ROF1 – Witnesses to Tradition – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcasts cover art

ROF1 – Witnesses to Tradition – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

ROF1 – Witnesses to Tradition – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

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 Witnesses to Tradition – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina Mike Aquilina explores how the Church Fathers function as the hidden roots that nourish Christian faith across centuries. Though separated from modern life by culture, geography, and historical upheaval, the Fathers testify to a continuity of doctrine, worship, and moral life that has remained intact from the earliest generations. Their writings clarify how Scripture was received, interpreted, and lived within the early Christian community, providing a stable guide amid constant cultural change. Without this inherited witness, Cnfusion replaces coherence, particularly on matters such as the Eucharist, ecclesial structure, repentance, and sacramental life. Drawing on the theological insights of Pope Benedict XVI, Mike Aquilina describes the Fathers as a constitutive part of divine revelation: humanity’s great “Amen” to God’s self-gift in Christ. Through their response, the canon of Scripture, the sacraments, and the Church’s liturgical life took definitive shape. The discussion also highlights the lived reality of the Fathers as real men and women who worked, raised families, endured persecution, and shed blood in witness—echoing the ancient insight of Tertullian that the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church. Their preserved writings, lovingly transmitted through centuries, remain strikingly relevant today. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions How does viewing the Church Fathers as living witnesses change the way I understand my place within the history of the Church today?In what ways does the image of roots nourishing a tree help me appreciate tradition as something living rather than static?How does the consistent faith of the early Church challenge my assumptions about change and continuity in Catholic life?What aspects of Scripture become clearer when read in light of how the early Christian community received and lived it?How does understanding the Fathers as humanity’s “Amen” to God’s revelation in Christ shape my trust in the Church’s teachings?In what ways do the lives of the martyrs invite me to examine my own willingness to witness through sacrifice?How does recognizing the early Christians as ordinary people facing familiar struggles deepen my sense of spiritual kinship with them?What practices of gratitude and reverence might I cultivate toward the spiritual fathers and mothers who shaped the faith I live today? You can find the book on which this series is based here. About the Book This highly readable introduction to the roots of many Catholic beliefs and practices provides a sense of connection to our brothers and sisters who have gone before us and who helped shape the faith. Mike Aquilina makes it clear that as far as the essentials are concerned, a time-travel trip back to the beginning of the Church would reveal a Church familiar to Catholics today. Just as an acorn grows into a tree and yet remains the same plant, so the Catholic Church is a living organism that has grown from the faith of the earliest Christians into the Body of Christ we know today. For more episodes in the Roots of the Faith podcast visit here – Roots of the Faith – Discerning Hearts Podcast Mike Aquilina is a popular author working in the area of Church history, especially patristics, the study of the early Church Fathers.[1] He is the executive vice-president and trustee of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a Roman Catholic research center based in Steubenville, Ohio. He is a contributing editor of Angelus (magazine) and general editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History Series from Ave Maria Press. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Fathers of the Church (2006); The Mass of the Early Christians (2007); Living the Mysteries (2003); and What Catholics Believe(1999). He has hosted eleven television series on the Eternal Word Television Network and is a frequent guest commentator on Catholic radio. Mike Aquilina’s website is found at fathersofthechurch.com
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