Deep in History - St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher - Dr. Scott Hahn

In this 2006 Deep in History lecture, Dr. Scott Hahn discusses two great saints of the English Reformation: Thomas More, who died “the king’s good servant, but God’s first,” and John Fisher, the only bishop in England who refused to acknowledge King Henry VIII’s unlawful divorce. Both received the crown of martyrdom for their commitment to conscience.
In a day and age where so many, even religious leaders, are willing to compromise their principles in order to do what is considered expedient in the eyes of a society hostile to faith, the witness of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher is as relevant today as it was in the 16th century. Dr. Hahn tells their stories in an engaging and informative way that brings them to life for a modern-day audience.

[@roseannewoo1587]

Dr. Hahn is an excellent scholar of the Scritures. Although this video was made more than 15 years ago, it still draws courage and inspirations to be drawn from Sts. John FIsher and Thomas More. Thank you, Dr. Hahn.

[@danvankouwenberg7234]

This man could have made MILLIONS as a preacher. He could have even started a more-orthodox televangelism. He is a gifted theologian, writer and speaker and he chose to subordinate himself to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Thanks be to God!

[@QuoVadis1]

This was an amazing talk by Dr. Hahn! Thank you for sharing it with us! St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, pray for us!

[@zavalajoseraul]

Just hearing how Fisher compared himself to John the Baptist made me realize that I need to develop a devotion for this great saint

[@deebuzbee5848]

This couldn’t be more actual in 2021 days.. amazing talking. Thank you, Dr. Hahn.

[@deanphilipsaunders775]

Two good God fearing Catholic men who still inspire us today......including me.

[@gloriawilliams6036]

Thank you so much for this important and inspiring talk on this Feast Day of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher. All you Saints of God please pray for us 🙏✝️🕊

[@dorotaneff8796]

I just love how he explains everything. He can put into words what I already know in my heart. I'm a revert Catholic. Protentantism didn't sit well with me in a long run. Anyone who is really studying Scripture will never be Protestant.

[@louise-aurore3510]

Martin Luther's major contribution was that he rediscovered the theology of justification by faith alone, which is the core of the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." If it weren't for Protestantism you wouldn't even be allowed to read the Bible. Thank you for Bible believing Christians who in defiance of ecclesiastical and secular authorities translated the Word of God in vernacular languages for us to study Scripture. Before the Reformation the Roman Catholic Church only allowed clerics to read Scripture in Latin from the Vulgate, which contained a lot of mistranslations. Fortunately in 1516 Erasmus published a new edition of the New Testament in Greek using original Greek manuscripts with the Latin version in the opposite page. The Lord definitely used the Protestant Reformation to spread the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. The reformers such as Luther, Tyndale, Calvin, John Knox and so many others remind us that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone. Ephesians 2 :8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and not by works - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so no one can boast.' John 14 :6 Jesus said'I am the way and the life and the truth. No one comes to the Father but through me'.

[@loganw1232]

Jesus sent the apostles out with his Authority, so we are saved by Jesus through those he sent out by his Spirit. Protestantism denies this for scripture alone, which was written by the Apostles and their followers.

[@viviennedunbar3374]

So where were the Christians for 1500 years before Luther?

[@msakat1]

@@louise-aurore3510 please be so kind to direct us to the passage that says we are saved by “faith alone”. The only place I know of that the words “faith” and “alone” stand side-by-side occurs in James 2:24…”as you can see a man is justified by his deeds and NOT by FAITH ALONE.” Martin Luther wanted to do away with the book of James. It would be interesting to ask “why?”.

[@dianesicgala4310]

Love you Dr. Scott Hahn. I have learnt so much from you. I am English living in the U.S.for the last 50 yrs. Brought up in the Anglican Church. Married a young American Air Force man in 1969. I lived with his parents soon after we got married. They reminded me of the Puritans who came over to the New World in the Mayflower. So strict and stern. I had a very liberal upbringing. I first fell in love with the Catholic Church through lovely Catholic people I got to know in Northeastern Pa.

[@dianesicgala4310]

I lived with his parents while he served in Vietnam.

[@dianesicgala4310]

Most difficult year of my life. So blessed to be back in the Catholic Church.

[@margaretmurti6845]

may God bless all the converts that came into the Catholic Church especially the pastors we cradle Catholics are very blessed to have all of you on board thank-you for believing and finding the truth and as for our brothers and sisters of the Jewish people who came into the fullness of the church thank-you to all of you and keep up God's work,

[@ericsonblah]

Margaret Murti Very true shows the Holy Spirit was really working in Vatican 2 as it was because of it, that these brave knights have returned home to re-evangilize because they good at evangilizing.

