The Pearl of Great Price
A short daily trip down the lane of Christian History. Looking at the fascinating people and events that have shaped a universal civilisation.
Mar 22 Johnathan Edwards and the Great Awakening
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He has been described as the greatest American Theologian. We look at Johnathan Edwards and his role in the Christian revivals which swept across the UK and its colonies in the 18th Century. Called the Great Awakening in America or the Evangelical Revival in Britain.
Mar 21 Papier Mache Papal Tiara
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Pope Pius VII lived under the shadow of Napoleon Bonaparte, which led to him being crowned with a papier-mache papal tiara. Today we look at the story.
Mar 20 Cuthbert & Lindisfarne
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This is the story of one of the most popular saints in England, who was key in nation-building as the Anglo-Saxons emerged from centuries of Viking conquest
Mar 19 Taiping Rebellion & The Heavenly Kingdom
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Described as the bloodiest civil war of all time, with casualties in their tens of millions. Led by a self-proclaimed prophet who believed he was the Brother of Jesus Christ - we look at the Taiping Rebellion
Mar 18 Charles Spurgeon and the Metropolitan Tabernacle
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Called a prince amongst preachers, Surgeon attracted huge crowds to his services in London. After a tragic stampede in a temporary church we remember today how he moved to the purpose-built Metropolitan Tabernacle
Mar 17 Mormon Relief Society
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Claiming to be the largest and oldest womans charitable group we look at the founding and the work of the Mormon Relief Society
Mar 16 Founding of the Red Cross
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We look at the story of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross. What inspired him? Who signed the first Geneva Convention? What are the controversies around the Emblem used for the Red Cross?
Mar 15 Cardinal Manning and the Dock Strike
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Cardinal Manning was unusually a widow, and became very influential in Catholic Social Teaching - today we find out why.
Mar 14 Dr Livingstone I presume
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Today we remember the journalist Morgan Stanleys success in finding the lost explorer Dr Livingstone. And why did he become so famous after his death?
Feb 25 Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights
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A sad story of the mass suicide of 200 pagan Lithuanians defending themselves against the Teutonic Knights today in 1336
Feb 26 Sheldon and What Would Jesus Do?
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Today we look at the birth of Charles Sheldon, his publication of In His Steps and the birth of the What Would Jesus Do movement
Feb 27 Keir Hardy, Methodism and Labour
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Today we remember the founding of the Labour party and the Methodist lay preacher Kier Hardy
Feb 28 Victorian Slum Priest Charles Lowder
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Today we remember the founding of the Society of the Holy Cross, SSC by Charles Fuge Lowder, an Anglican order which worked in the slums of big cities
Mar 1 Bishop Oldhams' Anglo-Chinese schools
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We look at the life work of Methodist William Oldham, his work in mapping India and setting up Singapore's most prestigious school
Mar 2 - The Death of John Wesley
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Today we look at the remarkable life of John Wesley, the beginning of Methodism and the death of 'the most loved man in Britain'
Mar 3 - The First Concordance
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Today we look at the life of Dominican Hugh of St Cher, his work on producing the first concordance - a milestone in Biblical Studies, and also the first attempt to divide the Bible into chapters
Mar 4 - William Penn's holy experiment of Pennsylvania
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Today King Charles II granted a royal charter to Quaker William Pen making him the largest (non-royal) landowner in the world. Thus began his holy experiment of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.
Mar 5 Roger Williams first Baptist Church in USA
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Today we look at the restless life of English missionary and linguist Roger Williams, and how he established the first Baptist Church in Rhodes Island
Mar 6 Michelangelo
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Today we remember the birth of possibly the greatest artist of all time, Michelangelo. We look at his work through four classics, the two statues of Pieta and David, the frescos of the Sistine Chapel and the Dome of St Peters in Rome. And we also look at some controversial theories about his genius.
Mar 7 A Revolutionary new Mass
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We look at the first mass in the vernacular celebrated by Paul VI today in 1965. The roots of the reform and the consequences since.
