FACTS

Excommunicated: How Pope Pius V Declared Queen Elizabeth I a Heretic

Was England’s break with Rome really about religious freedom—or about power and authority? In this controversial episode, Pat and Stephen uncover what actually happened between the English monarchy and the papacy during the Reformation. Drawing on the scholarship of Eamon Duffy, we challenge the familiar narrative of “Bloody” Mary I and tolerant Elizabeth I, showing instead that Catholic faith in England remained vibrant and deeply rooted long after the Reformation began. We examine Elizabeth I’s Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity, the suppression of the Catholic Mass, and the enforcement of religious conformity—revealing a slow, reluctant reform imposed from above. At the center of the episode is Pope Pius V’s 1570 bull, Regnans in Excelsis, which formally excommunicated Elizabeth I, declared her a heretic, and released her subjects from allegiance. Finally, we explore how the bull backfired—strengthening Elizabeth’s rule, hardening persecution of Catholics, and cementing the schism between England and Rome that still exists today. Link to the Papal Bull: https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius05/p5regnans.htm If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7

The Battle for 2 Peter: How a Disputed Epistle Entered the Canon

Why did 2 Peter face more resistance than nearly any other New Testament book—and how did it ultimately secure its place in the Christian canon? In this episode, Dr. Stephen Boyce traces the long and contested journey of 2 Peter, one of the most debated epistles in early Christianity. From early doubts about authorship and style, to its uneven reception in the East and West, we examine why this letter stood on the margins for centuries while others were quickly received. We explore: * Early patristic hesitation and silence surrounding 2 Peter * How figures like Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome evaluated the letter * The role of apostolic authority, theological content, and ecclesial usage * Which church councils and canonical lists ultimately included 2 Peter—and why * What this controversy reveals about how the canon was actually formed Far from being a simple rubber-stamp process, the inclusion of 2 Peter exposes the rigor, caution, and theological criteria employed by the early Church when discerning Scripture. This episode challenges modern assumptions about the canon and asks a deeper question: What does it really mean for a book to be “Scripture,” and who decides? A must-listen for anyone interested in biblical canon, early church history, and the complexities behind the New Testament we hold today. If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7

Pope Paul III and the Excommunication of King Henry VIII

Why was King Henry VIII excommunicated, and was it really just about divorce? In this episode of FACTS, we examine the full historical record behind Henry VIII’s break with Rome—from his marriages and annulment request to the final papal sentence issued by Pope Paul III. This episode covers: • Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon and the papal dispensation • Why Pope Clement VII never granted the annulment • How royal supremacy, not marriage alone, caused the schism • Rome’s repeated warnings and delayed judgment • The bull of excommunication issued by Pope Paul III in 1538 Drawing on primary sources and early modern papal records, Stephen Boyce and Pat May challenge the claim that Henry VIII was never truly excommunicated or that the English Reformation began as a theological reform. Instead, it shows how questions of authority, jurisdiction, and ecclesiology shaped the break with Rome. #HenryVIII #PopePaulIII #Excommunication #BreakWithRome #EnglishReformation If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7

Martin Luther and Pope Leo X: Authority, Reform, and Schism

In this episode, we examine the decisive clash between Martin Luther and Pope Leo X, focusing on the documents and events that turned reform into rupture. We walk through Exsurge Domine (Arise, O Lord) and Decet Romanum Pontificem(It Becomes the Roman Pontiff), explaining what Rome actually condemned, why Luther refused to recant, and how authority, obedience, and doctrine became the central fault lines of the Reformation. The episode also explores Luther’s responses in 1520, the public burning of the papal bull, and the appeal to a future council, alongside Leo X’s broader vision for the Church, including his patronage of Renaissance art through figures like Michelangelo and Raphael. By grounding the discussion in primary sources rather than slogans, this episode asks a crucial question: who has the authority to judge doctrine when Scripture itself is disputed? This is a historical and theological deep dive into how competing claims of authority produced one of the most consequential schisms in Western Christian history. If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7 Here a the link to the documents: https://www.papalencyclicals.net/leo10/l10exdom.htm [https://www.papalencyclicals.net/leo10/l10exdom.htm] https://www.papalencyclicals.net/leo10/l10decet.htm [https://www.papalencyclicals.net/leo10/l10decet.htm]

Not Accretions: Infant Baptism & Icons Are Apostolic—A Catholic & Orthodox Response to Gavin Ortlund

In this episode, Dr. Stephen Boyce and PhD candidate, James Gilbert, examine Gavin Ortlund’s claims that infant baptism and icon veneration are later accretions rather than apostolic practices. As a Catholic and Orthodox team, we walk through Scripture, the early Church Fathers, archaeology, and conciliar history to show that these traditions are rooted deeply in the first centuries of Christianity. If you’re exploring the early Church, apostolic succession, baptismal theology, or the role of sacred images in worship, this conversation is for you. Here is the link to Gavin's Video on Infant Baptism: https://youtu.be/3WE0Ea2ke_c?si=pnQTfv524Ce7B5zV Here is his link to Icons and Nicaea II: https://youtu.be/aoU4PO5d6kQ?si=jjsfAhB36x6J4F1C Here is a link to Nicaea II Documents: https://www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/ecum07.htm If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7