Lives of the Popes

Timothy Flanders rejoins the podcast for a freewheeling conversation in which he and Thomas interview each other. Timothy talks about his upcoming book on Catholicism in Russia, and then Thomas gives his thoughts on the place of jazz in the Western music tradition, improvisation as an analogy to the moral life, and the fundamental problem with AI music: AI has no song in its heart.

Links

The Meaning of Catholic https://meaningofcath.substack.com/

Thomas's lecture on God's role in artistic inspiration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH5KBsOIz_Y

Structure and Freedom in Music and in Christ, w/ Mark Christopher Brandt https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-33-structure-and-freedom-in-music-and-in-christ-mark-christopher-brandt/

Christians against AI art, w/ Susannah Black Roberts https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/188-christians-against-ai-art-susannah-black-roberts/

DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

The provocation for the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon, which affirmed the orthodox doctrine of the Incarnation, was the heretical "Robber Council" of Ephesus.

Links

Article version https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/robber-council/

Way of the Fathers, "The Heresies—Eutyches & Monophysitism" https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/416-heresieseutyches-monophysitism-drop-in-ocean/

The Tome of Leo on Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-leo-great-tome-leo/

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

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/

We continue to look at St. Leo the Great's reign in expanding circles to see him behaving as the universal pastor in practice that he claimed to be in principle. Future installments will cover his relations with the East, but this one covers his governance as Patriarch of the West. In northern Italy and Africa, Leo had to address disciplinary issues caused by barbarian invasions, while in southern Gaul, he punished an overweening bishop and gave directions on the administration of Penance.

Links

Text of this episode https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-leo-patriarch-west/

The African Roots of Western Christianity (Way of the Fathers) https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/african-roots-western-christianity/

D.P. Curtin, "The Sudden Death of the African Church" https://firstthings.com/the-sudden-death-of-the-african-church/

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

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/

A summary of Pope St. Leo the Great's teaching on the office of the Bishop of Rome, and some samples of his preaching on other topics.

Links

Article version https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-leo-greats-teaching-on-petrine-primacy/

Catholic Culture Audiobooks: St. Leo the Great, Three Lenten Sermons https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/pope-st-leo-great-three-lenten-sermons/

St. Leo's collected sermons https://www.cuapress.org/9780813228297/sermons/

Some of his sermons for free online https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3603.htm

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

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/

This is the first of several installments about Pope St. Leo the Great (reigned 440-461), a profoundly important figure in the development of the papacy, canon law, Christology, and more - not to mention that he saved Rome from being sacked by Attila the Hun. We begin with his local activities as bishop of Rome and metropolitan of the Roman Province, including fighting Manichaeism, and correcting abuses of the sacraments of Holy Orders, Baptism, and Penance.

Prefer reading to listening? Check out the article version here: www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-leo-great-vs-manichaean-pedophiles/

DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

Both of the popes featured in this installment are remembered for honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. Most of our time will be spent on the first, St. Celestine, who is important chiefly for his involvement in the Council of Ephesus, which confirmed the title of Mary as Mother of God.

This episode covers the 43rd pope, St. Celestine I (422-432), and the 44th, St. Sixtus III (432-440).

Links

Article version: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/popes-theotokos/

Way of the Fathers on the Council of Ephesus https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/24-ephesus-mother-all-controversies/

Way of the Fathers on Nestorianism https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/415-heresiesnestorianism-two-people-in-one/

Philip Hughes, The Church in Crisis: A History of the General Councils, 325-1870 https://clunymedia.com/collections/philip-hughes/products/the-church-in-crisis

DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

This installment of Lives of the Popes covers two popes of the early 5th century - Sts. Zosimus and Boniface I - the first of whom passed on multiple complicated situations for his successor to resolve. The greatest drama in Rome at this time, though, was the election of Pope St. Boniface I.

Article version https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/sword-peter/

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

So far in this series, we've seen a number of examples of early popes exercising authority over bishops and churches outside of Rome, and even outside of the West. As the documentary record improves, this becomes even clearer, and the popes in this installment, especially St. Innocent I, are striking for the extent to which they asserted their prerogative to govern the entire global Church. We also see evidence of the ancient discipline of clerical continence, the first instance of a person being executed for heresy, and the beginning of the Pelagian controversy.

Covered in this episode are popes #38-40: St. Siricius, St. Anastasius I, and St. Innocent I.

Links

Article version https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/they-ruled-east-and-west/

Pope St. Siricius's Decretal to Himerius https://earlychurchtexts.com/public/siricius_decretal_to_himerius.htm

Way of the Fathers on the Pelagian heresy https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/413-heresiespelagianism-and-seeds-calvinism/

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/

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

Pope St. Damasus I (reigned 366-384) commissioned St. Jerome to make a new translation of the Bible, defended the Church against heresy, promoted the prestige and practical authority of the papacy, and wrote verse epitaphs for the Roman martyrs.

Links

Article version https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/pope-st-damasus-patron-latin-bible/

"Defending St. Jerome's honor" https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/defending-st-jeromes-honor/

Relevant Way of the Fathers episodes:

Apollinarianism https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/414-heresiesapollinarius-monothelitism-human-suit/

Macedonianism https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/412-heresies-spirit-fighters-aftermath-nicaea/

First Council of Constantinople https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/23-first-constantinople-capital-council/

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Liberius (352-366) is not only the first pope in history not to be considered a saint in the Catholic Church, but is also often used by anti-Catholic critics to argue against papal infallibility - since he allegedly signed documents in favor of Arianism under duress from the emperor.

Article: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/first-non-sainted-pope/

SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters

DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio