What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? In this episode, we gather for a post-Christmas, post-New Year pastoral debrief. We talk about symbols and meaning, Christmas and holidays, signs and seasons, and how modern churches quietly cleared the path for culture to push Christ out of Christmas without much resistance. We explore the strange and largely arbitrary ways the world measures time, along with the old Adam’s never-ending pyramid project. That is, his need to build meaning upward by effort, progress, and control rather than receive it as a gift. From there, we return to symbol and meaning. We ask why ancient liturgy’s nostalgia or ornamentation, but the distilled shape of reality itself, why the Lord’s Supper isn’t a side practice, but the beating heart of the Church, of worship, and of the Christian life. And why stories’ decorations for faith, but the way truth takes on flesh and finds us where we actually live. This is a conversation about time, worship, memory, and why the Church invents meaning but receives it again and again at the table.

Today on the Christian History Almanac, we remember the 7th century’s “most interesting man” and a link between the East and West.

Weekend Edition for August 9-10, 2025

Weekend Edition for July 12-13, 2025

Because Jesus Taught It. By Flame. Concordia Publishing House. Paperback. 205 pages. List price: $17.99.

Polycarp’s faith, life, writings, and even his death revealed the fruit of faith and love grafted into his heart by Christ the Vine.

You May Be Right… In this episode of Banned Books, we read Anselm of Canterbury’s Meditation on Sin and Penance. We discuss the consequences of sin, the Fountain of Mercy, Jesus’ excuses, the doctrine of simul iustus et peccator, theological presuppositions, and how we speak influences our behavior.

Dig, Lazarus, Dig! In this episode of Banned Books, we read St. John Chrysostom’s sermon on the Rich Man and Lazarus — wealth, poverty, Satanic feasts, ivory beds, spiritual warriors, Chaldean comfort dogs, and the dangers of actors and perfume on this podcast episode.

Good Christians, One and All Rejoice? In this episode, we read Origen’s response to Celsus about whether or not Christians are detrimental or beneficial to society. Does the Church uplift or undermine culture? What part does faith play in living a virtuous life?

Superabundance. In this episode, we read Origen’s commentary on St. Paul’s epistle to the Romans. We discuss the accusations leveled at Origen’s orthodoxy, exegetical method, and critique of Marcion and discuss how what was written so long ago is relevant to Christians today.

Same Old Story.. In this episode, we read various Christian and non-Christian sources from the first two centuries, discussing their understandings of Jesus Christ, the church, law, and the Gospel, and the effect of the Christian faith on people in Roman society.

Ambrose's preaching continues to ring out in churches around the world, especially during Advent when we sing his magnificent, proclamatory hymn, "Savior of the Nations, Come."