Category Archives: Imperial Church

#430 – A History of the Catholic Church – Praying atop a Pillar

March 2, 2018 – 8:00 pm

Saint Symeon the Stylite chose to separate himself from the world and rise up to Christ by living atop a stone pillar. His reputation for holiness attracted peoples from all across the Roman Empire seeking his wisdom and prayers.

Links:
Image of Saint Symeon the Stylite

Article on the present state of the pillar of Saint Symeon

Article on modern Stylite

Bottle for carrying hnana – with image of Stylites

Icon of David the Dendrite

Coptic Life of Saint Symeon

Syriac Life of Saint Symeon

Theodoret of Cyrrhus on Saint Symeon

David T. M. Frankenfurter. “Stylites and Phallobates: Pillar Religions in Late Antique Syria”. Vigiliae Christianae Vol. 44. No. 2 (Jun., 1990): pp. 168-198 – examines relationship of early pagan traditions which have been suggested as influence on Christian Stylites.

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#430 – A History of the Catholic Church – Praying atop a Pillar

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#429 – A History of the Catholic Church – God Come to My Assistance

February 23, 2018 – 8:00 pm

Saint John Cassian brought many of the Eastern monastic traditions to the West and, in turn, influenced later Western monasticism – especially the monasticism of Saint Benedict of Nursia. In this episode, we look at Cassian’s theology of prayer.

Links:
Minature of Saint John Cassian

Cassian’s The Conferences – chapters 9 and 10 focus on prayer

Cassian’s The Institutes

Cassian and Monaticism by Hugo Feiss, OSB

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#429 – A History of the Catholic Church – God Come to My Assistance

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#428 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Father of Mysticism

February 16, 2018 – 2:00 pm

We begin a series of episodes on the spirituality of the early 5th century with a look at Saint Augustine. His works, especially The Confessions and The Trinity show Augustine as a major early Christian mystic – urging all Christians to unite themselves to God in love.

Links:
Painting of Saint Augustine by Phillipe de Champaigne

Augustine’s Confessions – note especially chapters 10 and 27

Augustine’s The Trinity – note especially chapter 15

Augustine Letter 147 on the Vision of God

Augustine Sermon 52 on the incomprehensibility of God and inability to express the ecstatic experience

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#428 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Father of Mysticism

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#427 – A History of the Catholic Church – Julian of Eclanum

February 9, 2018 – 2:00 pm

Considered Augustine’s greatest theological adversary, Julian of Eclanum will pick up where Pelagius left off. His criticisms of Augustine’s teaching on Original Sin could not be ignored.

Links:
Portrait of Pope Boniface I

Augustine’s writings against Julian of Eclanum

Mathjis Lamberigts, “The Philosophical and Theological Background of Julian of Aeclanum’s Concept of Concupiscence”, in Therese Fuhrer (hg), Die christlich-philosophischen Diskurse der Spätantike: Texte, Personen, Institutionen: Akten der Tagung vom 22.-25. Februar 2006 am Zentrum für Antike und Moderne der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (Stuttgart, Franz Steiner Verlag, 2008) (Philosophie der Antike, 28)

BeDuhn, Jason. “What Augustine (May Have) Learned from the Manicheaeans.” Augustinian Studies 43, no. 1/2 (2012): 35-48.

Eddy, Paul Rhodes. “Can a leopard change its spots?: Augustine and the crypto-Manichaeism question.” Scottish Journal of Theology 62, no. 3 (2009): 316-346.

Evans, Gillian R. “Neither a Pelagian nor a Manichee.” Vigiliae Christianae 35, no. 3 (1981): 232-44.

Lamberigts, Mathijs. “Competing Christologies: Julian and Augustine on Jesus Christ.” Augustinian Studies 36, no. 1 (2005): 159-194.

Scheppard, Carol. “The Transmission of Sin in the Seed: A Debate between Augustine of Hippo and Julian of Eclanum.” Augustinian Studies 27, no. 2 (1996): 99-108.

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#427 – A History of the Catholic Church – Julian of Eclanum

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#426 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Tractoria of Zosimus

February 2, 2018 – 8:00 pm

Pope Zosimus’ attempt to navigate the Pelagian Controversy runs up against the desires of the North African bishops, the bishops of Italy and Emperor Honorius. After Zosimus’ death, the Church of Rome again divides over his successor. A new figure rises to confront Augustine on the importance of free will.

Links:
Portrait of Pope Zosimus

Canons of the Council of Carthage 418

Letter of Julian of Eclanum to Pope Zosimus

Letter of Julian of Eclanum to Bishop Rufus of Thessalonica

Beck, J. H. (2007), The Pelagian Controversy: An Economic Analysis. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 66: 681–696.

Dunn, G. D. (2015), Imperial Intervention in the Disputed Roman Episcopal Election of 418/419. J Relig Hist, 39: 1–13.

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#426 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Tractoria of Zosimus

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#425 – A History of the Catholic Church – Rome has Spoken

January 26, 2018 – 8:00 pm

The Pelagian Controversy heats up in the West as the Church of North Africa and Pope Innocent I condemn Pelagius and Caelestius for heresy. Innocent’s successor, Pope Zosimus, runs into problems with the Church of Gaul.

Links:
Portrait of Pope Innocent I

Map of Hispania in 418 showing where the various tribes have settled.

Jerome on the attack on the Bethlehem monastery

Pelagius’ Letter and Confession of Faith to Pope Innocent I

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#425 – A History of the Catholic Church – Rome has Spoken

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#424 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Philosopher

January 19, 2018 – 8:00 pm

In Alexandria, the conflict between Pope Cyril and Prefect Orestes explodes and the great philosopher Hypatia is murdered. In Persia, the Christians try to recover from decades of persecution.

Links:
Portrait of Hypatia by Jules Maurice Gaspard

Bishop Synesius of Cyrene’s letters to Hypatia

The Canons of the Council of Mar ‘Ishaq/Issac

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#424 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Philospher

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#423 – A History of the Catholic Church – Peace and War

January 12, 2018 – 8:00 pm

As the controversy over Pelagius heats up; Pulcheria becomes the new regent in Constantinople and the Church of Antioch moves to make peace with the supporters of John Chrysostom. Meanwhile, Pope Cyril and the Prefect Orestes struggle for control of Alexandria.

Links:
Icon of Cyril of Alexandria by Rousanu

Map of Constantinople showing the Theodosian Walls

Map of civil dioceses of Roman Empire

Glen Bowersock, “Parabalani: A Terrorist Charity in Late Antiquity”

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#423 – A History of the Catholic Church – Peace and War

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#422 – A History of the Catholic Church – Predestination

January 5, 2018 – 8:00 pm

This week we look at some of the reasons for the popularity of Augustine’s views on original sin and God’s grace as well as some of the more challenging aspects of his theology – such as his views on the fate of unbaptized infants and the divine predestination.

Links:
Painting of Augustine disputing with heretics by Vergós Group

International Theological Commission on the salvation of unbaptized infants

Augustine On the Predestination of the Saints

Fr. William Most on Augustine’s theology of grace and predestination

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#422 – A History of the Catholic Church – Pedestination

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#421 – A History of the Catholic Church – God’s Gift of Grace

December 31, 2017 – 6:29 pm

This week, we begin a two part examination of Augustine’s teaching on Original Sin and the need for God’s grace. As part of this examination, we note areas of difference between his theology and that of Pelagius.

Links:
Picture of Statue of Augustine standing atop Pelagius by GFreihalter

Augustine On the Grace of Christ and Original Sin

Letter from Augustine indicating possibility of salvation for pagans

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#421 – A History of the Catholic Church – God’s Gift of Grace

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