The Post Nicene Church Fathers

This engaging podcast episode features Dr. Rachel Chen and Bishop Andy Lewter exploring the profound contributions of seven pivotal Post-Nicene Church Fathers who shaped early Christianity following the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The conversation illuminates how Athanasius defended Nicene orthodoxy against Arianism through multiple exiles, how John Chrysostom's "golden mouth" combined powerful preaching with fearless advocacy for the poor, and how Jerome's Vulgate translation became the standard Latin Bible for over a millennium. The discussion highlights Ambrose of Milan's remarkable journey from unbaptized governor to influential bishop who challenged imperial power, Basil the Great's theological refinement of Trinitarian doctrine alongside his pioneering social welfare work, Eusebius's invaluable preservation of early church history despite his theological ambiguities, and Augustine of Hippo's towering intellectual legacy encompassing everything from spiritual autobiography to political theology and the doctrine of grace. Throughout the conversation, both scholars emphasize how these diverse figures—fighter, preacher, scholar, statesman, organizer, historian, and philosopher—collectively transformed Christianity from a persecuted minority into a dominant religious and intellectual force while acknowledging their human flaws and the ongoing relevance of their insights for contemporary Christian faith and practice.

Episode Description:

What happened between the Old and New Testaments? Discover the dramatic 400-year period that transformed the biblical world from Persian rule to Roman occupation, from a modest temple to Herod's architectural wonder, and from religious unity to competing Jewish sects.

Join Professor Rachel Chen and Harvard-trained church historian Bishop Andy Lewter as they trace the epic story from Alexander the Great's Hellenistic revolution through the Maccabean Revolt, the rise and corruption of the Hasmonean Dynasty, and Herod the Great's ruthless climb to power. Learn how Antiochus IV's persecution sparked a guerrilla war led by the priest Mattathias and his sons, establishing Jewish independence celebrated today as Hanukkah.

Explore why synagogues, rabbis, the Sanhedrin, and major Jewish sects like the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots—all absent from the Old Testament—dominate the New Testament landscape. Understand how Roman roads, Greek language, and diaspora communities became divine instruments for spreading the gospel.

This episode reveals why those "silent" centuries weren't silent at all, but rather God's orchestration of world history to prepare for the perfect moment when "the fullness of time had come."

Perfect for: Bible students, history enthusiasts, church leaders, seminary students, and anyone seeking deeper understanding of the New Testament's historical context.

Key Topics: Inter-Testamental Period, Alexander the Great, Hellenism, Maccabean Revolt, Hanukkah, Hasmonean Dynasty, Herod the Great, Jewish sects, Roman occupation

In this compelling 20-minute episode, host Professor Rachel Chen sits down with Bishop Andy Lewter, a Harvard-trained church historian and serving bishop, to explore one of Christianity's most consequential developments—the emergence of the office of bishop as we know it today.

Journey through the crucial period between 96-254 CE as they discuss five pivotal figures who shaped the office of bishop at the close of the first century AD/CE:

• Clement of Rome - who first articulated apostolic succession as a legal chain of authority
• Ignatius of Antioch - whose passionate letters made the bishop essential to church life ("where the bishop is, there is the church")
• Irenaeus of Lyons - who transformed succession into a guarantee of doctrinal truth against Gnostic heresy
• Tertullian of Carthage - the brilliant lawyer who both defended and ultimately revolted against episcopal authority
• Origen of Alexandria - who insisted that spiritual worthiness and learning matter as much as institutional office

The conversation traces how these early principles shaped Christianity through Constantine's empire, Charlemagne's kingdom, the East-West Schism, the Crusades, the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and into our modern era.

Bishop Lewter brings unique insight as both scholar and practitioner, revealing how these ancient debates about authority, unity, and truth remain urgently relevant across Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions today. Whether your church has bishops or not, you're still wrestling with the questions these church fathers first articulated.

Perfect for: Church history enthusiasts, theology students, clergy, and anyone curious about how Christianity's leadership structures developed and why they still matter.

Episode Description

What if reading the Bible in your own language was considered heresy? In 14th-century England, that's exactly what the Church believed—and people died for defying that belief.

Join Professor Rachel Chen in conversation with Bishop Andy Lewter, Harvard-trained church historian, as they explore the remarkable life of John Wycliffe—the "Morning Star of the Reformation"—and his dangerous dream of making Scripture accessible to ordinary people.

Discover how the Roman Catholic Church used the mystery of Latin liturgy to maintain spiritual control, why Church authorities feared vernacular Bibles, and how Wycliffe's revolutionary "Lollard" preachers spread biblical teaching across England despite brutal persecution.

