Ancient Landmarks: Reading the Church Fathers

In this episode, we welcome Leonardo De Chirico to discuss his book Ancient Landmarks: An Evangelical’s Guide to Patristic and Medieval Thought. We consider how evangelicals can receive the riches of the ancient and medieval church without either dismissing the fathers or treating their work as an unquestionable authority. De Chirico commends an appreciative yet critical approach governed by the final authority of Scripture.

We also discuss the Didache and the Epistle to Diognetus, the church’s changing public identity after Constantine, and Cornelius Van Til as a guide for theological discernment. The conversation concludes with practical ways pastors and congregations can bring church history, creeds, and confessions into the ordinary life of the church.

Book: Leonardo De Chirico, Ancient Landmarks (Apollos, 2026).

Chapters

• 00:00 Opening and welcome
• 05:54 Retrieving the church fathers with discernment
• 08:08 Patrophobia, patrilatry, and Scripture’s authority
• 14:32 How Ancient Landmarks developed
• 20:20 The fathers among evangelicals in Rome
• 25:43 Did the Protestant church begin in 1517?
• 32:46 The Didache and the Epistle to Diognetus
• 41:19 Constantine and the church’s public identity
• 46:39 Van Til as a guide and conversation partner
• 52:28 Bringing church history into congregational life
• 55:54 Closing thoughts and book information

Mentioned in this episode:

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