Church History and Theology

Title: Why Study Church History?Date: 1st-21st CenturyPlace: Worldwide Key Figures and Events: Our Brothers and SistersDocuments of Significance: The Bible (as always) Narrative Overview: As we get into the "Why" of the study of church history, we cover how it has affected us already, where God is at work, the tie-ins to ecclesiology and eschatology. In the end, as an extension of Christian fellowship, the study of Church History ought to result in humility. If it doesn't, that is cause for concern. Want to Support the Show? If you'd like to help cover hosting costs, development, and general support of the show, you can do so here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/churchhistory Links! Send me an email: churchhistoryandtheology@proton.me Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@churchhistoryandtheology Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/church-history-and-theology/id1624093437 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/588m1j6zh4ZS4Uo4QlhaGa?si=1c213b64e3b44025 Credits:Many thanks to Brett Easley (my dad) for lending me his voice for the intro! License:Church History and Theology is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. For full license details, please visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Under this license, you are free to download, copy, share, remix, and translate episodes. You must credit Church History and Theology, link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. These materials may not be used for commercial purposes.

Title: What is Church History? Date: Creation - Present Day Place: Worldwide Key Figures and Events: God and His People Documents of Significance: The Bible :) Narrative Overview: This introductory episode explores the fundamentals of Church History and Theology. What exactly is Church History? Where does it begin, who is included, and what are its boundaries? We'll delve into these questions, discussing the definitions, scope, and key figures involved. Expect a candid discussion of your host's perspectives and biases—which are, of course, always correct. Want to Support the Show? If you'd like to help cover hosting costs, development, and general support of the show, you can do so here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/churchhistory Links! Send me an email: churchhistoryandtheology@proton.me Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@churchhistoryandtheology Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/church-history-and-theology/id1624093437 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/588m1j6zh4ZS4Uo4QlhaGa?si=1c213b64e3b44025 Credits: Many thanks to Brett Easley (my dad) for lending me his voice for the intro! License: Church History and Theology is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. For full license details, please visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Under this license, you are free to download, copy, share, remix, and translate episodes. You must credit Church History and Theology, link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. These materials may not be used for commercial purposes.

England, 1700s.Anne Steele was a poet who published under the pseudonym Theodosia. ​ Her hymns were included in many hymnals.​ She was part of a circle of writers and intellectuals, both men and women, who provided her with intellectual stimulation and support. ​ Despite suffering from physical ailments and the deaths of loved ones, Steele lived her life by seeking to glorify God through her writing. ​In this episode, we delve into her life and selected works, including some of her most influential poems and hymns. Special thanks to Joseph Van Carmichael for his dissertation on this topic, which can be found here: https://repository.sbts.edu/handle/10392/4112Her hymns can be found at https://hymnary.org/person/Steele_AIf you want to read her memoirs, poems, hymns and everything, you can do so freely. And I would highly recommend you do: https://archive.org/details/hymnspsalmspoems00stee_1

Ireland, 400s.Today we will again attempt our livestream of Saint Patrick's Confessions. So many myths and legends surround him that some clarity would certainly be beneficial. Join in for some Emerald Isle wisdom!A translation of the confessions is found here:https://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english#If you ever want to join in the livestream, it is hosted on YouTube Wednesday evenings at 6:30. You can find the channel at this link:https://www.youtube.com/@churchhistoryandtheology

1563 AD. In the wake the Council of Trent's condemnation of the Protestant Reformation and the Peace of Augsburg (1555), there arose a desire to clarify a clearer set of Lutheran beliefs that were informed and influenced by Calvin's reformation in Geneva. The result? A politically needed theological document that has become one of the most influential catechisms in the Protestant churches. Its tone is pastoral and its theology consistent. Quite the accomplishment for something written by someone still in their 20s!Ligonier Ministries has a well formatted translation that I will be utilizing: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/the-heidelberg-catechism

Tonight is a reflective show that talks about some of the long-term plans for Church History and Theology. When we begin the next walkthrough and what that will look like. Why we do this, reintroduction of our methodology and goals. Also, if there is time, maybe a teaser of another project that is in the works for those of you who are super-fans of Church History.

