Kids Talk Church History

Christmas Hymns

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 that’s coming out next fall, Sing in Exaltation, about Christmas hymns of the past. Don't miss hearing Emma's beautiful rendition of the hymn, "Of the Father's Love Begotten," and enjoy our hosts' fun guessing game. Try it with your families and see how you do! 
We are grateful to our friends at Christian Focus Publications for donating a couple copies of the beautiful book by Heather Lefebvre, The History of Christmas: 2,000 Years of Faith, Fable, and Festivity, for a giveaway. Register here for the opportunity to win one!
Show Notes:
"Of the Father's Love Begotten" in Latin:
Corde natus ex Paréntisante mundi exórdiumAlpha et Omega vocátus, ipse fons et cláusula ómnium quae sunt, fuérunt, quaeque post futúra sunt. Saeculorum saeculis.
Here is a link to the beautiful Christmas song "In the Manger" -- text by Jonathan Landry Cruse, music by Josh Bauder: https://youtu.be/7U7M_oCnaYE?si=aZVcGXcWWCUkGlgB
To check out the books Jonathan has written: https://reformedresources.org/authors/jonathan-cruse/

Hildegard and Mystics

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 Wheaton, a Ph.D. graduate from the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto and author of many books on the Middle Ages. Discover why Hildegard was called a mystic, who the mystics were, and what we can learn from them.
 
Show Notes:
Dr. Wheaton had some great book recommendations for our listeners. If you’re interested in reading a primary source which is more challenging but rich, check out A History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours: https://a.co/d/6JMz0lV
Some other books of historical fiction based in the middle ages which Dr. Wheaton enjoyed very much:
Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman: https://a.co/d/6q0ZXbs
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli: https://a.co/d/jcmlwS7
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis: https://a.co/d/h1Tokp3

Anselm of Canterbury: Why the God-Man?

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, and learn more about this fascinating person—his struggles with a king and his loving and gentle personality. (And learn what Hei Hei means in Finnish.)
We are grateful to Reformation Heritage Books for providing two copies of Simonetta Carr's book on Anselm of Canterbury for a giveaway for our listeners. Congratulations to Kate R. from Bronx, NY and Maria S. from Greer, SC, our giveaway winners!
Show Notes:
How do you say “Why the God-man?” in Finnish? Miksi Jumala mies
Dr. Niskanen said that J.R.R. Tolkien's well known trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, inspired his interest in medieval history! 
He also said his favorite Finnish food is karjalanpiirakka, or Karelian pie, which sounds delicious! Maybe you could try to make one with your mom or dad!  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karelian_pasty

The Medieval Church and the Protestant Reformation

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 want to say, “The Middle Ages were all bad and the Reformation all good.” But, there were many problems that can be traced to biblical ignorance. 
Join our hosts, Lucy, Sophia, and Grace, as they explore some of these problems and their solutions with Dr. Leonardo de Chirico, pastor of the Church Breccia di Roma in Rome, Italy, and lecturer in historical theology at the institute IFED in Padova, Italy. (And you may learn an Italian word or two.)
Show Notes:
Dr. de Chirico recommended novels by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien which were written in modern times but are shaped around medieval imaginations, such as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. 
He also recommended The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis: https://www.amazon.com/Imitation-Christ-Thomas-%C3%A0-Kempis/dp/1514694085
To learn more about the Franciscan monk Bonaventure who Dr. de Chirico would like to meet: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Bonaventure

More Struggles Between Popes, Bishops, and Kings

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 History of Italy podcast. (And learn an Italian word you may or may not already know.)
Thanks to the generosity of our friends at Reformation Heritage Books, we are pleased to offer two copies of Simonetta Carr's book on Anselm of Canterbury to our listeners . Enter here for an opportunity to win.
Show Notes:
Mike's Podcast: https://ahistoryofitaly.com/
More information about Matilda being buried at St. Paul's Basilica: http://stpetersbasilica.info/Monuments/MatildaofCanossa/MatildaofCanossa.htm
Here are two podcasts recommended by our guest, Mike Corradi:
Pontifacts: https://pontifacts.podbean.com/
History of the Papacy: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/learnoutloud/id590968693

The Crusades

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 answers might surprise you. Join Emma, Mina, Grace, Christian and Lucas as they discuss this important subject and the fascinating answers provided by Alfred J. Andrea, Professor Emeritus of the University of Vermont, past president of The World History Association, and prolific author.
 
Show Notes:
It was not until the early twentieth century that historians settled on assigning fixed numbers to the first five “really big ones” to the eastern Mediterranean: the First (1096-1099), the Second (1147-49), the Third (1188-92), the Fourth (1202-04), and the Fifth (1217-21).
Episode 11 about Augustine of Hippo: https://kidstalkchurchhistory.podbean.com/e/augustine-of-hippo-do-we-need-grace/

Cyril, Methodius, and the Missions to Eastern Europe

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 Reformer, right? Wrong. It was a ninth-century missionary, Cyril, who worked with his brother Methodius to bring the Scriptures to the Slavs – even when it meant inventing an entirely new alphabet! Join Emma, Grace, Christian, and Mina as they discover more about these early missionaries and translators and the struggles they encountered. To guide them in their discoveries is Dr. Ed Smither, professor of Intercultural Studies and History of Global Christianity at Columbia International University.

