Way of the Fathers
A podcast about the Fathers and Doctors of the Church—the foundational figures of Christian history. A production of CatholicCulture.org. Currently covering all the Doctors of the Church! Seasons 1-3 were hosted by Mike Aquilina. Seasons 4-5 are hosted by Dr. Jim Papandrea. 1: The Church Fathers 2: The Early Ecumenical Councils 3: Cities of God 4: Heresies 5: Doctors of the Churcch Episodes marked as bonus are on miscellaneous topics.
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5.18 St. Albert the Great: The Miracle of His Time
08/27/2025
5.18 St. Albert the Great: The Miracle of His Time
St. Albert the Great (1206-1280) mastered every field of study available to him, from astronomy to zoology. He was called the “miracle of his time,” not because he performed miracles, but because he was considered an authority - on the level of St. Augustine and Peter Lombard - even within his own lifetime. He was the mentor and teacher of a more famous doctor of the Church: St. Thomas Aquinas. Links For a great conversation about Peter Lombard’s Sentences, check out this article, The Most Influential Theology Book Nobody Reads: For the background on Pseudo-Dionysius, listen to this Way of the Fathers episode: The Classics of Western Spirituality volume which includes Albert & Thomas: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s book on ROME is revised and updated for the Jubilee year: ROME: A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Eternal City - Second Edition: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.17 St. Albert the Great: Universal Doctor
08/13/2025
5.17 St. Albert the Great: Universal Doctor
St. Albert the Great (1206-1280) was one of the real geniuses of the middle ages, and was the teacher and mentor of St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Albert had mastered virtually every field of study available to him, and he is one of the most important bridges between ancient and medieval philosophy. Links For a complete, unbiased, and very accessible overview of the Crusades, see the book God’s Battalions by Rodney Stark: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s book on ROME is revised and updated for the Jubilee year: ROME: A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Eternal City - Second Edition: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.16 St. Anthony of Padua: Hammer of Heresy
07/23/2025
5.16 St. Anthony of Padua: Hammer of Heresy
St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) is actually called the Hammer of Heretics, but the truth is that even in his uncompromising critiques of heresy, he had compassion for those who were led astray by the heresies, and he refused to engage in the personal attacks and name-calling that are so prevalent in apologetics, even among some other saints. So his homiletical hammer, as it were, was aimed more at the heresies than at the heretics. Listen in to find out why he's also the patron of people who have lost something. Links For more on how the Church fathers interpreted Scripture, see Reading Scripture Like the Early Church: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: Dr. Papandrea’s book on ROME is revised and updated for the Jubilee year: ROME: A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Eternal City - Second Edition: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.15 St. Anthony of Padua: Doctor of the Gospel
07/09/2025
5.15 St. Anthony of Padua: Doctor of the Gospel
St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) is called the Doctor of the Gospel, or the Evangelical Doctor, because he is known as both an expert in biblical interpretation, as well as one of the greatest preachers the Church has ever produced. Links SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: Dr. Papandrea’s book on ROME is revised and updated for the Jubilee year: ROME: A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Eternal City - Second Edition: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.14 The Music of St. Hildegard of Bingen w/ Margot Fassler
06/30/2025
5.14 The Music of St. Hildegard of Bingen w/ Margot Fassler
St. Hildegard of Bingen, 12th-century abbess, mystic, polymath, and Doctor of the Church, is best known to non-Catholics for something else – her music. We have more pieces of music by Hildegard than by any other medieval composer whose name we know. Her chants are beautiful, otherworldly, virtuosic and ahead of their time. Some of them were written for her morality play, the Ordo virtutum, which is also the first of its kind. Thomas Mirus (producer of Way of the Fathers and host of the Catholic Culture Podcast) interviews musicologist Margot Fassler about what makes St. Hildegard’s music so special. Links Way of the Fathers episodes on St. Hildegard’s life and works: St. Hildegard’s letter to the Prelates of Mainz Margot Fassler, Cosmos, Liturgy, and the Arts in the Twelfth Century: Hildegard’s Illuminated Scivias All music used with permission from Benjamin Bagby & Sequentia, who have recorded her complete works. The specific pieces in this episode can be found on the albums Ordo Virtutum, Symphoniae, and Voice of the Blood. DONATE to make this show possible! SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter:
