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Category Archives: Imperial Church

#358 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Apostate

October 7, 2016 – 8:00 pm

The death of Constantius II on the eve of civil war paves the way for the ascension of his cousin Julian to power and the restoration of the pagan emperors and the Church finds itself under imperial persecution once again.

Links:

Image of Coin of Julian by Classical Numismatic Group, Inc.

Julian’s laws against the Christians can be found here

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#358 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Apostate

#357 – A History of the Catholic Church – Triumph of Arianism

September 30, 2016 – 8:00 pm

We continue to look at the different sides of the Trinitarian Controversy: the homoean Arians – who said the Father was like the Son “according to the Scriptures” and the neo-Arians – who said the Father was unlike the Son in nature. The faith of Liberius, bishop of Rome, fails as the “whole world groans to find itself Arian”.

Links:

Image of Constantius II on horseback.

Image of Felix II at Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls

Golden Legend on Felix II

Creed of 360 Council of Constantinople

T. D. Barnes, “The Capitulation of Liberius and Hilary of Poiters”, Phoenix, Vol. 46, No. 3, (Autumn 1992), pp. 256-265.

E. D. Hunt. “Christians and Christianity in Ammianus Marcellinus”, Classical Quarterly, 35, 186-200, 1985

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#357 – A History of the Catholic Church – Triumph of Arianism

By sbeshonertor | Also posted in Podcast | Tagged Athanasius of Alexandria, Constantius II, Felix II of Rome, Hilary of Poitiers, Liberius of Rome | Comments (0)

#356 – A History of the Catholic Church – Athanasius Contra Mundum

September 23, 2016 – 8:00 pm

Constantius II moves against the bishops of the West, including bishop Liberius of Rome, in his desire to establish a common theology and obtain an empire wide condemnation of Athanasius. The Nicene/Eusebian division becomes more complicated as we look at the homoousions – those who said the Father had the same nature as the Son and the homoiousions – those who said that the Father had a similar nature to the Son.

Links:

Image of Athanasius

Trial of Liberius of Rome

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#356 – A History of the Catholic Church – Athanasius Contra Mundum

By sbeshonertor | Also posted in Podcast | Tagged Athanasius of Alexandria, Constantius II, Eusebius of Vercelli, Homoiousions, Homoousions, Liberius of Rome, Lucifer of Cagliari | Comments (0)

#355 – A History of the Catholic Church – Fighters for Christ

September 16, 2016 – 8:00 pm

The Trinitarian Controversy continues to divide the Church and the Donatist Controversy breaks out again. Constans is overthrown and Constantius II emerges triumphant, much to the dread of the Western Church. Things aren’t looking good.

Links:

Image of Constans

345 Macrostich/Long-lined Creed

351 Creed of Sirmium

Maureen A. Tilley, “Sustaining Donatist Self-Identity: From the Church of the Martyrs to the Collecta of the Desert”, Journal of Early Christian Studies, 5.1, 1997, pp. 21-35.

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#355 – A History of the Catholic Church – Fighters for Christ

By sbeshonertor | Also posted in Podcast | Tagged Athanasius of Alexandria, Constans, Constantius II, Council of Arles, Council of Sirmium, Dontatists, Martyrdom | Comments (0)

#354 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Sons of Constantine

September 9, 2016 – 8:00 pm

The death of Constantine finds the empire divided among his relatives and the Church divided between the Nicenes and the Eusebians – none of whom work well together.

Links:

Image of Constantine with his three sons

Map of empire divided among Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans

The many creeds of the many councils in the 4th century – including the 341 Council of Antioch, the 343 Council of Sardica and the 343 Council of Philippopolis

The Holy Notaries

Jorg Ulrich, “Nicaea and the West”, Vigiliae Christianae 51, pp. 20-24.

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#354 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Sons of Constantine

By sbeshonertor | Also posted in Podcast | Tagged Athanasius of Alexandria, Constans, Constantine II, Constantius II, Council of Antioch, Council of Sardica, Julius I, Marcellus of Ancyra, Paul of Constantinople | Comments (0)

#353 – A History of the Catholic Church – Constantine and the Church

September 6, 2016 – 8:00 pm

The legacy of Constantine continues to effect different understandings of the history of the Church. For some, Constantine is the model Christian ruler. For others, Constantine corrupted the Christianity. In this episode, we will look at Constantine’s legacy in terms of the Church’s relation to the State and the treatment of those deemed outside the Church.

