Way of the Fathers

Why is it big news when someone claims to find a fragment of a lost "gospel"? Why do people say that these ancient apocrypha threaten to overturn everything Christians believe? In the second century, some of these pseudonymous books appeared and quickly landed in the remainder bin, called into question by giants such as Irenaeus and Tertullian. They're news today because of a modern myth, crafted by one of the renowned literary critics of the 20th century — and sustained by ivy-league celebrities. Paul Mankowski, S.J., "The Pagels Imposture," Catholic Culture https://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=43736 Amy Weiss-Meyer, "What Ever Happened to the Gospel of Jesus's Wife?" The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/08/ariel-sabar-what-happened-to-the-gospel-of-jesus-wife/615160/ Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com Mike Aquilina's books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/ Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org Donate today! https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Most lowly and most loved, deacons played supremely important roles in the early Church. Think Lawrence of Rome. Think Ephrem of Syria. They were consistently voted most likely to be pope. Jerome wryly observed that when a bishop wanted to demote a deacon, he ordained him to the priesthood. LINKS Ignatius of Antioch, The Epistle to the Trallians https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1630 Ignatius of Antioch, The Epistle to the Philadelphians https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1632 Jerome, Letter 146 https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=2403 Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com Mike Aquilina's books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/ Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org Donate today! https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Ever wonder how Bible study was done in the early Church? It was done with chains. The CATENA did the work that Bible software does for us today. It did the work of concordances and even entire shelves of commentaries. Catena is Latin for chain, and the links in these long-ago chains were extracts from the sermons and letters of earlier interpreters of Scripture. LINKS Roger Pearse's blog entries on ancient catenae https://www.roger-pearse.com/weblog/category/catena/ St. Thomas Aquinas, Catena Aurea https://www.ecatholic2000.com/catena/untitled-111.shtml Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com Mike Aquilina's books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/ Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org Donate today! https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

When asked what's wrong with the Church, commentators from Pope Francis to Russell Shaw will blame an elusive beast named "clericalism." But what is clericalism, and where did it come from? In this episode we track the beast to its birthplace, the Church of the fourth century. Our native guides are Augustine, John Chrysostom, and others—who offer us good counsel for defeating it in our own time. LINKS Anonymous, The Epistle to Diognetus https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0101.htm Minucius Felix, Octavius https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0410.htm Joseph Carola, S.J., Augustine of Hippo: The Role of the Laity in Ecclesial Reconciliation https://www.amazon.com/Augustine-Hippo-Ecclesial-Reconciliation-Gregoriana/dp/8878390232/ Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com Mike Aquilina's books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/ Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org Donate today! https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

The hospital arose as a Christian institution, dependent on the Christian principles of charity and hospitality. There were no pre-Christian hospitals. This episode tells the story of how it happened—how the early Church changed the practice of medicine forever. LINKS Mike Aquilina, The Healing Imperative: The Early Church and the Invention of Medicine as We Know It https://catholicbooksdirect.com/products/mike-aquilina-the-healing-imperative Gary B. Ferngren, Medicine and Health Care in Early Christianity https://www.amazon.com/Medicine-Health-Care-Early-Christianity/dp/1421420066/ Timothy S. Miller, The Birth of the Hospital in the Byzantine Empire https://www.amazon.com/Hospital-Byzantine-Supplement-Bulletin-Medicine/dp/0801856574/ Andrew T. Crislip, From Monastery to Hospital: Christian Monasticism and the Transformation of Health Care in Late Antiquity https://www.amazon.com/Monastery-Hospital-Christian-Monasticism-Transformation/dp/0472114743/ Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com Mike Aquilina's books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/ Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org Donate today! https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

The Empire faced a crisis in the year 9 A.D. Romans were not reproducing. They weren't even marrying. Caesar Augustus recognized that this posed a dire threat to the Roman way of life—the empire's cultural and intellectual heritage, and its homeland security. He made new laws to encourage fertility. He even proposed a pagan "theology of the body." His successors made more laws. All failed, and eventually it was Christianity that restored and revived the Roman family and Roman world. Here's the fascinating story of how it happened. LINKS Mike Aquilina, The Christian family's radical roots https://angelusnews.com/faith/the-christian-familys-radical-roots/ Mike Aquilina, How young people shaped Christianity https://angelusnews.com/faith/how-young-people-shaped-christianity/ Mike Aquilina, The Church's original social justice struggle https://angelusnews.com/faith/the-churchs-long-fight-against-abortion/ Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com Mike Aquilina's books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/ Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org Donate today! https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

John of Damascus, the last of the Fathers, was born into a world newly conquered. In the seventh century, many lands that were once home to Eastern Christianity, had fallen to the invading armies of Arab Muslims. John's father and grandfather, both devout Christians, served as treasury officials for the Muslim caliphate. So John was able to provide a rare outsider's view of Islam when it was new on the world scene. In Christian history he is known as the great defender of the practice of venerating images. In more than a millennium, his compact, complete treatises on the subject have never been surpassed. But his work includes much more: sermons, hymns, and a handy compendium of philosophy and theology. John's life is a brilliant closing act of the Era of the Fathers. This is the final episode of season 1 of this podcast. Next time we meet, we'll launch season two by exploring particular themes and stories from the time of the early Church. LINKS John of Damascus, Apologia Against Those Who Decry Holy Images https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/johndamascus-images.asp#PART%20I John of Damascus, Three Sermons on the Assumption https://ccel.org/ccel/damascus/icons/icons.i.vii.html John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Books I-II https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=2857 John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Books III-IV https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=2858 Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com Mike Aquilina's books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/ Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org Donate today! https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Isidore of Seville lived at a time when the memory (or fantasy) of a homogeneous Roman culture was rapidly fading. It was a time to gather the last of the classical harvest into the barns. The conquering "barbarians," the Visigoths, had now been ruling in Spain for centuries. They were no longer foreigners. Rather, a new culture was forming, a "melting pot" of Roman and northern elements. A man of holy ambition, Isidore laid strong foundations for the medieval European culture that would follow. LINKS Isidore of Seville, The Etymologies https://sfponline.org/Uploads/2002/st%20isidore%20in%20english.pdf Isidore of Seville, On the Ecclesiastical Offices https://www.google.com/books/edition/Isidore_of_Seville/_YhkqmfNeIIC?hl=en&gbpv=1 Ernest Brehaut, An Encyclopedist of the Dark Ages: Isidore of Seville (biography, with a detailed critical appreciation of his works and partial translation of The Etymologies) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51511 Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com Mike Aquilina's books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/ Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org Donate today! https://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Dive into the captivating life of Maximus the Confessor, a bridge between Greek and Latin Christian thought. His journey from imperial court to monastic life reveals the clash of theology and politics of his time. Learn about his bold stand against the Monothelite heresy and his enduring legacy in shaping key doctrines of faith. Discover how his writings continue to resonate today, influencing ecological ethics and spirituality while illuminating the path to becoming godlike in Christian life.

Explore the impressive life of Gregory the Great, a nobleman who became a monk and then a pope, reshaping the Church. Discover how he initiated profound liturgical reforms amid political chaos and illness. Learn about his mission to spread Christianity in the British Isles and his innovative approach to blending faith with local cultures. Gregory's legacy includes the iconic Gregorian chant, a symbol of his enduring influence on Christian practices that resonates even today.