History of Christianity

The fourth century was one of the most formative eras for the church. A part of that story are those men who were the bishops of Rome, those we call popes. In this episode, we summarize their experience in this century of rapid change. Please consider supporting me at http://www.patreon.com/hopesreason or consider a one time ... Read More "Episode 75 – The Popes of the Fourth Century" »

One of the most influential theologians of the early church was Augustine of Hippo. Love him or hate him, Christians cannot escape his influence. This episode is the first part of a look at his life, taking us up to 400 as start to conclude our look at the fourth century. Please consider supporting me ... Read More "Episode 74 – The Life of Augustine of Hippo up to 400 AD" »

One of the most remarkable and yet largely unknown Christian thinkers is Didymus the Blind. His story is worth hearing and in this episode, we look at his influence especially in Alexandria. Please consider supporting me through patreon.com/hopesreason.

In the battles for Nicene orthodoxy against the Arians during the fourth century, one of the most important figures in the west was Hilary of Poitiers. Hilary took the wisdom from the east and translated it for the west. Learn more about Hilary in this episode and make sure to go back to Episode 62 ... Read More "Episode 72 – Hilary of Poitiers: The Athanasius of the West" »

One of the Christian leaders of the fourth century who had the greatest impact on the later church. While active in many areas, his Latin translation of the Bible had legacy as much as if not more than the writing of any other contemporary thinker. In this episode, we look at the life and ministry ... Read More "Episode 71 – Jerome: Scholar of Scripture and Architect of the Latin Bible" &#18...

Two of the important Church Fathers in the later fourth century are Cyril of Jerusalem and Epiphanius of Salamis. You may not know much about them and that is why I have recorded this episode. Learn about these two Christian leaders who attempted to guide the Church in one of the most turbulent centuries of ... Read More "Episode 70 – Cyril of Jerusalem and Epiphanius of Salamis: Guardians o...

Many people are aware of the Council of Nicaea in 325, which gave us the Nicene Creed. Fewer people are aware that the form of the Nicene Creed we have now came from lesser known First Council of Constantinople in 381. This was an important council that helped clarify the nature of the Holy Spirit ... Read More "Episode 69 – The First Council of Constantinople" »

One of our most important sources for Christian history is Eusebius of Caesarea. While he gives us information going back to the time of the Apostles, he is most valuable for what he shares about his own time, that of the fourth century and the time of Constantine the Great. In this episode, we look ... Read More "Episode 68 – Eusebius of Caesarea: The Father of Church History" »

In this episode, we explore the remarkable life of John Chrysostom, one of Christianity’s greatest preachers and theologians. Born in 347 AD in Antioch, he became known for his powerful sermons, deep biblical insight, and fearless moral stance. We discuss his key writings, such as On the Priesthood and Homilies on Matthew, his emphasis on social justice, and his ... Read More "Episode 67 – T...

This episode explores the extraordinary life of Ambrose of Milan, a Roman governor turned bishop who became a pivotal figure in early Christianity. From his sudden rise to church leadership to his defense of Nicene orthodoxy against powerful rulers, Ambrose’s courage and theological insights left a lasting impact. We discuss his influential writings, including On the ... Read More "Episode 66 &#82...

Among the highlights of the fourth century was a group of theologians, two brothers and a close friend. These were the Cappadocian Fathers, called that because they were from Cappadocia. They included Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus. This is their story. Recommended book: Three Wise Men from the East: The ... Read More "Episode 65 – The Cappadocian Fathers" »

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Emily Conroy-Krutz, author of Missionary Diplomacy. In the 19th Century, the United States was expanding its presence around the world at the same time that American missionaries were travelling to new lands. Some of these missionaries doubled as diplomats. The story is fascinating. Purchase Missionary Diplomacy at https://amzn.to/4ev5koS ... Read More "Episode 64 &#...