Open Discussions in the Middle Ages

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 and Historical Theology at Westminster Seminary California, as they explore some of the meaningful theological discussions that took place in the Middle Ages.
 
Show notes:
Article written by Simonetta Carr about Ratrammus, a Benedictine monk at Corbie Abbey in Picardy, France during this time period:
https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/ratramnus-corbie-and-his-book-lord%E2%80%99s-supper
 
*Image: Of Monks, Medieval Scribes, and Middlemen, By Peter K. Yu, Michigan State Law Review, Vol.1 (2006), CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

A Teacher at Charlemagne’s Court

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 Holy Roman Emperor. How did he get that title? Did he really have a pet elephant and a favorite cheese shipped to his door from Italy? Join Lucy, Linus, and Mina as they travel back to Charlemagne's court to discover all this and more with the expert guidance of the Reverend Dr. Robert Evans, Chaplain at Radley College in Oxford, England. And don't miss a riddle presented by Alcuin, an important teacher at Charlemagne's court. Try answering it without looking it up!
Here's the riddle: “Three there have been: one never born and once dead; another once born, never dead; the third once born and twice dead.”
 
Show notes
https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/alcuin-of-york-%E2%80%93-more-than-a-scholar
https://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/questions-and-answers-with-alcuin/
More puzzles by Alcuin (for older children)
https://www.medievalists.net/2016/02/can-you-solve-alcuins-puzzles/

Irish Monks

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 Scotland, Iceland, other parts of Europe, and, some say, as far as North America. Join Emma, Lucas, and Mina as they explore the lives and legends of these intrepid monks and the Irish church's contribution to the rest of the continent. Helping them in this discovery is Dr. Crawford Gribben, professor at Queen's University in Belfast, Ireland, and author of The Rise and Fall of Christian Ireland.
Register here for the opportunity to win a copy of Simonetta Carr’s book on Patrick of Ireland.
 
Show Notes:
Glendalough: http://monastic.ie/history/glendalough/
Book of Kells: https://www.museumofthebible.org/book-minute/book-of-kells
Pangur Bán: http://irisharchaeology.ie/2013/10/pangur-ban/
The Rise and Fall of Christian Ireland by Crawford Gribben: https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Fall-Christian-Ireland/dp/0198868189

Bede, Hilda, and the Early Church in England

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 helped in spreading the gospel. Among these people was Hilda, abbess of the monastery of Whitby and probably the most influential woman in the early English church. Join Emma, Lucas, and Sophia on a discovery of this fascinating time with the able guidance of Dr. Elizabeth Nesbitt, who has studied ancient and modern history at Oxford University and is now principal of Emmanuel Christian School in Oxford, England.
 
Show Notes
Episode 18 on Augustine of Canter: https://kidstalkchurchhistory.podbean.com/e/missions-to-north-america/
Episode 20 on Medieval queens: https://kidstalkchurchhistory.podbean.com/e/christian-medieval-queens/
Caedmon’s hymn (from the website of the church where Bede’s monastery was) https://www.stpeters-wearmouth.org.uk/caedmons-hymn-song/
A short introduction to Chad: https://stchads-southhill.org/st-chad
A prayer thanking God for the life of Chad which some Anglican churches use: 
Almighty God,
from the first fruits of the English nation who turned to Christ,
you called your servant Chad
to be an evangelist and bishop of his own people:
give us grace so to follow his peaceable nature, humble spirit and prayerful life,
that we may truly commend to others
the faith which we ourselves profess;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
 
Emmanuel Christian School, Oxford website: ecschool.org.uk
Articles written by Simonetta Carr:
Augustine of Canterbury: https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/augustine-of-canterbury-a-reluctant-missionary
Medieval Wives: https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/medieval-christian-brides
Hilda: https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/hilda-the-abbess-of-whitby
Aidan: https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/aidan-of-lindisfarne-a-seventh-century-door-to-door-missionary
Theodore: https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/hadrian-of-nisida-and-theodore-of-tarsus-seventh-century-star-teachers

Maximus the Confessor

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 as they find answers to these questions and more with their guest, Dr. Jordan Wood, author of The Whole Mystery of Christ: Creation as Incarnation in Maximus Confessor.
 
Show Notes
Simonetta Carr article on Maximus: https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/maximus-confessor-and-two-wills-christ
Episode 18 where we talked about Perpetua: https://kidstalkchurchhistory.podbean.com/e/missions-to-north-america/
Simonetta Carr article on Perpetua: https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/perpetua-and-felicitas-two-martyred-mothers