A Moment in History

Host, Seth Udinski, breaks down the most pivotal moments in the history of the world including the most significant stories told in the Bible.

What Happened at Dyatlov Pass in 1959? 04/09/2024

What Happened at Dyatlov Pass in 1959? In January of 1959, a group of 10 Russian college students set out on a hike in the Ural Mountains in Siberia on a journey of some 700 miles. One student, suffering health problems, had to turn back and end his hike early. But that proved to save his life because an unexplained tragedy occurred in which all nine remaining hikers were killed in potentially brutal and purposeful passion. The cause of death remains a mystery as historians have wondered for more than 60 years: what happened at Dyatlov Pass? /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/30734068

The Aztecs 02/20/2024

The Aztecs The Western Hemisphere was, in many ways, the last frontier of exploration during the end of the medieval world and into the Age of Exploration of the 1500s. For many, the Western Hemisphere at that time was not what we know today due to the belief that the nearest landmass to the Atlantic coast of Europe was the Pacific coast of Asia. But when Christopher Columbus and other European explorers who followed him discovered a new continent between Western Europe and East Asia, they also discovered many ancient pagan tribes. One of these – perhaps the most famous of pre-European America – was the dominant force in Central America. These were the Aztecs. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/30019138

Attila the Hun 02/13/2024

Attila the Hun The 5th Century AD is one of the more bizarre times in human history. Do we still call it the Roman Empire, even though the Western Empire is dead by this point? Is the known world Christian, even though Christianity had only spread the distance of the Eastern and Western empires? Have we reached the Middle Ages yet? What do we make of the bloodshed and barbarism of this century? All of these questions relate to one of the most famous warlords in history. Known in the Christian world as the “Scourge of God,” that figure is Attila the Hun. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/29912648

The Ku Klux Klan 02/12/2024

The Ku Klux Klan Secret organizations seem to pop up at almost every turn on the pages of history, but there is one that is not-so-secret and has been on the American conscience since the end of the Civil War. This organization has existed under the same name under several different iterations, with each permutation carrying the same spirit of racial terrorism as its driving force. This insidious group, which has existed in some form since late 1865, is known as the Ku Klux Klan. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/29912603

Fenway Park 01/30/2024

Fenway Park Fenway Park stands out as the oldest baseball park currently in operation. When it first opened its doors in 1912 William Howard Taft sat in the White House, the Ottoman Empire was on its last legs in the Middle East, and the Titanic had only sunk days earlier. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/29702213

The History of Swords 01/23/2024

The History of Swords In today’s world, the most popular weapon of choice in warfare is the firearm. But for the majority of human history, guns were not the main weapon. In fact, throughout the history of war, one weapon has traversed the scope of battle and permeated virtually all cultures. It is even used today in some combat situations. It’s known as the “King of Weapons” in warfare: the sword. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/29599083

The Ark of the Covenant 01/16/2024

The Ark of the Covenant Historians sometimes like to enter into the “What if?” zone of study. Let’s embark on such a query as we explore the shadowy history of one of the most important physical pieces of history in the Biblical Age. This item was of utmost importance in the story of Israel, and it housed the very tablets that God inscribed with what are now known as the Ten Commandments. It has since been lost to history, so the question remains: Where is the Ark of the Covenant? /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/29511553

The Gospel Rediscovered 01/09/2024

The Gospel Rediscovered In the early 16th Century, German monk Martin Luther went on a quest to answer the following question: How could a sinner like himself obtain salvation? He grew up in the medieval Roman Catholic understanding of justification by works, and he came to realize the problem: there was no guarantee that mankind could ever be good enough to get to God. Eventually, in the year 1519, he found the answer to his question in Romans 1:16-17. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/29358068

Archangel Gabriel 01/05/2024

Archangel Gabriel Angels are strange creatures. They often appear in our Christmas celebrations as cute, winged figurines but the reality is much different. Every time they appear in Scripture, their first word is always “Do not be afraid!” A good choice, since angels are likely terrifying creatures. We only meet a few angels by name, one of whom is a famous Archangel who was sent by God to foretell the birth of Christ to the Jewish girl Mary some 2000 years ago; the angel Gabriel. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/29357963

Christmas Lights 12/26/2023

Christmas Lights One of the most beloved staples of the Christmas traditions is lights! But why do we put up lights at Christmastime? Where did this beloved tradition come from and who started it? As is usually the case with these questions, the answer may be far older than you think! /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/29169048

