The Pearl of Great Price
Episodes
356 episodes
May 7 John Paul II in Romania & the Orthodox
At the turn of the Millennium the first Slavic Pope, John Paul II made bug steps towards reconciliation with the Orthodox Church. This covers his visit to Romania
May 6 Ghent Altarpiece
Its been described as the most stolen piece of art, the first great oil painting of the Northern Renaissance. A complex multi-panelled painting laced with Catholic Theology. Recovered by the famous monuments men in the second world war after Hi...
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May 5 Scopes Trial and Teaching Evolution
Today we look at infamous Scopes Monkey Trial and the attempt to overthrow the Butler Act which prohibited teaching evolution in schools. Also how the anti-evolution movement evolved into a Christian Science movement
May 4 Dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal
Today Alexander VI, the infamous Borgia Pope, issued a papal bull which drew up a line of demarcation dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal
May 3 The Sign of the Beast
Today we look at the birth of Uriah Smith and Seventh Day Adventism. Emerging out of a failed prophecy of the End of the World we look at his writings about the Book of Revelation.
May 2 Fr Kircher, the Plague and Quarantine
The last polymath of the renaissance era was Fr Antanasius Kircher SJ. Among his many accomplishments he was the first to look at the blood of bubonic plague victims under a microscope and to realise that the 'pestis' was contagious. He suggest...
May 1 Death of David Livingstone
Perhaps the Westerner who did more to shape thinking about Africa then anyone else. Both a father of European Colonialism and a forerunner of African Nationalism. He died today and this is his story.
Apr 30 The Polish Mystic, Faustina and the Divine Mercy
The Polish Mystic Faustina Kowalska was declared a saint in the presence of 200,000 people today and the first Divine Mercy Sunday was celebrated worldwide. We look at her short but spiritually intense life. How the devotion to the ...
Apr 29 Joan of Arc
The teenage illiterate peasant girl who saved France, inspired by courage and faith. We look at some of her story today, how she found herself in the corridors of power. A totemic figure that turned the tide in the Hundred Years War...
Apr 28 Mutiny on the Bounty
What essentially became the archetypal morality tale for Britain's period of Naval Supremacy. Most of the mutineers died fighting each other on Pitcairn Island, the last men standing repented and using the Ships Bible rebuilt their lives and co...
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Apr 27 Milton's Paradise Lost
Some people describe it as the greatest poem in the English Language. Today we look at the lament 'Paradise Lost' - by the idealistic Puritan John Milton. At the end of Cromwell's Commonwealth, and the restoration of the monarchy, im...
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Apr 26 Shakespeare's Baptism and Hidden Messages
Was William Shakespeare sending hidden messages to Catholics, at a time when in England to be a Catholic could be equated to treason? We look at the evidence and examine the context today, on the day he was baptised in the Church of Engla...
Apr 25 Barnsley FC & Muscular Christianity
We look at the life of Tiverton Preedy and the influence of the movement 'Muscular Christianity' on him. He founded Barnsley FC who are now owned by a consortium of Chinese and Indian businessmen, and baseball legend Billy Beane.
Apr 24 Baptism of St Augustine
Augustine of Hippo was one of the finest minds of the ancient world and became the preeminent Chruch Father. Today we mark his late baptism and the remarkable impact he has had on Christian thought and the Western Mind
Apr 23 St George and the Order of the Garter
Today we look at the significance of St George, and how the chapel named after him at Windsor became the home of the Order of the Garter. One of the most prestigious and longest-lasting chivalric orders.
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Apr 22 In God we Trust - Post Civil War Money
We look at how 'In God we Trust' eventually replaced 'ex pluribus unum' as the motto of the USA. How the trauma of post-civil war destruction started to it being inscribed on coins.
Apr 21 Eagleton v Dawkins, the Terry Lectures
Today we look at Terry Eagleton's Dwight H Terry Lectures at Yale University in 2009. With the title 'Faith and Fundamentalism: Is belief in Richard Dawkins necessary for Salvation? We also analyse the phenomenon of the so-called New Atheism
Mar 22 Johnathan Edwards and the Great Awakening
He has been described as the greatest American Theologian. We look at Johnathan Edwards and his role in the Christian revivals which swept across the UK and its colonies in the 18th Century. Called the Great Awakening in America or the Evangeli...
Mar 21 Papier Mache Papal Tiara
Pope Pius VII lived under the shadow of Napoleon Bonaparte, which led to him being crowned with a papier-mache papal tiara. Today we look at the story.
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Mar 20 Cuthbert & Lindisfarne
This is the story of one of the most popular saints in England, who was key in nation-building as the Anglo-Saxons emerged from centuries of Viking conquest
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Mar 19 Taiping Rebellion & The Heavenly Kingdom
Described as the bloodiest civil war of all time, with casualties in their tens of millions. Led by a self-proclaimed prophet who believed he was the Brother of Jesus Christ - we look at the Taiping Rebellion
Mar 18 Charles Spurgeon and the Metropolitan Tabernacle
Called a prince amongst preachers, Surgeon attracted huge crowds to his services in London. After a tragic stampede in a temporary church we remember today how he moved to the purpose-built Metropolitan Tabernacle
Mar 17 Mormon Relief Society
Claiming to be the largest and oldest womans charitable group we look at the founding and the work of the Mormon Relief Society
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