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.
Sep 2 An American Ascetic Orthodox Monk - Seraphim Rose
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The translations and summaries of Orthodox wisdom from Fr Seraphim Rose became valued as illegal Samizdat, material banned and shared in a clandestine manner under Communism. We look at the life and conversion of this monk who died at a young age after live a harsh asceticism
Sep 1 Fr Dowling's Spiritual Exercises and Alcoholics Anonymous
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The Friendship between Jesuit Priest Ed Dowling and the founder of the AA Bill Wilson was deep and rich, We look at how Dowling became his advisor and sponsor and how he integrated the Ignatian Exercises into the 12 step programme
Aug 31 Grunewald and the Isenheim Altarpiece
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Matthias Grunewald masterpiece was commissioned by the Antonite Monks at Isenheim. His depiction of an excruciating crucifixion is now iconic and was commissioned in the context of a monastery that was treating victims of the plague and skin disease
Aug 30 Liverpool, Everton and the Rev Ben Chambers
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When Ben Chambers became the Methodist Minister at St Domingo's chapel he started the 'Band of Hope' putting on activities to distract youngsters from drink. Thus Everton FC was born and then its younger brother - the more successful Liverpool FC
Aug 29 Michael Faraday, non conformism and electricity
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Today Michael Faraday induced the first electrical current - this would change civilization. Not formally educated - his enquiring mind was underpinned by his faith - we explore this today
Aug 28 Medellin and the start of Liberation Theology
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Paul VI opened the Second Conference of Latin American Bishops in Medellin, Colombia. This was influenced by the Brazilian educationalist Paolo Freire and his theory on 'conscientisation'. The conference endorsed the 'preferential option for the poor' and base Christian communities. This was the start of what would become known as Liberation Theology.
Aug 27 The Businessman who could be beatified
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Enrique Shaw was a successful lifelong businessman from Argentina. As he was dying awaiting for a life saving blood transfusion - hundreds of his employees queued outside the hospital to give him their blood
Aug 26 Ivan the Terrible's monk
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Adrian of Ondrusuv sacrificed his estate to become a monk after meeting a holy hermit. Ivan the Terrible. a tyrant and cruel leader asked him to be the godfather at his daughters baptism
Aug 25 Nietzsche on the murder of God
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Friedrich Nietzsche died today in 1900 - one of the most influential intellectuals of the modern era. His relationship with God is much more complex than the famous statement that 'God is dead' Today we explore it and his life
Aug 24 Non Conformists and the Book of Common Prayer
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Today approximately 2000 puritans resigned their pulpits as deadline came for forced assent to the Book of Common Prayer. We look at the remarkable impact they have had in both Britain and North America
Aug 22 Henri de Lubac & Spiritual Worldliness
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De Lubac was one of the most influential theologians of the 20th Century. His experience of WW1 and WW2 was followed by 10 years being banned from teaching by the Vatican. He was appointed cardinal by Pope John Paul 2, the first one to be named without being a bishop in the modern era
Aug 23 Brother Roger, the flowering of ecumenism & his violent death
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The Taize ecumenical monastic community in France was founded by Roger Schultz in the ashes of WW2. It still attracts thousands of young people every year as a community of reconciliation. Brother Roger was stabbed in the neck by a young Romanian woman.
Sep 13 Dostoevsky and the Brothers Karamazov
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The final novel of Dostoevsky is possibly his most famous - the Brothers Karamazov. Wrought out of terrible grief and struggles with faith after the death of his three year old son Aloysha. One of Russia's greatest novelists has produced on of the greatest novels of all time. Charting the tumultuous transition of Russia from feudalism, the devoutly Orthodox Christian has produced one of the most powerful chapters on faith and reason with the Grand Inquisitor.
Sep 11 Defender of Slaves and indigenous peoples - De La Casas
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Bishop Bartholomew De La Casas chronicled the terrible atrocities that Spanish colonists carried out on the indigenous people of Central and South America. He was appointed protector of the Indians by the Spanish Legal Establishment, His writing and thinking was influenced the School of Salamanca and lead to both international law and the first concepts of universal human rights.
Sep 10 Jung, Religion and Individuation
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Carl Gustav Jung was one of the most creative thinkers of the 20th Century. The founder of analytical psychology his fascination with religion was life long
Aug 1 Aethelwold, Bluetooth and the Vikings
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Today we look at the life of St Aethelwold, who rebuilt the church after 300 years of Viking raids. Also the unlikely assimilation of Christianity into the Vikings and how Bluetooth got its name
July 31 Mount Athos
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Mount Athos is a unique centre for Orthodox Christianity, today in 1913 the Russian Navy removed 800 monks. We look at the traditions there and its claim to be Marys Garden
July 30 Johann Sebastian Bach
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The greatest of the Baroque composers was a man of profound Lutheran faith, we look at his life
July 29 Humanae Vitae and the issue of 'Reception'
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Humane Vitae is the most controversial of papal encyclicals, restating the Church's opposition to artificial birth control. It also marked a moment in the shift of the authority of the Church. It was Pope Paul VI last encyclical. Was it prophetic or a disastrous overreach?