Herod the Tetrarch 12/20/2023

Herod the Tetrarch The birth of Jesus Christ is a true story with all of the elements of an epic classic. It contains scandal and cataclysmic proportions full of ancient prophesies finally fulfilled, but it’s also a tale of deep political intrigue. When the King of the Jews was born on Christmas morning, another king reigned over Judea and saw Jesus as a threat to his rule. This was the same king who resurrected the physical temple of the ancient capital city of Jerusalem: Herod the Tetrarch. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/29168753

The Meaning of “Xmas” 11/28/2023

The Meaning of “Xmas” At the turn of the 20th Century, we were engaged in what was known as the “War on Christmas.” This was when many people tried to secularize the holiday by removing any mention of Christ. The term “Xmas” was well known at this time, and many believed it to be a part of that secularization effort. However, the term carries a deep historical meaning that revolves around the survival and flourishing of the early church. It is not a secular softening of the word “Christmas.” In some ways, it is actually the opposite. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/28808053

Emperor Trajan 11/21/2023

Emperor Trajan At the turn of the first century A.D., the Roman Empire was making a comeback following several decades of relative chaos. Five rulers that came to be known as the “Five Good Emperors” brought back stability and order to the Empire while also expanding its reach. The second of these was a man who would rule for nearly 20 years. He was hand-picked by his elderly predecessor to take the throne. This was the 13th Emperor of Rome and the first to rule in the second century: Trajan. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/28675478

Election Day 11/14/2023

Election Day Every first Tuesday of November, the United States holds its governmental elections. Depending on the year, there may be lower elections in cities or townships or votes with national implications that shape the future of our country. But every four years, the most important and impactful election takes place: the presidential election. Let’s jump back to answer how the American Election Day came to be. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/28621773

Johann Tetzel 11/07/2023

Johann Tetzel In the early 16th Century, the Christian church was in turmoil. Despite growing to be the dominant force in Europe, it was rife with numerous theological errors. The doctrine of indulgence sales was particularly erroneous and proved to be the main catalyst for Martin Luther to present the 95 Theses. The main propagator of indulgence sales was one of the most infamous villains in the history of the church. He was a Dominican friar and church charlatan known as Johann Tetzel. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/28530521

St. Thomas Aquinas 10/24/2023

St. Thomas Aquinas Church historians tend to split the 2,000 years of Christian history into three categories: ancient, medieval, and modern. For many Protestants, we tend to celebrate heroes of the ancient church such as the apostles, Augustan, or Athanasius. And we also jump to modern heroes like John Bunyan, Charles Spurgeon, and C. S. Lewis. We often erroneously skip over the Medieval Church, which existed during a dark period of church history. The light of the Gospel thankfully broke through with the Reformation of the 16th Century, but there were still titans during the down period, and one of them was a 13th Century Italian Dominican friar who would be remembered as the preeminent Christian thinker of the Dark Ages: St. Thomas Aquinas. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/28396691

Judas Iscariot 10/17/2023

Judas Iscariot In world history, there are few characters that are so sinister that their name literally denotes a specific type of sin or vice. In this case, the vice is greed and the sin is betrayal. The man was one of the closest friends the Lord Jesus Christ had on Earth, but he is remembered throughout history as a vile wretch who sold his Lord to be executed for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Despite the years that he walked with Jesus, learned from Jesus, and witnessed the miracles of Jesus, Judas Iscariot still betrayed Jesus in the end. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/28289756

The Battle of the Brandywine 10/10/2023

The Battle of the Brandywine hroughout the course of the American Revolution, the United States Army tended to suffer defeat after defeat. But one of the brilliant aspects of Commander-in-Chief George Washington was his ability to take punches and keep on moving. While the Brits continually battered the American army year after year, they could never deal a knockout blow. One of the especially brutal skirmishes came in the Fall of 1777 in the fields of Southeastern Pennsylvania, in what would be known as the Battle of the Brandywine. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/28278695

The Day of Atonement 10/05/2023

The Day of Atonement In the Old Testament, the people of God would mark holy days with remembrance and feasts. One of these days would be rightly described as the “most holy” of such days – for it was when the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and stand before God to make payment for the sins of the people. This once-a-year sacrifice would be a foreshadowing of the long-foretold sacrifice of the Messiah. But long before He came, the people of God observed this day known as the Day of Atonement. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/28235603

Barack Obama 09/21/2023

Barack Obama The year 2009 was pivotal in American history. The nation was in the midst of a disastrous economic recession and looking to rebound just as the age of technology was taking off with the rise of the smartphone. Concurrently, a historic figure entered the White House, and he brought with him no small amount of controversy. He swung the balance of power back toward the left, and perhaps farther to the left than the country ever had been before. He would also become the first African-American President of the United States. He was the 44th Commander-in-Chief, Barack Obama. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/28105277