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5.13 St. Hildegard of Bingen: Teutonic Prophetess
06/25/2025
5.13 St. Hildegard of Bingen: Teutonic Prophetess
St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a mystic, an anointed prophet, a reformer, theologian, poet, teacher, and preacher. Over eight centuries ago, she wrote, “Today the Catholic faith is in a state of agitation, on a global scale. The gospel limps its way around the world; the early Church fathers, who wrote so well, are ignored; people are apathetic; they refuse to read and taste the nourishment in the Scriptures.” Links To get a sense of what the Cathars were all about, here’s the Way of the Fathers episode on gnosticism: Carmen Acevedo Butcher’s Hildegard of Bingen: A Spiritual Reader: Playlist of Hildegard’s Music on YouTube: Playlist of Richard Souther’s VISION: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen: Margot Fassler’s Cosmos, Liturgy, and the Arts in the Twelfth Century: Hildegard's Illuminated "Scivias" The Camrbidge Companion to Hildegard of Bingen: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.12 St. Hildegard of Bingen: Multimedia Visionary
06/11/2025
5.12 St. Hildegard of Bingen: Multimedia Visionary
St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a visionary, teacher, Abbess, composer, theologian, painter, and the first woman in history to be given papal approval to preach in public. Four centuries before the emergence of the “Renaissance Man,” there was Hildegard of Bingen. Usually known mostly for her music (and rightfully so) there is so much more to this medieval mystic. Links To get a sense of what the Cathars were all about, here’s the Way of the Fathers episode on gnosticism: Playlist of Hildegard’s Music on YouTube: Margot Fassler’s Cosmos, Liturgy, and the Arts in the Twelfth Century: Hildegard's Illuminated "Scivias" Carmen Acevedo Butcher’s Hildegard of Bingen: A Spiritual Reader: The Cambridge Companion to Hildegard of Bingen: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.11 St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Arbiter of Christendom
05/28/2025
5.11 St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Arbiter of Christendom
St. Bernard of Claivaux (1090 - 1153 AD) was the founder of the Cistercians, a reform order of the Benedictines, and was one of the Church’s true mystics. He opposed the “intentionalism” of the heretic Peter Abelard with his quip: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” He also opposed an anti-pope, corrected a king, brokered peace in Europe, and had to nuance the doctrine of “just war” in the face of Christian losses in the Crusades. Links Check out this article on St. Barnard of Clairvaux and the Active Life: Here’s the Classics of Western Spirituality volume on St. Bernard: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.10 St. Bernard of Clairvaux: The Mellifluous Doctor
05/14/2025
5.10 St. Bernard of Clairvaux: The Mellifluous Doctor
St. Bernard of Claivaux (1090 - 1153 AD) was born to be a knight, and grew up in a castle, but he chose to be a different kind of knight - a true prayer warrior - and he supported the invention of the Christian knight by endorsing the Knights Templar. He would be the founder of the Cistercians, a reform order of the Benedictines. He was a strong advocate of devotion to Our Lady, and of orthodox doctrine, and he would turn down the office of bishop in six different cities. Listen in to find out what “mellifluous” means! Links SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.9 St. Anselm of Canterbury: Father of Scholasticism
04/21/2025
5.9 St. Anselm of Canterbury: Father of Scholasticism
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 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 Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.8 St. Anselm of Canterbury: Doctor of the Atonement
04/09/2025
5.8 St. Anselm of Canterbury: Doctor of the Atonement
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 Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.7 St. Peter Damian: Monitor of the Popes
03/26/2025
5.7 St. Peter Damian: Monitor of the Popes
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 Fathers on the subject of the validity of the Sacraments: Episode 4.8 - Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Part 1: The Good): Episode 4.9 - Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Part 2: The Bad and the Ugly): Pope St. Stephen and the Sacraments: Fr. Owen J. Blum’s Dissertation - St. Peter Damian: His Teaching on the Spiritual Life: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.6 St. Peter Damian: The Medieval Jerome
03/12/2025
5.6 St. Peter Damian: The Medieval Jerome
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 to previous episodes of The Way of the Fathers on the subject of the validity of the Sacraments: Episode 4.8 - Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Part 1: The Good): Episode 4.9 - Novatian: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Part 2: The Bad and the Ugly): Pope St. Stephen and the Sacraments: Fr. Owen J. Blum’s Dissertation - St. Peter Damian: His Teaching on the Spiritual Life: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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Sicilian Pilgrimage with Mike Aquilina and Jim Papandrea