[@MilesMariae]

This was a great talk, I really appreciated Dr Hahn's studies on John Fisher, showing elements of St. John Fisher's theology. This lecture isn't just something you could replicate just by reading the saint's a wikepedia article, there is real scholarship here.

[@yvonneprimeau3825]

Have discovered the treasure of the Coming Home videos. Thank you on many levels.

[@tomdalton6932]

Excellent Educational,Inspiring, & Well Done 🙏 📖 🙏

[@meusisto]

I thank you very much for making this available to us. Pax Christi, from Brazil

[@garbolagrodi]

Sure thing! More on the way!

[@ivyfernandes3160]

JonMarc Grodi g

[@RumorHazi]

Leonardo's Truth With or without our present Pontiff, the beauty and glory of the Catholic Faith lies in wait for all who seek Her. THAT is what you fail to see. Let not your heart be troubled! Christ us with us until the end of the age!

[@dianesicgala4310]

God bless you Scott Hahn. Brilliant scholar.

[@janetserapio5377]

God Bless you Dr Hahn, Thank you for this wonderful talk

[@patriciapeterson6517]

One of the best writers and a great speaker!! Thank you for sharing his talks with us. The main reason I am a member.👏

[@mickyfrazer786]

Illuminating as always.

[@PInk77W1]

St. John Fisher, as his body grew weaker his faith grew stronger

[@dividmarak7694]

A wonderful speech thank you Sir. God bless you

[@Paseosguiados]

Many thanks!

[@gatekeeper96740]

I LOVE all of these history videos they help untie so many knots and give me a direction to research in.

[@lindagissy9268]

I really enjoy Dr. Hahn's speeches. He speaks in a way that is easy to understand, gives enough background to understand the historical scene at the time, all with some pleasant humor thanks, Dr. Hahn!

[@johnpoag7073]

An excellent and educational history lecture. May we learned its lessons and how far we have fallen since then, into materialism, and money worship. How many more martyrs will it take to wake us up to a higher calling?

[@yestertempest8424]

St Thomas More did NOT remain silent (Bolt's screen is not entirely accurate) he wrote several books after resigning and continued writing in the tower. He wrote over 250,000 refuting Luther's heresies. Had he actually kept silent, Henry might not have had him arrested and then beheaded a couple of years later.

[@liscampbell3]

Jules Tempest I was going to comment exactly what you did. Thank you!

[@bry1681]

@@liscampbell3 interesting clarification. thank you

[@zimrah4837]

I just found out I have ancestry to St. Thomas Moore. I am so excited about learning about him.

[@feaokautai7354]

I ADMIRE YOU DR SCOTT HAHN BECAUSE THESE TWO GREAT EXAMPLES OF BISHOP & A LAITY: ST JOHN FISHER & THOMAS MORE FOR THEIR GREATEST MOMENT OF ACCOUNTABLE TO JESUS CHRIST AGAINST TYRANT & IGNORANT OF THEIR TIME. TRUTH SHOWS NOW THE DWINDLING OF royalty power while the Primary of the POPE & DECISIONS.

[@ivyfernandes3160]

Love it

[@tailuafalemana913]

Amen 🙏🗝️🇻🇦🙏🗝️🇻🇦

[@lorif4268]

More is a favorite of mine--I'm not religious in any manor. Don't forget he did torture men in obscene ways also. He's an odd combination of traits. Brilliant man

[@JRobbySh]

Torture was an investigative means, and in crimes against “the state” was used to get at the truth of the matter. He followed the forms of the law. “Star Chamber” was a term that used to be familiar to educated people with the same connotations as “The Inquisition.” English law was brutal. Joan of Arc was burned, too.

[@bry1681]

inspiring and scholarly. A new Essential Works of Thomas More was released in 2020 edited by Gerard Wegemer. with modern spelling

[@donthephoneman7084]

The blind leading the blind !

[@atakankocaman1389]

🇹🇷

[@hayley8715]

Is this a Catholic channel?

[@josephbeussink9504]

Yes.

[@HenryRaeburn367]

There is only one true religion Roman Catholicism its the path to everlasting peace Saint John Fisher and Thomas More knew that their time on earth is brief and hell is forever

[@donaldreed2351]

What choice did Henry have? These two men set themselves up as quiet, and not so quiet, opposition to Henry's desire to create a nation state, free from the interference of an Italian Pope. This was essentially a political matter.