From Wycliffe's pioneering English translation in the 1380s to Tyndale's martyrdom and Luther's bestselling German Bible, this episode traces the three-century struggle that transformed Christianity and empowered millions to encounter God's word directly.

In This Episode:

• The mysterium tremendum: How incomprehensible Latin created spiritual power—and enabled control
• Wycliffe's radical reforms: English Bibles, Lollard preachers, and challenging Church wealth
• Why translating Scripture was considered heresy—and why people died for it
• The spread of vernacular Bibles across Europe in the 15th-17th centuries
• How printing technology turned Bibles into revolutionary documents
• Wycliffe's enduring legacy and what it means for believers today

Perfect for: Church history enthusiasts, Reformation scholars, anyone interested in how ordinary people gained access to Scripture, and believers curious about the Bible they hold in their hands.

Episode Description:

Journey through 800 years of educational history as host Rachel Chen interviews Harvard-trained church historian Bishop Andy Lewter about the surprising connections between ancient Greek teaching methods and early Christian discipleship.

Discover how Socrates' questioning approach, Plato's Academy, Aristotle's walking lectures, and the intensive communities of Pythagoras and Epicurus laid the groundwork for Jesus's revolutionary teaching style and the early church's transformative discipleship model.

From the streets of Athens to first-century Palestine to the great Christian schools of Alexandria, explore how the mentor-disciple relationship became the foundation of Western education and Christian formation. Learn why these ancient insights about learning through relationship and community remain surprisingly relevant for educators, leaders, and anyone interested in personal growth today.

Perfect for: History buffs, educators, church leaders, philosophy enthusiasts, and anyone curious about how ancient wisdom shapes our modern world.

Keywords: Ancient philosophy, Christian history, discipleship, education, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Jesus, early church, teaching methods, mentorship

"The Church History Podcast" explores the pivotal moments, influential figures, and theological developments that have shaped Christianity throughout history. Hosted by Rachel Chen, each episode features Church Historian, Bishop Andy C. Lewter, who brings scholarly insight and engaging storytelling to illuminate how the church has navigated challenges, adapted to change, and influenced civilization across two millennia.

Episode Summary

Today's episode explores one of history's most transformative periods—the birth of the Middle Ages. This episode examines how the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and the rise of Germanic tribes fundamentally reshaped both European civilization and Christianity itself.

What You'll Discover:

• The true story behind the so-called "barbarian invasions"—really a complex process of migration, settlement, and cultural integration
• How Germanic tribes like the Goths, Visigoths, and Vandals established new kingdoms across former Roman territories
• The Church's brilliant adaptive strategies for converting Arian Christian tribes to orthodox faith
• Dramatic papal diplomacy, including Pope Leo I's legendary encounters with Attila the Hun and Genseric the Vandal
• The remarkable partnership between Byzantine Emperor Justinian I and his influential wife Theodora
• How the magnificent Hagia Sophia became a theological statement in stone and gold
• The contrasting development of papal authority in the West versus imperial control of the Church in the East
• Why this period established patterns that would define medieval Christianity for centuries

Perfect for:

• History enthusiasts curious about the transition from ancient to medieval worlds
• Christians interested in how their faith adapted during times of massive change
• Anyone fascinated by the intersection of politics, culture, and religion
• Listeners who enjoy expert analysis delivered through engaging conversation

Expert Guest: Harvard graduate and Church Historian, Bishop Andy C. Lewter, brings decades of scholarship as Adjunct Professor of Church History at the Beulah Heights Bible University and Historian of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship in addition to his pastorate of two local Baptist Churches in New York City and Long Island, New York.  His expertise illuminates how church leaders navigated unprecedented challenges with remarkable creativity and strategic thinking.

Join host Rachel Chen and distinguished church historian Bishop Andy C. Lewter for an illuminating exploration of one of history's most pivotal moments - the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD and its transformative impact on Christianity. This engaging 30-minute discussion reveals how political chaos became the catalyst for Christianity's remarkable evolution in both the West and East. 

 Bishop Andy C. Lewter brings decades of scholarly expertise to bear on these complex historical developments, offering fresh perspectives on how Christianity's adaptability in the face of civilization's collapse shaped both medieval Europe and the modern church. 

Perfect For History enthusiasts, theology students, and anyone interested in understanding how political upheaval can fundamentally transform religious institutions and create lasting civilizational changes.

Join our Church Historian, Bishop Andy C. Lewter as he takes us on another fascinating journey into the hidden stories of Church History.

