Podcasts about Church Fathers

August 10, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 12:22-34 (35-40)Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:23-44; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. These verses speak about anxiety. Yikes. Guilty—party of one. And often, when I read them, I immediately become anxious about how anxious I am and how I am not trusting…because I am anxious. Lord, forgive me, a sinner. Look at these words, though: “fear not…it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Fear not; deep breath. In my anxiety, I am afraid. I'm afraid to fail, afraid to be hurt, afraid I'm not enough, afraid that I don't have control…afraid. And yet, Jesus tells us to fear not. And here's the thing—Jesus is trustworthy. He can and does back up that directive. He has the answers to all my fears. Failure, hurt, enoughness, control…all of these flow out of my sinful, selfish nature. The Law shows me that I am a failure, hurtful, inadequate, out-of-control sinner. And yet, Jesus can and does tell me not to fear because He has paid for all of that; He has covered my shame and guilt. It is His now, and He has left it in the tomb—forever gone and buried. Fear not. And now, I can joyfully receive the Father's good pleasure! I can receive His Kingdom with peace and certainty! In my Baptism, Jesus takes my anxiety and gives me peace. It is through His work that I am right before God and safely found within His Father's House. Perhaps you, too, struggle with anxiety. Perhaps you, too, know that you are a sinner and worry about it. Make the sign of the cross, dear Baptized child of God. Remember that it is Jesus Who takes your sin and shame, and it is Jesus Who defeated it for you. Go to the Divine Service and hear the words of Absolution announced to you. Take Jesus' Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sins. Hear God's Word and be strengthened by His promises. You may still struggle with anxiety, but it does not define you. You are Baptized; you are named as one who belongs to Christ, and you can truly fear not. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty and merciful God, it is by Your grace that we live as Your people who offer acceptable service. Grant that we may walk by faith, and not by sight, in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen (LSB, Collect of the Day)Deac. Sarah Longmire, Bible study editor for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

On today's episode of What Is Truth? I am joined by Fr. Peter Heasley to discuss his new series published by TAN Books called "Lectio Divina with the Spiritual Masters." In the first entry, he tackles the Gospel of John. We discuss the general principles of Lectio Divina and why this could be a really helpful resource for any layperson trying to learn how to pray with Scripture.Fr. Peter Heasley's Website - https://www.peteraheasley.com/Get his book on TAN Books = https://tanbooks.com/products/books/lectio-divina-with-the-spiritual-masters-the-gospel-of-john-with-st-augustine/Get 15% Off TAN Books using code "TRUTH15" at checkout: https://tanbooks.com/?rfsn=7031065.cf6efa1

What does the Bible really say about eternal life? In Part II of this series (See Episode 541 for Part I), Steve Wood unpacks what happens after the Second Coming—not just souls in heaven, but resurrected bodies on a renewed Earth with Jesus. We explore the often-missed Catholic teaching on divinization—our transformation by God's grace to share in His divine nature. Backed by Scripture (1 John 3:2, 2 Peter 1:4) and the Catechism (CCC 460), this episode also draws from Church Fathers like St. Irenaeus, St. Athanasius, and St. Thomas Aquinas. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

Through this series we have journeyed through Scripture, the Church Fathers, philosophy, science, art, music, and film — all to arrive at one central truth: God is not far off. Christ saturates everything. The earth is crammed with heaven, and everywhere we tread is holy ground.

This is the 278th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought. Anabaptist Perspectives has done a number of episodes on the early church and how their writings can inform and instruct us today. Kyle Stolzfus addresses some of the points previously discussed that drew pushback from listeners regarding topics like infant baptism and apostolic succession. What is the proper way to engage with early church writings? What do we do when we find disagreements between ourselves and the teachings of early church fathers?Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content!Visit our YouTube channel or connect on Facebook.Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!Have you ever wondered what happened after the Book of Acts closes? The story of Christianity's explosive growth through the ancient world might be the most thrilling chapter in Church history you've never fully explored.Joshua Charles, founder of Eternal Christendom, takes us on a captivating journey through the grand narrative of salvation history, revealing how Greek philosophy, Roman order, and Hebrew revelation converged at the perfect moment for Christ's arrival. This isn't just ancient history—it's the story we're still living today.Discover how the early Church Fathers understood prophecy unfolding before their eyes as pagan temples fell and Christian altars rose across the empire. Learn why St. Thomas Aquinas identified "obedience to the Roman Church" as the mysterious restrainer mentioned in Scripture, and why this matters for our current moment.The conversation ventures into fascinating territory as Joshua addresses the recurring biblical motif of older and younger brothers—from Cain and Abel to Judaism and Christianity—and how this ancient rivalry appears headed toward an eschatological climax. What role will each "brother" play in the end times? The answers might surprise you.For those feeling anxious about world events, Joshua offers a perspective that's both sobering and hopeful: "When things appear worst here on earth, they're actually getting closer to the greatest triumph of all time." This understanding helps Catholics maintain peace amid turmoil, focusing on loving those directly before us rather than being consumed by distant events beyond our control.Support Eternal Christendom's mission of making the Church Fathers accessible to all at eternalchristendom.com, where over 1.3 million words of Catholic wisdom await you completely free.Support the showSponsored by Recusant Cellars, an unapologetically Catholic and pro-life winery from Washington state. Use code BASED at checkout for 10% off! https://recusantcellars.com/********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssRumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon

Read OnlineHe spoke to them another parable. “The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.” Matthew 13:33Yeast is powerful. Though it often accounts for only about 1% of a loaf of bread, it causes that loaf to more than double in size. Of course, it also has the amazing effect of turning the dough soft and flexible as it rises. Without yeast, the dough would remain stiff and much smaller in size. The dough would not become the bread it was meant to be.The Church Fathers offer many interpretations of this short, one-sentence parable. Some say that the three measures of flour represent the spirit, soul and body into which the Gospel is inserted. Others say the three measures of flour represent either three different kinds of persons or three levels of fruitfulness in our lives. The yeast is understood by some as the message of the Gospel in the Scriptures and by others as charity that must permeate our lives and the world as a whole. Of course, the parables of Jesus, as well as every teaching contained within the Scriptures, offer us many levels of understanding and meaning that are all correct and consistent with each other. One of the most important questions to ponder is this: What does God want to say to you through this parable?If you consider yourself to be the three measures of flour, and the yeast to be God, His holy Word and His gentle but clear Voice speaking to you, in what concrete ways do you see your life rising as a direct result? How do you see yourself becoming that which you are intended to be as a result of God entering your life? And do you see the effect as one that is truly transforming and even exponential?Sometimes the Word of God has little to no effect on our lives. That, of course, is not the fault of the Word of God; rather, it's because we do not allow God to do His transforming work. For yeast to work, the dough has to sit still for a while. So in our lives, for God to do His work, we must allow Him to gently and powerfully work. This process requires that we internalize all that God speaks to us. Then His actions must prayerfully be permitted to work within us, and we must allow the change to be slow and certain in accord with His divine plan.Sometimes we can also become impatient with the workings of God. Again, the yeast takes time to work. If we are impatient with God's grace, then it may be like taking the dough and kneading it over and over before it even has a chance to work. But if we are prayerfully patient, allowing God to do His work in our lives according to His will and in His time, then little by little we will experience the transformation that He initiates. Reflect, today, upon this short but powerful parable. See yourself as that dough and see God and His action in your life as the yeast. As you sit with that image in a prayerful way, let God reveal how He wants to work within you and how He wants to transform you. Pray for patience. Trust that if you receive His transforming Word into your soul, then He will do what He wants to do. And trust that if this happens, you will indeed become the person God wants you to become. My transforming Lord, You desire to enter deeply into my life and to permeate all that I am. You desire to change me, little by little, making me into the person You want me to become. Please help me to be attentive to all that You desire to do in me and to patiently await the transformation that You have already begun. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Phillip Medhurst, FAL, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

