Best Churchfathers Podcasts (2024)

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St. John Henry Newman - Appearance of the Cross in the Sky to Constantine 21:03

4h ago21:03

21:03

"Constantine's submission of his power to the Church has been a pattern for all Christian monarchs since, and the commencement of her state establishment to this day; and, on the other hand, the fortunes of the Roman empire are in prophecy apparently connected with her in a very intimate manner, which we are not yet able fully to comprehend. If any…

1
4.17 The Heresies—Iconoclasm and the Art-Smashers 27:33

2h ago27:33

27:33

Does the devotional use of Christian art and iconography break the commandment against worshiping idols? How and where does one draw the line between legitimate reverence and idolatrous worship? In this controversy - as is often the case - the heresy is a criticism of an ancient practice. And you may be surprised to learn that the related tradition…

1
St. Aphrahat - On Penitents 35:51

2d ago35:51

35:51

"So the man whom Satan has smitten ought not to be ashamed to confess his sin, and depart from it, and entreat for himself the medicine of penitence. For gangrene comes to the wound of him who is ashamed to show it, and harm comes to his whole body; and he who is not ashamed has his wound healed, and again returns to go down into the conflict." St.…

1
4.16 The Heresies—Eutyches and Monophysitism: A Drop in the Ocean 34:29

22d ago34:29

34:29

The pendulum swings one more time as Eutyches overreacts against Nestorius, and emphasizes the union of the two natures in Christ, to the point of blurring the distinction between them. In this conception of the Person of Christ, the divine nature so overwhelms the human nature that Jesus’ humanity is absorbed and cancelled out like a drop of oil i…

1
St. John Henry Newman - Many Called, Few Chosen 29:53

12d ago29:53

29:53

"Your very perplexity in reconciling the surface of things with our Lord's announcements, the very temptation you lie under to explain away the plain words of Scripture, shows you that your standard of good and evil, and the standard of all around you, must be very different from God's standard." In this sermon from his Anglican period, Newman refl…

1
4.15 The Heresies—Nestorianism: Two People in One 28:18

17d ago28:18

28:18

The pendulum swings again as Nestorius overreacts against Apollinarius, and emphasizes the distinction between the two natures in Christ, to the point of describing a radical separation of natures. It was as if Nestorius was saying that Christ is not one Person, but two - a divine Person and a human Person, united only as long as the human will sub…

1
The Shepherd of Hermas | Pt. 4 (Parables 9-10) 1:12:06

1M ago1:12:06

1:12:06

“Keep his commandments, and you will have a cure for sin.” The Shepherd of Hermas is an apocryphal text written in Rome in the 2nd century. It belongs to the category of "apocalyptic" literature, as it relates a series of revelations given to its titular character, Hermas, who may or may not also have been the work's author. The Shepherd of Hermas …

1
4.14 The Heresies—Apollinarius and Monothelitism: The Word in a Human Suit 24:08

1M ago24:08

24:08

Apollinarius tried to say that Jesus could not have sinned because his human nature had no will of its own. In doing this, he stumbled onto a heresy called Monothelitism (“one-will” christology), which would become a huge controversy later. But a Christ without a human will would be a Christ who is not fully human. He would only be wearing a human …

1
4.13 The Heresies—Pelagianism and the Seeds of Calvinism 44:32

2M ago44:32

44:32

Pelagius was so optimistic about human nature and the freedom of the will that he went so far as to deny the reality of original sin and the need for infant baptism. Saint Augustine corrected Pelagius and his followers, but in the heat of the debate he went a bit too far in in the opposite direction, and proposed a doctrine of election that the Chu…

1
4.12 The Heresies — The “Spirit-fighters” and the Aftermath of Nicaea 28:41

3M ago28:41

28:41

After the Council of Nicaea, all the same questions that had been asked of the Son of God, were now asked of the Holy Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit divine, and worthy of worship? Does worship of the Holy Spirit compromise monotheism? Some who reluctantly accepted the divinity of the Son still refused to accept the divinity of the Spirit, and so they c…

1
4.11 The Heresies — Arianism: A Man Who Became a God 45:45

3M ago45:45

45:45

Arianism was the fourth century evolution of adoptionism, in which Arius made a concession to the mainstream by accepting a quasi-divinity in Jesus Christ. But this was an acquired divinity, an earned divinity, and a divinity that was less than that of the Father. The controversy led to the first worldwide (ecumenical) council of bishops, the Counc…

1
St. John Henry Newman - The Work of the Christian 27:14

3M ago27:14

27:14

"It cannot be said, then, because we have not to bear the burden and the heat of the day, that therefore we have returned to paradise. It is not that our work is lighter, but our strength is greater." This sermon from Newman's Anglican period was originally preached on Septuagesima Sunday. In it, Newman addresses the misconception that grace exempt…

