all cylinders. We're here to share three (that's right, three!) stories of saints with one thing in common: they aren't humans. At least not in the traditional sense. We'll share...

Dyed eggs, pastel colors, and of course the Easter Bunny, a Claus-esque creature of the night that brings good tidings to pious children.  When you take a step back it really does feel a little strange when we consider the ways that we celebrate Easter these days. Do you ever wonder how we got here? Wonder no more, dear chump listener.  Join us as we explore the history of Easter, from the early d...

Many modern observers of trends in Western Christianity have rightly noted a move away from the 'low-church' worlds of typical non-denom and Baptist fare, in favor of a more Anglicanish, fancy-hat-wearing-vibe.  If you ask our guest host, Mr. Tyler Sanders, why that is, he's likely to say it's because Baptists don't get enough credit for the depth of history that they brin...

Deconstruction feels like a big 2017 idea. Talking about it today feels kinda dated.  But you know what? CH4C didn't exist in 2017. So here we are.  Deconstruction, popularized by folks like Joshua Harris or Rhett and Link, is a common term for taking certain religious views with a critical eye. It's a reasonably pretty controversial idea.  Some Christians view it as a helpful way to gro...

The "dark ages" really get a bad wrap, if you ask us.  The phrase tends to make you think of something from a Monty Python skit: a toothless peasants, constant famine, and a wildly corrupt and inept church.  And while every bit of fiction has some truth to it, there's one big problem to that narrative. Anselm was an absolute BALLER.  Listen as Thomas leads the lads through the story...

July 15th, 1099. The walls of Jerusalem are breached by the Crusaders, and finally the holy city has been conquered by the Franks. To some, a long and arduous road was finally coming to an end.  But for many more, things were just getting started.  Join us as we talk about the rise and not-quite-yet-fall of the Crusader States, sometimes known as Outremer, consisting of the counties of Tripoli and...

It's been several years since Pope Urban's call to arms in 1095. Many of the crusaders are worn out and exhausted. For years they have endured famine, starvation, and widespread loss of life. Yet, the Promised Land is on the horizon. Jerusalem awaits.  Join the gang as we dive into the great climax of the First Crusade, the arrival at the object of every Frank's eyes, the Holy City...

So far in our series on the First Crusade, we've discussed the failures in great detail. But what about the victories? Surely our Frankish friends had to taste some success, right? Right you are indeed. After cruising through the Battle of Nicaea, the Crusaders would earn a massive dub, after the grueling and painfully slow Siege of Antioch.  This story has it all: human catapults, inside age...

If there's a more loaded or controversial term in politics right now than 'Christian Nationalism,' well I'll be honest, I don't wanna hear about it. But it's an idea that's on the hearts and minds of Christians all over the nation.  So what's the deal with it? How can we define it? And how do the three of us (as all-powerful podcast hosts with limitless wisd...

The Crusades have officially begun, and let's be honest: the crusaders have let us down a little bit. The People's Crusade was a nightmare, and the pillaging of Jewish communities in Rhineland was also not great. Okay it was pretty awful. But what happens when an army of crusaders is led by a man with pious character, integrity, and (apparently) a head of flowing, golden locks? Well, we...