THE SALVATION OF THE SOUL AND THE SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE We're finishing up Module One of our Salvation of the Soul series with this sixth and final session. We've explored how, in response to early experiences of forsakenness, a person can create a protective helper part in their soul. These strategies becomes embedded and trapped as immature attempts to protect us from harm, leading to more unnecessary suffering over a person's life. We've learned that our spirit can discover and gently engage with these outdated parts, not as enemies, but as once-useful protectors doing their best. With spiritual authority and compassion, we can invite them to step aside and make room for our true Helper—the Holy Spirit—who reveals to us our God-designed self, united with Jesus and the Father. There is a graphic story of a spiritual struggle in Genesis 32 about Jacob who wrestles with God, where God appears to Jacob in the form of an angel. Jacob's life had been one continuous struggle, creating many unhelpful helper parts in his soul, using his own wits and skills and devious ways to get what he believed was due to him. His twin brother Esau came out of the womb before him, but Jacob grabbed his heel to get there first and it went on from there because it was in Jacob's spirit to want the blessing of God upon his life - that was his heart, and we discover later that it was not Esau's heart. But Jacob had lied and cheated and achieved many successes and some failures by constantly putting his unhelpful helper parts to use. He got to the point in in his life after cheating his brother Esau and pretending to his blind father Isaac that he was his brother, to get the first born blessing and  manipulating his father-in-Law Laban that he knew there had to be change in his life that only God could achieve in him. He was about to meet up with Esau again after many years in a proposed meeting for reconciliation, and he was worried that Esau might even exact revenge upon him. He let his family go on ahead and stayed alone and in the night, he finds himself in a spiritual struggle with God in the form of an angel and wrestles with God. In Jacob's wrestle with God, he became both a loser and a winner in the same encounter, just as we do with God because we can't beat God, but we stay in the struggle because God's blessing means more to us than any other blessing. And Jacob refused to let God go until God had blessed him. So in his willingness to have attitudes and behaviours overcome in his soul, he showed God that he was sincere in his spirit. And then God mercifully affirmed him in that by saying, ‘you have prevailed with God'. So, he didn't beat God, but God still declared him a spiritual winner. His spirit yielded to God and his soul surrendered its many unhelpful helpers, and he won God's blessing. They had thought they knew better than God in their grasping for blessings rather than faithfully receiving them from God. That is what our helper parts do – until they get to know and faithfully trust God for his best for us. But we can say to our souls to hold fast to the confession of your hope without wavering for he who has promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23). And God was faithful to Jacob with his promise despite Jacob's wayward ways. God changed not only his nature, but also changed his name from Jacob to Israel, which means prevailing with God. So our spiritual struggle with God is not against God, it's with God, and he says ‘we can walk together'. Israel also means prince. He received a new identity and a new place of authority in the purpose of God for his life. But he also received a permanent limp where his hip bone was damaged when the angel struck him and that finished the struggle, and this left Jacob with a new moment by moment awareness of his vulnerability. Now this is being a real person, and his unhelpful helper parts were no longer hidden, but they were no longer ruling his life if and when they were triggered. He now knew what to choose, and he knew how to choose, and he knew how to live in God's blessing, and that limp kept reminding him - you're vulnerable. He could glory in his spiritual struggles and infirmities, because when he was weak God was strong in him and with him.  Paul also tells us of his many spiritual struggles, and he encourages us in our spiritual struggles. He said when I am weak the power of Christ can rest upon me. (2Corinthians 12:9). Our spirit knows all the parts of us, and our struggles are like weighty burdens that our helper parts are carrying, and they often confuse our interpretations of situations, and they allow self-focussed emotional reactions and errors of judgment to occur – the missing of the mark – the sin which we later regret. The Bible speaks of these burdens and struggles in the book of Hebrews. ‘Lay aside the weights and the sin that so easily besets us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:1)  This is what is meant by our besetting sin – the repetitive missing of the mark, driven by entrenched unhelpful helpers.  Jesus tells us to lay aside our burdens and come to Him for rest: Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy burdened (phortizo 5412 - to overburden with ceremony or spiritual anxiety – our spiritual struggle). Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28).  His yoke is easy because he offers us grace to walk closely with him, bonded and supported. Instead of carrying the heavy weight of old soul helper parts struggles and confusion, we now take on a lighter burden – a lighter spiritual struggle - the challenge of trusting Jesus. But even that faith comes from Him; He is the author and finisher of our faith. He's saying, “I'm doing the heavy lifting—believe in me.” Jesus lifts the pain and failure we carry and gives us rest. We are no longer bonded to unhelpful soul strategies -we are yoked with Him.  This becomes an intelligent and spiritual process of our human spirit, together with the Holy Spirit, having dialogue with those parts with curiosity, and having those parts indicate to us what they feel, what they think, and what do they think they have to do in order to keep our whole system in balance at the time. And we now become Unbonded from them and bonded to Jesus through the New Helper – the Holy Spirit who brings the truth of what's been going on and what will now go on in our faith walk with Jesus. God planned in eternity for the saving of our soul and to become transformed into a Life-giving Spirit, after his likeness, not just in his image. Jesus became that life giving spirit by becoming human when he was already a life-giving spirit in heaven. And we become a life-giving Spirit by becoming partakers of his Divine nature. He planned that before Adam even sinned. We could say that Jesus had already saved us before Adam even fell. The faith process of the transformative work of coming into the likeness of Jesus as a life-giving Spirit is outlined in Ephesians chapter four. Paul knew the experience of having the ‘Old Man' – the nature of Adam within him while at the same time having the ‘New Man' – the Spirit of the life of Christ Jesus within him. He explains to us the process of making the inner exchange from living as the old creation to living in the New Creation – from a mindset of separation to a mindset of togetherness. Put off your old man (the old self in the likeness of Adam), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt (phtherio -wasteful and ruinous manner) through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the New Man (the New self), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness (which means being aligned with God's ways) and holiness (set apart for his destined  purpose for your life). (Ephesians 4:22),  Paul is inviting us into something wonderful. He says we can invite our old self to stand aside, our old helpers forming the soul of our human nature and trying to drive our life with these old attitudes and habits. And welcome home the new creation self that is created after the likeness of God, aligned with his heart and devoted to him.  God says, you aren't that old image with that deficient soul. You are in Christ, you are a new creation, and I want you to know who you are and I want you to live your new life as I created it to be lived. This is a determination of God and we no longer need to get in the way. Each part of our orphan spirit's heart that has been wounded can now be healed. Every lie that we've wrongly believed about ourselves is now able to be corrected and brought into line with God's idea of who we truly are. Whatever other people's negative ideas have done to us to devalue our true worth are erased by faith. That life changing process becomes the way of life. It becomes the way of discipleship to Jesus who knew how to be still and know his Father's ways and his guidance and direction. But for that to happen we need to embrace that same practice of being still and knowing God. The next module of the series is all about that. It is called the Practice of Presence Prayer.  When Christianity became Christendom in the 4th century the church became political and warlike and financially rich and powerful with a form of godliness but denying the power thereof (2Timothy 3:5). However there remained (and still does) a silver river of redemption, a river of life flowing through dedicated Godly men and women who gave themselves to contemplative practices and the Scriptures and pastoral care and teaching that were modelled by the early Church Fathers. This river has been flowing over all those hundreds of years, and I will be sharing the Scriptural foundations of that transformative way of receiving the salvation and healing of our souls and becoming a life-giving Spirit. Paul O'Sullivan – pauloss@me.com