1
The Shepherd of Hermas | Pt. 3 (Parables 1-8) 1:04:05

4M ago1:04:05

1:04:05

“These mandates are advantageous for those who intend to repent. For, if they do not walk in them, their repentance is worthless. You who repent must cast off the wickedness of this world which wears you down; if you put on every excellence of justice, you can observe these mandates and keep from committing any additional sins.” The Shepherd of Her…

1
4.10 The Heresies — Rebaptism and the Donatists 29:24

4M ago29:24

29:24

In the aftermath of the persecutions, controversies arose over the sacraments, which required clarification of the Church’s sacramental theology. Out of those controversies, new schisms emerged which had a correct understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity, but incorrect understandings of ecclesiology (the doctrine of the Church) and incorrect un…

1
4.9 Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Part 2 (The Bad and the Ugly) 36:42

4M ago36:42

36:42

In this second part of a two-part series on Novatian of Rome, Dr. Papandrea discusses the flawed sacramental theology and ecclesiology of Novatian, which led to a schism that not only lasted for centuries, but created a new situation in which a faction could be orthodox with regard to the doctrine of the Trinity, yet not within the mainstream of th…

1
The Shepherd of Hermas | Pt. 2 (Mandates) 59:01

4M ago59:01

59:01

“Put the Lord in your hearts, then, you who are empty and fickle in the faith. You will then know that nothing is easier, sweeter, or more gentle than these mandates. Be converted, you who walk in the commandments of the Devil, commandments that are hard, bitter, cruel, and foul. And do not fear the Devil either, because he has no power against you…

1
4.8 Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Part 1 (The Good) 37:27

5M ago37:27

37:27

Novatian of Rome is an extremely important, but conflicted, character in the early Church. On the one hand, he clarified and helped define the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, preparing the Church for the ecumenical councils. On the other hand, he was the central figure of a schism in a controversy over the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.…

1
The Shepherd of Hermas | Pt. 1 (Visions) 54:06

5M ago54:06

54:06

“So I wrote the commands and parables as he bade me. If you hear them and keep them, and walk in them, and fulfill them in a pure heart, you will receive from the Lord what He promised you. But if you hear them and do not repent, or even add to your sins, you will receive the contrary from the Lord.” The Shepherd of Hermas is an apocryphal text wri…

1
4.7 The Heresies – Modalism: God as a Monad with Three Names 40:17

5M ago40:17

40:17

Modalism denies the distinctions between the three Persons of the Trinity, so that God is presented as, not a Trinity at all, but rather a monad with three names. Modalism can be expressed chronologically (the Father became incarnate as the Son) or functionally (the names describe activities like Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer), but either way, in mo…

1
St. Francis de Sales - Introduction to the Devout Life | Pt. 5 & Conclusion 48:02

5M ago48:02

48:02

“Consider the love with which our dear Lord Jesus Christ bore so much in this world, especially in the Garden of Olives and on Mount Calvary; that love bore you in mind, and through all those pains and toils he obtained your good resolutions for you, as also all that is necessary to maintain, foster, strengthen and consummate those resolutions. "Ho…

1
4.6 The Heresies – The Enigma of Origen and Origenism 26:02

6M ago26:02

26:02

Whether Origen is considered a father of the Church, or a heretic, depends on whom you ask. But everyone agrees he may have been just a bit too smart for his own good. At best, he tried in vain to out-gnostic the gnostics, at worst, he was too influenced by gnosticism. In the end, the Fifth Ecumenical Council declared him a heretic. In this this ep…

1
St. Basil the Great - On the Right Use of Greek Literature 36:12

6M ago36:12

36:12

"... it is incumbent upon us, for the present, to trace, as it were, the silhouette of virtue in the pagan authors. For those who carefully gather the useful from each book are wont, like mighty rivers, to gain accessions on every hand." Drawing from his deep understanding of both classical Greek literature and Sacred Scripture, St. Basil the Great…

1
St. Francis de Sales - Introduction to the Devout Life | Pt. 4 1:18:44

6M ago1:18:44

1:18:44

"If anyone strives to be delivered from his troubles out of love of God, he will strive patiently, gently, humbly and calmly, looking for deliverance rather to God's goodness and providence than to his own industry or efforts; but if self-love is the prevailing object, he will grow hot and eager in seeking relief, as though all depended more upon h…

1
4.5 The Heresies – Gnosticism: Christ as Cosmic Mind 50:27

6M ago50:27

50:27

The heresy of docetism evolved into a complicated web of schools of mythology, which we lump together under the name of gnosticism. These all still denied the real humanity of Christ, though in two distinct ways. Docetic gnosticism continued the trend of seeing Christ as a phantom, with no real tangible body. “Hybrid” gnosticism made concessions to…

