Church History Archives

DC3 St. Ephrem of Syria – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

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Dr. Matthew Bunson discusses the life, times, and work of St. Ephrem of Syria

Born: 306 AD, Nisibis, Turkey

Died: June 9, 373 AD, Edessa, Turkey

For more on St. Ephrem and his teachings

St. Ephraim the Syrian (306-373)
– Nisibene Hymns – Miscellaneous Hymns —
On the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh,
For the Feast of the Epiphany, and
On the Faith (“The Pearl”) – Homilies —
On Our Lord, On Admonition and Repentance,
and On the Sinful Woman

From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI General Audience 2007:

The figure of Ephrem is still absolutely timely for the life of the various Christian Churches. We discover him in the first place as a theologian who reflects poetically, on the basis of Holy Scripture, on the mystery of man’s redemption brought about by Christ, the Word of God incarnate. His is a theological reflection expressed in images and symbols taken from nature, daily life and the Bible. Ephrem gives his poetry and liturgical hymns a didactic and catechetical character: they are theological hymns yet at the same time suitable for recitation or liturgical song. On the occasion of liturgical feasts, Ephrem made use of these hymns to spread Church doctrine. Time has proven them to be an extremely effective catechetical instrument for the Christian community.

Ephrem’s reflection on the theme of God the Creator is important: nothing in creation is isolated and the world, next to Sacred Scripture, is a Bible of God. By using his freedom wrongly, man upsets the cosmic order. The role of women was important to Ephrem. The way he spoke of them was always inspired with sensitivity and respect: the dwelling place of Jesus in Mary’s womb greatly increased women’s dignity. Ephrem held that just as there is no Redemption without Jesus, there is no Incarnation without Mary. The divine and human dimensions of the mystery of our redemption can already be found in Ephrem’s texts; poetically and with fundamentally scriptural images, he anticipated the theological background and in some way the very language of the great Christological definitions of the fifth-century Councils.

Ephrem, honoured by Christian tradition with the title “Harp of the Holy Spirit”, remained a deacon of the Church throughout his life. It was a crucial and emblematic decision: he was a deacon, a servant, in his liturgical ministry, and more radically, in his love for Christ, whose praises he sang in an unparalleled way, and also in his love for his brethren, whom he introduced with rare skill to the knowledge of divine Revelation.

For more visit Vatican.va

Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints, and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia, and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

DC1 St. Athanasius of Alexandria – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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St. Athanasius of Alexandria – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Born: 296 AD, Alexandria, Egypt
Died: May 2, 373 AD, Alexandria, Egypt

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss St. Athanasius of Alexandria, declared a Doctor of the Church in 1568. St. Athanasius played a significant role in defending orthodox Christian doctrine against the Arian heresy. Born around 298 AD, he became Bishop of Alexandria and faced exile multiple times due to his staunch opposition to Arianism.

Despite persecution and false accusations, Athanasius remained steadfast in his defense of Christ’s divinity and humanity; in addition to Christ’s incarnation and its role in salvation, providing clarity on the Trinity and the nature of Christ. He also contributed to the spread of monasticism through his writings on the Desert Fathers, particularly St. Anthony. His life serves as a reminder of the challenges faced in defending the truth and the unwavering commitment required to uphold the faith.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

The Courage of St. Athanasius: How does St. Athanasius’ unwavering courage in the face of persecution inspire us to stand firm in our faith, even when confronted with adversity?
Defending Truth in Today’s World: In what ways can we apply St. Athanasius’ example to our modern context, where the truth of the Catholic faith is often challenged or misunderstood?
Embracing Orthodoxy: Reflect on the importance of understanding and defending orthodox Christian doctrine, especially in a world where relativism and skepticism abound.
Sacrifice and Commitment: Consider the sacrifices St. Athanasius made for the sake of defending the faith. How does his commitment challenge us to deepen our own dedication to Christ and His Church?
The Role of Monasticism: Explore the significance of St. Athanasius’ contribution to monasticism and its impact on Christian spirituality. How can we incorporate elements of monastic living into our own spiritual practices?

From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI General Audience 2007:

“Athanasius was undoubtedly one of the most important and revered early Church Fathers. But this great Saint was above all the impassioned theologian of the Incarnation of the Logos, the Word of God who – as the Prologue of the fourth Gospel says – “became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1: 14).

