The rich and varied life of John Donne, the greatest of the metaphysical poets in Elizabethan England. Born into a persecuted Catholic family he ended up as the Dean of St Pauls.

Mar 30 Start of Reformation in England

Mar 29th, 2024 7m 55s

Today in 1533 Thomas Cranmer was ordained Archbishop of Canterbury, historians mark this as the beginning of the Reformation in England. We look at his opportunistic rise and his downfall

Mar 29 Coram's Foundling Hospital

Mar 28th, 2024 8m 16s

Thomas Coram was shocked walking into 18th Century London at the amount of abandoned children he would come across in the streets. This is the story of how he set up his famous foundling hospital - the first incorporated charity in Britain.

Mar 28 The Salvation Army in America

Mar 27th, 2024 7m 33s

They are a key part of the Christmas season in America.... but where did they come from? How was their reputation established? Did they popularise doughnuts? What are the challenges today

Mar 27 Meister Eckhart

Mar 26th, 2024 8m 40s

The German Dominican and Theologian Johannes Eckhart became very popular in the late 20th Century because of his Creation Spirituality. Today we look at his life and legacy. Was he a mystic or just a medieval theologian? Did his powerful prea

Mar 26 Ravi Zacharias and his mixed legacy

Mar 25th, 2024 8m 18s

One of the most popular Christian Apologists died recently and left multiple victims of abuse. This caused great distress in the Evangelical Community. Amidst all the book burning we look at his legacy and try to understand the tradition he c

Mar 25 The Emperor who became a monk

Mar 24th, 2024 8m 53s

The story of Byzantium and the Emperor Theodosius III who was forced to retire to a monastery with his son. Then the catastrophic 4th crusade, intended for Jerusalem which ended up in sacking Constantinople

Mar 24 Papal Interdicts and the Magna Carta

Mar 23rd, 2024 10m 22s

How a Papal Interdict stopped public daily mass in England - a feat that wasn't repeated till the Coronavirus Lockdown. How this ultimately lead to the Magna Carta, the reigning in of a tyrant, and the foundations of individual liberty in the

Mar 23 McGregor, Aston Villa & the Football League

Mar 22nd, 2024 8m 29s

How Christian businessman William McGregor started the Football League. A teetotaller, first he cleaned up Aston Villa and then as the game was becoming more professional, he organised regular fixtures

Mar 22 Johnathan Edwards and the Great Awakening

Mar 21st, 2024 9m 24s

He has been described as the greatest American Theologian. We look at Johnathan Edwards and his role in the Christian revivals which swept across the UK and its colonies in the 18th Century. Called the Great Awakening in America or the Evangeli

Mar 21 Papier Mache Papal Tiara

Mar 20th, 2024 8m 57s

Pope Pius VII lived under the shadow of Napoleon Bonaparte, which led to him being crowned with a papier-mache papal tiara. Today we look at the story.

Mar 20 Cuthbert & Lindisfarne

Mar 19th, 2024 8m 18s

This is the story of one of the most popular saints in England, who was key in nation-building as the Anglo-Saxons emerged from centuries of Viking conquest

Mar 19 Taiping Rebellion & The Heavenly Kingdom

Mar 18th, 2024 7m 58s

Described as the bloodiest civil war of all time, with casualties in their tens of millions. Led by a self-proclaimed prophet who believed he was the Brother of Jesus Christ - we look at the Taiping Rebellion

Mar 18 Charles Spurgeon and the Metropolitan Tabernacle

Mar 17th, 2024 7m 59s

Called a prince amongst preachers, Surgeon attracted huge crowds to his services in London. After a tragic stampede in a temporary church we remember today how he moved to the purpose-built Metropolitan Tabernacle

Mar 17 Mormon Relief Society

Mar 16th, 2024 7m 13s

Claiming to be the largest and oldest womans charitable group we look at the founding and the work of the Mormon Relief Society

Mar 16 Founding of the Red Cross

Mar 15th, 2024 8m 4s

We look at the story of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross. What inspired him? Who signed the first Geneva Convention? What are the controversies around the Emblem used for the Red Cross?

Mar 15 Cardinal Manning and the Dock Strike

Mar 14th, 2024 8m 44s

Cardinal Manning was unusually a widow, and became very influential in Catholic Social Teaching - today we find out why.

Mar 14 Dr Livingstone I presume

Mar 13th, 2024 8m 22s

Today we remember the journalist Morgan Stanleys success in finding the lost explorer Dr Livingstone. And why did he become so famous after his death?

Mar 13 Rev John Harvard and his University

Mar 12th, 2024 7m 38s

Today a college in Massachusetts was established by vote and named after its largest benefactor the Rev John Harvard, we explore his life and how the college has grown into one of the most famous universities in the world.

Mar 12 Bishop Berkeley, Yale and Idealism

Mar 11th, 2024 8m 27s

George Berkeley, a father of Empiricism, and Irish Bishop and endower of Yale University lived a fascinating life, We look at his ideas and his legacy in this podcast.

Mar 11 William Carey's Fire in Serampore, India

Mar 10th, 2024 7m 34s

Today we remember a fire in Serrmapore which destroyed some priceless translations from Sanskrit but brought international fame to the work of William Carey. Covering the founding of the Baptist Missionary Society and the first degree-awarding

Mar 10 Rev. Martin Luther King

Mar 9th, 2024 8m 56s

Today we remember how James Earl Ray confessed to the murder of Rev King. Todays pod takes a brief look at Kings life, his theology and his legacy

Mar 9 In Sebaste, Roman Soldiers are Martyred

Mar 8th, 2024 7m 19s

A chilling story of the death of 40 Roman Soldiers in Lesser Armenia, in 320. They froze to death rather than renounce their Christian faith. WIdely celebrated in the Orthodox World as martyrs.

Mar 8 Reagan's Evil Empire

Mar 7th, 2024 7m 43s

We look at today's speech by President Reagan to an Evangelical Congress in Florida. It has gone down in history as the 'Evil Empire Speech' and we examine the context of this and the evangelical base to the Republican Party