Name: The Historic Faith Podcast
Availability: InStock

What This Free Course Covers

The Historic Faith Podcast brings together conversations on early Christian writings and the questions they raise for believers today. In these four lessons, Dean Taylor and David Bercot discuss how to read ancient sources carefully without forcing later church debates back onto the first generations of Christianity. The course begins with questions about Eusebius, King Agbar, Ignatius, bishops, and early Christian nonresistance.

It then turns to the Didache, its discovery, its simplicity, and its picture of congregational life, baptism, communion, and the “two ways.” The final two lessons focus on 1 Clement, including historical details about Corinth, Peter and Paul, church unity, authority, salvation, election, works, judgment, and the famous phoenix passage. Together, the lessons model a cautious way of learning from the Apostolic Fathers:

valuing their witness, recognizing that they are not Scripture, and asking what they reveal about early Christian faith and practice.

Apostolic Fathers Early church history Careful historical reading Nonresistance Church authority Congregational life Faith and works Unity and humility Salvation and judgment Scripture and tradition

What You Will Study

How Eusebius presents the story of King Agbar of Edessa and the letter associated with Jesus
Questions about early Christian nonresistance and claims about Christians in the Roman army
Ignatius’s language about bishops, elders, deacons, unity, and martyrdom
The Didache’s discovery, manuscript history, and importance as a very early Christian writing
The Didache’s simple teaching on the “two ways,” baptism, communion, and congregational life
How 1 Clement addresses division in Corinth, humility, order, and accountability between churches
What 1 Clement suggests about salvation, obedience, works, judgment, election, and predestination
How to read the Apostolic Fathers without treating them as infallible or forcing later doctrines onto them

Questions This Course Helps Answer

Does Eusebius’s account of King Agbar prove that early Christians accepted Christian kingship or military service?
What is the story behind the supposed letter from Jesus to King Agbar?
How should readers evaluate spurious or disputed writings connected with Ignatius?
What did Ignatius actually say about bishops, elders, deacons, and church unity?
Why do the hosts see Ignatius’s desire for martyrdom as important to understanding his letters?
What is the Didache, and why was its discovery considered so important?
Why do the hosts describe the Didache as simple and early rather than speculative?
How does the Didache describe congregational life, baptism, communion, and choosing leaders?
What is an anachronism, and why does it matter when reading the Apostolic Fathers?
What does 1 Clement reveal about the later reputation and troubles of the Corinthian church?
How does 1 Clement connect faith, obedience, works, love, and judgment?
What do the hosts say about predestination or election in 1 Clement?

Lesson-by-Lesson Guide

"Ignatius and King Agbar: Myths, Authority, and Early Church History"

This lesson begins with a listener’s question about Eusebius, King Agbar, and early Christian nonresistance. It then moves into Ignatius, including the genuine and spurious letters, his strong language about bishops, and his readiness to die for Christ.

What does Eusebius say about King Agbar of Edessa?
Does the Agbar story settle the question of early Christian nonresistance?
Which Ignatian letters are treated as genuine rather than spurious?
How should Ignatius’s statements about bishops be read in their historical setting?

"Unveiling the Didache: A Journey Through Ancient Christianity" David Bercot and Dean Taylor Podcast

This lesson introduces the Didache through travel reflections, manuscript history, and discussion of its early and simple character. The hosts consider its teaching on the “two ways,” baptism, communion, appointed leaders, and holy congregational life.

What is the Didache, and what does its name mean?
Why do the hosts think it may be one of the earliest Christian writings outside the New Testament?
What does the Didache show about simple Christian practice?
How does its picture of church life compare with later church structures?

"The Power of Dogmatic Ambiguity: Letting the Early Church Speak for Itself" Clement of Rome

This lesson discusses 1 Clement and the danger of reading later theological systems back into early Christian writings. The hosts explore Clement’s concern for unity, his view of Corinth, early references to Peter and Paul, and practical church accountability.

What does it mean to commit an anachronism when reading church history?
What does 1 Clement reveal about the Corinthian church after Paul’s letter?
How does Clement address division and church order?
What can modern readers learn from Clement without forcing him into later debates?

"The Balance of Faith and Works"

This lesson finishes the discussion of 1 Clement by considering salvation, election or predestination, works, obedience, love, judgment, and the phoenix passage. The hosts emphasize that early Christian writings can be valuable witnesses while still not being Scripture.

How does 1 Clement speak about faith, works, obedience, and love?
What does Clement say about the judgment seat of Christ?
How do the hosts approach election or predestination in 1 Clement?
Why does the phoenix passage not make Clement equal to Scripture?

First student reviews

1 review so far

Michael Smiley May 7, 2026

★★★★★

Excellent! I love how Brother David explained how in first Clement the mention of the Pheonix was an intellectual statement of Clement’s day to make. I thought about how even today much of science is used by theologians that could be obsolete tomorrow lol. Like moon dust telling us how old the world really is you know things like that. Love you guys and the lessons God bless!

The Historic Faith Podcast

Course Content

Play Without Quiz Interruptions