For this very reason Athanasius was also the most important and tenacious adversary of the Arian heresy, which at that time threatened faith in Christ, reduced to a creature “halfway” between God and man, according to a recurring tendency in history which we also see manifested today in various forms.

In all likelihood Athanasius was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in about the year 300 A.D. He received a good education before becoming a deacon and secretary to the Bishop of Alexandria, the great Egyptian metropolis. As a close collaborator of his Bishop, the young cleric took part with him in the Council of Nicaea, the first Ecumenical Council, convoked by the Emperor Constantine in May 325 A.D. to ensure Church unity. The Nicene Fathers were thus able to address various issues and primarily the serious problem that had arisen a few years earlier from the preaching of the Alexandrian priest, Arius.

With his theory, Arius threatened authentic faith in Christ, declaring that the Logos was not a true God but a created God, a creature “halfway” between God and man who hence remained for ever inaccessible to us. The Bishops gathered in Nicaea responded by developing and establishing the “Symbol of faith” [“Creed”] which, completed later at the First Council of Constantinople, has endured in the traditions of various Christian denominations and in the liturgy as the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed.

In this fundamental text – which expresses the faith of the undivided Church and which we also recite today, every Sunday, in the Eucharistic celebration – the Greek term homooúsiosis featured, in Latin consubstantialis: it means that the Son, the Logos, is “of the same substance” as the Father, he is God of God, he is his substance. Thus, the full divinity of the Son, which was denied by the Arians, was brought into the limelight.”

For more visit Vatican.va

For more from Dr. Matthew Bunson, check out his Discerning Hearts page.

Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and a senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

DC32 St. Gregory of Narek – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom w/ Dr. Matthew Bunson

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St. Gregory of Narek Doctors of the Church with Dr. Matthew Bunson Podcast

Dr. Matthew Bunson discusses the life, times and teachings of St. Gregory of Narek

Born: 951 Rshtunik, Vaspurakan, Bagratid Armenia
Died 1003 Narekavank, Vaspurakan, Armenia
Feast 13 October (Holy Translators day); 27 February (Roman Catholic Church)

For more on St. Gregory of Narek and his teachings visit this excellent website:

“Speaking with God from the Depths of the Heart”

From the Vatican Insider:

Pope Francis has approved the decision of the Congregation for Saints. The Armenian saint was born in 950 AD in present-day Turkey

ANDREA TORNIELLI
vatican city

An Armenian saint has been declared a Doctor of the Church. In last Saturday’s audience with the cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Pope Francis approved the proposal put forward by the Plenary Session of the Congregation, agreeing for the title of Doctor of the Universal Church to be conferred upon Gregory of Narek.

St. Gregory, a priest and monk, was born circa 950 AD in Andzevatsik (formerly Armenia, present-day Turkey) to a family of writers. He died circa 1005 in Narek (formerly Armenia, present-day Turkey). His father, Khosrov, was an archbishop. Having lost his mother at a young age, Gregory was brought up by his cousin, Anania of Narek, founder of the local school and village. The saint lived most of his life in the monasteries of Narek (in what was once called Great Armenia), where he taught at the monastic school. He is considered one of Armenian literature’s greatest poets.

The cult of St. Gregory of Narek will be marked on 27 February in the Roman Martyrology. He will be defined as “monk, doctor of the Armenians, distinguished for his writings and mystic science”.

The papal decision comes just weeks before Francis is due to commemorate the centenary of the Armenian massacre on 12 April in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Medz Yeghern as the Armenian massacre is called, took place in 1915.

Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and a senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints, and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

VEC2 – Caiaphas – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 2 – Caiaphas – “Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians“

In this episode, Mike Aquilina and Kris McGregor discuss Caiaphas and the temptation of unholy compromises.

An excerpt from Villains of the Early Church:

CAIAPHAS IS mentioned everywhere in the Church Fathers, but almost as furniture—“ and Jesus was brought before Caiaphas.” If the early Christian writers are interested in anything about him, it’s that he could prophesy truly because of his office. Otherwise, they don’t seem to find much remarkable in him. He’s the banality of evil. A bureaucrat.

