Giants of the Faith - A Christian History Podcast

Send us feedback

This is episode 46 where we're looking at the Father of English History - a man who was a monk, scholar and historian and later a Doctor of the Church. I'm speaking, of course, of the Venerable Bede.

RESOURCES

Christian History Institute: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/a-monk-who-made-history

ThoughtCo: https://www.thoughtco.com/the-venerable-bede-1222001

Christianity Today: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/scholarsandscientists/venerable-bede.html

St. Peter's of Wearmouth: https://www.stpeters-wearmouth.org.uk/about-bede/

Dickinson College: https://dcc.dickinson.edu/bede-historia-ecclesiastica/intro/life-and-work

Send us feedback

In this episode we're going to look at the 18th century religious reformer and great proponent of missionary work, Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, Count of the Holy Roman Empire. Zinzendorf helped pioneer modern missions and worked tirelessly to unite Christians of all stripes in a common brotherhood.

RESOURCES

Christian History Institute: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/issue/zinzendorf-and-the-moravians

The Order of the Mustard Seed: https://www.orderofthemustardseed.com/about/history/

Mitchell Lewis: https://milewis.wordpress.com/credo/moravian-brotherly-agreement/

Behold The Man: http://zinzendorf.com/pages/data/uploads/domenico-lg.jpg

Send us feedback

Today we're taking a look at the winding journey of Nicholas of Myra from 3rd and 4th century church bishop to 9th century saint to the modern day Santa Claus.

RESOURCES

The National Geographic Society: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/131219-santa-claus-origin-history-christmas-facts-st-nicholas

What's In the Bible with Buck Denver: https://whatsinthebible.com/about/series-overview/volume-why-do-we-call-it-christmas-overview/

Angelus News: https://angelusnews.com/faith/tracing-the-path-from-st-nicholas-of-myra-to-santa-claus/

Ligonier.org: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/saint-nicholas-origins-santa-claus

Biblical Archaeology: https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/how-december-25-became-christmas/

Oceanwide Expeditions: https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/blog/st-nick-and-the-arctic-the-north-pole-christmas-connection

History.com: https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/santa-claus

Send us feedback

In this episode of the podcast we're focusing on Bishop Nicholas of Myra, better know as Saint Nicholas and the real man behind the legend of Santa Claus. This will be a relatively short episode and some of the stories will be apocryphal but I'll do my best to make it informative and interesting.

RESOURCES

St. Nicholas Center: https://www.stnicholascenter.org/who-is-st-nicholas/bishop-of-myra

Why Christmas?: https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/fatherchristmas.shtml

The National Geographic Society: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/131219-santa-claus-origin-history-christmas-facts-st-nicholas

What's In the Bible with Buck Denver: https://whatsinthebible.com/about/series-overview/volume-why-do-we-call-it-christmas-overview/

Angelus News: https://angelusnews.com/faith/tracing-the-path-from-st-nicholas-of-myra-to-santa-claus/

St. Nicholas Center (facial reconstruction): https://www.stnicholascenter.org/who-is-st-nicholas/real-face

Send us feedback

In this episode we're looking at James Strong, of Strong's Concordance fame. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance is an index of Hebrew and Greek words that are used in the Old and New Testaments in the King James Version of the Bible. It's been a very useful study aid for over 100 years and Strong's work continues to bear fruit today.



RESOURCES

Google Books: https://books.google.com/books?id=G7UEEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA5&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false

5 Minutes in Church History: https://www.5minutesinchurchhistory.com/who-is-strong/

Bible Tools 123: https://www.bibletools123.com/Who-Was-James-Strong

Drew University: https://uknow.drew.edu/confluence/display/DrewHistory/James+Strong

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong%27s_Concordance

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Strong_(theologian)

Send us feedback

Today's episode features someone you probably haven't heard of who ministered in a region of the world you might not be familiar with and faithfully gave the Gospel to a group of people that are not particularly welcoming to Christianity. I'm referring to N.M. Nisar, who was a minister of the Gospel in the Jammu and Kashmir region in India. Now, before we get into N.M.'s life I have to issue the disclaimer that I will definitely mispronounce some names of people and places and for that I apologize in advance. I also need to say that politics of the area are largely alien to me but I will do my best to present them, where relevant, in as clear and accurate a way possible. 

RESOURCES

Inspirational Christians: https://www.inspirationalchristians.org/local-heroes/bishop-n-m-nisar/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jammu_and_Kashmir_(union_territory)

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jammu

Send us feedback

When doing my research for Episode 41 on William Booth I came across an audio recording of Booth giving a speech. This eipsode is basically a republishing of that audio so if you want to skip it I won't blame you. I just found it interesting to hear the man himself as so many of the subjects that we've covered and will cover lived long before recording technology was available. 

RESOURCES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t-KTLBwTg4

Send us feedback

Today's episode is focused on William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army isn't just a charitable or relief organization. It's a church that has existed for over 150 years. And while they may not perform baptisms or celebrate the Lord's Supper they are focused on the expansion of the Kingdom - and have been since the very start.

RESOURCES

Christianity Today: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/activists/william-booth.html

Inspirational Christians: http://www.inspirationalchristians.org/biography/william-booth/

UK Salvation Army: http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/history-william-booth

US Salvation Army: https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/history-of-the-salvation-army/

Central US Salvation Army: https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/northern/speech-recording-of-founder-william-booth/

New Frontier Chronicle: https://www.newfrontierchronicle.org/how-william-and-catherine-booth-started-the-salvation-army/

Send us feedback

I'm very excited about this episode because it's subject, RC Sproul, is my favorite modern theologian and teacher and I've learned so much from him through the years. And I continue to learn from him today through his recorded lectures and writings. RC Sproul served the Kingdom in many ways through his life - professor, pastor, leader, father, husband, administrator, hymnist, defender, and many more. But perhaps his most lasting and wide-spread impact is his commitment to teaching the laity. Sproul was without doubt one of the  Giants of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.


RESOURCES

Ligonier.org: https://www.ligonier.org/blog/ligonier-valley-study-center-early-years/

Ligonier.org: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/r-c-sproul-man-called-god/

Ligonier.org: https://www.ligonier.org/blog/remembering-rc-sproul/

The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/rc-sproul-life-stephen-nichols/

Challies: https://www.challies.com/book-reviews/rc-sproul-a-life/

The Gospel Herald: https://www.gospelherald.com/articles/71727/20171214/dr-r-c-sproul-death-john-piper-russell-moore-reflect.htm

Send us feedback

Calvin is known as a leader of the Reformation and as a hard-nosed stickler for the rules. He's not really known as a ladies man. In this short episode we're going to delve deep into the love life of John Calvin. Well, not too deep because Calvin was a bookworm nerd that had little time for the intrigues of love and marriage. 

RESOURCES

 Christianity.com: https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/odd-romance-of-john-and-idelette-calvin-11629964.html