03/03/2025
Sicilian Pilgrimage with Mike Aquilina and Jim Papandrea
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 link: Why Sicily? “Sicily,” said Goethe, “is the key to everything.” It was the site where Plato imagined his perfect republic. Sicily gave Rome its first taste of Empire. Homer set much of his Odyssey in Sicily: Scylla and Charybdis, the forge of Hephaestus … It’s the land of the Cyclops, the place where Icarus hit the ground when his wings began to melt. St. Paul spent three days there. For St. Augustine it was a land of wonders — a mountain that burned always and was not consumed. For St. Basil it was a synonym for luxury. Sicily was the definition of Hellenic. It was profoundly Latin. It was the land that gave the Church its Greek popes. It was the land that gave the Church its virgin-martyrs, Agatha and Lucy. For those who suffer ailments of the eye or breast, it is a pilgrim destination. It’s Byzantine. It’s Roman. It’s Phoenician and African. It’s stubbornly Christian through years of Muslim rule. It’s Norman. It’s Spanish. It’s stunningly beautiful. The food is amazing. It’s where the Godfather movies were filmed. In December it will be warm there and offer unusual wares and delights for Christmas shoppers. Consider joining Catholic author Mike Aquilina, historian James L. Papandrea, and Fr. Kevin Barrett on a unique pilgrimage, co-sponsored by the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, 206 Tours, and the Apostolate for Family Consecration. (This pilgrimage is not run by CatholicCulture.org.) SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter:
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5.5 St. Gregory of Narek: Doctor of Mercy
02/26/2025
5.5 St. Gregory of Narek: Doctor of Mercy
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 Utigjian on St. Gregory’s Odes: (The lecturer sings an example of a (later) melody at about minute 36) The book, The Doctor of Mercy: The Sacred Treasures of St. Gregory of Narek, by Michael Papazian: A collection of books about St. Gregory of Narek, including the above: The English translation of St. Gregory’s book of prayers: The Book of Lamentations: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.4 St. Gregory of Narek: Patron Saint of Armenia
02/12/2025
5.4 St. Gregory of Narek: Patron Saint of Armenia
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 Church Community: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.3 St. Bede: The Father of English History
01/29/2025
5.3 St. Bede: The Father of English History
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 the Song of Songs and Selected Writings - The Ancient Christian Texts book - Latin Commentaries on Revelation - 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 Community: For more on the interpretation of the Book of Revelation in the Early Church, see Dr. Papandrea’s book, The Wedding of the Lamb: A Historical Interpretation of the Book of Revelation - Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.2 St. Bede the Venerable: Monk and Scholar
01/15/2025
5.2 St. Bede the Venerable: Monk and Scholar
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 Community: Dr. Papandrea’s latest book, Praying Like the Early Church: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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5.1 The Doctors of the Church–Introduction
01/01/2025
5.1 The Doctors of the Church–Introduction
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. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: Dr. Papandrea’s latest book, Praying Like the Early Church: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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St. Boethius: Church Father and Medieval Scholar
12/11/2024
St. Boethius: Church Father and Medieval Scholar
St. Severinus Boethius was a man with one foot in the ancient world and one foot in the middle ages. He is another one of our lesser-known fathers who were anything but forgotten among the medieval scholastics. In this episode, Dr. Papandrea introduces another enigmatic but highly influential Church father. This is the last episode of our interim series on “Forgotten Fathers” - the next episode of The Way of the Fathers will introduce us to the Doctors of the Church, and begin our new series on the Doctors. Links If you need a refresher on Arianism, listen to episode 4.11 in our series on The Heresies: To read Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy: To read Boethius’ On the Trinity: Here’s the video with an interpretation of the reconstruction of Boethius’ songs: For more general information on the historical context of the early Church, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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Who Was Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite?
