You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 4: The Birth of Christian Theology. This is Episode 7: Truth, Authority and the Meaning of LifeIn this episode, Dr John Moffatt reflects how prophets, sacred texts, and early Church thinkers helped shape Christian belief—connecting Old Testament promises to the life of Jesus and beyond. We also look at how Church authority grew, and how the Spirit continues to guide faith through real people and real history.📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 4: The Birth of Christian Theology. This is Episode 6: Truly God and Truly HumanIn this episode of Theology Unpacked, Dr John Moffatt SJ traces how early Christians wrestled with expressing the mystery at the heart of their faith: that Jesus is both truly God and truly human. From Ignatius of Loyola’s vision of the Trinity to the clash between Cyril of Alexandria and Nestorius of Antioch. Dr John traces how the Church arrived at the Council of Chalcedon definition in 451: one person in two natures, fully divine and fully human. It's a journey from analysis back to contemplation and mystery.📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 4: The Birth of Christian Theology. This is Episode 5: Three Persons and One GodIn this episode of Theology Unpacked, Dr John Moffatt SJ explores the development of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, from the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople to the theological contributions of figures like the Cappadocians and Augustine. Using philosophical terms and analogies, it explains how Christians came to understand one God in three distinct yet united persons—Father, Son, and Spirit—whose identities are defined by their relationships.Artistic and liturgical expressions, such as Rublev’s icon, complement this theology by visually conveying the unity and diversity of the divine in ways that resonate with both scripture and spiritual experience.📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 4: The Birth of Christian Theology. This is Episode 4: The Same BeingIn this episode of Theology Unpacked, Dr John Moffatt SJ explores how the Council of Nicaea (325) marked a turning point in Christian theology, introducing philosophical language into its core beliefs—declaring that Jesus, the Son of God, is homoousios (“of the same being”) with the Father to define Christ’s divinity.📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 4: The Birth of Christian Theology. This is Episode 3: Hard Questions and HeresiesIn this podcast episode, Dr John Moffatt SJ examines the ambiguities in New Testament writings and the diverse early Christian interpretations of who Jesus is, shaped by both Jewish scripture and Greek philosophy. These differing views gave rise to both creative speculation and controversial teachings, prompting the development of early creedal statements like the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed, which emphasised Jesus' humanity, divinity, and continuity with the God of Israel.📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 4: The Birth of Christian Theology. This is Episode 2: The Word was with God and the Word was GodIn this podcast episode, Dr John Moffatt SJ explores how early Jewish and Christian thinkers used scriptural interpretation and philosophical ideas to understand the divine nature of Jesus. It addresses the puzzles of God’s oneness and two persons called ‘God’—Elohim and YHWH—examining the theological tensions this created.He highlights how spaces in the Jewish thought-world at the time of Jesus—such as varying views on the heavenly realm, divine titles, and messianic figures—made room for interpreting Jesus as a divine being worthy of worship.📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 4: The Birth of Christian Theology. This is Episode 1: In the Beginning was the WordIn this episode of Theology Unpacked, Dr John explores how the Gospel of John introduces Jesus as the divine Word (Logos), blending Jewish scripture and Greek philosophy. Unlike the human-focused narratives in Matthew and Luke, John presents the Word God’s wisdom and ordering force—is both with God and is God, becoming flesh in Jesus. This concept lays the foundation for early Christian theology, especially the development of the Trinity.📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 3: The Promise of the Saviour. This is Episode 8: What do the Prophets think they are saying?In this episode of Theology Unpacked, Dr John Moffatt SJ explores how Old Testament prophecies, originally intended for their own time, were reinterpreted by later readers—especially early Christians—as foretelling events like the coming of Jesus.This reinterpretation, guided by the belief in divine inspiration, became a key part of how early Christian communities began forming doctrine. It marks the first steps from narrative prophecy toward structured theological belief.What are your thoughts on today's topic? Let us know in the comments!📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 3: The Promise of the Saviour. This is Episode 7: Prophets, Divine Communication and TruthIn this episode, Dr John Moffatt SJ develops a working model of how God communicates with people across religious boundaries while remaining central to the Christian churches today. He explores biblical prophecy alongside prophetic traditions in other cultures, illustrating how divine revelation transcends faiths. He also discusses how later Christian thinkers recognised truth in various religious traditions while the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the key to understanding God's message to all humankind.📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You’re listening to Branch 2 – Prophecy and Promise, Part 3: The Promise of the Saviour. This is Episode 6: Royalty and RescueIn this episode, Dr John Moffatt SJ explores discusses how the Gospel writers used a literary technique common in Greek and Roman literature—echoing past texts to create something new. They applied this method to the Old Testament, portraying Jesus as the fulfillment of ancient prophecies and theological patterns. The theological connections and understandings implied by Luke and Matthew for the knowing reader shape their narratives: Matthew emphasises Jesus’ royal lineage and mission, while Luke highlights the faithful, humble people of God and the paradoxical nature of Jesus’ rescue—both political and deeply personal. Their accounts reflect Jewish history, Roman oppression, and the longing for both liberation and spiritual renewal.📧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days!📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library🤓 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit CentreIf you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.