Yet, Caiaphas, like many of the characters caught up in the Passion story, was in a complicated position—more complicated than we may realize when we hear the story in the Gospels.

Aquilina, Mike. Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians (Kindle Locations 304). Emmaus Road Publishing. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in the Villians of the Early Church podcast visit here – Villains of the Early Church – Discerning Hearts Podcast

You can find the book on which this series is based here

Mike Aquilina is a popular author working in the area of Church history, especially patristics, the study of the early Church Fathers.^[1] He is the executive vice-president and trustee of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a Roman Catholic research center based in Steubenville, Ohio. He is a contributing editor of Angelus (magazine) and general editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History Series from Ave Maria Press. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Fathers of the Church (2006); The Mass of the Early Christians (2007); Living the Mysteries (2003); and What Catholics Believe(1999). He has hosted eleven television series on the Eternal Word Television Network and is a frequent guest commentator on Catholic radio.

Mike Aquilina’s website is found at fathersofthechurch.com

VEC1 – Judas – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 1 – Judas – “Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians“

In this episode, Mike Aquilina and Kris McGregor discuss the “mystery of Judas.”

An excerpt from Villains of the Early Church:

What happened to Judas? Was it simple greed that snapped him? That seems unlikely. Thirty pieces of silver was a good bit of money, but Judas was doing all right with his embezzling racket. The Gospels don’t tell us his motivation most likely because their writers just didn’t know. It was a mystery to them as it is to us. And a lot of the Christian legends that later grew up about Judas seem like popular attempts to psychoanalyze him.

Judas was also present for the Last Supper, having a miserable time as Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray him: “The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24).

John tells us that the disciple whom Jesus loved—John himself—asked Jesus who the betrayer would be. “It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it,” Jesus responded, and then dipped the morsel and handed it to Judas. Yet the others still didn’t understand what Jesus meant when he said to Judas, “What you are going to do, do quickly” (John 13:26–27). Was he sending Judas out to buy more food? Or to make a donation to the poor from the money box?

“So, after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out,” John says, adding the significant detail “and it was night.” Judas walked out of the Last Supper and into the very symbolic darkness (John 13:30).

But he knew where to look for Jesus when he came with the police. Judas and the rest of the disciples had often been with Jesus in that pleasant park across the Kidron Valley, the garden of Gethsemane (see John 18:2; Mark 14:32). That was where Judas led the soldiers to arrest Jesus.

Aquilina, Mike. Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians (Kindle Locations 190-203). Emmaus Road Publishing. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in the Villians of the Early Church podcast visit here – Villains of the Early Church – Discerning Hearts Podcast

You can find the book on which this series is based here

Mike Aquilina’s website is found at fathersofthechurch.com

IP#312 Mike Aquilina – How the Choir Converted the World on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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Another phenomenal book from the prolific Mike Aquilina! Filled with historical perspective and faith-filled insight, “How the Choir Converted the Word: Through Hymns, With Hymns, and In Hymns” isn’t just for the church choir! Our conversation covers the spectrum and encourages all of us to remember we are called not a perfect song to the Lord, but a joyful song! And isn’t that what our faith fills our hearts with? As always, Mike’s enthusiasm for the subject is contagious and encourages us to spread the “Good News” with a hymn in our heart! Highly recommended.

You can find the book here

“This is the perfect gift for your parish music director—and the whole choir—and everyone who should be singing in the congregation. When we sing, we pray, and we evangelize too. That’s one way the early Christians changed the world.”
—Scott Hahn, Professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and best-selling author of The Creed

“Aquilina has all the qualities that a good guide should possess: he knows the terrain (taking the reader through Scripture, antiquity, and the Church Fathers), he has a discerning eye (spotting the place of music in the Church), and is an engaging wit (the reader feels like he has been brought to stand outside the Jerusalem Temple, or in Ephrem’s choir, or beside Ambrose in the great cathedral at Milan). This book considers an important but overlooked element of theologia prima, namely, how the Church performs her theology in what is actually sung doctrine. Easily accessible, fascinating, and inspiring to believers today.”
—David Fagerberg, Professor of Liturgical Studies at Notre Dame University and author of On Liturgical Asceticism