11/27/2024
Who Was Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite?
Whenever you see “Pseudo-“ in front of a name like this, it means we don’t really know who the person was. This Church father wrote under the name of Dionysius the Areopagite, a convert of St. Paul mentioned in the book of Acts. But the documents attributed to him were written hundreds of years later. Nevertheless, this unknown pseudonymous author was hugely influential for some of the most important fathers and doctors of the Church. The medieval scholastics and mystics found these writings especially inspiring. Links To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on other anonymous Church fathers: To go deeper into the case of Dionysius the Areopagite, with some more cautions about this author’s theology and its use throughout history, see the New Advent article: To read Pseudo-Dionysius’ treatise, The Divine Names: To read Pseudo-Dionysius’ treatise, The Mystical Theology: For more general information on the historical context of the early Church, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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Egeria the Pilgrim and the Stations of the Cross
11/13/2024
Egeria the Pilgrim and the Stations of the Cross
Egeria (or Etheria) was a woman who embarked on a three-year pilgrimage to the Holy Land, in the late fourth century. From her “pilgrimage diary” (actually fragments from her letters to her “sisters” back in Spain) we learn much about liturgy in Jerusalem. There we can see the beginnings of the lectionary, and the seeds of the Stations of the Cross. In this episode, Dr. Papandrea also talks about the history of the spiritual discipline of pilgrimage itself. Links To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on the city of Jerusalem, Episode 3.2: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Cyril of Jerusalem, Episode 34: To read the fragments from Egeria’s “diary” (letters): For more on the historical context of the early Church in the fourth century, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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Rufinus of Aquileia and the Apostles’ Creed
10/23/2024
Rufinus of Aquileia and the Apostles’ Creed
Rufinus is mostly known as the translator of Origen, and the opponent of St. Jerome in the controversy over Origen. But he also wrote an important commentary on the Apostles’ Creed, which is on Dr. Papandrea’s list of “state of the art documents,” patristic works that succinctly showcase the state of the development of doctrine at the time they were written. Links To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episodes on Origen, Episode 19: and Episode 20: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Jerome, Episode 37: To read Jerome’s Letter to Rufinus of Aquileia: To read Rufinus’ Apology (reply to Jerome): To read Rufinus’ Commentary on the Apostle’s Creed: For more on the historical context of the early Church, including the development of the Christian Bible, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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Pope St. Stephen and the Sacraments
10/09/2024
Pope St. Stephen and the Sacraments
After the controversies in the mid-third century, in the aftermath of the persecution of the emperor Decius and the schism of Novatian, Pope St. Stephen was instrumental in clarifying the Church’s theology of the sacraments of Baptism and Penance and Reconciliation. What is required for a valid baptism? What is the solution for falling away into mortal sin? Who may offer the absolution of the Church and by what authority? Are confession and penance to be done publicly, or privately? Should we rebaptize Protestants coming into the Catholic Church? What if I “backslide”? Should I get baptized again? Is it OK to baptize in an alternate formula, like “Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer?” These questions, and more, were answered during the papacy of Stephen of Rome, which served to formalize and standardize the sacraments as we still know them today. Links To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Cyprian of Carthage, contemporary and sometimes opponent of Pope St. Stephen: For more on the third century context in the history of the early Church, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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Father Caius and the Tomb of St. Peter
09/25/2024
Father Caius and the Tomb of St. Peter
Caius was a priest in Rome, in the third century. He wrote that if one comes to Rome, one can visit the shrines at the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul. These tombs had been known and visited since the apostle’s deaths, and are known to this day - they are in the same place where Caius knew them. The tomb of St. Paul is directly under the main altar of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, which was built on the site of the first memorial chapel, which was itself built on the site of the original shrine. The tomb of St. Peter is directly under the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. The present St. Peter’s Basilica, built in the renaissance, was built on the same site as the original St. Peter’s, which was commissioned by the emperor Constantine in the fourth century. The tomb has always been directly under the altar. Links To read the fragments that we have from Caius: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Hippolytus, contemporary of Caius and antagonist of Pope St. Zephyrinus: For more on the third century context in the history of the early Church, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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Athenagoras the Athenian: Apology Not Accepted
