In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic Answers apologist extraordinaire Joe Heschmeyer to discuss the structure of the Early Church.

Was the Early Church made up of loosely affiliated groups of believers, or did the Early Church inherit a clear hierarchical structure from the apostles? The question is one of the most important ones to answer, considering it'll help to determine WHICH church Christ founded – out of many different denominations.

In this episode, Joe takes us into the earliest evidence to show exactly how we know what kind of Church Christ founded, where it is today, and why it's important to find. Plus, we talk about common objections to some of Joe's findings and where they go wrong.

For more from Joe check out his book The Early Church Was Catholic from Catholic Answers Press and visit his website Shameless Popery where he promises to, someday, be launching a podcast.

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164: Bishops, Priests, and Deacons in the Early Church (w/ Joe Heschmeyer)