An important part of Christian history has been the role of clergy in supporting the military in terms of both spiritual and emotional needs. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Patricia Cecil, Specialist Curator Faith, Religion, and WWI at the National World War I Museum and Memorial. They currently have an exhibit called ... Read More "Episode 63 – Sacred Service: American Chaplai...

One of the greatest defenders of what would be known as orthodox Christianity was Athanasius the Great, bishop of Alexandria. He was there at Nicaea and he had a difficult experience as bishop, with numerous exiles. However, his influence continues today. Consider supporting this podcast through: Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/hopesreason) Life of Jesus (http://www.lifeofjesus.ca) with code BEDAR...

While some Christians were gathering in councils and devising creeds, others were fleeing the cities to be alone with God. These were the Desert Fathers and Mothers. In this episode, we provide a short overview of these important men and women who continue to inspire people today. There recommended book for this episode is Life ... Read More "Episode 61 – The Desert Fathers and Mothers" &#18...

In this special Christmas episode, we look at the figure who would be the inspiration for the popular Santa Claus. While some Christians see Santa as a threat to Jesus, Nicholas of Myra was actually a devoted follower of Jesus who was known for his piety and generosity. In this episode, we look at how ... Read More "Episode 60 – Quest for the Historical Santa Claus: Bishop Nicholas of Myra"...

One of the most important events in Christian history is the First Council of Nicaea that took place in 325 AD. Christianity can literally be divided between what happened before and what happened after this event. The immediate purpose of the Council was to deal with the Arian question: Was Jesus a created being? Ultimately ... Read More "Episode 59 – The First Council of Nicaea" »

The Christian church was emerging out of a time of persecution but their troubles were not over. Shifting from threats from without to threats from within, the church begins to face a major Christological controversy. Arius, a presbyter rather than a bishop, had an incredible impact on the church. While probably not inventing the Christology ... Read More "Episode 58 – The Rise of Arianism"...

One of the most influential people in the history of the early church was someone of unknown religious conviction. Constantine came to power when the Roman Empire was split between West and East. It would be during the time of Constantine that Christianity would become a legal religion, that the First Council of Nicaea would ... Read More "Episode 57 – Introducing Constantine the Great" &#18...

Emperor Constantine was Great, but was he good? If you were talk to many Christians today, they might suggest that much of the problems in the church today go back to Constantine. Before Constantine, the church was made up devoted followers of Jesus. After Constantine, the church was an institution with an unhealthy tie to ... Read More "How Bad Was Constantine the Great?" »

There had been numerous persecutions on a small scale for the first three centuries but the church experienced a much more significant persecution in the early fourth century under the Emperor Diocletian and his colleagues. Under the argument that the Empire needed to come together religiously in order to prosper, they imposed certain sacrifices that ... Read More "Episode 56 – Diocletian an...

The third century was a time of great upheaval for the Roman Empire and it was equally so for the church in Rome. The bishop of Rome, which would eventually be known as “the pope” played an important role. In this episode we look at those popes and a couple of antipopes as well. Other ... Read More "Episode 55 – The Popes of the Third Century" »

One of the religious movements that emerged in the third century was that of Manichaeism. This religion, founded by the Iranian prophet Mani, would go on to attract even the great Augustine. In this episode, we take a look at the basics of this religion that had many connections with Christianity. This episode is brought ... Read More "Episode 54 – The Rise of Manichaeism" »

The Christian Church existed within and was growing inside the Roman Empire. What was happening in the Roman Empire during the third century? In this episode we look at the Severan Dynasty, the Crisis of the Third Century, and the beginning of Empire-wide persecutions. This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. Please consider ... Read More "Episode 53 – The Roman Empire in the Third...

By the third century, the church had been growing rapidly. They were facing threats both internal and external. In this episode, we look at some lesser and more known figures from the first half of the third century. We will also take a brief look at the Gospel of Peter and the Acts of Thomas. ... Read More "Episode 52 – The Church in the First Half of the Third Century" »