2,000 Years of Papal History: The History of the Popes, the Papacy, and the Catholic Church

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2,000 Years of Papal History: The History of the Popes, the Papacy, and the Catholic Church Podcast

Internationally best-selling author, renowned professor, and the "dean of American Catholic Historians," Fr. John O'Malley presents his monumental course on the papacy. This masterpiece series covers the most fascinating history in the Western world. Now you can trace the amazing history of the papacy, the oldest still-functioning institution of any kind in the Western world, in 36 erudite lectures. By focusing on popes that shaped vital moments in global history, you will gain a deep understanding of the people, issues, and ideas that gave us the Catholic church and our world. The story features both trouble and triumph—and Fr. O'Malley deftly tackles both aspects—but above all, it tells of resilience. You will be enthralled as you listen to Fr. O'Malley explains how pope after pope responded to challenges from barbarians, "Christian" monarchs, disgruntled bishops, and, above all, the faults and failures of human nature in order to guide Peter's bark through the rugged seas of time.

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  • Can a faithful Catholic benefit from understanding Sufism? Merton thought so. Now you can discover why. In the twentieth century, Thomas Merton, one of Christianity’s great mystics, encountered the ancient Eastern mystical tradition known as Sufism. The result was an outpouring of mystical insight and spiritual wisdom. In these talks, you will discover what first electrified Merton. The Sufi mystics have given us one of the world’s most read poets, Rumi, the beautiful mystical dance of whirling dervishes, interreligious insight, and new forms of contemplation. A visionary who sought to synthesize the best of Eastern and Western spiritualities, Thomas Merton’s profound interest in the Sufi mystics is more relevant today than ever. Merton explores the contemplative wisdom of Sufism to enhance our Christian understanding of mysticism and spiritual practice. In one of his talks to the novices at Gethsemani, he said, “The Sufis are seeking to know God and have ways of seeking to know God, and this should have some success with us...We should be closer to the Sufis.” In these talks, you will watch the development of Merton’s spirituality as he moved towards a greater understanding of interreligious dialogue. Merton believed that the Sufis had much to teach us about prayer, mysticism, and contemplation. Merton will bring you to new and exciting places as he reflects on Sufism and the mystical life. What Merton taught in the mid-twentieth century is prophetic for spiritual seekers in the contemporary world. ***Photographs of Thomas Merton by Sybille Akers and John Howard Griffin. Used with Permission of the Merton Legacy Trust and the Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University.

Course-style podcasts featuring leading Catholics

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Internationally best-selling author, renowned professor, and the "dean of American Catholic Historians," Fr. John O'Malley presents his monumental course on the papacy. This masterpiece series covers the most fascinating history in the Western world. Now you can trace the amazing history of the papacy, the oldest still-functioning institution of any kind in the Western world, in 36 erudite lectures. By focusing on popes that shaped vital moments in global history, you will gain a deep understanding of the people, issues, and ideas that gave us the Catholic church and our world. The story features both trouble and triumph—and Fr. O'Malley deftly tackles both aspects—but above all, it tells of resilience. You will be enthralled as you listen to Fr. O'Malley explains how pope after pope responded to challenges from barbarians, "Christian" monarchs, disgruntled bishops, and, above all, the faults and failures of human nature in order to guide Peter's bark through the rugged seas of time.

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