[@viviennedunbar3374]

What about the fact that Henry was an adulterer, married no less than SIX times and murdered two of his wives? Not exactly the most holy of foundations for a "new" church.

[@binartiknahipon247]

Why is the cross of the crucifix shown at the beginning of your program is bend they said that bent cross is the cross of witchcraft just like the cross of pope john paul 2

[@wasntme777]

The pope and the priests have nothing to do with the old testament. Nothing. Fisher was a fanatic catholic and so was More.

[@billy1132]

I am Thanking n Praising Almighty GOD in CHRIST's Glorious Name that after 24 spiritually dark years😯 in the roman church, i have since the last 20yrs been free n have Repented to Abba Father GOD in CHRIST that i had been very foolishly obeyed my previous 'church' to pray to a dead fallible woman, albeit the mother of Our LORD GOD JESUS CHRIST!!

[@marciacastro1005]

NO ONE, not in Heaven nor here on earth could EVER love Mary, more than her son Jesus Christ! Mary even prophisied that "My soul magnifies the Lord.....and behold all generations shall call me blessed" (Luke 1:18) Mary is an example to all of us, for she ALWAYS did the will of Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Can we say that? May Jesus have mercy on you for degrading the woman who stood beneath the cross, the woman he gave to the world as their Mother.

[@Val.Kyrie.]

Wil liam that's pretty brutal. An angel says "hail Mary full of grace" and you call her a dead fallible woman? You know more than angels? You know more than God who chose her as his mother? You obviously don't believe in heaven if you say those who left their mortal flesh are "dead". How does it feel to be an atheist? To believe that people in heaven are dead, and to believe that you know more than angels and god. I'll pray for you, but in the end we damn our own souls. No one is forcing you to hell.

[@njohn6995]

Tell that to Jesus

[@markv1974]

We never pray to mary, we ask mary to pray with and for us. To intercede. You probably were a cradle catholic but have never known the church and the faith. Your baptism remains valid and will always be a catholic. Sacraments do not lose efficacy. You are welcome to come home, to grow in christ and to know the church and her teachings.

[@gracematubis8317]

“Who am I that the Mother of My Lord should come and visit Me.” - Saint Elizabeth, Mother of Saint John the Baptist-

[@josephbeussink9504]

John Fisher, the "Only English Bishop not to have a concubine” (8:25), righteously (?) supporting a religious system of such moral turpitude as to live thus in unrighteousness, while resisting any criticism on the grounds of Scripture. Scripture from and for which it claims, alone, to have been bestowed Divine office to understand and parcel out truth as it sees fit; teaching never mind our credibility, "we speak for God". Amid such a lofty claim of exclusive connection to a Holy God, conducting itself in a manner (as is conceded by the speaker in the quoted historical statement of universal priestly minis one immorality) considered blatantly unrighteous by any reasonable person, religious or not. Yet priests of the Most High God? James Wood writes, in a review of a book on the life of More (review titled Thomas More’s Bad Character) writes of More’s war against the availability of Scripture. I quote, "And even in 1528, in the Dialogue, he warned that an English Bible must not get into the wrong hands. It is especially dangerous when ‘men unlearned ... ensearch and dispute the secret mysteries of Scripture.’ Things should be as they were in the book of Exodus, writes More, when Moses ascended Mount Sinai and talked to God. The people, unlike Moses, ‘ought to be content to tarry beneath, and meddle none higher than is meet for them’. The priest on the hill, privy to mysteries, and the people beneath, coddled in obscurity - there could be no better image of the old Catholic curtain, the antique scholastic protectorate which the Lutherans were tearing down.”, end quote. It is understandable that More would carry out the wrath of a system claiming to represent Christ in the condemnation and torturous deaths; which admitted sin he laid at the feet of the state, contending the “system" somehow still represented Christian values despite the end they foreknew and he and it welcomed. The system claiming connection to the believing martyrs of Rome had become the new Rome by their part in the vicious killing of persons loyal to the clear teaching of Scripture, the writings they reserved only to so called clergy and would keep from the people. Strangely, in this presentation, Thomas More is presented as a layman student of, and defender of, Scripture. Strange in that, according to More's theology, as a layman, he had no such authority to read or understand scripture, nor to correct Martin Luther on its teachings.