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Controversies in Church History

Latest episodes

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Nov 11, 2023 • 58min

Latinization VI: The Latinization of the Thomas Christians, c. 1500-1800

Explore the Latinization of the Thomas Christians in India from 1500-1800, including divisions within the community and the influence of Portuguese missionaries. Learn about cultural clashes between the Jesuits and Thomas Christians, reactions to customs and practices, and the clash caused by the Portuguese veneration of icons. Discover historical misunderstandings and mistakes, and the upcoming episode on Roman and Byzantine churches.
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Sep 19, 2023 • 38min

Where Does it Say What the Pope Can't Do?

In this episode, I take a look at some of the most important magisterial documents that state there are limits to papal authority issued in the recent history of the Church (since 1870).
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Sep 4, 2023 • 14min

Of Smurfs and Synodality

Hey everyone. On this episode of the podcast, I read a blog post in which I look at the term and concept of "synodality," and argue that it is an unnecessary novelty which neither "conservative" or "traditionalist" Catholics should not use.
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Sep 2, 2023 • 36min

Latinization, Episode V: The Church of the East, 1450-1800

This podcast explores the historical contact between the Church of the East and Rome, including the creation of the Chaldean Catholic Church. It discusses the practice of nepotism in the Church of the East and the struggle for recognition and alliances with Eastern Christian churches. It also delves into the challenges faced by the Chaldean Catholic Church in maintaining relations with Rome and concludes with updates on future content.
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Aug 29, 2023 • 14min

Listener Response and Updates

In this brief episode, I respond to a listener's question about Elisabeth Anscombe and Truman, while also giving an update on future episodes of the podcast.
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Aug 23, 2023 • 42min

ReView: God Owes Us Nothing

In this episode, I take a look back at a 1995 book by the Polish philosopher Lezsek Kolakowski, "God Owes Us Nothing: A Brief Remark on the Religion of Pascal and the Spirit of Jansenism." Kolakowski's book tackles the problem of theodicy (how a good and just God can allow evil in the world) via an examination of the 17th century heresy of Jansenism. In this episode I take a look at his arguments for the idea that God is not a subject of any human moral obligations, and that the modern split between faith and science has left believers with an all-powerful but inscrutable God who "owes us nothing."
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Aug 18, 2023 • 15min

Word Youth Day Syndrome

From the blog, a meditation on the controversy over World Youth Day, and what it says about larger trends in the Church since Vatican II. You can check out the original post on the website here: https://churchcontroversies.com/2023/08/14/world-youth-day-syndrome/
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Aug 9, 2023 • 18min

Anscombe, Truman and the Bomb

In this brief episode, I discuss Elisabeth Anscombe's argument against the dropping of the atom bomb on Japan and defenses of Harry Truman's actions. But the real purpose is to ask the listeners what they think--was Anscombe right in saying that Truman was a mass murderer?
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Aug 8, 2023 • 29min

Modernism as Colonialism

In this episode, I read an article of mine which takes at look at the attitude so common in Western life today, which sees its past and its heritage as a backward stage in history that needs to be overcome. In doing so, I compare the influence of Modernism to that of 19th century Western Colonialism, reading this attitude through the prism of Chinua Achebe's book, Things Fall Apart.
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Aug 1, 2023 • 26min

ReView: Kingdom of Heaven

In this episode, we take a look back at Ridley Scott's 2005 film "Kingdom of Heaven," his epic about the Third Crusade which ended with capture of Jerusalem by the Muslim prince Saladine. We examine how it treats the beliefs of characters in the past, specifically those of Christian Crusaders, and what it says about modern Hollywood's sense of history--or lack thereof. 

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