All 7 Letters Narrated
in MP3 Audio
- You will learn why the early Church called itself Catholic.
- You will lean what the early Church taught about the Eucharist.
- You will learn how the early Church delt with heritics.
- You will learn how the Chruch was orginized & lead by Bishops, Priests, & Deacons.
- You will learn how the early Church recognized the primacy of the Church in Rome.
- You will lean how the early Chruch valued obedience to the Bishop & the unity of the Body of Christ above all opinions.
- You will learn how the early Church placed authority in the heiarchary and not in only what was written.
- You will learn just how Catholic the first century Church was... and so much more!
|
Can you imagine it? Imagine being given the choice - either reject Jesus or be eaten by the lions!
 One of the most famous of the early fathers of the Church, Saint Ignatius was the third Bishop of Antioch, successor of St. Peter himself, disciple to the Apostle St. John, and Martyr for Christ.
Ignatius was given the choice... Jesus the Christ... or the teeth of the lions! With out even batting an eye, Ignatius of Antioch embraced his call to martyrdom with zeal.
He penned seven letters on his way to his "Calvary", addressed to the Churchs in Asia Minor and Rome.
Saint Ignatius of Antioch, in his letter to the Smyrneans 8, said:
See that you all follow the Bishop, as Christ does the Father, and the presbyterium as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as a command of God. Let no one do anything connected with the Church without the Bishop. Let that be considered a certain [βεβαια, "valid"] eucharist which is under the leadership of the Bishop, or one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the Bishop appears, there let the multitude of the people be; just as where Christ Jesus is, there is the catholic church [ἡ καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία]. It is not permitted with the Bishop either to baptize or to celebrate an agape; but whatever he shall approve of, that is well-pleasing alos to God, so that everything that is done may be assured and certain [βέβαιον].
—St. Ignatius of Antioch, c. 111 AD, Letter to the Smyrneans 8
These letters are priceless insights into the life of the first century Church. You can read these letters today... in fact... you can listen to them being narrated by clicking the link below - you can download them for FREE although I do give you an opportunity to make a small donation and join me in this project to share this with the world!
In this excellant NewAdvent.org | Catholic Encyclopedia article, detailing the life of this hero of the early Church, we are given the historical context necessary to better understand St. Ignatius' writtings. In the ninth year of the Emperor Trajan, wishing to die rather than stand by and do nothing while his flock faces fresh persecutions, the saintly Bishop valiantly bore witness to the faith of Christ before Trajan himself!
It is said that Trajan marvalled at the courage of this man. Arrested, he was led by soldiers back to Rome, to be offered to the lions in the Colosseum. The faithful flocked to the sea ports where his prison ship would stop along the way, just to have the opportunity to see him, to touch him, and to be in his presence.
Be sure to check out the links, on the left, where you can read these letters for yourself. However, I invite you to HEAR the words of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, the early Church Father, who begged the Roman Christians to do nothing to prevent his one chance to be like Christ, ground like wheat in the teeth of the lions!I have narrated all seven letters in hopes that more people will come to know this magnificent Church Father!
Why not own your own copy? Download all seven of Saint Ignatius of Antioch epistle’s, in MP3 or ACC format, and hear how the first century Church was exhorted to hold fast to their Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, confession, the primacy of the Church in Rome, Salvation through grace alone in faith and love, the virginity of the Blessed Mother, and so much more. |