July 26 Padre Pio
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The Franciscan friar, Francesco Forgione took the religious name Pius when he entered his order. He lived an unusual life of spiritual intensity and holiness and was strongly persecuted by his religious authorities for 20 years. He would become one of Italy's most popular saints
July 9 Brazil, stampede at a Papal Mass & Dom Helder Camara
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Today we look at the unprecedent global journeys of John Paul II, a stampede at a mass in Fortaleza in North East Brazil and its Dom Helder Camara the bishop who spoke for the poor and instituted the pact of the Catacombs
July 8 John Templeton and his Templeton Prize
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John Templeton, one of the worlds most generous philanthropist was fascinated by religion and science. His annual prize is bigger than the Nobel Prizes in monetary value as he felt that spirituality was ignored by the Nobels.
July 7 Alexander Solzhenitsyn repenting in the Gulag
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Alexander Solzhenitsyns book the Gulag Archipelago sold over 30million copies and did much to expose the cruelty and lies of Stalins Regime. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. This is the story of his own spiritual journey and conversion in the Gulag.
May 28 William Colgate
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How a young emigrant to USA had an experience of being born again, which prevented him from being bitter and gave him the resilience to build up one of Americas most famous companies. His deep faith led him to share most of his wealth through tithing
May 19 Alcuin of York - Capital letters and miniscule script
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The greatest mind of the 8th Century - changed how we read letters, and saved a lot of knowledge from Viking Destruction. Alcuin of York - a one man renaissance was the sun who shone over Europe
May 18 The Original Megachurch - Drama and Kidnapping
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Today we remember the disappearance of Aimee McPherson a remarkable and pioneering evangelist. And how she reappeared 5 weeks later in the Mexican Desert ... what happened?
May 17 Mapping the Mississippi with Marquette
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The Jesuit explorer Jacques Marquette and the Canadian Fur Trapper Louis Joillet were the first to explore and map the Mississipi - they embarked today and this is their story
May 16 Brendan the Navigator
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Did a Celtic Monk called Brendan cross the Atlantic 1000 years before Columbus?
May 15 Rerum Novarum, the Pope and Revolution
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Rerum Novarum was described as ground breaking - the foundational encyclical on Catholic Social Teaching. The only encyclical to spawn to follow up encyclicals as the Church tries to tread a middle line between Capitalism and Socialism
May 14 Salem Witch Trials
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The infamous Salem Witch trials are now understood to be a bout of Puritan Mass Hysteria - and some historians argue lead to the end of experimental theocracies in the USA
May 13 Shooting in St Peters Square
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Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca came millimeters from killing John Paul II today by shooting him four times at close range in St Peters Square. We look at the theories about why it happened and their relationship afterwards
May 12 The Pope and Fatima's third secret
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On a thanksgiving pilgrimage to Fatima Pope John Paul II was attacked by a ultra-conservative priest brandishing a bayonet. Why was the Pope there in the first place? What was he giving thanks for?
May 11 Irish Monasticism
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We look at the life of Comgall, his student Columbanus and the distinctive form of Christian Community that emerged in Ireland. We also look at how that had shaped the universal church.
May 10 Karl Barth
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The greatest Protestant theologian of the 20th Century, today we look at the life and thought of Karl Barth
May 9 An Assassination tests a Popes Faith
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Today we remember the killing of Aldo Moro, former prime minister of Italy and how it tested the faith of an old friend Pope Paul VI
May 8 Rebuilding in the ashes of a revolution, Jean Vianney
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A story of the savage French Revolution - its attempt to de-Christianise France and how a humble priest rebuilt the spiritual lives of his parishioners after. Jean Vianney would become the patron saint of priests
May 7 John Paul II in Romania & the Orthodox
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At the turn of the Millennium the first Slavic Pope, John Paul II made bug steps towards reconciliation with the Orthodox Church. This covers his visit to Romania
May 5 Scopes Trial and Teaching Evolution
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Today we look at infamous Scopes Monkey Trial and the attempt to overthrow the Butler Act which prohibited teaching evolution in schools. Also how the anti-evolution movement evolved into a Christian Science movement
May 6 Ghent Altarpiece
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Its been described as the most stolen piece of art, the first great oil painting of the Northern Renaissance. A complex multi-panelled painting laced with Catholic Theology. Recovered by the famous monuments men in the second world war after Hitler had hid it in a salt mine.
May 4 Dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal
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Today Alexander VI, the infamous Borgia Pope, issued a papal bull which drew up a line of demarcation dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal
