This Week in Christian History

Episode #22: The Catholic World of John Calvin

What was John Calvin's early life like? How did his previous studies in preparation for the priesthood and later to be a lawyer influence his trajectory as one of the most influential Protestant reformers?

Join Nick Walters and Dr. Karin Maag as they explore Calvin's early life on the anniversary of his birth, as well as anniversaries from the lives of missionary Lottie Moon and Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton.

Episode #21: Jan Hus Burned at the Stake

Join Nick Walters and Dr. David Irving as they discuss early reformer Jan Hus' teaching on worship in the vernacular that ultimately led to his condemnation.

Episode #20: The Consecration of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther

Join Nick Walters and Dr. Melody Maxwell as they discuss the momentous consecration of Samuel Ajayi Crowther as the first African Anglican bishop.

Learn more about Crowther in the upcoming Christian History issue #160 on the Anglicans. Subscribe today to receive it in print.

Episode #19: The Dismissal of Jonathan Edwards

Why was the renowned Jonathan Edwards dismissed from his position as pastor at Northampton Church? Join Nick Walters and guest Dr. Matthew Everhard to find out.

Learn more about Jonathan Edwards in Christian History issue #151 Awakenings.

Episode #18: The Prolific G. K. Chesterton

Join Nick Walters in conversation with Dale Ahlquist on the life and many works of G. K. Chesterton on the 90th anniversary of his death.

Learn more in Christian History issue #75 G. K. Chesterton.

Episode #17: The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

Join Nick Walters and Dr. David D. Hall of Harvard Divinity School as they consider the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. Regarded as one of the earliest written frameworks for political governance in the American colonies, these documents were biblically inspired and assumed a close connection between religious and political life.

Learn more about the role of the Bible in the United States in Christian History issue #138 America's Book.

Episode #16: Joan of Arc

Explore the life and martyrdom of Joan of Arc and her context within the Hundred Years War with Dr. Daniel Hobbins.

Learn more about Joan of Arc and other faithful women in Christian History issue #30 Women in the Medieval Church.

Episode #15: Constantine the Great

Join Nick Walters and Dr. Michael Haykin as they explore the pivotal role of Constantine's conversion in the history of Christianity.

Learn more about Constantine's role in the early church in Christian History issue #57 Converting the empire.

Episode #14: The Inklings

Join Dr. Michael Ward and Nick Walters as they discuss the first meeting the Inklings, including C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.

Learn more about the Inklings in Christian History issue #113 Seven literary sages.

Episode #13: The Council of Nicaea and Christianity on the Seas

Join Nick Walters and CH managing editor Kaylena Radcliff as they discuss the 2026 spring and summer issues of Christian History magazine: Debating Jesus' divinity and Christianity on the seas.

Read these issues for free on the CHI website, or purchase a print copy.

(Correction: the Great Schism occurred in 1054.)

Episode #12: Pelagius and Free Will

This week Nick Walters and Dr. Andrew Chronister explore Pelagius and the theological debate over free will and original sin within the fifth-century church.

Learn more about Pelagius and his differences from Augustine in Christian History issue #67 Augustine.

Episode #11: Philipp Melanchthon and Martin Luther

Join Nick Walters and Dr. Scott Keith for a conversation on the life, thought, and significance of Philipp Melanchthon, the indispensable collaborator of Martin Luther and one of the core architects of the Protestant Reformation. Known widely as the “Praeceptor of Germany,” Melanchthon shaped the foundational theology, educational reforms, and intellectual lineage of the Lutheran movement, leaving a legacy that continues to inform Christian thought nearly five centuries later.

Learn more about Luther and Melanchthon in Christian History issue #115 Luther leads the way.

Episode #10: The Council of Trent and the Vulgate

Contributing editor Dr. Edwin Woodruff Tait joins Nick Walters to discuss how the Council of Trent was set in motion. When the council convened in the sixteenth century, Europe was confronting theological upheaval, political conflict, and widespread calls for reform across the Christian landscape. Understanding how the council began—the setting, the motivations, the early documents, and the first decisions, including the decision regarding the Vulgate—helps explain the powerful influence the council would exert on Christianity for generations.

Learn more about the Council of Trent and its effect on later councils in Christian History issue #157 Vatican II.

