86. The Legacy of the Early Church with Abby Cleckner (as host)
About this Episode
Abby Cleckner is back to host this episode with your regular host as today’s guest, and we'll be taking a captivating journey into early church history. Together, Craig and Abby shed light on the core beliefs of the early church, the lives, and works of key figures like Polycarp, Origen, and Tertullian, and the awe-inspiring resilience they displayed in the face of adversity.
Join us as we delve into Tertullian's unconventional views on the role of the church and the state, and how his words resonate with Jesus' teachings about the Gentiles. Discover why Tertullian ultimately left the church, and how his perspective on the church-state relationship in his time pushes us to question the present-day status quo. You won't want to miss this stimulating discussion!
Lastly, we'll compare the approaches of early church fathers like Polycarp, Origen, and Tertullian in handling the persecution of Christianity by the Roman Empire. Uncover the radical pacifism that set the early church apart and how their commitment to nonviolent resistance transformed the world. We'll also dig into their views on religious freedom, rooted in the belief that it was a gift from God, not the state. Don't miss out on this exploration of the early church's incredible legacy and its enduring relevance to our lives today.
Episode Timestamps:
01:11 The Return of Abby Cleckner
Podcast Hosting Exhaustion
Abby and Craig discuss balancing family life and work, maintaining a consistent recording rhythm, producing a podcast, and preparing content.
07:51 Abby’s Podcast Intro as today’s Host
Craig’s “bio”
09:34 Craig’s Early Church Article
Article: THE EARLY CHURCH AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF VOLUNTARYISM (CHRISTIAN-ANARCHISM)
Why the interest in the early church
Early church’s Influence on the Podcast
No King but Christ
12:36 Significance of the first few hundred years of the church
Pacifism and Christ's Kingship Significance
Stakes of believing in Christ in those times
15:44 Exploring the Early Church's Leaders
Polycarp, Origen, and Tertullian's beliefs in Jesus' divinity and how Christians should act
Polycarp and Apolstale John
Unwavering faith vs. today’s
Origen and historical claims
21:02 The value of taking the time to read the early church fathers
Church vs. State relationship
Roman Empire vs. Christians
23:49 Tertulian's Christian View on State
Tertullian's perspective on the church and state challenges us to question the status quo
black-and-white approach
Contextual approach to reading history
29:18 Why were these early church leaders writing things down?
Tertullian was writing to Romans
Origen was “talking to everybody”
Writing your congressperson a letter vs these early church father’s writings' legacy
34:48 Early Church Fathers vs. Early Church History
We have their writings – source text
Use of propaganda by Romans
37:44 Book Recommendations
The Christians as the Romans Saw Them, Robert Lewis Wilken
The Early Christians: In Their Own Words, Eberhard Arnold
The Early Church on Killing, Ronald J. Sider
Liberty and The Things of God: The Christian Origens of Religious Freedom, Robert Louis Wilken
Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, David W. Bercot
41:32 What the Early Church Got Wrong
Tertullian's views on universalism and eternal conscious torment
Origen being called a heretic and universalism
Importance of reading and learning for yourself