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
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
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
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
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
December 22, 2017 – 8:00 pm
After looking briefly at Pelagius’ response to Jerome’s attacks from last week, we take an extended examination of Pelagius’ theology of free will and the grace of God.
Links:
Image of Pelagius from the 1493 Nuremburg Chronicle.
Fragments from Pelagius’ works On Nature and On Free Will
Fr. Seraphim’s Amazon Christmas Wish List
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#420 – A History of the Catholic Church – God’s Gift of Free Will
December 15, 2017 – 8:00 pm
The Pelagian Controversy heats up as Saint Jerome finds serious problems with Pelagius’ views on free will and grace. Jerome, Augustine, and Pelagius vie for the support of the powerful Demetrias.
Links:
Image of Jerome mistakenly represented as a cardinal.
Augustine On Holy Virginity
Augustine’s later letter to Demetrias’ relatives
Pelagius’ letter to Demetrias
The Sentences of Sextus
Jerome’s letter to Demetrias
Jerome’s letter to Domnio referring to “unnamed monk”/possibly Pelagius
Jerome’s letter to Ctesiphon first making reference to Pelagius
Jerome Against the Pelagians
Differences between Traducianism and Creationism on the origin of the soul
Fr. Seraphim’s Amazon Christmas Wish List
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#419 – A History of the Catholic Church – Preachers of Sinlessness
December 8, 2017 – 8:00 pm
This week we begin our look at the controversy over Pelagianism as the Church seeks to understand our capacity to do the good and avoid the evil. Differences in the views of the Churches of the East and North Africa will make establishing a common position much more difficult.
Links:
Calvinist print depicting Pelagius.
Augustine’s On Free Will and On Merit and the Forgiveness of Sins, and the Baptism of Infants
413 AD Letter of Augustine to Pelagius
411 AD Council of Carthage condemning Caelestius
415 AD Synod of Diaspolis at Lydda exonerating Pelagius
Fr. Seraphim’s Amazon Christmas Wish List
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#418 – A History of the Catholic Church – Sin and Free Will
December 1, 2017 – 8:36 pm
Continuing political and ecclesiastical conflict in the Western Europe. Donatist and Catholic bishops meet in Carthage, but the results are far from
happy for the Donatists. We take a look at the difference between the theology of the Donatists and Augustine.
Links:
Painting of Augustine arguing with the Donatists by Charles-André van Loo.
Donatist bishop Petilan on the theology of the Church
Augustine’s response to Petilan
Other sources for this week’s episode:
Maureen A. Tilley, “Dilatory Donatists or Procrastinating Catholics: The Trial at the Conference of Carthage”, Church History, Vol. 60, No. 1 (Mar., 1991), pp. 7-19
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#417 – A History of the Catholic Church – No Salvation Outside the Catholic Church
November 24, 2017 – 8:00 pm
The Sack of Rome leads Christians to reassess the historical relationship between the Church and the State. Orosius goes in one direction. Augustine in another.
Links:
Woodcut of Augustine writing The City of God.
Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
Augustine’s The City of God
Augustine on the Six Ages of the World
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#416 – A History of the Catholic Church – The City of God
catholicunderthehood.com 
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