Libsyn Directory

4.8 Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Part 1 (The Good)

Release Date: 03/13/2024

5.9 St. Anselm of Canterbury: Father of Scholasticism

Way of the Fathers

St. Anselm (1033 - 1109 AD) was Abbot of the monastery of Bec, and later, Archbishop of Canterbury. He was the first of the medieval scholastics, and the first real systematic theologian. His treatise, Cur Deus Homo brought together biblical and patristic themes related to salvation and the atonement to provide the Church with a comprehensive (up to that point) teaching on the Incarnation and the Atonement, known as the Satisfaction Theory of Atonement. Links To read Anselm’s Cur Deus Homo online: To read several of the most important works of St. Anselm, get the book Anselm of...

5.8 St. Anselm of Canterbury: Doctor of the Atonement

Way of the Fathers

St. Anselm (1033 - 1109 AD) was Abbot of the monastery of Bec, and later, Archbishop of Canterbury. He was the first of the medieval scholastics, and the first real systematic theologian. In many ways, St. Anselm is the bridge between St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. Links To read Anselm’s Cur Deus Homo online: To read several of the most important works of St. Anselm, get the book Anselm of Canterbury: The Major Works: For more on the medieval scholastics, the atonement, and St. Anselm, see the book Reading the Church Fathers: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s...

5.7 St. Peter Damian: Monitor of the Popes

Way of the Fathers

St. Peter Damian (1007 - 1072 AD) was an advisor to, and sometimes corrector of, Popes, Emperors, and Kings. Through his writings he was a reformer of the clergy, and the monasteries, especially calling out and confronting immorality among the clergy. He was a member of the first college of cardinals as we know it today, and took part in wrestling away from royals and nobles the power to appoint Popes, restoring the process of papal elections. Links Listen to the Catholic Culture audio book of St. Peter Damian’s The Lord Be With You: Listen to previous episodes of The Way of the...

5.6 St. Peter Damian: The Medieval Jerome

Way of the Fathers

St. Peter Damian (1007 - 1072 AD) is another one of our lesser-known Doctors of the Church, and yet he was, in his time, a man who could give advice to the Popes, and call for reform in the clergy and in the monasteries. Known as a Catholic reformer (long before the Protestant Reformation), he confronted clergy immorality, simony and lay investiture, as well as corruption in the process of the election of Popes, and he was a member of the first college of cardinals, as we know it today. Links Listen to the Catholic Culture audio book of St. Peter Damian’s The Lord Be With You: Listen...

Sicilian Pilgrimage with Mike Aquilina and Jim Papandrea

Way of the Fathers

The Holy Father has proclaimed 2025 as a Jubilee year, and pilgrims are already flocking to Rome to cross the thresholds of the major basilicas, and to visit the tombs of Sts. Peter and Paul. Original host of the Way of the Fathers podcast, Mike Aquilina, and current host of the podcast, James L. Papandrea, talk about jubilee and pilgrimage, and introduce listeners to the first (of hopefully many) Way of the Fathers pilgrimage. If you’re interested in going on pilgrimage to Sicily, December 1-11, 2025, with Mike, and Jim, and Fr. Kevin Barrett, you can find more information at this...

5.5 St. Gregory of Narek: Doctor of Mercy

Way of the Fathers

St. Gregory of Narek (c. 945-1003), was an Armenian saint: a monk, scholar, poet, and hymn writer. Praised as a saint by Pope St. John Paul II, who called by him the “great Marian doctor of the Armenian Church,” St. Gregory of Narek was officially proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis in 2015–one of the most recent additions to the list of the Doctors of the Church. Links Listen to our Way of the Fathers episode on the heresy of Eutyches and monophysitism: Listen to our Way of the Fathers episode on the heresy of rebaptism: Listen to a lecture by musicologist Dr. Haig...

5.4 St. Gregory of Narek: Patron Saint of Armenia

Way of the Fathers

In the first episode on St. Gregory of Narek (c. 945-1003), Dr. Papandrea introduces one of the newest additions to the list of Doctors of the Church. Gregory was an Armenian monk, scholar, poet, and saint, who was praised by Pope St. John Paul II. Links Listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Christianity in Armenia - The Way of the Fathers episode 3.9 Ejmiastin and Christian Armenia: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original...

5.3 St. Bede: The Father of English History

Way of the Fathers

In this second episode on St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735 AD), Dr. Papandrea talks about the literary legacy of this Doctor of the Church. Bede is not only considered the “father of English history,” but also the “father of English education.” Although he is now most famous for his Ecclesiastical History of England, his contribution to the Church is actually much greater than that. Links The Oxford book - St. Bede: The Ecclesiastical History of the English People; The Greater Chronicle; Bede's Letter to Egbert - The Classics of Western Spirituality book - The Venerable Bede: On...

5.2 St. Bede the Venerable: Monk and Scholar

Way of the Fathers

In this episode, the first in our series on the Doctors of the Church, Dr. Papandrea introduces you to St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735 AD). He lived in a Benedictine monastery from the age of seven, and he wrote the first scholarly history of England and its conversion to Christianity. He is considered the “Father of English History” and the patron saint of historians Links SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church...

5.1 The Doctors of the Church–Introduction

Way of the Fathers

With this episode, we begin our new series on the Doctors of the Church. What is a Doctor of the Church? Are all Doctors also saints? What makes a person a Doctor of the Church? All these questions, and more, will be answered, as well as some hints at what you can expect from this series. Get ready to sample the fruit of some of the greatest minds the Church has ever produced! Links To listen to our episode 4.13 on Pelagianism: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr....

More Episodes

Novatian of Rome is an extremely important, but conflicted, character in the early Church. On the one hand, he clarified and helped define the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, preparing the Church for the ecumenical councils. On the other hand, he was the central figure of a schism in a controversy over the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. In this first part of a two-part series on Novatian, Dr. Papandrea discusses the positive contributions of Novatian, as a Church father, and as the subject of his doctoral dissertation.

Links

To read Novatian’s letters to Cyprian (letters #29 and #30 from “the Roman clergy” were written by Novatian): https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1770&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2383234

For more information on Cyprian of Carthage, listen to Mike Aquilina’s Episode 18: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-18-short-happy-life-cyprian-carthage/

For more information on those Church fathers who were significantly influenced by Novatian, listen to Mike Aquilina’s episodes 26 (Hilary of Poitiers), 23 (Alexander of Alexandria), 24 (Athanasius of Alexandria), and 33 (Ambrose of Milan).

For more on the historical context of the third century and the sacraments, see the book:
Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/reading-the-church-fathers/

For all the details on Novatian, see the book: Novatian of Rome and the Culmination of Pre-Nicene Orthodoxy: https://wipfandstock.com/9781606087800/novatian-of-rome-and-the-culmination-of-pre-nicene-orthodoxy/

DONATE at: http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio

To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch

Join the Original Church Community on Locals: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/

Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: http://www.jimpapandrea.com

Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed: https://www.ccwatershed.org/

TOPICS