FACTS

I joined  John DeRosa  on  Classical Theism  to discuss the reliability and authorship of the  Pastoral Epistles — 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus —and why the traditional view that  St. Paul  wrote them remains historically strong. In this conversation we walk through: How I got into  New Testament textual criticism  and early  patristic sources What the “Pastorals” are and why scholars group the...

Was England’s break with Rome really about religious freedom—or about power and authority? In this controversial episode, Pat and Stephen uncover what actually happened between the English monarchy and the papacy during the Reformation. Drawing on the scholarship of  Eamon Duffy , we challenge the familiar narrative of  “Bloody” Mary I  and  tolerant Elizabeth I , showing instead that Catholic fai...

Why did  2 Peter  face more resistance than nearly any other New Testament book—and how did it ultimately secure its place in the Christian canon? In this episode, Dr. Stephen Boyce traces  the long and contested journey of 2 Peter , one of the most debated epistles in early Christianity. From early doubts about authorship and style, to its uneven reception in the East and West, we examine why thi...

Why was King Henry VIII excommunicated, and was it really just about divorce? In this episode of FACTS, we examine the full historical record behind Henry VIII’s break with Rome—from his marriages and annulment request to the final papal sentence issued by Pope Paul III. This episode covers: • Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon and the papal dispensation • Why Pope Clement VII never gran...

In this episode, we examine the decisive clash between  Martin Luther  and  Pope Leo X , focusing on the documents and events that turned reform into rupture. We walk through  Exsurge Domine  ( Arise, O Lord ) and  Decet Romanum Pontificem ( It Becomes the Roman Pontiff ), explaining what Rome actually condemned, why Luther refused to recant, and how authority, obedience, and doctrine became the c...

In this episode, Dr. Stephen Boyce and PhD candidate, James Gilbert, examine Gavin Ortlund’s claims that infant baptism and icon veneration are later accretions rather than apostolic practices. As a Catholic and Orthodox team, we walk through Scripture, the early Church Fathers, archaeology, and conciliar history to show that these traditions are rooted deeply in the first centuries of Christianit...

In this episode, Dr. Stephen Boyce explores the remarkable story of Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII — from alliance to captivity, and finally to forgiveness at death. After imprisoning the pontiff and waging political war against the Papal States, Napoleon spent his final years exiled on St. Helena. Yet in one of history’s most unexpected turns, the same Pope he once humiliated would later re...

In this  final episode  of our series on the  Seven Ecumenical Councils ,  Stephen Boyce  and  Pat May  examine the  Second Council of Nicaea (787)  — the council that defended the veneration of icons and grounded sacred images in the  Incarnation of Christ . We walk through the historical background of Byzantine iconoclasm, the political and theological tensions leading up to the council, and Nic...

What is Monothelitism, and why did the Sixth Ecumenical Council condemn it as heresy? In this episode of FACTS, Stephen Boyce examines the Third Council of Constantinople (680–681) and its decisive rejection of Monothelitism—the teaching that Jesus Christ has only one will. He will explain why the Church affirmed that Christ possesses two wills, divine and human, and why this doctrine is essential...

Kirk Cameron’s recent comments on hell have reignited a long-standing debate within Christianity: Is hell eternal conscious torment, annihilation, or something else entirely? In this episode of FACTS, Stephen Boyce moves beyond modern soundbites and return to the early Church Fathers to examine what the earliest Christians actually taught about judgment, punishment, and the fate of the wicked. We...

In this episode, Stephen Boyce and Pat May examine the Second Council of Constantinople (553), the Fifth Ecumenical Council, convened under Emperor Justinian I during the Three Chapters Controversy. We explain the condemnation of Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrrhus, and the Letter of Ibas, the reaffirmation of Chalcedonian Christology, and the council’s defense of Mary as Theotokos and he...

Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew just took a step no one expected: reciting the Nicene Creed together without the Filioque. This moment shocked Catholics, Orthodox, and observers around the world. In this episode of FACTS with Stephen Boyce and Pat May, we break down why this gesture matters, what it signals about the future of East–West relations, and whether real reunification i...

In this episode of FACTS, Stephen Boyce and Pat May take a deep dive into one of the most complicated conversations happening in the Church today: the relationship between antisemitism, anti-Zionism, and dispensationalism. Christians often talk about Israel, prophecy, and end-times events, but the terms are rarely defined, and the theology behind them is frequently misunderstood. In this episode,...

Join Stephen Boyce and Pat May on FACTS as we continue our series on the Seven Ecumenical Councils with a deep dive into the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) — the largest and one of the most influential councils in the history of the Christian Church. With over 520 bishops in attendance, Chalcedon delivered the definitive teaching on the two natures of Christ, reversed the chaos of the Robber Counci...

In this episode of  The FACTS Podcast ,  Stephen Boyce  breaks down the Vatican’s newest doctrinal note,  Mater Populi Fidelis , issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in November 2025. This document reaffirms Christ as the sole Mediator while clarifying the Church’s language about Mary’s cooperation in redemption and her unique maternal role in the life of the Church. We examine wh...

Many modern Christians insist, “We don’t have priests — only pastors.” But both  Scripture and the early Church  tell a different story. In this episode,  Dr. Stephen Boyce  of  The FACTS Podcast  uncovers how the Bible and the earliest Christian writings describe bishops, presbyters, and deacons as the  new Temple order  — high priests, priests, and Levites serving Christ, our Great High Priest....

Join  Dr. Stephen Boyce  and  Pat May  on the  FACTS Podcast  as they unpack one of the most defining moments in  Christian history —the  Council of Ephesus (431 AD) . This historic gathering of bishops from across the early Church settled the question:  Who is Jesus Christ, and why is Mary called the “Mother of God”? Discover the  theological debates ,  political drama , and  spiritual insights  ...

What exactly is the Anglican Ordinariate — and should Anglicans join it? In this episode of The FACTS Podcast, Stephen Boyce explores one of the most fascinating developments in modern Christianity: Pope Benedict XVI’s creation of the Ordinariate, a home for Anglicans entering full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving the beauty of their own liturgical and spiritual heritage. We’ll...

In this episode of The FACTS Podcast, we explore one of the most shocking and macabre events in Church history—the Cadaver Synod. In 897 AD, Pope Stephen VI ordered the corpse of his predecessor, Pope Formosus, to be exhumed, dressed in papal vestments, and placed on trial for crimes against the Church. Why did this happen? What political and theological tensions led to such a grotesque spectacle?...

In this episode of  FACTS , Stephen Boyce and Pat May unpack the Second Ecumenical Council— Constantinople 381 , the gathering that completed the Nicene Creed and reshaped the map of early Christianity. Convened by  Emperor Theodosius I , this council not only reaffirmed the divinity of Christ but boldly confessed the  Holy Spirit as Lord and Giver of Life , closing the door on Arianism and Macedo...

In this first episode of our new series,  The Seven Ecumenical Councils , Stephen Boyce and Pat May explore the Council of Nicaea (325), the landmark gathering that shaped the foundation of Christian orthodoxy. We’ll discuss the historical context, the Arian controversy, the role of Constantine, and how the Nicene Creed became a defining statement of faith for the Church. Join us as we trace the d...

Are you thinking about leaving your current denomination to become Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican? Before you make that move, there are serious questions you need to wrestle with. In this episode of FACTS, Stephen Boyce walks through five essential questions every believer should ask before switching church traditions. From understanding doctrine beyond surface-level aesthetics, to wrestling with...

Dr. Stephen Boyce and Pat May dive into the reality of spiritual warfare and the angelic battles surrounding us, especially within the sacred mystery of the Mass. Drawing on Scripture, Church tradition, and the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel, we explore how the liturgy is not only worship but also a place where heavenly and spiritual realities converge. This episode unpacks the unseen c...

Join Dr. Stephen Boyce and Fr. James Gadomski (host of Barely Protestant) for a joint livestream as we discuss the shocking news: The Vatican embraces LGBTQ+ pilgrims inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Together we’ll examine what this move means for Catholicism, ecumenical dialogue, and the broader Christian world. Is this a genuine act of hospitality, or a troubling signal of confusion within Rome? Don...

Where should someone start studying church history? Many people jump straight to Augustine, the Creeds, or the Councils — but the real starting point is with Eusebius of Caesarea, the first great historian of the Church. In this episode of The FACTS Podcast with Dr. Stephen Boyce, we explore: • Who Eusebius was and why he matters. • How his Ecclesiastical History preserves documents we would other...