FACTS

John Calvin’s Dilemma: The Church is Ancient, Universal… and ‘Corrupt’?

In this episode of the FACTS Podcast, Stephen Boyce and Pat May take a deep dive into a powerful 1551 letter from John Calvin—and uncover a major tension at the heart of the Reformation narrative.Calvin argues that the Church needed “reformation,” pointing to widespread practices like prayers for the dead and the intercession of saints as corruptions. But there’s a problem…He also admits those same beliefs are:1. deeply rooted2. widely spread3. long establishedSo which is it?Stephen and Pat walk through Calvin’s own words line by line and ask the question many avoid:If these practices were everywhere and early… how can they be dismissed as later corruptions?In this episode, we cover:• Calvin’s letter to the English crown and why it matters• The historical reality of early Christian practices• Whether “reform” assumes a lost Church• Prayers for the dead in the early Church• The intercession of saints—biblical and historical foundations• Why this debate ultimately comes down to authority and ecclesiologyThis isn’t just about Calvin—it’s about the credibility of the early Church, the development of doctrine, and whether Christianity can sustain the idea of a total early corruption.If the Church was wrong early… what does that mean for the Bible itself?Join us as we break it all down.Drop your thoughts in the comments:Can something be ancient, universal… and still be a corruption?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#FACTSPodcast #ChurchHistory #JohnCalvin #Catholic #Protestant #Apologetics

Anglican Patrimony Is Catholic Again: England’s Lost Tradition Returns Through the Ordinariate

The Vatican’s 2026 document on Anglican patrimony reveals how elements of the Anglican tradition are now fully lived within the Catholic Church through the Ordinariate.In this episode, Stephen and Pat explore the history of Christianity in England—from the mission of Gregory the Great and the See of Canterbury, through the Reformation, to the modern restoration of Anglican patrimony under Anglicanorum Coetibus.Discover what was lost, what has been preserved, and why the Ordinariate matters for understanding unity, tradition, and the nature of the Church.Here is the link to the statement from the Vatican: https://www.doctrinafidei.va/en/documenti/characteristics-of-the-anglican-heritage-as-lived-in-the-ordinar.htmlIf 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

From Supper to Resurrection: Walking Through Holy Week

From the Upper Room to the Empty Tomb, Holy Week reveals the full story of redemption. In this episode, we walk through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday—unpacking the institution of the Eucharist, the sacrifice of the Cross, the silence of the tomb, and the victory of the Resurrection. This is not just history—it is the Gospel in motion.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

Septuagint vs Hebrew Bible: The Old Testament You Thought You Knew

What if the Old Testament you grew up reading isn’t as fixed as you think? In this episode, we dive into the real evidence behind the Septuagint (LXX), the Masoretic Text (MT), and the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS)—and what they reveal about the state of Scripture in the first century. From Goliath’s height to the missing verses of Esther, from Genesis chronologies to Stephen’s speech in Acts of the Apostles, we uncover a world where multiple textual traditions existed side by side—and sometimes disagreed. Was the Septuagint just a translation… or does it preserve an older form of the Hebrew text? Did the New Testament authors rely on a different Bible than the one we use today? And what do the Dead Sea Scrolls actually prove? This episode challenges the assumption that the Old Testament was ever a single, settled text—and shows why that matters for how we understand Scripture 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

The Jewish Canon Wasn’t Settled—Here’s the Evidence

Most people assume that the Jewish canon of Scripture was already fixed and universally agreed upon in the time of Jesus—but the historical evidence tells a very different story. In this episode of FACTS, Stephen Boyce and Pat May take a deep dive into the world of Second Temple Judaism to examine what different Jewish groups actually believed about Scripture. From the Pharisees and Sadducees to the Qumran community (Essenes), we uncover a landscape of textual diversity, competing authorities, and a canon that was still developing. Did the Sadducees really only accept the Torah? Were the Pharisees already using the full Hebrew Bible? Why were books like Enoch and Jubilees preserved at Qumran? And what does all of this mean for how we understand the Old Testament today? We’ll also explore the role of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the rise of rabbinic Judaism after 70 AD, and how the idea of a “closed canon” emerged over time—not before Christ. If you’ve ever been told that “the Jews had a settled canon,” this episode will challenge that assumption and walk through the actual historical evidence. Join us as we separate tradition from history and take a closer look at the formation of the Hebrew Scriptures. #DeadSeaScrolls #BiblicalCanon #OldTestament #SecondTempleJudaism #MasoreticText #Septuagint #BibleHistory #ChurchHistory #Apologetics #FACTSPodcast 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