0:00 Is Scripture interpreting Scripture circular reasoning?5:44 Are the writings of the Church Fathers on par with creeds and confessions?9:30 What resources would you recommend for studying Church history?19:10 How does false teaching get into the church today?22:58 What is the role of creeds today? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ruahchurch.com

Long before Myers-Briggs, there were the Four Temperaments. From Hippocrates to the Church Fathers to the 21st century, this timeless model has helped people understand themselves (and each other) on a deeper level.Now, Art and Laraine Bennett bring this ancient wisdom into the modern world with fresh insight and real-life application. Discover your temperament, decode your child's baffling behavior, and turn your spouse's quirks into opportunities for deeper connection and communication. Plus don't miss Lila's surprising temperament reveal!Website: https://artandlarainebennett.com/Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/3UsPEKzNEW: Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world's leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/ Check out our Sponsors:-Good Ranchers: https://go.goodranchers.com/lila Purchase your American Meat Delivered subscription today and get a free add-on of beef, chicken, or salmon! Use code LILA for $40 off! -EveryLife: https://www.everylife.com Buy diapers from an amazing pro-life diaper company and use code LILA and get 10% off!-Seven Weeks Coffee: https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com Buy your pro-life coffee with code LILA and get up to 25% off!00:00:00 - Intro00:04:50 - What are temperaments?00:07:00 - Phlegmatic00:07:46 - Melancholics00:09:37 - Sanguine00:11:06 - Good Ranchers00:12:18 - Do opposites attract?00:19:57 - EveryLife00:20:48 - Has psychology come up with anything better than temperaments?00:25:34 - Therapy and Temperaments00:29:05 - Phlegmatic II00:30:12 - Seven Weeks Coffee00:31:16 - Fixing False Notions of Others00:38:08 - Sanguine II00:40:12 - Melancholic00:46:58 - Discipline for Parents00:56:22 - Lila takes temperament test01:01:52 - Can temperament change?01:06:51 - Pairing certain temperaments for relationships

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!Have you ever wondered what happened after the Book of Acts closes? The story of Christianity's explosive growth through the ancient world might be the most thrilling chapter in Church history you've never fully explored.Joshua Charles, founder of Eternal Christendom, takes us on a captivating journey through the grand narrative of salvation history, revealing how Greek philosophy, Roman order, and Hebrew revelation converged at the perfect moment for Christ's arrival. This isn't just ancient history—it's the story we're still living today.Discover how the early Church Fathers understood prophecy unfolding before their eyes as pagan temples fell and Christian altars rose across the empire. Learn why St. Thomas Aquinas identified "obedience to the Roman Church" as the mysterious restrainer mentioned in Scripture, and why this matters for our current moment.The conversation ventures into fascinating territory as Joshua addresses the recurring biblical motif of older and younger brothers—from Cain and Abel to Judaism and Christianity—and how this ancient rivalry appears headed toward an eschatological climax. What role will each "brother" play in the end times? The answers might surprise you.For those feeling anxious about world events, Joshua offers a perspective that's both sobering and hopeful: "When things appear worst here on earth, they're actually getting closer to the greatest triumph of all time." This understanding helps Catholics maintain peace amid turmoil, focusing on loving those directly before us rather than being consumed by distant events beyond our control.Support Eternal Christendom's mission of making the Church Fathers accessible to all at eternalchristendom.com, where over 1.3 million words of Catholic wisdom await you completely free.Support the showSponsored by Recusant Cellars, an unapologetically Catholic and pro-life winery from Washington state. Use code BASED at checkout for 10% off! https://recusantcellars.com/********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssRumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon

Good morning! Happy Feast of St. Bridget of Sweden and St. John Cassian! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell talk to Mike Aquilina about this Church Father and trainer of monks. Other guests include Fr. Philip-Michael Tangorra to talk about the role of grandparents in transmitting the faith, as we approach the feast of the grandparents of Jesus, and Gary Zimak with this week’s verse to help ease anxiety. ***** Prayer of St. Augustine Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace. ***** Cincinnati Right to Life is online at cincinnatirighttolife.org. Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textDr. Derek McAllister joins us to discuss the philosophical and historical context of what is depression. We discuss its pre-modern historical representations in the works of St John of the Cross, Kierkegaard, and others, as well as how these philosophical principles and contributions can guide us to develop our understanding of this important problem.Support the show--------------------------If you would want to support the channel and what I am doing, please follow me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/christianityforall Where else to find Josh Yen: Philosophy YT: https://bit.ly/philforallEducation: https://bit.ly/joshyenBuisness: https://bit.ly/logoseduMy Website: https://joshuajwyen.com/

Follow Dr. Dell on Instagram @dr.adamdell Dr. Dell's book discussed on the podcast has not yet been released, but we will try to get him back on the podcast when it is!  Sign up for Dr. Jacobs' course Intro to Philosophy: https://myprofer.com/  

Joe explains how the early Church Fathers understood the Eucharist, and demonstrates how immensely powerful the Paschal meal in bringing us to eternal life. Transcript: Joe: Welcome back to Shameless Popery, I’m Joe Heschmeyer. And last episode I mentioned this. I’m really looking forward to just doing an episode on how Gregory of Nisa shows the Eucharist is connected to bodily resurrection and glorification because it’s incredible. Yes, Joe, I agree with you. The early Christians were convinced that the Eucharist was key to our rising from the dead. And at first blush, that ...