Episode #9: Francis Asbury and American Methodism

Before established churches dotted the American landscape, one man rode tirelessly across a rugged and expanding nation to bring the Gospel to its people. On This Week in Christian History, Nick Walters and Dr. John Wigger explore the remarkable life and enduring legacy of Francis Asbury—the circuit-riding bishop whose leadership helped transform Methodism into one of the most influential forces in early American Christianity.

Learn more in Christian History issue #114 Francis Asbury.

Episode #8: Theodore the Studite and Iconoclasm

Join Nick Walters and Dr. George Demacopoulos of Fordham University this week as they examine the relationship of church and state in the life of Theodore the Studite amidst the Iconoclastic Controversies. Theodore the Studite lived from 759 to 826 and emerged as one of the most influential figures in Eastern Orthodox monasticism. Born into a notable Constantinopolitan family, Theodore eventually became abbot of the renowned Stoudios Monastery in Constantinople, a role that allowed him to shape practices that would define monastic life for centuries throughout the Orthodox world.

Learn more about the Iconoclastic Controversies in Christian History issue #54 Eastern Orthodoxy Then and Now.

Episode #7: The Real St. Patrick

Separating fact from fiction is one of the greatest challenges when studying the life of St. Patrick, the fifth-century missionary traditionally credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Join host Nick Walters and Dr. Elva Johnston as they uncover the true story of St. Patrick.

In this episode we explore the life, legacy, and historical impact of Patrick, whose story blends captivity, calling, and missionary perseverance. Born in Roman Britain in the late fourth century, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders as a teenager and enslaved for several years. During that time he experienced a deep religious awakening that would shape the rest of his life. After escaping captivity and returning home, Patrick eventually sensed a call to return to Ireland—not as a slave, but as a Christian missionary determined to bring the Gospel to the people who had once held him in bondage.

Learn more about Patrick in Christian History issue #60 How the Irish were saved.

Episode #6: John Newton's Conversion

The story of John Newton is one of the most powerful conversion narratives in the history of Christianity. Known today as the author of the beloved hymn "Amazing Grace," Newton’s life journey from slave trader to Anglican pastor has become one of the most widely remembered testimonies of repentance and redemption in the Christian tradition. Join Nick Walters and Dr. Bruce Hindmarsh of Regent College on this anniversary of Newton's conversion.

Learn more about Newton's conversion in Christian History issue #159 Christianity on the seas.

Episode #5: Diocletian's Edict Against the Christians

In this episode, the Deep Dive turns to one of the most consequential moments in early Christian history: Diocletian’s Edict Against the Christians in 303 AD. This episode’s expert, Dr. Michael A. G. Haykin of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, joins Nick Walters to examine the context in which this decree emerged. Known to history as the opening of the Great Persecution, the edict represented an attempt by imperial authority to shatter the growing influence of the Christian faith at a time when the Roman world was wrestling with questions of identity, loyalty, and public religion. Learn how the Christians responded with resilience and steadfast commitment to Christ.

Learn more in Christian History issue #27 Persecution in the Early Church.

Episode #4: Eric Liddell with Brian Stanley

This episode features a conversation with Nick Walters, director of the Center for Christian History at Mississippi College, and Professor Brian Stanley of the University of Edinburgh, one of the world’s most respected historians of global Christianity and Christian missions. Join them for a deep dive into the life and death of Olympic champion and missionary Eric Liddell.

Episode #3: Thomas Meeks on "Ben-Hur" Author Lew Wallace

Lew Wallace lived perhaps one of the most impressive lives of the late 19th century. He held several prestigious titles including New Mexico territorial governor, Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and Union Army General, and he served as a military judge at the trial of Abraham Lincoln’s assassins. He also wrote "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ," which has been called the most influential book of the 19th century. After a life of great success, Wallace died in Crawfordsville, Indiana, on February 15th, 1905. Nick Walters, director of the Center for Christian History, talks with Thomas Meeks of the Wallace Museum about the life and times of this fascinating figure.

Episode #2: What happened to the apostles?

Join Nick Walters of the Center for Christian History at Mississippi College as he interviews Kaylena Radcliff, managing editor of Christian History, about issue #156: What happened to the apostles?

Episode #1: The Mercersburg movement

Join Nick Walters of the Center for Christian History at Mississippi College as he interviews Kaylena Radcliff, managing editor of Christian History, about issue #155: The Mercersburg movement.