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.
June 2 Anthony DeMello
Indian Priest and psychotherapist Anthony De Mello sold over 2 million books on spirituality in his life time, fusing Christian Spirituality with Eastern traditions of Daoism and Buddhism. But after he died prematurely on June 2 1987 his work came under critical inspection by the Vatican. Why?
June 1 The Dead Sea Scrolls
The most exciting discovery of modern Archaeology in a cave by the shore of the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea Scrolls is a huge discovery of nearly 900 manuscripts. Where did they come from and what do they tell us?
May 31 Aparecida & the making of Pope Francis
The 5th conference of Latin American Bishops (CELAM) was in the Mexican shrine of Aparecida. Did this mark a decisive shift to Latin America as a Source Church for the Global Church. An Argentinian Jesuit, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio oversaw the final report. He would become Pope Francis
May 30 Standing up to the Nazi's, the Confessing Church
On May 30 the confessing church in German finished its first synod and issued the Barmen Declaration. Bravely denouncing the Nazification of the Evangelical Church. They were inspired by Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Niemoller
May 29 G.K.Chesterton
Described as the Prince of Paradox, great wordsmith and communicator Chesterton had an interesting spiritual journey. Unitarianism > Occult > Anglicanism > Catholicism. Some of his books are now considered to be classics of apologetics, and his Father Brown detective series is more popular than ever. A process for beatification is open.
May 27 The Oldest Legal System in the World
Canon Law has developed over 2000 years and influence the development of many secular legal systems
May 26 Bernardos
William Bernardo wanted to be a missionary to China after his evangelical conversion. Moving to London to study medicine he was shocked by how many children were orphaned and lived on the streets
May 25 Ecumenism and Ut Unum Sint
This encyclical on Church Unity, marked a different papal tone, with John Paul II calling ecumenism an imperative
May 24 John Wesley's Conversion
John Wesley went from spiritual despair to renewal after experiencing a strange warming of the heart in Aldersgate London
May 23 Sam Sharpe and Jamaica's Baptist Rebellion
Today Sam Sharpe was executed for inciting a Slave Rebellion, he is now a national hero in Jamaica. A slave himself and a Baptist Deacon, this is his story
May 22 The Trevi Fountain, Popes and Rome
Today we remember how Popes commissioned and Blessed the redesigned Trevi Fountain. The City of Rome has closely been linked to the rise and fall of the Papacy.
May 21 Attacking the Pieta
Michelangelo's Pieta is one of the greatest sculptures of all time, and today it was attacked by a Hungarian Geologist and seriously damaged.
May 20 'We Believe....." The Council of Nicea
The first ecumenical (Global ) Church Council and the Creed that came from it
May 19 Alcuin of York - Capital letters and miniscule script
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
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
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
Did a Celtic Monk called Brendan cross the Atlantic 1000 years before Columbus?
May 15 Rerum Novarum, the Pope and Revolution
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
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 12 The Pope and Fatima's third secret
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 13 Shooting in St Peters Square
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
Mar 12 Bishop Berkeley, Yale and Idealism
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.
Mar 11 William Carey's Fire in Serampore, India
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 10 Rev. Martin Luther King
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 9 In Sebaste, Roman Soldiers are Martyred
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 8 Reagan's Evil Empire
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 2 - The Death of John Wesley
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 5 Roger Williams first Baptist Church in USA
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 7 A Revolutionary new Mass
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 6 Michelangelo
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 1 Bishop Oldhams' Anglo-Chinese schools
We look at the life work of Methodist William Oldham, his work in mapping India and setting up Singapore's most prestigious school
Feb 28 Victorian Slum Priest Charles Lowder
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
Feb 27 Keir Hardy, Methodism and Labour
Today we remember the founding of the Labour party and the Methodist lay preacher Kier Hardy
Feb 26 Sheldon and What Would Jesus Do?
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 25 Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights
A sad story of the mass suicide of 200 pagan Lithuanians defending themselves against the Teutonic Knights today in 1336
Feb 24 Francis of Assisi
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
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
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
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
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
