The History of Christianity

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Welcome to the History of Christianity, a weekly review of the major points of Christian History from the rise of the early church to the dawn of the Reformation (season 1) and from the Reformation to the present day (season 2). This study relies heavily


    • May 11, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 35m AVG DURATION
    • 69 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The History of Christianity

    Part 28: The Spiritualist Option

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 43:00


    Seemingly endless debates on dogma, and the intolerance of Christians among themselves, led many to seek refuge in a purely spiritual religion.

    Part 27: The Rationalist Option II

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 34:16


    Rationalism during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

    Part 26: The Rationalist Option I

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 34:50


    Rationalism was characterized by its interest in the world and by its confidence in the powers of reason. This philosophy became influential in Western Europe and the church.

    Part 25: Reformed Orthodoxy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 36:49


    The state of Reformed orthodoxy during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

    Part 24: Lutheran Orthodoxy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 38:35


    Lutheran orthodoxy during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

    Part 23: Catholic Orthodoxy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 37:04


    A review of Catholic orthodoxy during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

    Part 22: The Puritan Revolution II

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 51:19


    The Puritans face struggles both internal and external.

    Part 21: The Puritan Revolution I

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 39:24


    The Reformation in England led to tension between those who favored maintaining ancient practice and belief and those Calvinist Protestants who believed that the entire life and structure of the church ought to adjust to what they saw as the biblical norm. This ultimately led to the Puritan revolution

    Part 20: The Church of the Desert

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 37:17


    As opposition to Protestantism in France heats up again, the Protestant church moves underground.

    Part 19: The Thirty Years' War

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 38:30


    The Peace of Augsburg, which put an end to religious wars in Germany in the sixteenth century, did not last. This peace was broken as Catholics and Protestants took military action against each other.

    Part 18: A Convulsed Age

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 24:40


    The sixteenth century was a pivotal period in the entire history of Christianity as it began to expand to the south and the east.

    Part 17: Protestantism at the Edges

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 49:20


    In the sixteenth century, it was taken for granted that a state must have a single religion to which all subjects must adhere. But in every land, there were those who disagreed with the faith espoused by the government.

    Part 16: The Catholic Reformation II

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 36:12


    The Catholic reformation continues.

    Part 15: The Catholic Reformation 1

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 38:00


    Catholicism faces its own reformation, beginning well before Luther's protest.

    Part 14: Protestantism in France II

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 32:28


    Protestantism in France endures amidst persecution and war.

    Part 13: Protestantism in France I

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 26:50


    At the dawn of the sixteenth century, no other nation in Western Europe had achieved the degree of national unity that France had attained. Yet, because of the continuing conflict between Protestants and Catholics, few nations were also as bitterly divided.

    Part 12: The Reformation in the Low Countries

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 34:08


    In the Low Countries, Protestantism gained adherents from a very early time. But the advance of Protestantism in these areas soon became involved in the struggle for independence.

    Part 11: Further Developments Within Lutheranism

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 32:59


    Lutheranism continues to expand throughout Western Europe.

    Part 10: The Reformation in Scotland

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 42:44


    The Protestant Reformation spreads to Scotland.

    Part 9: The Reformation in Great Britain

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 34:57


    The rise of King Henry VIII brings the Reformation to Great Britain.

    Part 8: John Calvin

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 42:55


    John Calvin, the most important systematizer of Protestant theology in the sixteenth century is profiled.

    Part 7: The Radical Reformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 46:39


    Luther and Zwingli for criticized for not carrying their ideas to their logical conclusions.

    Part 6: Ulrich Zwingli and the Swiss Reformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 38:35


    Ulrich Zwingli begins what will be known as the Reformed Movement.

    Part 5: Luther's Theology

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 43:15


    Considering Luther's theology.

    Part 4: An Uncertain Decade

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 43:05


    Uncertainty surrounds the church

    Part 3: Pilgrimage to Reformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 29:20


    Luther's Ninety-five Theses sparks a fire.

    Part 2: Martin Luther

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 35:14


    The father of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther, is profiled.

    Part 1: The Call for Reformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 33:38


    As the fifteenth century came to a close, it was clear that the church was in need of profound reformation.

    Bonus Episode: The History of Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2022 48:55


    Myths and traditions of Christmas, both pagan and Christian, are explored.

    Part 40: The Beginnings of Colonial Christianity

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2022 32:28


    As colonialism sweeps the globe, Christianity moves with it.

    Part 39: Renaissance and Humanism

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 51:31


    Looking back to classical antiquity for guidance and inspiration gives birth to the Renaissance.

    Part 38: Roots of Reform

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 58:54


    Popular movements precede the Protestant Reformation.

    Part 37: In Quest for Reformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 38:15


    The sorry state of the church in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries brought movements of reform.

    Part 36: Collapse

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 37:02


    Tensions and weak points behind the scenes of seeming unity bring down medieval Christianity.

    Part 35: The Golden Age of Medieval Christianity 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 32:27


    The conclusion to a look at the golden age of Medieval Christianity.

    Part 34: The Golden Age of Medieval Christianity 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 33:54


    As the crusades draw to a close, Medieval Christianity hits its high point.

    Part 33: The Crusades

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 43:27


    Among the many ideals that captivated he imagination of western Christendom during the Middle Ages, no other was as dramatic, as overwhelming, or as contradictory, as was the crusading spirit.

    Part 32: The Papacy and the Empire in Direct Confrontation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 26:17


    Pope Gregory's reforming zeal soon clashed with the interests of Emperor Henry IV.

    Part 31: Movements of Renewal

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 38:30


    Out of the monasteries a wave of reform arose that conquered the papacy, clashed with the powerful, and was felt even in the distant shores of the Holy Land.

    Part 30: Imperial Restoration

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 37:18


    The Roman Empire is reborn under Charlemagne.

    Part 29: Eastern Christianity 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 29:24


    A further look at the eastern branch of the church.

    Part 28: Eastern Christianity 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 34:20


    A look at the eastern branch of the church.

    Part 27: The Papacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 33:37


    A look at the development of the office of pope in Western Christianity.

    Part 26: Monasticism and the Arab Conquests

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 32:42


    The Persian Empire vanishes and many of the ancient Roman territories land in Arab hands.

    Part 25: Medieval Christianity

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 28:02


    The fall of the Roman Empire brings about a new era in Christian history.

    Part 24: Augustine 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 39:45


    Augustine, bishop of Hippo and beyond.

    Part 23: Augustine 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 24:43


    The most influential theologian of all time follows a tortuous path to faith.

    Part 22: Jerome

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 34:10


    Jerome, one of the most intriguing personalities of the fourth century, struggles with the world and with himself.

    Part 21: Ambrose of Milan and John Chrysostom

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 37:50


    The fourth century gives us two of the greatest Christian leaders of all time.

    Part 20: The Great Cappadocians

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2022 26:28


    Three church leaders from the region of Cappadocia in Asia Minor make their mark on Christian history.

    Part 19: Athanasius of Alexandria

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2022 32:09


    Athanasius of Alexandria becomes the champion of orthodox theology.

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