Saints LightTwo Thousand Years in Twelve Lessons
The story of the Church from Pentecost to today, told honestly: the saints and the scandals, the councils and the quarrels, and the faith that came through it all.
The lessons
- How Did the Church Begin?
The Church began at Pentecost as a visible community gathered around the apostles, their teaching, the Eucharist and prayer, and the same Church continues today.
- Why Did Rome Kill Christians?
Rome killed Christians for refusing to worship its gods, but the courage of the martyrs, and the Church's mercy to those who failed, made the Church grow.
- What Did the Great Councils Settle?
When Rome stopped persecuting the Church, the great councils from Nicaea to Chalcedon defined who Jesus is: one divine person, truly God and truly man.
- Who Were the Church Fathers?
The Church Fathers are the early teachers whose writings show that bishops, the Mass and belief in the Real Presence go back to the generation after the apostles.
- How Did Monks Save the West?
When the Roman West collapsed, monks like Benedict, missionaries like Patrick and popes like Gregory kept faith and learning alive and carried the Gospel to new peoples.
- Why Did East and West Split?
East and West drifted apart over language, politics, papal authority and the Creed, broke in 1054, were embittered by 1204, and have been working toward healing since 1965.
- What Did the Middle Ages Build?
The High Middle Ages gave the world universities, cathedrals, the friars and Aquinas, while also showing that the Church always needs reform.
- The Crusades and the Inquisition: What Really Happened?
The Crusades and the Inquisition had real causes and smaller numbers than the myths, but they included real crimes, and the Church has repented of using violence for the faith.
- What Happened at the Reformation?
Real corruption sparked the Reformation in 1517, Christians on every side sinned against unity, and the Council of Trent answered with clear teaching, real reform and a wave of saints.
- Missions to the World: Saints and Failures
The worldwide missions produced great saints and martyrs and also shared in conquest and slavery, and the faith lasted best where it was lived with humility and love.
- Revolutions, Vatican I and the Modern Popes
Through revolutions and world wars the Church lost worldly power, defined papal infallibility at Vatican I, and found a new voice for justice through the modern popes and martyrs.
- What Did Vatican II Do, and Where Is the Church Now?
Vatican II renewed the liturgy and called every Catholic to holiness; the decades since have brought both deep wounds and remarkable growth, and Christ remains with his Church.
Read Church History in full
All 12 lessons of this course are in the Saints Light app, with Scripture, three questions each and your progress kept on your phone.
Every course is open free for your first 14 days. After that, one payment of $14.99 unlocks every course. There is no subscription.