What happened after the apostles died?In this explosive episode of the Word of Mouth Podcast, I dive deep into early church history, and expose the slow drift away from apostolic truth.You've heard of the “Church Fathers” but did they stay faithful to the gospel of Acts 2:38?I take a bold, Bible-based look at:

What did Jesus truly mean when He told His disciples not to carry money, extra clothes, or even sandals? Why would He say it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for a city that rejects the Gospel? In this deep dive into Matthew 10, we explore how early Church Fathers like Jerome, John Chrysostom, Augustine, and Gregory the Great understood this powerful passage.

In this episode of YouTube Catechesis, we take on a common but dangerous assumption: that every Christian can interpret Scripture with authority on their own. But where does the Bible actually say that? We explore key passages that challenge private interpretation and highlight how the early Church understood authority, tradition, and teaching. Drawing on the apostles, Church Fathers, and Scripture itself, we show why Christ entrusted the task of interpretation to His Church, not to individuals. Join us as we examine the roots of doctrinal chaos, the clarity of apostolic teaching, and the gift of unity safeguarded by the Catholic Church. And if you want to go even deeper, I've prepared a PODD **(Patreon-Only Deep Dive)** where I break this topic wide open. You'll get an exclusive extended audio episode, plus a one-page summary you can use to defend the faith in real conversations. I've also completely overhauled the Patreon tiers, no more basic shout-outs. Everyone now gets a **massive upgrade** with early access, deep dive content, and practical resources to grow in your faith and help others do the same. Check it out and join the community! NEW TIERS on PATREON - Get access to PODD, Digital Downloads, Latin Learning Guides and More - Click Here (https://www.patreon.com/thelatinprayerpodcast). A huge thank you to my patrons! To Support FishEaters.com Click Here (https://www.patreon.com/fisheaters) Please check out our Resources, Gift Ideas & Affiliate Links page: https://dylandrego.podbean.com/p/resources-gift-ideas-affiliate-links Join me and others in praying the Holy Rosary every day; here are the Spotify quick links to the Rosary: Joyful Mysteries https://open.spotify.com/episode/1yhnGJNSl67psg94j3si3s?si=7IjqIg2wQQaZTJTiDm-Dhw Sorrowful Mysteries https://open.spotify.com/episode/3P0nIdaLuEjesHRMklwfoj?si=6qF7JBYpRiG0ylwuOohFwA Glorious Mysteries https://open.spotify.com/episode/3t7lCF7nFQDR3py1jjTAE1?si=hBb_5Ne5Rwu-993nUUqHqg Luminous Mysteries https://open.spotify.com/episode/6vlAjEGgWPCI79K7Eylh31?si=Hue9USzkTf-L3wrXrK79MQ 15 Decade Rosary https://open.spotify.com/episode/2q33PXMrinZi6fkaV6X7vn?si=Jy_d2xLlTVihD5qa4fSH9g To follow me on other platforms Click on my LinkTree below. linktr.ee/dylandrego If you have any prayers you'd like to request, or comments and/or suggestions - please email me at latinprayerpodcast@gmail.com. Know that if you are listening to this, I am praying for you. Please continue to pray with me and for me and my family. May everything you do be Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. God Love You! Valete (Goodbye) This podcast may contain copyrighted material the use of which may not always have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advanced the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church for the promulgation of religious education. We believe this constitutes a "fair use” of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US copyright law, and section 29, 29.1 & 29.2 of the Canadian copyright act. Music Credit: 3MDEHDDQTEJ1NBB0

Today Joe explores Theosis, a teaching that sometimes doesn’t get enough attention in the West, but arguably is the entire reason God created us. Joe shows you how theosis has been revealed in Scripture and how the Church Fathers tried to wrestle with this amazing concept. Transcript: Joe: Welcome back to Shameless Popery. I’m Joe Heschmeyer and I want to talk today about a Christian doctrine that sounds heretical. If I just go around saying, I believe that if I’m holy when I die, I’ll become a God or I’ll become God. Many people’s heresy alarm is just going...

Catholics, Orthodox and even many Protestants, believe that Jesus' words in John 6 are to be taken literally, hinging salvation on participating in the doctrine of transubstantiation. But careful reading of the entire gospel of John reveals Jesus is speaking figuratively, just like He does in many other places, and that the issue, as always, is faith.TIMESTAMPS:* 00:00 - Introduction* 13:59 - Step 1: Read the Verse* 19:00 - Step 2: Read the Gospel of John* 1:33:46 - Step 3: Pick the Most Rational Explanation* 1:40:23 - The Church Fathers* 2:36:42 - Paul & The Corinthians* 2:54:21 - Transubstantiation is Blasphemy This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danceoflife.com/subscribe

What's the true meaning of the Book of Revelation? Is it only about the end times, or have we overlooked its deeper roots in the Old Testament? For centuries, Christians have wrestled with its symbols and prophecies—could it be that we've been missing the bigger picture?This week, Frank welcomes Dr. Chip Bennett, pastor of Grace Community Church in Sarasota, FL along with his mentor and biblical scholar, Dr. Warren Gage, to reveal the often-ignored historical and theological context behind the Book of Revelation. Tune in as Frank, Chip, and Warren explore how early Christians—and the Church Fathers—understood this mysterious book and what modern readers might be missing. Together, they'll tackle questions like:What's the surprising connection between the Book of Joshua, Jesus, and the Book of Revelation?Is Revelation a book of fear or a book of hope?What's the meaning behind the Two Witnesses and Jesus calling Himself “the door”?How are stories like Rahab and Isaac prophetic pictures of Christ?How is Scripture one of our greatest apologetic tools?What did the early church fathers say about the Book of Revelation?Why didn't John Calvin write a commentary on Revelation, and is it a completely futuristic book?Discover how the original recipients of Revelation would have read it, and why modern day readers need to recover a historical hermeneutic to understand it properly. This is a must-hear conversation for any and all Bible readers so don't keep it to yourself--share it with a friend to help them connect the dots!Resources mentioned during the episode:Grace Community Church - https://www.gracesarasota.com/The Revelation Project with Chip & Warren - http://bit.ly/44LbAGLChip on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@drchipbennettDr. Warren Gage on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@drwarrengageChip on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@drchipbennettThe Book of Revelation Explained in 5 Minutes! - https://www.watermarkgospel.com/revelationDr. Gage's Essay on Revelation - https://www.drwarrengage.com/revelation

FLAME, author of “Because Jesus Taught It” Because Jesus Taught It Extra Nos Extra Nos Music The post The Church Fathers on Baptism and the Lord's Supper – FLAME, 7/3/25 (1843) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

