Through the Church Fathers

Today's readings take us through the writings of Ignatius of Antioch, Augustine's Confessions, and Aquinas' Summa Theologica . We explore Ignatius’ exhortations to unity and steadfastness in faith, Augustine’s reflections on grief, love, and the search for true rest in God, and Aquinas’ theological insights on the nature of the Trinity. These texts offer profound wisdom on Christian doctrine, pers...

Today's readings take us through the writings of Ignatius of Antioch, Augustine's Confessions, and Aquinas' Summa Theologica . We explore Ignatius’ exhortations to unity and steadfastness in faith, Augustine’s reflections on grief, love, and the search for true rest in God, and Aquinas’ theological insights on the nature of the Trinity. These texts offer profound wisdom on Christian doctrine, pers...

Today, we dive into the wisdom of the early Church with Ignatius of Antioch's " Epistle to the Magnesians ," Augustine of Hippo's reflections on grief in "Confessions," and Thomas Aquinas's exploration of divine love in the "Summa Theologica." We'll explore themes of ecclesiastical order, the spiritual value of sorrow, and the nature of love in God. Explore the Project: Through the Church Fathers...

Through the Church Fathers in a Year Today’s readings guide us through the wisdom of Ignatius of Antioch, the sorrowful reflections of Augustine of Hippo, and the theological insights of Thomas Aquinas. Ignatius exhorts his readers to humility and unity, reminding them that even the greatest figures in Scripture considered themselves unworthy before God. He calls the faithful to submit to their sp...

Through Theology in a Year with C. Michael Patton Charity is often seen as a simple act of kindness, but does love itself have an order? Thomas Aquinas argues that it does, explaining that love must be structured according to its highest principle—God. Meanwhile, Augustine of Hippo recounts his misguided devotion to astrology, exposing the dangers of trusting in fate over divine providence. These...

Today’s readings explore themes of faithfulness, wisdom, and the transformative power of truth. Ignatius of Antioch exhorts believers to live in Christ, avoid false doctrines, and recognize Christianity’s fulfillment of Judaism. Augustine of Hippo recounts his stubborn devotion to astrology, resisting the wisdom of those who urged him to abandon it. Thomas Aquinas examines the order of charity, ex...

In today's readings from Through the Church Fathers in a Year , we begin Ignatius of Antioch’s Epistle to the Magnesians , where he exhorts the Church to honor their young bishop, remain steadfast in unity, and resist false teachings. Augustine’s Confessions recounts the moving story of his mother Monica’s persistence in prayer for his conversion and the prophetic assurance given to her by a bisho...

Today’s readings from Through the Church Fathers in a Year include Ignatius of Antioch, The Epistle to the Ephesians (Chapters 19–21) , Augustine’s Confessions (Book III, Chapter 11) , and Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica (Part I, Question 26) . Ignatius continues his exhortation on the mysteries of Christ , emphasizing the hidden nature of Mary’s virginity, Christ’s birth, and his death , which c...

In this episode of Through Theology in a Year , we dive into Thomas Aquinas’s exploration of God’s omnipotence in the Summa Theologica . Can God create a square circle? Can He make the past never have happened? Aquinas argues that true omnipotence does not include logical contradictions but rather extends to all things that are genuinely possible. Join us as we break down his reasoning and conside...

In today’s episode of Through the Church Fathers in a Year , we begin our readings from The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians . Ignatius of Antioch, writing as a prisoner on his way to martyrdom in Rome, urges the Ephesian Christians to remain steadfast in unity, obedience, and faithfulness to Christ. His exhortations focus on honoring church leadership, resisting false teachers, and living in...

In today’s episode, we begin our readings from Ignatius of Antioch , one of the most significant early Church leaders. As the bishop of Antioch and a disciple of the Apostle John, Ignatius wrote seven letters while on his journey to martyrdom in Rome, urging the churches to maintain unity, obey their bishops, and stand firm against heresy. His writings emphasize the real presence of Christ in the...

In today’s episode, we begin our readings from Ignatius of Antioch , one of the most significant early Church leaders. As the bishop of Antioch and a disciple of the Apostle John, Ignatius wrote seven letters while on his journey to martyrdom in Rome, urging the churches to maintain unity, obey t Today, we begin our journey through the writings of Ignatius of Antioch with his Epistle to the Ephesi...