RC#10 The Secular Age – The Resilient Church /w Mike Aquilina

RC-V10 The Secular Age – The Resilient Church /w Mike Aquilina from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

Episode 10 – The Secular Age

The Church was now entering the most dangerous era in her history—a time when some even inside the Church questioned whether the institution would survive. By the mid-nineteenth century, all the forces that had been gathering against the Church in the previous centuries—Protestantism, revolutionary philosophy, nationalism, and industrial regimentation—were combining to attack it. The pope had been deprived of his temporal power and was shut up in the Vatican. All over Europe, anticlerical governments were taking away the Church’s property and putting severe restrictions on priests. Yet the Church would come out of the fire refined and stronger. As Christ had promised, the gates of hell would not prevail against it.

For the audio podcast:

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Pick up a copy of Mike’s book.

Also visit Mike’s “Discerning Hearts” page for more audio downloads and information!

RC#7 Reformation Inside and Out – The Resilient Church /w Mike Aquilina

RC-V7 Reformation Inside and Out – The Resilient Church /w Mike Aquilina from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

Episode 7 – Reformation Inside and Out

The Lutherans and the Anglicans tried to retain some semblance of traditional Christian doctrine and worship. But if—as Luther claimed—the individual interpretation of Scripture was to be the only standard for Christianity, then the result was predictable. Other sects arose, and soon Protestants were split into dozens of sects and subsects, each one based on a particular interpretation of Scripture—often just a few verses in Scripture.

For the audio podcast:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:58 — 25.6MB) | Embed

Pick up a copy of Mike’s book.

Also visit Mike’s “Discerning Hearts” page for more audio downloads and information!

IP#228 Mary Eberstadt – How the West Really Lost God on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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“How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization” is a phenomenal book on this subject. Mary Eberstadt delivers a compelling theory about the decline of the Christian religion in the Western world. By the analysis of data on the family, from pre-Revolutionary France to contemporary culture in the West, she demonstrates how the natural family is the prime nurturing force for Christianity in society. When that family structure dissolves, so does the Christian religion in a culture and the rise of secularization is fostered. While presenting the problem, she also offers hope for the future. Another fascinating and provocative read by Mary Eberstadt!

You can find the book here

“An absolutely brilliant and strikingly fresh portrait of the ‘double-helix’ of faith and family, coupled with a potentially game-changing analysis of the why and how of secularization, all written with the sparkle and empathy that characterize the work of one of America’s premier social analysts.” —George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington, D.C.

“Mary Eberstadt’s account of the synergistic relationship between the fracturing of the family and declining religiosity is both chilling and utterly convincing. No theorist of secularization has come close to Eberstadt in sociological insight or explanatory power.”

— Mary Ann Glendon, author of The Forum and the Tower: How Scholars and Politicians Have Imagined the World from Plato to Eleanor Roosevelt

“A brilliant contribution to the really big question about the future of the West, and a pleasure to read.”—Rodney Stark, author of The Rise of Christianity

IP#302 Mike Aquilina – The World of Ben Hur on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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Thank you Mike Aquilina for complying an incredible book which explores “The World of Ben Hur”! One of the most popular Christian novels of all-time, “Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ” was penned by Lew Wallace and has served as the basis for plays, television productions, and several film adaptations for over 100 years. The 1959 production starring Charlton Heston still holds up as one of the finest cinematic masterpieces of all time! Mike not only covers the background of the book, the compelling conversion of its author, and it’s place in our cultural experience, but he also offers us the historical facts of the era and the Christian experience. As always, Mike’s writing is compelling, thoughtful and inspiring. A fantastic addition to the Mike Aquilina library of books!

You can find the book here

From the book description:

As you strip away centuries of accumulated tradition and look at Jesus of Nazareth with fresh eyes, you’ll also share with Ben-Hur the exciting, confusing, and life-changing experience of meeting Jesus for the first time. Armed with new wisdom and keen insights into the fascinating history of the Roman Empire, you’ll never watch Ben-Hur the same way again.

“Mike Aquilina has done a masterful job placing us in the life and times of Judah Ben-Hur and Jesus Christ. This is a must-read for any fan of Ben-Hur.”
Scott Hahn

IP#302 Mike Aquilina – The World of Ben Hur on Inside the Pages from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.