In this episode of the Bible and Theology Matters podcast, Dr. Paul Weaver engages with Dr. David Allen Black to discuss the synoptic gospels, the synoptic problem, and the historical origins of the gospels. They explore the significance of external evidence, the role of the Church Fathers, and the implications of Markan priority. Dr. Black presents his fourfold gospel hypothesis, emphasizing the need for historical context in understanding the development of the gospels. The conversation also addresses common concerns regarding the reliability of the gospels and the importance of examining evidence critically.This video explores the **two source hypothesis** related to the origins of the Gospels in the Bible. The speaker explains how understanding this theory can impact the way people interpret biblical texts, and how it is related to the **synoptic problem**.-The term 'synoptic' means to view the gospels together.-The synoptic problem may not be a problem at all. -External evidence is often overlooked in gospel studies.-Markan priority is a dominant theory, but has its challenges. -The early church unanimously believed Matthew was the first gospel.-Historical context is crucial for understanding the gospels.-The Church Fathers provide valuable insights into gospel authorship.-The Q hypothesis is speculative and lacks concrete evidence.-The Christian faith is rooted in historical evidence.-Scholars should be approached with caution; personal investigation is essential.00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest01:31 Understanding the Synoptic Gospels04:59 Exploring the Synoptic Problem05:19 Three Lines of Evidence for Gospel Order 08:32 Questioning Markan Priority10:39 Historical Context of Gospel Development17:50 The Role of Early Church Fathers24:11 The Fourfold Gospel Hypothesis28:08 Unity in the Early Church 29:09 Historical Context of the Gospels30:32 Occasional Nature of New Testament Letters31:58 The Role of the Gospels in Addressing Needs33:13 Critique of Markan Priority35:30 Historical Perspectives on Gospel Origins 36:57 The Importance of Church History39:24 The Enlightenment's Impact on Gospel Scholarship41:09 The Interconnectedness of Biblical Studies43:26 The Role of Language in Understanding the Gospels45:56 Different Styles and Purposes of Gospel Writers52:13 Addressing Lay Concerns about Gospel Reliability

Adamic Covenant G'day and welcome to Partakers! We are now on day 3 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! Reading from Genesis 3v14-21 Then the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." Then he said to the woman, "I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you." And to the man he said, "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return." Then the man-Adam-named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live. And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife. Disaster and Curse! After the blessing of the Edenic Covenant between God and humanity, disaster and curse strike! God walked with Adam and Eve and enjoyed fellowship together. However as we read in Genesis 3v1-13, humanity broke their part of the covenant made with God! What was once idyllic is now chaos! They failed to trust God at His word and actively disobeyed Him. Under the terms of the Edenic Covenant, they had to be punished. Where they once trusted God implicitly and explicitly, now was guilt to be found and this is evidenced in that they endeavoured to hide from God. Irenaeus, writes: When Adam fell, he lost the likeness, but the image remained fully intact. Humanity as humanity was still complete, but the good and holy being was spoiled. Augustine, another of the early Church Fathers developed this further: Human nature was certainly originally created blameless and without any fault; but the human nature by which each one of us is now born of Adam requires a physician, because it is not healthy. All the good things, which it has by its conception, life, senses, and mind, it has from God... But the weakness which darkens and disables these good natural qualities, as a result of which that nature needs enlightenment and healing, did not come from the blameless maker but from original sin, which was committed by free will. For this reason our guilty nature is liable to a just penalty. Adamic Covenant This second covenant between God and humanity, is also titled the covenant with all of mankind, as it lays down the terms and conditions which hold until sin's curse is lifted (Isaiah 11v6-10; Romans 8v18-23). As elucidated by Irenaeus and Augustine, because of Adam's sin, we are all born under the curse of sin. The terms and conditions of this covenant include: The snake, or Satan, although enjoying limited & temporal success (Genesis 3v15), will ultimately be judged (Genesis 3v15). The first hint or notion of a saviour or messiah is given in Genesis 3v15 Childbirth now involves pain and the woman is made subject to her husband (Genesis 3v16) The ground is cursed and weeds will grow amongst the food (Genesis 3vv17 - 19) Physical changes occur and now people sweat when they work (Genesis 3v19) Because of their sin and disobedience, people die spiritually and inevitably physically. (Genesis 3v19). So the Edenic Covenant was broken by humanity, and God puts in place a new covenant! But this Adamic covenant, with the hint of a promise attached that one day true fellowship between God and humanity will be restored in full and out of death, new life will come. So the story continues! Tomorrow we look at another step in the story. Right mouse click or tap here to download as a MP3 audio file

The Fruit of Kindness comes from the heart. The early Christians were called the people of kindness. The Church Fathers frequently discuss kindness. Join Fr Nick and Dr Roxanne as they share with you ways to be kind and have a tender heart

Read OnlineThe swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. Matthew 8:33–34Why would “the whole town” beg Jesus to leave their district as a result of Jesus delivering two of their fellow townsmen from demons? This event took place on the northeast edge of the Sea of Galilee near a town of the Gadarenes who were not of Jewish background, which accounts for the fact that there was such a large herd of swine (the Jewish people did not eat pork). Two of the Gadarenes were possessed by demons, and Scripture reports that “They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.” And when Jesus delivers them from this awful plight, instead of rejoicing in gratitude, the townspeople begged Jesus to leave.Saint Jerome says that it is possible that the people were actually acting in humility, in that they did not consider themselves worthy to be in the presence of someone as great as Jesus. Like Saint Peter who fell at the feet of Jesus and cried out, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8), these townspeople may have been in such awe at what Jesus did for them that they did not see themselves as being worthy of His presence. However, other Church Fathers point out that it is more likely that these townspeople signify those who are stuck in their life of sin and do not want to come face-to-face with the Gospel or with the Person of Jesus. They prefer to close their ears to the truth and to remain in their life of ignorance and sin.It's also helpful to reflect upon the relationship between the townspeople and these two demoniacs. Ideally, when the townspeople saw these two men completely freed of the demons who tormented them, they would have rejoiced in a way similar to the way the father of the Prodigal Son rejoiced when his son returned to him. Sadly, in this case, there seems to be a tremendous lack of excitement by their fellow townsmen over the freedom these two demoniacs experienced. This shows a clear lack of love for these two men within the town. Perhaps many of the townspeople took a twisted form of pleasure in their mockery of these two men over the years, and they enjoyed telling stories about how crazy they were. Now, they were faced with these two men who were completely changed, and they may have found it difficult to speak well of them because of their pride.This negative example set by these townspeople gives us an opportunity to reflect upon how we think about and treat those who have changed their ways and have turned from evil to good. Perhaps you have a family member who has sincerely tried to change. Or perhaps someone at work, a neighbor or some other acquaintance has gone from a life of sin to a life seeking virtue. The real question to ponder is whether you rejoice over the goodness of others, over their ongoing conversion and pursuit of holiness, or whether you struggle with truly expressing joy as you see people you know change for the good. It's often very easy to criticize but much more difficult to rejoice in the holy transformation of another.Reflect, today, upon those in your life, those close to you and those with whom you are mere acquaintances, who have been set free by our Lord in some way and have moved from a life of sin toward a life of virtue. How do you react to them? Are you able to sincerely rejoice in the goodness of others? Or do you find yourself struggling with jealousy, anger, envy and the like? As you do see the goodness of God at work in others, try to put on the mentality suggested by Saint Jerome above. Allow yourself to be in awe of God's action in their lives. As you do, humble yourself before the transforming power of God, admitting that you are not worthy to witness His transforming power but rejoice in gratitude nonetheless. My all-powerful Lord, You overcame the power of the evil one and cast demons from these two men who suffered through this oppression for many years. Give me the eyes I need to see You at work in our world and to joyfully bear witness to Your transforming action in the lives of others. May I always humble myself before Your saving actions and learn to express true gratitude for all that You do. Jesus, I trust in You.James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