1
St. John Henry Newman - The Idea of a University | Duties of the Church towards Knowledge 54:50

6M ago54:50

54:50

"If the Catholic Faith is true, a University cannot exist externally to the Catholic pale, for it cannot teach Universal Knowledge if it does not teach Catholic theology. This is certain; but still, though it had ever so many theological Chairs, that would not suffice to make it a Catholic University... a direct and active jurisdiction of the Churc…

1
St. Francis de Sales - Introduction to the Devout Life | Pt. 3 (Ch.36-41) 35:56

7M ago35:56

35:56

"No indeed, I would not even have people wish for more wit or better judgment, for such desires are frivolous, and take the place of the wish everyone ought to possess of improving what he has. We ought not to desire ways of serving God that He does not open to us, but rather desire to use what we have rightly." Part 3 (00:38) Chapter 36—A Well-Bal…

1
4.4 The Heresies – Adoptionism: Christ as Anointed Prophet 47:29

7M ago47:29

47:29

In the third century, the heresy of the Ebionites evolved into a more general form of adoptionism, still denying the divinity of Christ, and now emphasizing his status as an anointed, but adopted, son of God, much like the kings and prophets of the Old Testament. Adoptionism is also known as “dynamic monarchianism,” in part for its claim that it wa…

1
4.3 The Heresies – Docetics & Marcionites: Denying Christ's Humanity 31:04

7M ago31:04

31:04

For the second heresy, Dr. Papandrea examines the opposite extreme from the first: these are the Docetics, including the most famous docetic teacher, Marcion and his followers. They concluded that Christ was a god, not necessarily different from the many other gods or demigods in the Greco-Roman pantheon, but that he was not really a human. Links F…

1
St. John Henry Newman - The Idea of a University | Knowledge Viewed in Relation to Religion 1:08:06

8M ago1:08:06

1:08:06

"True Religion is slow in growth, and, when once planted, is difficult of dislodgement; but its intellectual counterfeit has no root in itself: it springs up suddenly, it suddenly withers. It appeals to what is in nature, and it falls under the dominion of the old Adam. Then, like dethroned princes, it keeps up a state and majesty, when it has lost…

1
4.2 The Heresies – Judaizers and Ebionites: Denying Christ’s Divinity 32:05

8M ago32:05

32:05

Is Jesus Christ God? Is he a man? Is he both? Spoiler alert: the mainstream Church answered with the both/and, but the factions on the fringes tended to choose one or the other. For our first heresy, we take a look at the Ebionites, and their New Testament-era predecessors, the so-called Judaizers. These concluded that Jesus Christ was a mere human…

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4.1 The Heresies - Introduction to the Series 20:45

8M ago20:45

20:45

I am honored to be picking up the Way of the Fathers podcast where my good friend, Mike Aquilina, left off. In season 4 of The Way of the Fathers, we’ll be looking at the heresies of the early Church, and how the Church fathers confronted and refuted them. This first episode is the introduction to the series, where I define some terms and tell you …

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St. Francis de Sales - Introduction to the Devout Life | Pt. 3 (Ch.23-35) 1:10:32

9M ago1:10:32

1:10:32

"Great occasions for serving God come seldom, but little ones surround us daily... If you do all in God's name, all you do will be well done." Part 3 (00:38) Chapter 23—The Practice of Bodily Mortification (11:15) Chapter 24—Society and Solitude (16:40) Chapter 25—Modesty in Dress (20:36) Chapter 26—Conversation: First, How to Speak of God (23:08) …

1
The future of Way of the Fathers: Mike Aquilina and Jim Papandrea in conversation 39:29

9M ago39:29

39:29

After 99 wonderful episodes by Mike Aquilina, Way of the Fathers is getting a new host! We are sad to see Mike go, but excited about his hand-picked successor, Jim Papandrea. In this conversation, Mike introduces Jim to the listeners and these two friends and collaborators talk about their love for all things Patristic. Please help CatholicCulture.…

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3.13 Cities of God: Last and Lasting Lessons 22:02

9M ago22:02

22:02

Christianity conquered cities one by one, not by arms or propaganda, but by the quiet witness of ordinary lives well lived. Worldly power yielded before the prayers of the saints and the blood of the martyrs. What can we learn from the first evangelization as we work our witness today? Links Mike Aquilina, Rabbles, Riots, and Ruins: Twelve Ancient …

1
St. Philip Howard - A Fourfold Meditation: On the Four Last Things 57:12

10M ago57:12

57:12

"Thou findest here what thou wilt wish at last, And that account which none can ever shun; Then frame thy life before thy time be past, As thou wilt wish that thou in time hadst done: Lest thou in vain doth wail thy wretched state, When time is past and wailing comes too late." A poem by Philip Howard, 13th Earl of Arundel (1557-1595), an English n…

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