In today’s episode, we complete our reading of The Epistle of Barnabas , followed by selections from Augustine’s Confessions and Aquinas’s Summa Theologica . Barnabas concludes with a final exhortation on the way of light and the way of darkness , calling believers to holiness and warning against straying from God’s commands. Augustine continues his critique of the Manichaeans , addressing their m...

In today’s episode of Through the Church Fathers in a Year , we conclude The Epistle of Barnabas and begin The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians . Barnabas leaves us with a striking contrast between the Way of Light and the Way of Darkness , urging believers to walk in righteousness, avoid hypocrisy, and uphold faithfulness . His final exhortations prepare us for the voice of Ignatius of Antioc...

In today’s episode, we continue our journey through the early Church with readings from The Epistle of Barnabas, Augustine’s Confessions , and Aquinas’s Summa Theologica . Barnabas contrasts the way of light and the way of darkness , calling believers to holiness and warning against the path of destruction. Augustine wrestles with his past misunderstandings of Scripture and the nature of God, expo...

Through the Church Fathers: February 9 Today’s readings explore The Epistle of Barnabas , where he contrasts the destruction of the earthly temple with the building of God’s true temple in His people. Augustine reflects on his restless search for wisdom in pagan philosophy, realizing only later that true knowledge comes from God. Aquinas examines whether God’s will is changeable, demonstrating tha...

Through the Church Fathers: February 8 Today’s readings explore The Epistle of Barnabas , where he interprets the Sabbath typologically, pointing to the eighth day as the true rest found in Christ’s resurrection. Augustine confesses his struggle with worldly desires, even within the church, and reflects on the deceptive influence of his peers. Aquinas examines the nature of God as life itself, arg...

Today’s readings continue The Epistle of Barnabas , where he contrasts the Jewish and Christian inheritances of the covenant, demonstrating how Christ has given His people the true testament. Augustine reflects further on the corrupting nature of false sorrow, describing how he sought out grief in entertainment, delighting in suffering that was not his own. Aquinas explores whether falsity can exi...

Through the Church Fathers: February 6 In today’s readings, we continue The Epistle of Barnabas as he interprets the Old Testament through a Christian lens, showing how Christ fulfills the covenant. Augustine wrestles with the nature of sorrow and misplaced compassion, reflecting on his youthful love for the emotional indulgence of the theater. Finally, Aquinas examines the nature of truth and fal...

Podcast Description for February 5 – Through the Church Fathers in a Year In today’s readings, we explore the symbolic meaning of the Old Testament food laws in The Epistle of Barnabas , where spiritual purity is emphasized through dietary restrictions. Augustine reflects on the deceptive pleasure of sin and the longing for true righteousness in Confessions , recounting how companionship in wrongd...

Today’s readings in Through the Church Fathers in a Year present profound theological insights on divine law, sin, and God’s perfect knowledge. The Epistle of Barnabas explores the spiritual significance of the Mosaic food laws, revealing their deeper moral and symbolic meaning. Augustine’s Confessions reflects on the nature of sin, especially the desire for wrongdoing itself, and how God’s mercy...

In this episode, we explore profound theological insights from three major figures: Barnabas, Augustine, and Thomas Aquinas . Our readings include The Epistle of Barnabas, Chapter 9 , where we examine the spiritual meaning of circumcision and its fulfillment in Christ. Next, we delve into Augustine’s Confessions, Book II, Chapter 6 , reflecting on his famous meditation on sin and how evil is a per...

Podcast Description – February 2 In today’s readings, we explore profound theological themes from The Epistle of Barnabas , Augustine’s Confessions , and Aquinas’ Summa Theologica . Barnabas presents Christ as the fulfillment of Old Testament typology, showing how the sacrifice of the red heifer prefigures Christ’s atoning work. Augustine continues his reflections on his youthful sins, delving int...

Today’s readings take us deeper into the themes of divine revelation, the struggle of human passions, and the limitations of the intellect in grasping God. We continue with The Epistle of Barnabas, Chapter 7 , where the author expounds on Old Testament imagery—fasting, the scapegoat, and sacrifice—as foreshadowing Christ’s atonement. The early Church saw these as typological fulfillments in Jesus,...

In today’s episode, we continue our journey through the Church Fathers with Barnabas, Augustine, and Aquinas , exploring deep theological themes that shape Christian thought. 🔹 Barnabas (Chapter 7) – The early Christian writer connects Old Testament sacrifices and fasting to the suffering of Christ. We examine the prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus in the scapegoat ritual and how suffering and trib...