Links:

Image of Statue of Constantine by Jean-Christophe Benoist

Section of Lactantius’ “Divine Institutes” on forebearance.

Elizabeth DePalma Digeser, “Lactantius, Porphyry, and the Debate over Religious Toleration”, The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 88, 1988, pp. 129-146.

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#353 – A History of the Catholic Church – Constantine and the Church

By sbeshonertor | Also posted in Podcast | Tagged Constantine, Eusebius, Lactantius | Comments (1)

#352 – A History of the Catholic Church – Anathematizations and Glorifications

September 2, 2016 – 8:00 pm

In his final years, Constantine continues to have a profound effect on the Church and the Trinitarian Controversy moves in a new direction with the death of Arius. We also look at the development of the Canonical Scriptures and the importance of the Roman Army on the expansion of Christianity.

Links:

Image of Raphael’s Baptism of Constantine.

Information on Marcellus of Ancyra

Icon showing death of Arius

Eusebius and Athanasius on the Scriptures

Lead tank used by Roman army for baptisms

Images of the Church of the Holy Apostles can be found here and here.

Apotheosis of Constantine

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#352 – A History of the Catholic Church – Anathematizations and Glorifications

By sbeshonertor | Also posted in Podcast | Tagged Arius, Athanasius of Alexandria, Bible, Constantine, Marcellus of Ancyra, Roman Army | Comments (1)

#351 – A History of the Catholic Church – Nicenes and Eusebians

August 30, 2016 – 8:00 pm

The Council of Nicaea did not resolve the controversy over the relationship between the Father and the Son, despite the wishes of Constantine. Indeed, as theology and politics and personalities become more intertwined, the Trinitarian Controversy becomes more intense.

Links:

Image of Constantine burning Arius’ books.

Timothy Barnes, “The Exile and Recalls of Arius”, Journal of Theological Studies, Vol. 60, No. 1, April 2009, 109-129.

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To listen, just click on the link below:
#351 – A History of the Catholic Church – Nicenes and Eusebians

By sbeshonertor | Also posted in Podcast | Tagged Alexander of Alexandria, Arius, Athanasius of Alexandria, Constantine, Eusebius, Eustathius of Antioch | Comments (1)

#350 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Conversion of Georgia

August 26, 2016 – 8:00 pm

As with the Church in Egypt, the Syriac Church in the East will develop its own monastic traditions – following the examples of Julianus Saba, Jacob of Nisibis and Aphrahat. This period also witnesses the conversion of the Kingdom of Iberia to Christianity under the influence of Saint Nino – Equal to the Apostles.

Links:

Image of the Saint Nino.

Selections from Aphrahat’s “Demonstrations”

Pope Benedict XVI’s words on Aphrahat

Traditional accounts of the conversion of Iberia

Map of the region between the Roman and Sassanid Empires – showing location of Armenia and Iberia

Alexander Angelov, “Bishop over ‘Those Outside’: Imperial Diplomacy and the Boundaries of Constantine’s Christianity, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 54 2014 274-292.

Sidney H. Griffith, “Julian Saba, ‘Father of the Monks’ of Syria,” Journal of Early Christian Studies 2 (1994) 185-216.

Cornelia B. Horn, “St. Nino and the Christianization of Pagan Georgia”, Medieval Encounters 4 (3) 1998, pp. 242-264.

Send e-mail questions and comments to catholicunderthehood@gmail.com

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To listen, just click on the link below:
#350 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Conversion of Georgia

By sbeshonertor | Also posted in Podcast | Tagged Aphrahat, Church of the East, Georgia, Iberia, Jacob of Nisibis, Julianus Saba, Nino | Comments (1)

#349 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Cenobites

August 5, 2016 – 8:00 pm

One cannot overestimate the importance of Pachomius and Pachomian monasticism upon the development of religious life in the Catholic Church. His emphasis on the importance of living together in community as the means for obtaining holiness will not only influence monasticism throughout the East and West, it will set the foundation for all religious communities up to the present day.

Links:

Image of the prayer rope.

Information on Pachomian monasticism including links to description of Pachomian monasteries

James E Goehring, “Withdrawing from the Desert: Pachomius and the Development of Village Monasticism in Upper Egypt”, The Harvard Theological Review, Vol. 89, No. 3 (July 1996), pp. 267-285.

Send e-mail questions and comments to catholicunderthehood@gmail.com

Check out the other great Catholic podcasts at the Starquest Production Network

To listen, just click on the link below:
#349 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Cenobites