Step beyond the soaring Gothic arches and stunning stained glass to discover the hidden story of medieval cathedrals - they weren't just magnificent churches, but the beating hearts of European civilization that functioned as universities, hospitals, art centers, and economic powerhouses all under one roof.

What You'll Discover: Join our expert medievalist and architectural historian as we explore how cathedrals like Notre-Dame de Paris, Chartres, and Canterbury served as comprehensive community centers that would put modern civic complexes to shame. Learn how these remarkable institutions revolutionized education, drove technological innovation, provided social services, and created the foundation for European universities.

Discover how the University of Paris emerged from Notre-Dame's cathedral school, why Gothic architecture represents medieval Europe's "space program," and how these institutions balanced spiritual transcendence with practical community needs. Learn why cathedral construction projects were among history's most sophisticated management undertakings and how their artistic programs served as "three-dimensional textbooks" for largely illiterate populations.

Why It Matters Today: In an age of institutional fragmentation and declining social trust, medieval cathedrals offer powerful examples of how communities can create comprehensive institutions that integrate education, social services, economic development, and cultural expression while maintaining long-term vision and serving both individual growth and community welfare.

Perfect for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, educators, and anyone interested in how institutions can successfully serve multiple community functions while inspiring human achievement and social cohesion.

Join host Rachel Chen and special guest Bishop Andy Lewter, church historian and author of "Executive Privilege," for a fascinating exploration of one of Christianity's most influential yet overlooked movements - early monasticism.

What You'll Discover: When Constantine legalized Christianity in 313 CE, it created an unexpected crisis: How do you maintain spiritual authenticity when your persecuted faith suddenly becomes the empire's favored religion? The answer came from an unlikely source - hermits fleeing to the Egyptian desert.

We trace the remarkable journey from Anthony of Egypt's radical retreat into the wilderness through the development of the great medieval monastic orders that would shape European civilization. Learn how communities dedicated to prayer and poverty became the unlikely saviors of classical literature, preserving works by Aristotle, Cicero, and countless others during the collapse of the Roman Empire.

Why It Matters: Without monasticism, we might have lost 90% of classical literature. These communities didn't just preserve books - they preserved the very idea that contemplation, learning, and service could create meaningful alternatives to worldly power.

Perfect for history enthusiasts, students of Christianity, and anyone curious about how a few desert hermits accidentally became the guardians of Western civilization.

The interview systematically explores Constantine's story through five main segments:

Opening Segment establishes the historical context, describing Christianity as a persecuted minority religion under Diocletian's Great Persecution (303 CE), practiced by only 10-15% of the Roman population in secret, underground conditions.

Segment 1 examines Constantine before his conversion - his birth around 272 CE as son of Constantius Chlorus, his upbringing in the tetrarchy system, and his rise to power following his father's death in York (306 CE). This section details the Battle of Milvian Bridge (312 CE) and presents both versions of Constantine's famous vision: Lactantius's account of a dream featuring the chi-rho symbol, and Eusebius's more dramatic story of a cross of light in the sky with the words "In this sign, conquer."

Segment 2 focuses on immediate changes following Constantine's victory, particularly the revolutionary Edict of Milan (313 CE) that granted complete religious freedom throughout the empire. The discussion covers Constantine's extensive privileges granted to Christians - tax exemptions for clergy, judicial authority for bishops, massive church construction projects, and his direct involvement in church disputes like the Donatist controversy.

Segment 3 explores long-term transformations, including the institutionalization of Christianity, the development of elaborate church hierarchies mirroring imperial administration, and the evolution of Christian theology to accommodate temporal power. Special attention is given to the Arian controversy and the Council of Nicaea (325 CE), where Constantine presided over the first ecumenical council and helped establish the Nicene Creed.

Segment 4 addresses ongoing scholarly debates about Constantine's motives, presenting evidence for both sincere conversion and political calculation. The discussion examines how different Christian denominations view Constantine's legacy today and identifies lasting impacts on Christian theology and practice.

Educational Value and Accessibility

This podcast successfully balance scholarly accuracy with public accessibility, making complex theological and political concepts understandable to general audiences while maintaining historical nuance. They present multiple perspectives on contested issues, encourage critical thinking about historical interpretation, and connect ancient events to enduring questions about religion, politics, and power.

The complementary formats serve different audience preferences and production needs - the interview format works well for hosts seeking expert dialogue, while the documentary format suits producers wanting comprehensive single-narrator presentations. Both achieve the goal of exploring Constantine's pivotal role in transforming Christianity from a persecuted minority faith into the dominant religious force in Western civilization.