Through the Church Fathers

Podcast Description
In this episode we journey from the rebuilding of civilization after the flood to the inner turmoil of a soul confronted by God. Theophilus of Antioch recounts the rise of cities and kings after the flood, the building and destruction of the Tower of Babel, the confusion of languages, the spread of the human race across the earth, and the superiority of Christian truth taught by the Holy Spirit over all pagan historians and poets.
Augustine describes the moment when Pontitianus’s story pierced his heart. While listening, God turned him to face himself, forcing him to see his own foulness and wretchedness. At thirty-two years old, he had still not found the truth, and he could no longer hide from the reality of his sin.
Thomas Aquinas examines delight (joy), explaining that it is the repose of the appetite in a good that is truly possessed—the completion and rest that follows desire. Intellectual joys surpass bodily pleasures because they rest in higher goods.
Together these readings trace the movement of history after the flood, the personal confrontation with sin, and the soul’s ultimate rest in attained good.
Today’s Readings: Theophilus of Antioch — Theophilus to Autolycus, Book 2, Chapters 31–33
Augustine of Hippo — The Confessions, Book 8, Chapter 7 (Section 16)
Thomas Aquinas — Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 31 (Articles 1–8 Combined)
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#ThroughTheChurchFathers #TheophilusOfAntioch #AugustineConfessions #ThomasAquinas #TowerOfBabel #DelightAndJoy #ChristianHistory #EarlyChurchFathers

Podcast Description
In this episode we explore the origins of human nature, the consequences of the fall, and the surprising power of desire. Theophilus of Antioch explains that God made humanity neither mortal nor immortal by nature, but free and capable of both—able to choose life through obedience or death through disobedience. He then traces how death entered the world through Cain’s murder of Abel and how early human culture, including cities, polygamy, and music, began in the line of Cain.
Augustine recounts the powerful story of two imperial officials at Trier who, while reading the life of Antony the Great, were suddenly converted and renounced their worldly ambitions to serve God—along with their fiancées who likewise dedicated themselves to virginity.
Thomas Aquinas clarifies the relationship between love and desire: desire is the movement of the appetite toward a good not yet possessed, always flowing from love, even when that love is misplaced.
Together these readings illuminate freedom, the entry of sin and death, the call to radical discipleship, and the deep structure of human longing.
Today’s Readings:
Theophilus of Antioch — Theophilus to Autolycus, Book 2, Chapters 27–30
Augustine of Hippo — The Confessions, Book 8, Chapter 6 (Section 15)
Thomas Aquinas — Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 30 (Articles 1–4 Combined)
Explore the Project:
Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com
Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpatton
Credo Courses – https://www.credocourses.com
Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org
#ThroughTheChurchFathers #TheophilusOfAntioch #AugustineConfessions #ThomasAquinas #HumanNature #DesireAndLove #EarlyChurchFathers #ChristianTheology

Today’s Readings
Theophilus of Antioch — To Autolycus, Book 2, Chapters 23–26 Augustine — The Confessions, Book 8, Chapter 6 (Section 14) Thomas Aquinas — Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 29 (Articles 1–6 Combined)
What you reject reveals what you love. Theophilus makes it clear that the fall did not come from something evil in creation, but from disobedience—man turning away from what was truly good, even when everything around him testified to God’s truth . Augustine then shows how that same reality plays out in real life: truth can sit right in front of you—open on the table, spoken about, even admired—yet still remain unfamiliar and ungrasped, while others around you are already living in its power. Aquinas brings the final clarity—hatred is not its own starting point; it is born from love. You push things away because they threaten what you value most. Put it together and the conclusion is sharp: your strongest reactions—what you resist, avoid, or even despise—are not random. They are the shadow cast by your loves. If you want to understand your life, don’t just look at what you pursue—look at what you refuse.
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Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com
Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpatton
Credo Courses – https://www.credocourses.com
Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org

Today’s Readings
Theophilus of Antioch — To Autolycus, Book 2, Chapters 20–22
Augustine — The Confessions, Book 8, Chapter 6 (Section 13)
Thomas Aquinas — Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 28 (Articles 1–6 Combined)
What you love does not stay contained—it takes hold of you and begins to shape everything. Theophilus shows that from the very beginning, man was placed in a world of goodness, yet fell not because of ignorance, but because something appeared desirable and was chosen against God’s command, setting the pattern for every human failure . Augustine then reveals what that looks like from the inside: still living the same life, doing the same work, but inwardly groaning, pulled by a growing desire for something higher while still bound to what is familiar. Aquinas explains the mechanism behind it all—love unites you to what you pursue, fills your thoughts, pulls you out of yourself, and makes you vulnerable to whatever happens to that object. Put it together and the conclusion is unavoidable: you are not just influenced by what you love—you are reshaped by it. What you give your heart to will determine the direction of your life long before your actions make it visible.
Explore the Project:
Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com
Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpatton
Credo Courses – https://www.credocourses.com
Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org

Today’s Readings
Theophilus of Antioch — To Autolycus, Book 2, Chapters 16–19 Augustine — The Confessions, Book 8, Chapter 5 (Section 12) Thomas Aquinas — Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 26 (Articles 1–4 Combined)
Everything begins with what you love—and that determines everything that follows. Theophilus shows that creation itself is not only ordered but meaningful, filled with patterns, types, and purpose—from the waters that point to regeneration to the dignity of man made in the image of God, set above all creation . Augustine then exposes the human condition at its core: not ignorance, but divided love—knowing what is better, yet clinging to what is easier, trapped by habit and delayed obedience, saying “presently” while remaining unchanged. Aquinas brings clarity to both: love is the first movement of the soul, the quiet moment when something is recognized as good, and from that single point flows everything else—desire, fear, joy, action. Put it together, and the problem becomes unmistakable: you don’t struggle first because of lack of discipline, but because of competing loves. Change what you love, and the entire chain begins to change with it.
Explore the Project:
Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com
Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpatton
Credo Courses – https://www.credocourses.com
Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org