Church History for Chumps

"Y'all gon' make me lose my mind up in here."-Emperor Diocletian, probablyThe third century wasn't a great time to be a Roman. But believe it or not, it was a great time to be a Christian! Churches were built, the faith was spread, and the influence and witness of Christ's followers flowed far and wide. But that would soon come to an end. I mean, sort of. It didn't stop. It just got a little more martyr-y. Jonathan Taylor Thomas are back with another banger, discussing the Diocletianic Persecution of the early 4th Century. It would be the final and most violent persecution brought about by the Romans, and (against all odds) would lead to a bright and new dawn for the church. Thanks for listening! Especially if you're from Malta. We love Malta. Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Imagine you had a friend who was, I dunno, an alien. They have no grasp of life on earth, no understanding of human customs, minimal grasp of the language, culture, music, anything like that. And so for years, they undergo a process of both learning and un-learning. Gradually detaching from their weird Martian ways (no disrespect to our Martian listeners), and becoming finely tuned in the rhythms of a human being. That's a little bit what catechism (the process of teaching children and new converts) was like in the early church. Men and women who had been brought up in a secular, Roman culture needed to slowly learn the ways of following Christ. Crockpot style. It was a rich and transformative process.Join the boys as we talk all about it. And Taylor talks about Disney, because of course he does. Also, shout out to Malta. Thanks Malta! You guys ROCK.Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Have you ever had to move across the country? It's a life-changing experience. Disrupting your regular routines and rhythms, adjusting to a totally foreign environment, learning new regional customs. Now imagine being forced to move, against your wishes. Five different times, after being welcomed back home. That sounds pretty rough, huh?Welcome our topic for today, the greatest theologian of the 4th Century, Athanasius of Alexandria. He would dedicate his life to defending the mystery of orthodox christology against the heresy of Arianism. And for that, we think he's pretty cool. Speaking of cool, Taylor is back with a little trial run. Look at him! Wow. Let us know if you think he's good or not. Seriously. Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Did you know that Saint Patrick was the first Christian clergyman to ever don a priestly robe in green? No?That's because it's not true! There's a lot of mythology around our boy, Paddy. But that just makes his story that much more interesting.Thanks for tuning in! Don't forget to leave us a cool review and tell a friend about us. Or an enemy. IG: @churchhistory4chumps Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Every sport has a Wayne Gretzky. A Hank Aaron. A Michael Jordan. The 4th Century didn't have Michael Jordan, though. It had Augustine of Hippo. And maybe Augustine didn't drop 30 points against the Jazz with a flu (or whatever), but Michael Jordan never took down Pelagianism without breaking a sweat. Wayne Gretzky never wrote Confessions, bro. Hank Aaron wasn't mentored by Ambrose of Milan!What were we talking about?Oh right. Augustine is the best. Also welcome our friend Taylor. Make sure you write us if you don't like him. Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

When most Christians (okay, all Christians that aren't Catholic) look back on the Reformation, we typically do it with a little twinkle in our eyes. It feels like a time of triumph, of sticking it to the man once and for all. In reality, the Reformation, for all its successes, was often a mess. And nowhere was that mess more evident than in 17th century England. Join us this week as we walk through the lead-up to the English Civil War, and one of the key men behind it, King Charles I. MAN what a banger this episode is, you guys. Not only is Tommy D back in the booth, we have one of our favorite guests, Mr. Ben Lansing of Our Church Speaks. Don't forget to check out Ben's new podcast, and his new devotional!Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Imagine that you're a teenager. You live in one of the biggest cities in the world, and your parents have just died, leaving behind a Bruce Wayne-esque amount of wealth and land. This is any kid's dream come true. The world is your oyster. Unless your name is Anthony the Great. Then you decide to sell all your stuff, give it to the poor, and then go live in the desert for 80 years. I guess he was a little different. Join us this week as we revisit the Desert Fathers with a close-up view of Anthony the Great! And don't forget to leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts, and follow us on Instagram. If you like Instagram. IG: @churchhistory4chumps Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

"Awwww here it goes." --Kel Mitchell, Kenan and Kel We're back in the early church again, which means we're into the story of Christian persecution in the Roman Empire. The 3rd Century was no pleasant time for the Romans, Christian or not. Through a series of civil wars, external threats, and economic woes, the Empire was closer to collapse than ever before. This growing instability would not bode well for the Christians. While the faith was steadily growing, the leaders of Rome will be increasingly desperate to correct course for their sinking ship. That will lead to newer, and harsher periods of persecution. Thanks for tuning in! As always, make sure YOU don't persecute your religious neighbors today. And follow our instagram. And buy us a coffee, if you want (link below). IG: churchhistory4chumps Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

John Brown was a man on a mission from God. Or so he thought.Less than a decade before the Civil War began, John Brown would attempt to lead a slave rebellion by taking over a military armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Although unsuccessful, he would solidify his actions as a villain of the proslavery south and a hero of the antislavery north. Brown considered himself as a hero of the Christian faith, trying to purge the sin of slavery from the country that he loved. Even today, his role in American history is polarizing. Join John and his wife Annie (back again to bless the mic) as they discuss the enigma of John Brown.  Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory

Is our nation more divided than ever? Are we losing the ability to respectfully disagree with each other?Welcome to our first ever bonus episode: Chump Talk. In these episodes, we'll tackle larger ideas and themes in the culture and talk to even cooler guests.(Don't worry though, we'll be right back with your church history fix next week)This week, John and Tom are joined by Jacob Hjortman, a beloved Swedish podcaster (and dear friend of John's) who has devoted his platform to setting the table for people from different views to sit and respectfully converse together. We talk about the fear that we often feel in conflict, and how to navigate that fear as believers and peacemakers. Join us as we talk about the art of awkward pauses, Finnish church culture, and a lot more. If you speak Swedish, you can check out Jacob's podcast here. If you speak English, you should listen to our podcast, right now! Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/chumphistory