The Vatican announced a new Mass text called the Mass “for the care of creation.” Dr. Taylor Marshall responds and discusses his plan for the “Texan Rite Mass” or TRM. https://ChristianPatriotBook.com Pre-Order Christian Patriot: 12 Ways to Create One Nation Under God https://www.birchgold.com/taylor — Get your FREE infokit from Birch Gold and secure your future today. https://nsti.com/checkout/?rid=pJNK69 Click to receive your $1 jump start at New Saint Thomas Institute for your Catholic Bible in a Year, Catholic Bible Cheat Sheet, and Catholic Lifetime Reading List and 10 Catholic Courses from Dr. Taylor Marshall on Catholic Bible, Catholic Philosophy, Latin Mass, Church Fathers, Mariology and more.

Read Online“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Matthew 8:19–20It is unclear from this passage alone why Jesus answered this scribe the way He did. At first, the statement of the scribe seems very devout: “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” But many of the Church Fathers, in their reflections of this conversation between Jesus and the scribe, offer helpful insights.First of all, note that Jesus neither accepts the proposal of the scribe to be His follower nor rejects it. Rather, Jesus simply makes a statement which clarifies just what is involved in being His follower. Some Church Fathers suggest that this scribe was desirous of following Jesus because he thought there would be great rewards given to him by doing so. After all, Jesus was a miracle worker, was becoming quite popular, and showed potential to be a great leader. Therefore, the interior motivation of this scribe to follow Jesus wherever Jesus went was a questionable motivation. Did he want to follow Jesus because he thought it would benefit him in some worldly way?Jesus' response to this scribe does two things. First, it removes all misconceptions of what it means to follow Jesus. If the scribe wanted to follow Jesus, then he had to be prepared to follow Him into poverty and homelessness rather than riches and possessions. Jesus wanted it to be clear to the scribe just what he was choosing. Secondly, Jesus' response was certainly an invitation to the scribe to follow Him, but only in the light of this new knowledge. In other words, Jesus was saying, “Yes, come follow me. But be aware of what that means. Following me will not result in your earthly riches but in your earthly poverty.”Why do you follow Jesus? It's important to consider your motivations at times. Some choose to follow Jesus because this was simply the way they were raised. Others do so because it makes them feel better to do so. And still others do so because they think it will make their lives better in various ways. But what is the ideal motivation for following our Lord? The ideal motivation for following Jesus in a total and unwavering way is very simple: we follow Him because He is the Son of God and the Savior of the World. Jesus came to call us to Himself and has invited us to live in union with Him through faith. So ideally, we will follow Jesus simply because it is the right thing to do. We will not do so because of the so-called benefits. Love, in its purest form, does not love the other because of what we get out of it. Pure love is a gift given to another because they are worthy of our love. And with Jesus, He is worthy of our love and worship simply because of Who He is.Reflect, today, upon Jesus inviting you to follow Him into poverty, detachment from all, simplicity of life and ultimately the sacrifice of your entire life. Do you understand what it means to be a follower of Christ Jesus? Do you understand that following Jesus cannot be done for selfish reasons? Do you realize that saying “Yes” to our Lord is saying “Yes” to His Cross? Ponder Jesus' life and reflect upon whether or not you are willing to follow Him to the poverty of the Cross. If you can make the choice to follow our Lord, knowing full well what you are saying “Yes” to, then the end result will also be a glorious sharing in His resurrected life.My glorious Lord, You walked through this world in poverty, rejection and suffering. You had no earthly home of Your own but now live in the riches of Heaven. Help me to follow You, dear Lord, wherever You lead me in this life. If You lead me to worldly poverty and suffering, I thank You. I thank You and choose to follow You no matter what. Give me the grace I need to follow You purely out of love for You, for You are God and are worthy of all my praise and worship. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

As a teacher and guide to the Bible in its original Middle Eastern setting, I want to invite you into a deeper experience of Scripture one that bridges the Jewish world of Jesus with our world today. Many believers have heard of the Targum, but few truly know what it is.

Dr. Taylor Marshall uncovers a shocking clue in the horrific crucifixion murder of Arizona Pastor Bill Schonemann, revealing the chilling motives of killer Adam Sheafe. This gripping podcast dives into the spiritual and cultural implications of the case, urging Christians to stay vigilant in a time of escalating evil. https://amzn.to/44ByFfs Pre-Order Christian Patriot: 12 Ways to Create One Nation Under God https://nsti.com/checkout/?rid=pJNK69 Click to receive your $1 jump start at New Saint Thomas Institute for your Catholic Bible in a Year, Catholic Bible Cheat Sheet, and Catholic Lifetime Reading List and 10 Catholic Courses from Dr. Taylor Marshall on Catholic Bible, Catholic Philosophy, Latin Mass, Church Fathers, Mariology and more.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOMIn this episode, we cover an incredible event that took place in AD 363: an apostate Roman Emperor who was trying to revive paganism attempted to rebuild the "Third Temple" in Jerusalem. Why? So he could disprove Christ's divinity, and seduce the Jews into eventually becoming pagans. His plot was eerily similar to how most Church Fathers say Antichrist will behave toward Christians and Jews in the end times.But divine intervention stopped him. Fire, explosions from the ground, storms, the sign of the cross in the sky and on the garments of the workers: these and other signs reported by multiple ancient accounts (both pagan and Christian) caused such great fear among the pagans and Jews involved in the project that it was abandoned.Many converted to the Catholic Faith as a result.Check out Becoming Catholic # 57 for all the quotes in the episode, and their sources: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/articles/number-57/ VISIT OUR WEBSITEhttps://eternalchristendom.com/BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITIONHelp us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS AT ETERNAL CHRISTENDOM BOOKSTOREhttps://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIAX: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharlesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/DIVE DEEPER Check out Eternal Christendom's "Becoming Catholic," where you'll find hundreds of thousands of words of free content (as big as the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic:https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/EPISODE CHAPTERS00:00 - Introduction08:26 - Roadmap09:14 - Divine Intervention? Or Natural Explanation?13:09 - Emperor Julian the Apostate (Pagan)18:06 - Ammianus Marcellinus (Pagan)19:57 - St. Ephrem the Syrian (Christian)24:08 - St. Gregory Nazianzus (Christian)33:33 - St. Ambrose of Milan (Christian)34:45 - St. Jerome (Christian)37:09 - Rufinus of Aquileia (Christian)41:21 - St. Cyril of Jerusalem on Antichrist and the Temple (Christian)44:33 - St. John Chrysostom (Christian)55:06 - Philostorgius (Christian)59:18 - Socrates of Constantinople (Christian)1:03:46 - Theodoret of Cyrus (Christian)1:07:27 - Sozomen (Christian)1:13:55 - St. Isidore of Seville (Christian)1:17:15 - ConclusionCHECK US OUT ON APPLE AND SPOTIFY

In this episode of The Open Door, Thomas Storck, Andrew Sorokowski, and Christopher Zehnder interview Matthew Tsakanikas on his book A Catechesis on Deification, Transfiguration & the Luminous Mysteries.This book is a catechetical exploration of Christian deification, deeply rooted in the theological insights of Saint Athanasius and other Church Fathers. The work connects the mysteries of the Rosary with the transformative grace offered through Christ, focusing particularly on the Luminous Mysteries as a lens for understanding humanity's participation in the divine life. Central to the book is the concept of deification, described as the process by which humans become “partakers in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).Dr. Matthew A. Tsakanikas emphasizes that deification does not imply losing one's humanity but rather elevating it through grace, living in God's will, and growing in love and virtue. Drawing on biblical passages, he demonstrates how the Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ make this elevation possible.The book revisits key moments in salvation history, such as the Transfiguration, where Jesus revealed the glory of divine light to his disciples, and the Eucharist's institution, portraying these events as glimpses of the divine kingdom. Tsakanikas also explores discipleship in Mary, the Rosary's role in cultivating divine intimacy, and the unity of Scripture's Old and New Testaments.Through theological reflection and practical devotion, Tsakanikas invites readers to embrace their divine calling, entering into Christ's transformative love. https://enroutebooksandmedia.com/deification/

What does Scripture say about Mary's perpetual virginity and sinlessness? Is an annulment needed if a spouse dies after a civil divorce? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, we explore these and other challenging questions about Catholic teaching and Scripture. Discover the meaning behind Jesus' command to “take up your cross,” learn how to recognize mortal sin before receiving Communion, and understand the Church's view on praying for those who die by suicide. We also discuss key Church Fathers to reference in conversations with Calvinists and explore the importance of forgiveness in light of Matthew 5:21–26. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 07:05 – Where in Scripture can the doctrines of Mary's perpetual virginity and sinlessness be found or supported? 20:26 – If a person's spouse dies after a civil divorce, is an annulment still required for the surviving party? 22:24 – When Jesus says, “Take up your cross and follow me,” was this a known expression at the time, or only understood after the Crucifixion? 29:20 – Which Church Fathers are most effective to reference in discussions with Calvinists? 42:24 – Is it worthwhile to pray for someone who died by suicide? 47:11 – How can someone know they are free of mortal sin before receiving Holy Communion? 50:16 – What does the Catholic Church teach about the need to forgive as emphasized in Matthew 5:21–26?

What if everything you thought you knew about the origins of Christianity was just one version of a much wilder, more chaotic story? In this episode, Megan Lewis and renowned scholar Paula Fredrickson dive into the glorious mess of competing beliefs, hidden gospels, and theological squabbles that shaped the first 500 years of Christianity. From grumpy Church Fathers and outlaw texts to pagans, prophets, and even Kentucky snake handlers (no, really), discover why Christian diversity isn't a modern problem—it's the tradition itself. Tune in for a witty, eye-opening journey that will give you a whole new appreciation for the beautiful, bickering family tree of Christian history!

Can someone outside the Orthodox Church be saved? It’s a question many ask — and the answer might surprise you. In this episode, we explore what Eastern Orthodoxy actually teaches about salvation beyond its visible boundaries. Drawing from the Church Fathers, councils, and contemporary Orthodox theologians, we dive into the nuanced and often misunderstood doctrine […]

This the morning All Local for June 16, 2025.

In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, we explore key questions about Catholic doctrine and Scripture. Topics include the Church's teaching on Purgatory, the meaning of “under the earth” in Scripture, and Pope St. John Paul II's quote on free will and the greater good. Jimmy discusses who the Church Fathers are and how to read them, how doctrinal development fits with the end of public revelation, and biblical support for the resurrection of the dead and Christ's second coming. He also addresses whether a priest can deny communion to someone kneeling and whether baptism removes both sin and attachment to sin. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:00 – What is the Catholic teaching on Purgatory, and is there a “middle space” between Heaven and Hell for souls? 12:52 – In the verse “every knee shall bend… under the earth,” what does “under the earth” refer to—could it mean Hell? 20:49 – How should one understand Pope St. John Paul II's quote: “The greater good is maintained when someone uses his freedom wrongly than when he is forced to do what is good”? 28:45 – Who are the Church Fathers, and how can someone begin reading them alongside Scripture for deeper understanding? 32:30 – How can the Church's claim that public revelation has ceased be reconciled with the idea that doctrine continues to develop? 41:58 – What Bible verses support the Catholic teachings on the resurrection of the dead and the second coming of Christ? 49:26 – Is it within a priest's authority to deny communion to someone who chooses to receive kneeling? 52:51 – Does the sacrament of baptism remove not only sin but also attachment to sin?

Ignatius was the Bishop of Antioch in the first decade of the second century, making him one of the earliest Church Fathers. What did he believe about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit? These crucial questions are tackled after addressing the controversy surrounding which of his letters were authentically written by him. By drawing on the latest scholarship of Ignatian textual criticism, we can recover the beliefs of this ancient bishop, who appears to be a unitarian.  Visit Amazon to buy your copy of my book Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John: https://a.co/d/6nFEbZg       Please consider supporting this Podcast and future projects by donating at: https://www.paypal.me/10mintruthtalks                                  To view the notes from this episode please click the link below: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WyZoG9qEXjWH-oU4X0iM6NgoSwldS1yblUxK-fmRUOo/edit?usp=sharing         Check out some of my videos on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@BiblicalUnitarianPodcast     Follow us on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/OneGodPodcast  