Mar 8 Reagan's Evil Empire
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We look at today's speech by President Reagan to an Evangelical Congress in Florida. It has gone down in history as the 'Evil Empire Speech' and we examine the context of this and the evangelical base to the Republican Party
Mar 9 In Sebaste, Roman Soldiers are Martyred
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A chilling story of the death of 40 Roman Soldiers in Lesser Armenia, in 320. They froze to death rather than renounce their Christian faith. WIdely celebrated in the Orthodox World as martyrs.
Mar 10 Rev. Martin Luther King
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Today we remember how James Earl Ray confessed to the murder of Rev King. Todays pod takes a brief look at Kings life, his theology and his legacy
Mar 11 William Carey's Fire in Serampore, India
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Today we remember a fire in Serrmapore which destroyed some priceless translations from Sanskrit but brought international fame to the work of William Carey. Covering the founding of the Baptist Missionary Society and the first degree-awarding university in India
Mar 12 Bishop Berkeley, Yale and Idealism
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George Berkeley, a father of Empiricism, and Irish Bishop and endower of Yale University lived a fascinating life, We look at his ideas and his legacy in this podcast.
Feb 24 Francis of Assisi
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The son of a rich silk merchant makes a radical decision to embrace poverty, the Story of Francis of Assisi.
Feb 23 Handel's Messiah
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Today we remember the birth of George Friderick Handel whose oratario 'Messiah' has become a central part of the Christmas season
Feb 20 Abolitionist & former slave Frederick Douglass
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Today we look at the life and faith of Frederick Douglass, the first African-American to run for Vice President. He died today in 1895 but achieved a lot in his life after escaping from slavery himself.
Feb 19 Nicolaus Copernicus
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Today in 1473 the mathematician, astronomer, and priest Copernicus was born in Poland. He famously formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at the centre of the universe, which lead to the rethinking of reality, a Copernican Revolution.
Feb 18 Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress
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A book that has never been out of print since it was published today in 1678, we look at puritan preacher John Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress
Feb 17 World Council of Churches
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Today we remember the ending of the assembly of teh world council of churchhes in Canbera, Australia. Looking at the evolution of this inter-church organisation and the challenges for it
Feb 16 People Power in the Philippines
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Today a relatively peaceful revolution took place in Mania removing the autocrat Ferdinand Marcos, We look at the crucial role church leaders played in this
Feb 15 Charbel Makhlouf enters a hermitage
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Today we remember the life of a Lebanese Saint who attracts thousands of Christians and Muslims to his grave every month. We look at the purported miracles that surround him,
Feb 14 Saint Valentine
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Today we try and get as close as we can to establishing who St Valentine actually was, and how his feast day has developed over time
Feb 11 First Apparition in Lourdes
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Today in 1858 a 14-year old girl, gathering firewood outside a grotto in South West France had the first encounter with a young woman which would transform the town and the area.
Feb 13 Glencoe Massacre
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Today in 1692, thirty members of the MacDonald clan were killed by troops of the Earl of Argyll's Regiment, as an example to the Clan chiefs who were dragging their feet in swearing allegiance to the Protestant William of Orange.... we explore the context in today's pod.
Feb 10 Paul shipwrecked in Malta
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Today Christians remember how St Paul was shipwrecked in Malta, looking at the story and the historical evidence linked to it
Feb 9 Unexploded Bomb in Genoa Cathedral
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Today we remember how a misdirected shell landed in Genoa Cathedral on Feb 9th 1941 and failed to explode. Called the miracle of St Lawrence.... we look at how people fall back on religious objects and places during times of war and stress.
Feb 6 Mexico's Cristero War
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Today we remember the execution on Feb 6 1927 in Mexico of a priest Fr Matteo Correa Magallenes. Exploring the Cristero War in Mexico and the involvement of the US.
Feb 5 Japan's Hidden Christians
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Today in 1597 we go to Nagasaki where 26 Christians were crucified, part of a long persecution against the Church. Forced underground, the 'Kakure Kirishitan' the hidden Christians of Japan developed an ingenious way of keeping the faith alive. Their story has been powerfully told by Shunsako Endo and most recently Martin Scorsese in the film 'Silence'
