Aug 30, 2022

Dr. John Rao discusses the difficulties faced by the Empire from the time of the entry of the Goths in 376 A.D. onwards. Here one learns of the Gothic move westward, the eruption of the Vandal alliance into Gaul and Spain, the fragmentation of authority and the attempts by the emperor in Constantinople to control...

Aug 30, 2022

Dr. John Rao discusses the Church and the Theodosian Emperors. What was the situation of the Church under the Theodosian Emperors who supported Orthodoxy versus the Arian Heresy? Dr. John Rao discusses here the building of an orthodox Roman Christendom and the roles of the "Patriarchs" of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch...

Aug 30, 2022

Dr. John Rao discusses Christology and the Council of Ephesus. The first great threat to the new orthodox order of things came through the divergences over Christology emerging out of Antioch and Alexandria. These fought their first open battle at the Council of Ephesus over the ideas and work of Nestorius, the...

Aug 30, 2022

Dr. John Rao discusses the collapse of the "Union" to the Council of Chalcedon. The highly confusing and divisive history of the Council of Ephesus seemed to reach a happy conclusion with the "Act of Union" signed by the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch after the end of that synod. Dr. John Rao discusses here...

Aug 30, 2022

Dr. John Rao discusses the reactions to Chalcedom and Monophysite Movement. This and the following two talks by Dr. John Rao cover the controversial Council of Chalcedon and reactions to it from those who could not accept Pope St. Leo's definition of Christ as possessing two natures united in one Divine...