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Jannah Russell to share her remarkable Catholic conversion story. Raised in the Jehovah's Witness tradition, Jannah explains how her and her husband became disillusioned with the group, eventually leaving, and rediscovering faith on their own. Their journey, ever seeking the truth of Christ and His Church, led them into Evangelical Christianity where experiences around Communion, baptism, and the interpretation of Scripture set off some of the same alarm bells they'd heard as Jehovah's Witnesses – and that compelled them to begin their journey in the first place!Those alarm bells drove them deeper into Scripture, into Church history and the Church Fathers, and from there, the slow realization that maybe, despite their deepest reservations, they needed to explore Catholicism. This is a truly remarkable story and not only because Jannah managed to tell it while single-handedly taking care of 4 kids (because her husband had to work late!) but because it's a kind of microcosm of some of the same issues that comes up in Protestant Christianity writ large – playing out for two Christ-seeking believers leaving the grasp of a pretty intense Christian sect. It's not a conversation you're going to want to miss! Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Theme Music: "Splendor (Intro)" by Former Ruins. Learn more at formerruins.com or listen on A very special thanks to our Patreon co-producers who make this show possible: Amanda, Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Jorg, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.Friar TimeThrough meaningful interviews and heartfelt conversations, Friar Time, hosted by Fr....Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Beyond The BeaconJoin Bishop Kevin Sweeney for inspired interviews with Christians living out their faith!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showFind and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:Instagram: @cordialcatholicTwitter: @cordialcatholicYouTube: /thecordialcatholicFacebook: The Cordial CatholicTikTok: @cordialcatholic

(7:23) Bible Study: Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3 The church has been structured from the beginning. Matthew 5:17-19 What does the word break mean in this reading? (19:57) Break 1 (21:06) Letters: Is stoicism in opposition to Catholicism? Where does the word lord come from and what is the origins of the word belief? Father answers these and other questions, send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (34:42) Break 2 (36:04) Word of the Day Jot or tittle (38:07) Phones: Leah - What does the Catholic church teach about having a biological child but then giving it up for adoption to a friend? Dan - Protestant chaplain asking if he could combine services with a catholic chaplain. Kris - difference between apostles and disciples? Dana - What do you think about dramatizing readings during church?

Read OnlineStanding by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."  Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother."  And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. John 19:25–27The memorial we celebrate today, which was added to the Roman Liturgical Calendar in 2018 by Pope Francis, highlights the truth that the Blessed Virgin Mary is not only the Mother of the Person of Christ, and, therefore, the Mother of God, she is also the Mother of the Church, that is, the Mother of all the faithful. The Blessed Virgin Mary is your mother. And as your mother, she is truly tender, compassionate, caring and merciful, bestowing upon you everything that a perfect mother desires to bestow. She is the fiercest of mothers who will stop at nothing to protect her children. She is a mother wholly devoted to you, her dear child.The Gospel passage chosen for this memorial depicts our Blessed Mother standing at the foot of the Cross. She would have been no other place than directly beneath her Son as He endured His last agony. She did not flee in fear. She was not overwhelmed by grief. She did not sulk in self-pity. No, she stood by her Son with the perfect love and strength of a devoted, caring, compassionate and faithful mother.As she stood by her Son in His hour of suffering and death, Jesus turned to her and entrusted the Apostle John to her maternal care. From the early Church Fathers until the most recent teachings of the Church today, this act of entrusting John to Mary and Mary to John by Jesus has been understood as an entrustment of all the faithful to the maternal care of Mother Mary. Mother Mary is, therefore, not only the Mother of the Redeemer, Christ Himself, she also becomes the Mother of all the redeemed, the mother of us all, the Mother of the Church.Consider the spiritual mother you have in Heaven. A mother is one who gives life. Your mother in Heaven is entrusted with the task of bestowing upon you the new life of grace won by the Cross. And as your mother, she will not withhold anything from you that is to your benefit. A mother is also one who is tender with her children. The Immaculate Heart of our mother in Heaven is one that is filled with the greatest tenderness toward you. Though her caresses are not physical, they are much deeper. She caresses with the tenderness of grace which she imparts to you as you pray and turn to her in your need. She gives you the grace of her Son, poured out upon the Cross as the blood and water sprung forth as a font of mercy. Mother Mary pours that mercy upon you as a tender and devoted mother would. She holds nothing back.If you are unaware of the love in the heart of our Blessed Mother for you, use this memorial as an opportunity to deepen your understanding of her role in your life. Many children take their mothers for granted, not fully understanding the depth of their love. So it is with our Mother in Heaven. We will never fully comprehend her love and her constant motherly workings in our life until we join her in Heaven face to face. Reflect, today, upon Mother Mary standing by you in every moment of your life. See her there in your joys and in your sorrows, during your moments of temptation and struggles, in your moments of confusion and clarity. See her there by your side, bestowing every good spiritual gift upon you when you need it the most. She is a true mother, and she is worthy of your love and gratitude.My dearest Mother, you stood by your Son with unwavering fidelity and love. You cared for Him, nurtured Him and never left His side. I also am your dear child. I thank you for your loving fidelity toward me and open my heart to the grace of your Son that you bestow upon me throughout life. Help me to be more attentive to your motherly care and to daily grow in gratitude for your presence in my life. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.Images: Featured: The Crucifixion via Web Gallery of ArtMain: Lucas Cranach the Elder, PDM-owner, via Wikimedia Commons  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Peter Kreeft—Catholic philosopher, longtime Boston College professor, and author of over 100 books—for a candid and moving conversation about his personal conversion story, told in his latest book, From Calvinist to Catholic.Raised in a devout Calvinist household and educated at Calvin College, Dr. Kreeft's journey to Catholicism was not a rebellion, but a pursuit of truth. With humor, humility, and deep clarity, he shares what drew him to the Church, what nearly kept him away, and how his love for Jesus only deepened along the way.This episode is full of wisdom for anyone discerning the Catholic faith or seeking to understand the beauty of the Church more deeply.Topics Covered:Why Dr. Kreeft initially resisted writing his conversion story—and what changed his mindThe most difficult Catholic doctrine to accept—and how he came to embrace itThe influence of C.S. Lewis, Church Fathers, and personal conscienceHow reading Church history challenged his assumptions about ProtestantismLessons from Boston College and years of teaching Catholic studentsThe surprising role Calvin College played in leading him to CatholicismWhy the Church's sacramental system initially felt foreign—and how it became foundationalAdvice for anyone discerning conversion to CatholicismWhat Catholics can learn from Protestants—and vice versaWhy joy, not just truth, is essential to the Christian life

Did the Catholic Church ever teach reincarnation? Some claim early Christians believed in it, but what does history actually say? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, we examine the origins of this myth, what the Church Fathers believed, and how Catholic doctrine on the soul and resurrection firmly rejects reincarnation. Karlo Broussard sets the record straight with clarity and charity. Help us reach our goal by donating! Catholicanswersradio.com Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:32 – If Joseph had a home in Bethlehem, why would he need to find a place to stay? 11:17 – Is it true that at one point the Church taught reincarnation? 14:58 – What is the new Jerusalem and the new heaven in Rev. 21? 20:20 – What are your thoughts about pursuing a career in the Church? What jobs with a theology degree do you think are out there where one could raise a family? 23:34 – Was Mark 16:9-20 originally part of the canon? 35:57 – Since DNA is all different, will there be a point when DNA sequences will start repeating, if this happens will it be the end time? 39:15 – How does one self-verify visions that one experiences? 45:30 – What is the bottom line on demons?