Join Fr. David Meconi, multiple award-winning professor and Oxford-educated theologian on a journey through the most formative years of Christianity. Through 10 erudite and lively lectures, you will explore the formative centuries of the Church (100-800 C.E.) and the great figures whose lives and writings inspired generations of later thinkers and believers.

The Apostolic Fathers are the Christian writers from the first and second centuries who are thought to have been disciples of the Apostles or to have been so directly influenced by the Apostles that their writings are considered echoes of genuine Apostolic teaching. Their writings form a link of tradition that binds these writings to those of the New Testament. Chief among the apostolic fathers are the three first-century Bishops: St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Polycarp of Smyrna, who were disciples of St. Peter and St. John.

This classic text gives a broad overview of the early Christian church, how it was formed, and how it dealt with the Roman empire, which was at first hostile to Christianity, and then under Constantine the Great how it came to embrace the new faith. The author, George Hodges, also examines the many heresies that beset the church from within, and the various figures that would defend the correct definition of the faith.

The Trinity is the foundation of Christian faith, the lifeblood of its liturgy. In this remarkable course, you will come to understand the Trinitarian theology and history as never before. Your professor is Fr. David Vincent Meconi, SJ (DPhil, the University of Oxford), an expert on early Church history and an award-winning theology professor at Saint Louis University. The idea of one God as three persons cannot be understood through human reason alone. Indeed, the doctrine of the Trinity was not something that early Christians fully grasped.

No other institution, except possibly the papacy, has more greatly influenced the church and the larger history of the Western world than the ecumenical council. Most of us, however, know little about it. This course is designed to take you through the fascinating history of the ecumenical (church-wide) council, from its first appearance in Nicaea (325) through Vatican Council II (1962-1965). This 12-part audio series explores the deep issues of faith and the sometimes curious issues of clerical behavior with which the councils dealt.

Join celebrated Church historian John O'Malley in exploring the biggest meeting in the history of the world. The Second Vatican Council concluded 50 years ago, but it is a livelier topic today than it has been for decades. Basic questions are being asked. What did the Council do? Was it properly implemented? Are its decisions being systematically "rolled back"?

Weidenkopf collects over 50 of the most common and dangerous lies about Catholic history and, drawing on his experience as a historian and apologist, shows how to answer them simply and powerfully. Whether it’s claims about Catholicism’s supposedly pagan origins, old myths about Galileo or the Inquisition that never seem to go away, or more modern misconceptions that anti-Catholics cynically exploit, The Real Story provides the desperately needed corrective.

Internationally best-selling author, renowned professor, and the dean of American Catholic Historians, Fr. John O’Malley presents his monumental course on the papacy. This masterpiece series covers the most fascinating history in the Western world. Now, you can trace the amazing history of the papacy, the oldest still-functioning institution of any kind in the Western world in 36 erudite lectures.

In 2007, Joseph Ratzinger published his first book as Pope Benedict XVI in order “to make known the figure and message of Jesus”. Now, the Pope focuses exclusively on the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life as a child. The root of these stories is the experience of hope found in the birth of Jesus and the affirmations of surrender and service embodied in his parents, Joseph and Mary.

The Interior Castle, also titled The Mansions, is a classic work of Christian mysticism by St. Teresa of Ávila. Published in 1588, the text serves as a practical guide for those who wish to achieve mystical union with the divine. Teresa viewed the soul as a “castle made of a single diamond”, which contains seven mansions or dwelling places. The concept of the immanence of God - who dwells in the seventh mansion - was central to her spirituality.

Considered by Joseph Ratzinger devotees as his greatest work on the liturgy, this profound and beautifully written treatment of the "great prayer of the Church" will help listeners to deepen their understanding of the rites of the Church. The cardinal discusses fundamental misunderstandings of the Second Vatican Council's intentions for liturgical renewal, especially about the priest's orientation of prayer to the Father, the placement of the tabernacle in churches, and the posture of kneeling.

Rev. Dr. Stephen De Young, creator of the popular The Whole Counsel of God blog and podcast, traces the lineage of Orthodox Christianity back to the faith and witness of the apostles, which was rooted in a first-century Jewish worldview. The Religion of the Apostles presents the Orthodox Christian Church of today as a continuation of the religious life of the apostles, which in turn was a continuation of the life of the people of God since the beginning of creation.

How can you believe all this stuff? This is the number one question Catholics get asked - and, sometimes, we ask ourselves. Why We're Catholic assembles the clearest, friendliest, most helpful answers that Trent learned to give to people. Beginning with how we can know reality and ending with our hope of eternal life, it's the perfect way to help skeptics and seekers (or Catholics who want to firm up their faith) understand the evidence that bolsters our belief - and brings us joy.

In Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary, Dr. Pitre takes listeners step-by-step from the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation to reveal how deeply biblical Catholic beliefs about Mary really are. Dr. Pitre uses the Old Testament and ancient Judaism to unlock how the Bible itself teaches that Mary is in fact the new Eve, the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven and Earth, and the new Ark of the Covenant.

In recent years, Christians everywhere are rediscovering the Jewish roots of their faith. Every year at Easter time, many believers now celebrate Passover meals (known as Seders) seeking to understand exactly what happened at Jesus' final Passover, the night before he was crucified. Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist shines fresh light on the Last Supper by looking at it through Jewish eyes.