Inflation 09/06/2023

Inflation Most people aren’t too fond of inflation in the American news cycle. The expert definition of inflation is too many dollars chasing too few goods, and we see inflation as a prime cause for a rise in the cost for goods and service. But where did inflation come from? How did we get to the point of today’s rising prices? Did other cultures in other time periods experience inflation, or is it an American phenomenon? /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27961134

George H. W. Bush 08/29/2023

George H. W. Bush At the start of the final decade of the 20th Century, the world was rapidly changing. The Cold War was about to end; technology and computers were on the rise; and there was growing tension in the Middle East. Presiding over this pivotal time in American history was a determined, former baseball star and World War II hero looking to lead the country in the footsteps of his predecessor for whom he had served as Vice President. He was the 41st President of the United States: George H. W. Bush. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27883521

Dome of the Rock 08/22/2023

Dome of the Rock Jerusalem is arguably the most important city in the history of the world. With over 3,000 years of history and the location where the Lord of the universe was crucified and rose again, there’s little debate to that statement. Add that to the fact that the city is claimed as the cream of the crop for Christianity, Judaism, and even Islam. Speaking of Islam, the most holy site in the religion is housed on the foundations of the Jewish Temple Mount – the place where Muslims claim that the prophet Muhammad ascended into Heaven. It is one of, if not the oldest, site in Islam – the Dome of the Rock. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27820290

Jimmy Carter 08/15/2023

Jimmy Carter In the election of 1976, Americans were looking for a remake from the Watergate scandal and the rough Vietnam years that dominated national news for the more than a decade. The nation elected a man who was seen initially as a pioneer to lead the country to a new level of prosperity. He would end up as one of the most controversial presidents in the nation’s history. Under his leadership, the United States was cast into financial chaos and faced a series of foreign conflicts that grew seemingly out of control under his watch. He was the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27759246

Gerald Ford 08/08/2023

Gerald Ford In the mid-1970’s, America was in a time of crisis. The nation was coming to terms with the fact that it couldn’t secure a win with the war in Vietnam; it was divided back home between conservatives and a newly-birthed radical liberal contingent; and it was coming off a decade of public assassinations as well as a troubling scandal that forced a promising president out of the Oval Office. Coming out of this chaos was a relatively calm and steady leader who served as the 38th President of the United States: Gerald Ford. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27684867

John F. Kennedy 07/25/2023

John F. Kennedy Controversial characters of history are some of the most fascinating to explore because they really do come as a mixed bag. So, the story of America has several of these, especially in the 20th century. One of the most memorable was the golden boy of a 20th century American Dynasty. He is the infamous, 35th President of The United States John F. Kennedy. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27553650

The Appalachian Mountains 07/18/2023

The Appalachian Mountains In the United States, there are many geographical landmarks that provide boundary markers for states and regions. One of these is a massive mountain range that runs like a backbone north to south through the eastern section of the nation. It played a critical role in the development of American state boundaries in the first 100 years of the nation’s existence. Running from the state of Maine through the Deep South, these are the Appalachian Mountains. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27491085

The Berlin Airlift 07/11/2023

The Berlin Airlift In the Cold War, tensions between the two world Superpowers of the United States and Soviet Union had never been higher. Yet, during the 40-plus years of conflict, not a single shot was fired between these two foes. The moment most historians believe started the Cold War was the Berlin Airlift in 1948. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27433671

The Flying Dutchman 07/04/2023

The Flying Dutchman In a place as chaotic and eerie as the sea, many legends have come about throughout the ages of sailing. Perhaps the most famous from the Golden Age of pirating is a terrifying tale about a ghost ship that would allegedly appear as a harbinger of doom and death to sailors on dark waters. It was known as The Flying Dutchman. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27356655

The Legend of the Bermuda Triangle 06/20/2023

The Legend of the Bermuda Triangle In marine legends, there are certain places in the world that strike fear in the hearts of sailors and travelers. One of the most famous is a portion of water that covers a large footprint in the North Atlantic Ocean, roughly 500,000 square miles, and straddles the Sargasso Sea and parts of the Caribbean Islands. Legend says it is a place where ships have been lost at sea, radar connections have been unexplainedly disrupted or fractured altogether, and planes have mysteriously gone down without explanation. This place of legend is known as the Bermuda Triangle. /episode/index/show/3fe4a4df-3906-4957-9046-0e4ecd566dfd/id/27204753

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