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This is part 18 of the Early Church History class. I wonder how many Christians in the world today believe the gifts of the spirit ceased in the time of the apostles? I know there are quite a few. Many others, however, believe they are available today and make time for them in their worship services. This is one of those topics about which we don’t need to guess. We have the historical record and can just look and see if generations after the apostles continue to speak in tongues, prophecy, cast out demons, or perform miraculous healing. In today’s episode we’ll survey what the data say about the first five hundred of Christian history. We’ll also cover the Montanists, a lesser-known movement centered on prophecy, tongues, and asceticism. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts —— Links —— Check out our series on gifts of the spirit with interviews from different perspectives here. More Restitutio resources on Christian history See other classes here Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— Gifts of the Spirit in General Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 82.1; 88.1 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 2.32.4 Tertullian of Carthage, On Baptism 20 Novatian of Rome, On the Trinity 29 Apostolic Constitutions 8.1-2 Speaking in Tongues and Prophecy Didache 11.7-12 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 5.6.1 Tertullian of Carthage, Against Marcion 5.8; On the Soul 9 Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity 8.33 Montanism (Excursus) 165 – Montanus began speaking in tongues and prophesying, initiating a movement called the New Prophecy[1] Sayings of Montanus “Behold, man is like a lyre and I fly to him like a plectrum. Man sleeps and I stay awake. Behold, the Lord is the one who throws human hearts into ecstasy and gives a heart to men.” (Panarion 48.5.1)[2] “I am the Lord God, the Almighty, who abide in man.” (Panarion 48.11.1) “Neither angel nor envoy, but I the Lord God, the Father, have come.” (Panarion 48.11.9) Maximilla and Priscilla became prophetesses. The New Prophecy people emphasized obedience to God, asceticism, fasting, celibacy, and spiritual experiences. They rejected remarriage and any serious sin after baptism. They survived until the mid-sixth century when Justinian initiated a persecution in Pepuza.

This is part 17 of the Early Church History class. Throughout the first five hundred years of Christian history, a significant shift occurred in what we believed about our ultimate destiny. The New Testament and the early church fathers repeatedly expressed belief in God’s kingdom coming to earth. Over time, however, this idea gave way to the more recognizable medieval dichotomy of heaven or hell immediately at death. In this episode you’ll learn who the major players were on both sides of this struggle as well as the main reasons why Christianity ultimately rejected the kingdom. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts —— Links —— Check out our entire class on the Kingdom of God available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This class includes the four original lectures on which this single one was based. More Restitutio resources on Christian history See other classes here Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— The Kingdom of God is the idea that the Messiah Jesus will come back to earth, resurrect the saved, and initiate an age of restoration, eventually making everything wrong with the world right. We find robust belief in this idea in the New Testament; however, by the Middle Ages, heaven or hell at death had entirely replaced the Kingdom idea. Kingdom Believers First Century Didache 8.2; 9.4; 10.5; 16.7-8 Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 42.3; 50.3 Psuedo-Barnabas, Epistle of Barnabas 1.7; 6.13; 10.11; 15.4-5 Second Century Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Ephesians 16.1 Polycarp of Smyrna, Epistle to the Philippians 5.2; 11.2 Hermas, Similitude 9.15.2-3; 9.20.2-3 Pseudo-Clement; 2 Clement 5.5; 9.6; 11.7; 12.1, 6; 17.4-5 Papias of Hierapolis, cited in Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.33.3-4; see also Jerome, Lives of Illustrious Men 18 Justine Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 80 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 5.32-5.36 Third Century Hippolytus, On Genesis Fragment 3; On Daniel 2.4; Scholia of Daniel 7.22; Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 65 Commodian, Instructions 29; 33; 34; 35; 44 Nepos of Egypt, cited in Eusebius, The Church History 7.24.1 Victorinus, Commentary on Revelation 1.5, 15; 14.15; 20.2, 5, 6 (Greek version

This is part 16 of the Early Church History class. Jerome and Augustine are two of the most influential Latin Christians of the first millennium of Christianity. This episode will introduce you to their lives, personalities, and some of their most important ideas. You'll see how significantly asceticism affected their lifestyles as well as how their particular take on Christianity came to set the norm for Roman Catholic Christianity. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtNF5-rvmwU&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2lk3B0I7Pa77hfwKJm1SRI&index=16&pp=iAQB —— Links —— More Restitutio resources on Christian history See other classes here Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— Jerome’s Life (347-419) Actual name: Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus Excellent Latin education, highly intelligent Learned Greek and Hebrew Lived as a hermit in the Syrian desert 382-385 - served as secretary to Pope Damasus I, bishop of Rome Jerome’s Asceticism Believed everyone should be celibate Worked a lot with wealthy widows from the senatorial class and their daughters Thought the only benefit from marriage was the production of more virgins After Paula’s daughter Blaesilla died, he moved to Bethlehem. Spent his time engaging in controversies by letter, translating the Bible and other literature into Latin, and writing commentaries on scripture Jerome’s Writings Though deeply influenced by classical literature, especially Cicero, he advocated reading only the Bible and Christian literature. Worked on the Vulgate (382-405) Became the dominant Latin Bible for the Roman Catholic Church from 600 onwards; though in Jerome’s day, many still preferred a translation of the Septuagint (including Augustine) Translated Origen’s On First Principles, Pachomius’ Rule, and Eusebius’ Historical Chronicle into Latin Lives of Illustrious Men provides short biographies of many early Christians. Commentaries on many books of the Bible Augustine’s Early Life (354-430) Grew up in North Africa with a Christian mother, Monica, and a pagan father, Patrick Had an excellent education in Carthage Particularly influenced by Cicero’s dialogues, especially his Hortensius Became a teacher of rhetoric in Rome, then Milan Augustine’s Sexual Life Stealing pears as a teenager “I was burning t

Join Anthony, the early founder of monasticism known for his ascetic desert life, Pachomius, who pioneered communal living, Basil, a key theologian shaping monastic structure, and Benedict, the author of the influential Rule of Benedict. They delve into the rich history of monasticism, discussing the intense spiritual battles faced by early monks, the evolution of communal practices, and the balance of discipline and worship within monasteries. Their profound impact on the formation of Christian communities unfolds in a fascinating narrative of faith and resilience.