c. 750 ADThis episode will find us in the recesses of the Medieval Era, learning something about a church so desperate for power that it told one of history's greatest lies to get it. The Roman church's forgery known as "The Donation of Constantine" was used for 700 years to legitimize the temporal powers of the church in Rome. Once proven to be a lie, it was quickly put to the side. But the damage had been done and Rome had stolen its corrupting power. With such power, no internal mechanism for reform or balance could ever be introduced. The text we are using is found at the following link:https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/donatconst.asp

203 AD.This episode will find us in Carthage in the early 3rd century alongside some of our most laudable sisters in the faith. Two young mothers and catechumens face the ultimate test for a Christian. And is not their testimony one of deep challenge to those of us in our day?The text in which their story is told is found at the following link:https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/tertullian24.htmlLivestreamed most Wednesdays 6:30pm EST at youtube.com/@churchhistoryandtheology

100s AD.The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus is one of my favorite artifacts from the early church. Its author is unknown to us but thankfully, due to a single manuscript, we have the full text of this marvelous letter. In it we get a glimpse of a Christian's defense of Christian theology, description of their lifestyle, and a snapshot of issues of their day. Join in! We won't be reading it in its entirety but will be covering most of it. We are using Roberts-Donaldson's translation, and it can be found at this link:https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/diognetus-roberts.html

1302 AD. Pope Boniface VIII continues to develop and clarify the sweeping reforms (largely promulgated by his great-uncle, Pope Gregory IX) of the temporal power of the Roman church by issuing his papal bull: Unam Sanctam. "The One Holy [Church]"Tonight we will go through the text and discuss its situation in the late 13th/early 14th century. A translation can be found at this link:https://www.papalencyclicals.net/bon08/b8unam.htm

Grab your Bibles. Let's get into this.

After last week's infamous silent stream of this lesson, we are back again. This time with audio!We are paying attention today to Jan (John) Huss' most influential treatise on the church. If you want a copy of this book, it was translated to English in 1915 and is available here: https://oll.libertyfund.org/title/schaff-the-church

In this episode, we delve into the question of baptism in the earliest church. Specifically, we aim to understand the practice of baptism as broadly as possible in the first two centuries of the church. If you want to follow along, I am using Roberts Donaldson's translation of the Didache: http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.htmlAnd for Justin Martyr's 1 Apology I am using Roberts Donaldson as well: http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/justinmartyr-firstapology.html

In this episode, we go back to the earliest part of the 2nd century (100s) to listen to the Bishop of Antioch writing to a church in Smyrna as well as his letter to that church's bishop, a man named Polycarp.These are only two of the seven letters Ignatius wrote on his trip to Rome to be martyred. They are worthy of our attention, as are the other five (another episode). If you want to follow along, here are the links to the translations (Roberts Donaldson) I am using:Epistle to the Smyrnaeans: http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/ignatius-smyrnaeans-roberts.htmlEpistle to Polycarp: http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/ignatius-polycarp-roberts.html

In this episode, we join Luther during the first years of the Reformation in order to grasp his developing arguments and thoughts on a variety of topics that go far beyond his first arguments against indulgences. Let's be a fly on the wall in Heidelberg (1518) and Leipzig (1519) and see what wisdom we can glean from all that went on in those early days of the Protestant Reformation.

Many have a view of the nature of the church that rests on the person of Peter. What can we know of his role in the early church from their own writings?

Today we will be discussing a work called the Didache. It is a 1st or 2nd century writing that gives us a glimpse into the habits of the early church in a specific area. If you want to read it for yourself, here is a link to it: http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.html

How NOT to deal with heretics and false teachers.

What if your greatest sin was transformed into a repentance that changed the course of history?

After wrapping up nearly two years of lessons throughout the 20 centuries of church history, we will reflect on what we learned, our place in history, and the path forward. Maybe a sneak peek at some of the deep dives we have planned in the coming months. :)