Growing up in a small town in southeast Scotland, John Knox could never have imagined that he would play a significant role in a powerful movement that transformed his country. From tutor to bodyguard to slave on a French galley, he was involved in some of the most crucial events of Scottish history

In 1536, an English priest and scholar was led from his cell to a place of execution, where he was burned to death on a pile of dry wood. His crime? He translated the Bible into English. His name is William Tyndale. Why would an esteemed scholar put himself in such danger just to see the Bible place

Did the message of the Protestant Reformation reach Spain? If so, why was it completely repressed while other countries embraced it? Why don't we know more about the thousands of Spanish people who followed the Reformation? Find out all this and more as our hosts, Lucas, Linus, and Grace, interview

In December 1560, Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre, displayed great courage by publicly professing her Reformed faith at a time when the larger Kingdom of France, to which Navarre was strongly connected, was firmly Roman Catholic. Join Lucy, Trinity, and Christian as they discover what happened aft

When we think of the Protestant Reformation, we usually think of countries like Germany, Switzerland, England, and the Netherlands. We rarely think of Italy. And yet, a Reformation started there too, but was quickly crushed by the Roman Catholic Church. What most people don't know is that teachings

Who was John Calvin, and why was he important in church history? Was he a killjoy, as some people say (and some portraits make him look)? What does the word predestination mean, and why is it good news? Find out all these things and more with our hosts, Trinity, Christian, and Linus, as they intervi

When we talk about the Protestant Reformation, most people remember Martin Luther and John Calvin. However, a third man had a significant influence at the start of the Reformation: Ulrich Zwingli. Join Trinity, Christian, and Linus as they travel back to Reformation Switzerland with their guest, Rev

In today's podcast, Emma, Lucas, and Sophia begin their journey through the exciting time of the Protestant Reformation by discussing the life and teachings of Martin Luther with Professor Phillip Cary, author of the audio course Martin Luther, Gospel, Law, and Reformation. Was Luther really the spa

For the first time, the hosts of Kids Talk Church History are joined by two listeners, Priscilla and Hosea, for a fun, lively discussion of favorite episodes, characters, and guests from their survey of the Middle Ages. Learn what encouraged them and what surprised them. And stay tuned for future op

Around the time that John Wycliffe and Jan Hus shook the Western church by challenging its authority and traditions, a lesser-known monk did something similar in Ethiopia. He was known as Abba Estifanos (in English, Father Stephen). How similar were his protests to the ones made by European Reformer

We often hear of medieval men like John Wyclif and Jan Hus as forerunners of the Reformation. That means they had many of the same questions and ideas as those who started and carried out the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. These men saw some serious problems in the church and wanted to

Did you know many of our Christmas hymns were written in the Middle Ages or earlier? Join Emma, Christian, and Grace as they discuss these ancient hymns with Rev. Jonathan Landry Cruse, pastor at Community Presbyterian Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Rev. Cruse has authored many books, including one

Inspired by her interest in Hildegard's unique music that has been virtually forgotten for centuries, our host Emma and her co-hosts Christian and Grace explore medieval mystics, with a particular emphasis on Hildegard and Bernard. Tune in as they bring their many questions to our guest, Dr. Ben Whe

Anselm of Canterbury is one of the most celebrated medieval thinkers. He is especially famous for the questions he asked and answered. Join our hosts, Lucy, Sophia, and Grace, as they bring their own questions to Dr. Samu Niskanen, professor of Medieval History at the University of Helsinki, Finland

Why would a Christian pray to a dog? And why would a pope be taken out of his grave and brought to trial? In previous episodes about the Middle Ages, we discovered inspiring people who loved the Lord and the gospel, and we learned that it was a time of missions and important studies. So we don’t wan

What would happen if kings and rulers claimed authority over popes, and popes claimed authority over kings and rulers? Well, it did happen, and it was quite a mess! Join our hosts, Lucy, Sophia, and Grace, as they explore this tumultuous time in the Middle Ages with Mike Corradi, host of the popular

Today, we use the word "crusade" to mean different things. Historically, it typically referred to armed ventures - especially to those that took place in the Middle East between the 11th and 13th centuries. But were they really limited to that time period? And how many crusades were there? The answe

Does the rain not fall equally upon all people? Does the sun not shine for all, and do we not all breathe the air in equal measure? Why then, are you not ashamed to recognize only three languages and command the other nations and races to be blind and deaf?” Who said this? A sixteenth-century Reform

Did the Medieval church keep the traditions and teachings of the early church, or did something get lost along the way? Were the Protestant Reformers the first to challenge some of these traditions and teachings? Join Lucy, Linus, Mina, and their guest, Dr. Scott Clark, professor of Church History a

When we hear the word Renaissance, we normally think of 14th and 15th-century Europe. But this word was used for other times in history. The 9th century was another important time of discovery and learning - particularly at the court of the powerful Charlemagne, king of the Franks, later known as Ho

Remember Patrick of Ireland and how he left his home in England to bring the gospel to the land where he had been previously enslaved, Ireland? Well, the gospel went full circle when Irish monks traveled to England to spread the gospel in places where it had been forgotten. Some also traveled to Sco

In the eighth century, when England was still considered a wild and far-off land, a local monk wrote some of the most influential books in the Middle Ages. His name was Bede. Historian, scientist, Bible translator, and poet, he preserved the story of the early church in England and the people who he

Why would an 82-year-old man submit to torture and execution rather than denying what he believed? And why would both government and church authorities go to such lengths to make sure he was silenced? Why is it important to say that Jesus has two natures and two wills? Join Trinity, Emma, and Sophia

Did you know that the gospel arrived in China in the seventh century and that Chinese emperor Taizong ordered the building of a monastery? Did you know that the Chinese called Christianity "the luminous religion" and that Persian monks built monasteries all along the way from modern Turkey to China?