Church History for Chumps

Let's be honest-- each of the Gospel authors clearly had their favorite disciples to write about. Lots of Peter yapping, a little bit of Thomas doubting, a little bit of John being beloved. But what about the other guys?Well, one of those 'other guys' is the apostle Philip, and he's our focus for this week. Join us as we try to uncover once again, what happened to this disciple that the Bible didn't say? Was he martyred? Where did his travels take him?Also, are we any better at writing haikus on the spot? No, the answer is no. But if you want your own personal haiku, don't forget to hit up the link below. Any amount you provide is wonderfully appreciated. Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Few things are worse than living in the shadow of a really successful older sibling. We imagine the siblings (or cousins, right Catholics?) of Jesus probably felt that way. Imagine being young Gregory of Nyssa, the brother of four siblings who would go on to receive sainthood. And two of them are your oldest brother and sister. What a nightmare. For Gregory, living a life of spiritual adventure like his relatives was far from his mind. But of course, the Lord had other plans. Join us this week as we cover the last of the Cappadocian Fathers, Gregory of Nyssa. We'll discuss how his theological contributions and early mystical writings still bless the church to this day. Also Taylor talks about a rap group that he and John were a part of, and Thomas tells a joke from the Babylon Bee. Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

How's that for a title, huh? We heard we're supposed to be better at hooking people. But seriously, few of the apostles get as wild of a post-Acts story as John. Supposedly boiled in oil, miraculously survived, and then banished to a tiny island where he wrote Revelation. Supposedly.So let's see what the history books have to say about ol' John the Beloved. Also, we'll talk a little bit about Matthias, who was surprisingly a LOT more interesting to the early church than you'd think!And don't forget to VOTE for our next series (details in the show, you can skip to the chapter if you prefer)!!Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

As we comb through history's ranks of church fathers, we tend to take something for granted. Many of these people had a natural desire for leadership. Augustine, Athanasius, Antony, they all had a natural penchant to address the crowds and stir up courage. This was not the case with our next Cappadocian Father, Gregory of Nazianzus. Gregory had a monastic soul, he longed for a quiet and peaceful life of prayer and contemplation. This was not, however, the plan that the Lord had for him. Join us as we discuss the 2nd of the Cappadocian Heavyweights, our guy Greg. And check out our episode on Basil the Great if you haven't already!IG: @churchhistory4chumps Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Do you know what happens when you combine the trauma of growing up as a PK (pastor's kid, of course) with the Game of Thrones-esque violence of the Roman Empire?Well, you sort of get Julian the Apostate. Born in the era of Constantine's great conversion to Christianity, Julian was the last emperor not to be wooed by the Empire's new religious convictions. Raised on the classics and fascinated by a mix of cult religion and philosophy, Julian decided it was time to give paganism one last try. Also, the guys reminisce a little about how cool it was during the mixtape era of sermons, and how much life can humble a young guy in ministry. Be sure to give us a Follow and leave a review if you can! Thanks for listening! Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

We asked for Q's, and you guys delivered. So now we're back with the A's. Who's our favorite heretic? Are we Calvinist, Arminian, or something else? Do we have any advice for someone considering pastoral ministry?We answer those questions and many, many more. As fun as this episode was to record, we honestly just enjoy any chance we get to interact with the folks who listen to our show. We really, genuinely appreciate you guys. Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

We're back in the 4th century, baby. And it's time we finally talk about the Cappadocian Fathers. Two brothers and one lifelong friend, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus were three of the most pivotal figures in the history of Eastern Christianity. And today, we begin with Basil. During a thyme of heretical emperors, he was a voice of Nicene wisdom. When the east was peppered with poor and needy souls, he provided the sage hand of charity. His words with salted with discernment, and his actions seasoned with grace. Basil was awesome. This is a fun episode. Also, is it a flex to have steak for lunch? What if you cook it in the air fryer?Also also, Thomas and John are pretty mean to Taylor in the first ten minutes of this episode, so Taylor if you're reading this, we love ya bud. Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

This week, we're taking a short break on our early church series, mostly because Taylor put "I get to lead an episode on Baptist missions every once in a while" in his contract when he joined the show :(Isaac McCoy was a Baptist missionary in the early 19th century who endeavored to bring the Gospel to the American Indians that lived throughout the Midwest. Historically, he's known for attempting to form a westward colony for the Native Americans to relocate to. Join the boys as we explore the lasting impact of his evangelistic efforts, and how modern missionaries can learn from our spiritual ancestors. And things miiight have gotten a little heated, but it's all love between brothers on the chumpcast. Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Imagine you're writing a letter to the President (or Emperor, depending on what era you live in).Point by point, you bring up each idol of that day and age, and refute it thoroughly. Then you explain, it clear and compassionate terms, that the reader should submit themselves to the God of Christianity, repent of their sins, and commit to a Christian life. Actually, the more I talk about it, the less crazy it sounds. But this is essentially what we see in the 2nd Century document known as the Epistle to Diognetus, one of church history's FIRST EVER written apologies of the Christian faith. Join Jonathan Taylor Thomas as we crack open another tall can of church history. Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Persecutions are tough. I think we can all agree with that. But an issue that doesn't get as much attention is what the church does after a time of persecution. Specifically with the Christians who may or may not have caved under the threat of harm or violence. The 3rd Century in Rome (as we've discussed on the show before) was a tough time to be a Christian, and while the persecution wasn't long, the problems that it created for the church definitely were. Enter St. Cyprian, a beloved leader from the city of Carthage. Not only will he be called to stand strong in the face of persecution, he will also be tasked with providing wisdom and direction for the church when factions form and threaten to tear the church in two. Also. We tell a lot of jokes in this. Definitely skip the banter if you're not a fan. We think you will be. But you might not be. And we love you still. Also today is John Simon's birthday! Show our boi some love. IG: @churchhistory4chumpsBuy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory