The Called Out Cafe Podcast

In this episode I am making a couple of big announcements: 1) I am giving you my excuses as to why you haven't heard from me for a few weeks. 2) I am informing you of my new free flagship publication, "Ha'arim" Hebrew for "the wakeful ones." 3) I am letting you know that I am suspending the series on "Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus," because we may have just entered the tribulation period (Nothing to see here) and I have other things to focus on. 

Here is the link to my new publication. Make sure you subscribe!:

https://substack.com/@doughooley

 

In this episode I discuss the huge influence that "Saint" Austine has had on the Church from the beginning of the fourth century AD to this present day. Despite his love of God, because of his education and background, his work heavily contributed to another major course change in the wrong direction: Replacement Theology, allegorical interpretation of scripture, false-pietism, and Amillennialism were all introduced or strengthened as a result of his influence.  

As we continue to move through the history of the Church, we have a arrived at the middle-ages. A time when people and former gods known as Saints, and holy objects known as relics began to be worshipped and when the Church became a major employer as professional clergy replaced lay people who no longer needed to participate. See how these things influenced the modern Church

The fourth century AD had an enduring impact on the modern Church. A few of the main take aways: 1) A switch from interpreting scripture at face value to interpreting it as allegory, symbolism, metaphor, and spiritualizing it. 2) A move towards Replacement theology (the Church has replaced Israel. 3) Anti-Semitism. Purposeful separation from the Jews. 4) A move towards Amillennialism (the belief there is no literal 1000 year kingdom of Jesus on this earth. Rather, we are now living in a figurative millennium) from Premillennialism (the belief in a future literal millennial kingdom of Jesus). Listen and see how all these things fit together.

Doug Talks a little while about the release of his latest book, Daniel: Way Beyond the Felt Board. Available Saturday July 12, 2025 on Amazon.com in Kindle, paperback, and hard cover editions.  

This podcast is part 2 of what happens when Rome, the nation known to be one of the past antichrist empires, functionally takes over the Church, edits their creed, and dictates when Easter will be celebrated, among many other sweeping changes.

The biggest and most enduring impact on the human institution we know as the Church, came as Rome, and its emperor, Constantine, embraced Christianity. Most Christians still agree to and recite the Nicaean Creede today, which was developed during this time under the leadership of the emperor.  Church hierarchy was established, and even when to celebrate Easter was decided on. Those things and more are discussed in this episode. For example, did Santa Clause really slap someone at the Nicaean Council in 325 AD, or did he just pull the poor guys beard?

This is part two of the topic of what the early Church was like from the passing of the last Apostle of Jesus around 100 AD until the first part of the fourth century around 325 AD. Many people in the Church today long to go back to the way things were done in the early Church. This is probably not the period of time to try to get back to! Please listen and see if you agree.

Many Christians, discouraged with Church today, want to go back to the way Church was in the early days. In this episode of the Called-Out Cafe, we will look at the practices of the early Church from just after the passing of the Apostles up until the time when the Church was adopted by Rome and its emperor. If you truly want to go back to those days, get ready to start kissing before every meeting, ditch all of your musical instruments, and start baptizing new believers naked!  Long story short, things quickly drifted...

There is a false narrative regarding early Christianity: that due to following the "Great Commission," the gospel spread like wildfire. It did not. Its spread was slow and uneven. Listen to why this was the case and how the gospel was actually spread and people responded to it in this episode of the Called Out Cafe.