Paul of Samosata and Photinus of Sirmium, two influential bishops of early Church history, delve into dynamic monarchian Christology. They challenge established doctrines by claiming Christ's virgin birth while disputing his pre-existence. Their theological stances led to significant clashes with church authorities, forever marking early Christian thought. The discussion also touches on the importance of understanding early beliefs to restore authentic Christianity today, alongside how scriptural principles can be adapted to modern life while respecting historical traditions.

Explore the intense theological battles of the fourth century that shaped Christianity. Discover how the Council of Nicaea ignited conflicts rather than resolving them. Delve into Athanasius's complex legacy and his fierce opposition to Arianism. Unpack the debates over the Trinity, influenced by ecclesiastical councils and imperial power. Witness the evolution of military Christianity as it intertwined with faith and doctrine, all leading to pivotal changes in the understanding of Christology.

Arius, a presbyter deeply embroiled in fourth-century Christological debates, contrasts sharply with his authoritative bishop, Alexander of Alexandria. The discussion highlights the fascinating theological tensions between their views on the nature of Christ, exploring Arius's perspective of a created Son versus Alexander's belief in eternal divinity. Emperor Constantine’s efforts to mediate these disputes are revealed, shedding light on the early church's evolving relationship with state power and setting the stage for future doctrinal conflicts.

In this engaging discussion, Constantine, the Roman emperor who transformed Christianity, shares insights into his life and reign. He elaborates on his role in ending brutal persecutions and fostering a supportive relationship between the Roman government and the Church. The conversation dives into the implications of his reign, including the merging of Church and State, the impacts on Christian identity, and the fascinating stories surrounding the true cross. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of both the triumphs and challenges that accompanied this pivotal period in church history.

This is part two of a two part series refuting the opening statement of a debate on the question "Is Jesus Yahweh?" This week Brand Duke and I are going to critique Samuel Nesan's opening statement in his recent debate over the question, "Is Jesus Yahweh?" Nesan has a Master of Christian Studies at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia and another Masters of Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a PhD at Southwestern. He's served as a pastor, speaker, and apologist. He's the co-founder of Explain International, a ministry seeking to equip the church to accurately articulate and defend the Christian faith. In our episode today, we'll play out sections of Nesan's opening statement and respond. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSPU45IWErA —— Links —— Read Troy Salinger's article on the Aramaic word pelach in Daniel 7.14 Check out these other debates and this multi-part refutation of Michael Brown's case for the deity of Christ More about Brandon Duke at TruthBorn.org and on his YouTube channel For an entire class on the biblical unitarian understanding of God, see One God Over All on the web, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here  

Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part one of a two part series refuting the opening statement of a debate on the question “Is Jesus Yahweh?” This week and next week we are taking a little break from our Early Church History class to do discuss a recent debate about Christ’s identity. So, if you’re not interested in that, just skip ahead two episodes and you can pick up on the class. But, since this debate just happened, I wanted to take a couple of episodes to respond while it’s still fresh in people’s memories. If you haven’t listened it yet, you can watch it on YouTube or listen on Spotify. Just search “Is Jesus Yahweh debate.” You’ll find the Gospel Truth channel on YouTube or the Biblical Unitarian podcast episode 271 in your podcast app. But, even if you haven’t yet listened to this debate, we are going to play out the audio and respond, so you should be able to follow along fine. Now this was a two on two debate between Dr. Dustin Smith and Pastor William Barlow who took the negative position “Jesus is not Yahweh” vs. Dr. Kyle Essary and Apologist Samuel Nesan who took the affirmative position that “Jesus is Yahweh.” In this episode Brandon Duke of TruthBorn and I are going to perform a postmortem critique of the debate. We’ll play out Dr. Essary’s opening statement and respond to it. Of course Dr. Smith and Pastor Will responded to several of these points in the debate, but I thought it would be helpful to take a little more time with them. Then in our next episode we’ll take on Samuel Nesan’s opening statement. Before jumping into my conversation with Brandon Duke, I first want to formally introduce Kyle Essary. He’s a scholar of the Old Testament with a PhD in biblical studies. He is currently a lecturer at the Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary where he also serves as the interim dean. He is originally from Dallas, USA, but has lived in China, the Middle East, and Malaysia for most of the past decade. And I hasten to add to this little bio, that he also seems like a genuinely kind man. Maybe that’s just his southern accent, but he came across as fair minded and respectful. Well, that’s enough of an introduction. Here now is episode 491 Refuting Kyle Essary’s case that Jesus is Yahweh with Brandon Duke. —— Links —— Check out these other debates and this multi-part refutation of Michael Brown’s case for the deity of Christ More about Brandon Duke at TruthBorn.org and on his YouTube channel For an entire class on the biblical unitarian understanding of God, see One God Over All on the web, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Support Restitutio