09/11/2024
Athenagoras the Athenian: Apology Not Accepted
The early Christian apologist Athenagoras may not be as famous as some of the other Church fathers, but he’s a great example of someone who started out as an apologist against Christianity, but when he actually learned what the apostles and the Church taught, he was converted. He teaches us about the doctrines of the Trinity, and the Resurrection. Links To read Athenagoras’ A Plea for the Christians: To read Athenagoras’ On the Resurrection of the Dead: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Justin Martyr: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Melito of Sardis: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Minucius Felix: For a short explanation of the word “consubstantial,” see the video: “What Does Consubstantial Mean?”: For more on Athenagoras and the other apologists in the context of the history of the early Church, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: For more on the doctrine of the Trinity in the early Church, see the book: Trinity 101: Father, Son, Holy Spirit: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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Papias of Hierapolis and the Book of Revelation
08/28/2024
Papias of Hierapolis and the Book of Revelation
In the first episode of an interim series on lesser known fathers, Dr. Papandrea introduces one of the “apostolic fathers,” Papias of Hierapolis. We only have fragments of his writings, but those fragments started a controversy over the authorship of the book of Revelation and the Johannine letters. Papias is a good example of how the Church fathers, as individuals, were not right about everything - Papias was wrong in his methodology for interpreting the Book of Revelation, among other things, but he gives us some important clues into the authorship and writing of the Gospels. Links To read some of the fragments of Papias’ Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Ignatius of Antioch: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Polycarp of Smyrna: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on the fourth century historian Eusebius of Caesarea: For more on Papas and the apostolic fathers, in the context of the history of the early Church, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: For Dr. Papandrea’s take on the Book of Revelation, see the book: The Wedding of the Lamb: A Historical Approach to the Book of Revelation: To watch Dr. Papandrea’s short video on the early hierarchy of the Church and the definitions of the Greek words for the clergy, see: Did The Original Church Have Bishops?: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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A message for Way of the Fathers listeners
08/17/2024
A message for Way of the Fathers listeners
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4.18 The Heresies—Conclusion: So Then, What is Orthodoxy?
08/14/2024
4.18 The Heresies—Conclusion: So Then, What is Orthodoxy?
Throughout this series, Dr. Papandrea has been outlining the major heresies of the early Church, defining them in contrast to the orthodoxy of mainstream Catholicism. So after all of this, what can we say about orthodoxy (correct doctrine) in general? How do we know it when we see it, and how to we define it? What is the role of orthodoxy in the development of doctrine and the tradition of the Church? Links For an overview of the information in this series on the heresies, along with HELPFUL CHARTS showing the heresies and how they differ from orthodoxy, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: For an overview of the heresies using the analogies of popular culture, super heroes, and science fiction characters, see the book: From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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4.17 The Heresies—Iconoclasm and the Art-Smashers
07/24/2024
4.17 The Heresies—Iconoclasm and the Art-Smashers
Does the devotional use of Christian art and iconography break the commandment against worshiping idols? How and where does one draw the line between legitimate reverence and idolatrous worship? In this controversy - as is often the case - the heresy is a criticism of an ancient practice. And you may be surprised to learn that the related tradition of the veneration of relics is even older! Links To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode 56 on John of Damascus: To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode 2.8 on The Second Council of Nicaea: For a bit more on the icon controversy in context, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: DONATE at: To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube - The Original Church: Join the conversation in the Original Church Community on Locals: Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:
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