IP#180 Adam English – The Saint Who Would Be Santa on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Adam English – The Saint Who Would Be Santa on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

In this episode of Inside the Pages, Kris McGregor talks to Dr. Adam English about his book, The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra.

Exploring the historical figure of St. Nicholas, distinguishing him from the popularized Santa Claus; Dr. English explains that Nicholas was a Christian bishop in Asia Minor during the 3rd and 4th centuries, a time when Christianity transformed from a persecuted faith to the favored religion of the Roman Empire. Known for his generosity, justice, and pastoral care, Nicholas inspired stories like helping impoverished families with dowries, which later became the foundation for his association with gift-giving.

The book also talks about Nicholas’s role in combating paganism, supporting marriage, and advocating for orthodoxy at the Council of Nicaea.

The book can be found here

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Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

1. The True Identity of St. Nicholas
   How does understanding the historical St. Nicholas deepen your appreciation for his example of Christian virtue and service?
2. Generosity Beyond Our Walls
   How can you emulate St. Nicholas’s generosity by serving those outside your immediate family or community?
3. Celebrating St. Nicholas in Advent
   What traditions could you adopt or adapt to honor St. Nicholas’s feast day as part of your Advent and Christmas preparations?
4. Faith Amid Persecution
   How does St. Nicholas’s perseverance during intense persecution inspire you to remain faithful in challenging circumstances?
5. The Value of Marriage
   What lessons can you draw from St. Nicholas’s support for marriage as a good and noble estate in your own life or in guiding others?
6. Advocating for Orthodoxy
   How can St. Nicholas’s participation in the Council of Nicaea encourage you to defend and articulate your Catholic faith today?
7. Distinguishing Cultural Traditions
   What steps can you take to reconcile secular Christmas traditions with a deeper focus on Christ and St. Nicholas’s Christian legacy?
8. Integrating Faith and Action
   How can St. Nicholas’s life inspire you to integrate acts of charity with your spiritual growth and faith journey?

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About the Book

“With his rosy cheeks and matching red suit–and ever-present elf and reindeer companions–Santa Claus may be the most identifiable of fantastical characters. But what do we really know of jolly old Saint Nicholas, “patron saint” of Christmastime? Ask about the human behind the suit, and the tale we know so well quickly fades into myth and folklore.

In The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus, religious historian Adam English tells the true and compelling tale of Saint Nicholas, bishop of Myra. Around the fourth century in what is now Turkey, a boy of humble circumstance became a man revered for his many virtues. Chief among them was dealing generously with his possessions, once lifting an entire family out of poverty with a single–and secret–gift of gold, so legend tells. Yet he was much more than virtuous. As English reveals, Saint Nicholas was of integral influence in events that would significantly impact the history and development of the Christian church, including the Council of Nicaea, the destruction of the temple to Artemis in Myra, and a miraculous rescue of three falsely accused military officers. And Nicholas became the patron saint of children and sailors, merchants and thieves, as well as France, Russia, Greece, and myriad others.

Weaving together the best historical and archaeological evidence available with the folklore and legends handed down through generations, English creates a stunning image of this much venerated Christian saint. With prose as enjoyable as it is informative, he shows why the life–and death–of Nicholas of Myra so radically influenced the formation of Western history and Christian thought, and did so in ways many have never realized.”

About the Author

Adam C. English is Associate Professor of Religion at Campbell University where he teaches on the philosophy of religion, constructive theology, and the history of Christian thought. He lives near Raleigh, North Carolina.

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