'Against Heresies'

'Against Heresies'

From the 2nd through the 4th centuries, many different Christian movements, or denominations, emerged throughout the Roman Empire. These included the Gnostics, Marcionists, Modalists, Arians, and many others. Most of these groups were considered heretical by the broader Christian community, but some began to attract increasing numbers of converts and grew in influence. As these movements spread, there arose a need to distinguish their teachings from the doctrine handed down by the Apostles. This concern motivated Irenaeus, Bishop of Lugdunum, when he wrote ‘Against Heresies’ around AD 180. How did Irenaeus develop the concept of apostolic succession, and how did he use it to argue for the authority of the Christian Church to be in Rome? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #412. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Road Less Traveled'

The Road Less Traveled is a very popular nonfiction book that was published in 1978. Since then, it has sold millions of copies. It was written by the late Morgan Scott Peck, a clinical psychiatrist. Peck was raised in a Quaker family in New York City, which means he grew up familiar with the Bible. In The Road Less Traveled, he attempts to combine his knowledge of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus with psychiatry. Written during the era of the self-help movement, the book sought to teach people how to achieve the benefits of Christianity without Jesus. This is why it is called The Road Less Traveled. What did Jesus say about the broad road and the narrow road, and how does that relate to Peck’s book? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #411. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Petros'

An analogy often used in the Bible for the Christian Church is the human body. The Church is called the Body of Christ, though it is not a literal body; the description is figurative. Catholic doctrine teaches that the Pope is the head of the Church, and therefore, within the analogy, the Pope would be the head of the body. Catholics believe that Jesus made the Apostle Peter the head of the Church when He said, “I tell you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church...” Because Peter was first Pope, each successive Pope is viewed as the new head of the Church and, by extension, the head of the figurative body. However, is the Pope truly the head of the body, or does the Bible identify someone else as the head? According to Scripture, who is the head of the Church? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #410. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Breaking News'

“Breaking News” used to mean something truly urgent — major events unfolding in real time that were important enough to interrupt whatever you were doing. That’s what “breaking” meant. News outlets were literally breaking into regular programming because the public needed the information immediately. But in the age of modern communication — with the internet, social media, and 24-hour news networks — “Breaking News” has become more about cutting through media overload and grabbing attention than signaling something truly extraordinary. How did people share important news before all this technology — before radio, television, or the internet? And how did the most significant breaking news story in human history spread across the world without any of it? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #409. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Authority'

For 50 years, the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) has been requesting an audience with the Vatican to discuss efforts to modernize the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. They have pushed for this dialogue during the papacies of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, but have been denied. Now, during the papacy of Leo XVIII, things have come to a head. They will likely be excommunicated from the Catholic Church on the first day of July after consecrating new bishops within their society outside the authority of the Holy See. The SSPX seems prepared to accept this excommunication and does not appear to be particularly troubled by it. Does excommunication from the Church mean they will also be separated from Jesus? If not, why would excommunication be viewed as a threat? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #408. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]