The Apostolic Fathers are the Christian writers from the first and second centuries who are thought to have been disciples of the Apostles or to have been so directly influenced by the Apostles that their writings are considered echoes of genuine Apostolic teaching. Their writings form a link of tradition that binds these writings to those of the New Testament. Chief among the apostolic fathers are the three first-century Bishops: St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Polycarp of Smyrna, who were disciples of St. Peter and St. John.

With Zach Flanagin (PhD, University Chicago), you will study cutting-edge scholarship that reconstructs the historical Jesus. From The Da Vinci Code and Jesus Christ Superstar to the works of Thomas Jefferson and contemporary scholars, Prof. Flanagin merges popular with scholastic “portraits” for full effect.

Many Christians today long to become reacquainted with their ancient ancestors in the faith. They see a deeper worship and devotion in the prayers and hymns of the early church. And they believe that the writings of the early church can shed new light on their understanding of Scripture. But where and how do we begin? Our first encounter with the writings of the church fathers may seem like visiting a far country where the language, assumptions, concerns, and conclusions are completely unfamiliar to us. Author Christopher Hall helps us through this cultural confusion.

Join Fr. David Meconi, multiple award-winning professor and Oxford-educated theologian on a journey through the most formative years of Christianity. Through 10 erudite and lively lectures, you will explore the formative centuries of the Church (100-800 C.E.) and the great figures whose lives and writings inspired generations of later thinkers and believers.

Dr. James Papandrea introduces you to all the major theologians, philosophers, and martyrs of the early Christian church and explains the theological principles that guided the Church from the New Testament era through the apologists, and, ultimately, to the development of the major doctrines. He uniquely situates the teachings of the early Church Fathers against the social and cultural context of the Roman Empire and its relationship to the Church.

In this series, you will encounter various arguments for God’s existence. Dr. Garcia will begin by making a case for the existence of God, and considering whether the case actually supports the conclusion. A philosophical argument, appeals to various reasons. As in a court, we must first begin with a claim, we then argue our case and draw various reasons to support our position. In this current study, the claim is that God exists, and our arguments will seek to support this claim.

Jesus was a figure thoroughly grounded in the religious traditions of Judaism, and his Jewish context illuminates his mission and ministry. Two millennia after the death of Jesus of Nazareth, the story of his life and teachings continues to compel scholars and the faithful alike to seek more information about him as a person - living in a particular place at a particular time.

You are invited to journey back 2,000 years to the very start of Christianity and track 450 years of its fascinating early development. In Christian Origins 101, you will explore the rich history, early leadership, and groundbreaking theology, of early Christianity through 30 erudite lectures.

How will we face the end? On whom does our hope finally depend? What are the last things ever to be remembered? These are the questions examined in this course, whose lectures abound with insight and imagery drawn from the rich patrimony of the Church's wisdom and experience. In this course, Dr. Regis Martin presents a comprehensive overview of the finalities that frame our human story and how our action (or inaction) when faced with the end will determine where we spend eternity.

Through this special 18-lecture course, explore a powerful four-fold ancient pattern found throughout life, Christian worship, and many revered spiritual exercises. This pattern appears to underlie the choice of four Gospels and their sequencing into the three-year Sunday reading cycles. The four Gospels, when read through this lens, move beyond separate accounts of Jesus to become a seamless spiritual guide for daily life.

The course will begin by focusing on the reasons which gave rise to Vatican II, it will continue by examining the common misconceptions regarding the council, move on to general principles and themes, and lastly consider the key documents which emerged from the council. Some questions that will be considered: Why study Vatican II? What is the relationship between the Church and the Modern world? How can the Church defend the deposit of faith given the rise of science and the loss of religiosity? What is the essence of the Sacred Liturgy and how can it be most faithfully preserved?

In this course, Professor Joseph Pearce shows that Tolkien's own words about The Lord of the Rings being a "fundamentally religious and Catholic work" also apply to The Hobbit. Some readers mistakenly believe that The Hobbit is simply a children's story with little significance. While Tolkien indeed wrote the book for his children's entertainment, the narrative simplicity only serves its great moral and theological profundity. Professor Pearce guides you through various life lessons discovered through an in-depth reading of The Hobbit.

This unforgettable course by modern spiritual master Fr. Howard Gray will change the way you see the Bible. For as long as humans have been around, we have found comfort in stories. In Great Biblical Stories: A Narrative Journey with Howard Gray, you will discover newfound theological and spiritual meaning in the Bible's great stories. By looking at the stories God uses in the Bible and developing an informed approach to the literature of faith, you will come to know him more personally.

In The Synoptic Gospels: A Bible Study on Matthew, Mark, and Luke, a comprehensive audio course, Fr. William Burton, OFM, breaks down the first three gospels for an astute audience. Carefully situating each in its historical and cultural context, Fr. Burton gives you fresh insights into the similarities and differences across their accounts of Jesus's life and ministry. Under his guidance, you will dissect the chronology and authorship of the gospels,the religious milieus in which the evangelists wrote, and issues of translation over time.

The Bible is fundamental to Christianity. In this course you will understand how the Bible has been understood through the ages. The importance of the Bible cannot be overstated: Jesus and the earliest Christians shaped their self-identity from its pages, medieval monks spent countless hours meditating on the sacred words, and reformers have been inspired by its radical message to speak the truth of the Gospel.