The Surprising Lives of Christian Saints

Course Overview

Examine the remarkable tales of faith that shape the history of Christianity, in these 24 fascinating lectures.

Well-known names of Christian saints include St. Peter, to whom Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom in the Bible; St. Joan of Arc, who led France to victory in the Hundred Years War; and St. Thomas Aquinas, whose philosophy around faith and reason, the existence of God, and the nature of the soul is embedded deeply in Church theology today. Lesser-known saints, who’ve been immortalized for the miracles attributed to them and the struggles they endured, include the names of Kateri Tekakwitha, Absalom Jones, Josephine Butler, and many others.

Who are these figures? Why were they canonized as saints? And what can they teach us today? Unpack these questions with The Surprising Lives of Christian Saints. Over the course of 24 in-depth lectures, Professor Emily Graham of Oklahoma State University surveys the global history of Christian sainthood, recounting stories that are both fascinating and integral to Christian history. You’ll meet such figures as Mary Magdalen, Perpetua and Felicity, Francis of Assisi, Elizabeth Ann Seton, Óscar Romero, and many more.

What these saints all have in common is that they were ordinary people who did extraordinary things, from negotiating political strife to championing the poor and the dispossessed. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a devout Christian, or someone curious about sainthood, Professor Graham takes you on an enlightening journey through time, revealing the profound lives of individuals who have left an indelible mark on our world.

Video Lecture List

1. Saints and the People Who Make Them

• 22 min
• The course begins with the seemingly outlandish story of a dog, Guinefort, who allegedly had healing powers. Where did this legend come from? And what does that have to do with Christian saints?

1. Philip Neri: Playful Pragmatist

• 32 min
• Explore the first saint, Philip Neri, who developed a congregation of followers and founded the early Oratory—a community for discussion, prayer, and meditation.

1. Peter and Mary Magdalene: Early Saint Stories

• 34 min
• Learn about the earliest Christian saints in the New Testament, examining how their lives have been interpreted compared to what we know about them from history.

1. Perpetua and Felicity: Mothers and Martyrs

• 32 min
• Shift your attention to Carthage, where the martyrdom of two women sheds light on the role of women and the uneasy state of Christianity in its early centuries.

1. Empress Irene and the Veneration of Images

• 30 min
• Delve into the story of Irene of Athens, who negotiated a conflict over the use of imagery for veneration and reformed the Byzantine Church.

1. Radegund: Survivor, Queen, Abbess

• 29 min
• Discover the powerful story of St. Radegund, who negotiated a pathway for female sanctity and founded a monastery in modern-day France.

1. Saint Making in the Middle Ages

• 29 min
• Reflect on the nature of sainthood and the development of canonization processes in the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages.

1. Mendicants: Francis of Assisi and Louis of Toulouse

• 30 min
• Examine the biographies of Francis of Assisi and Louis of Toulouse as they lived in poverty and ministered to the poor.

1. Margaret of Cortona: Midwife and Mystic

• 30 min
• Study the extraordinary life of Margaret of Cortona, a penitent whose mystical visions attracted followers.

1. Thomas Aquinas: The Saintly Scholar

• 32 min
• Delve into heavy theological issues through the life of Thomas Aquinas, an important figure in the Middle Ages.

(…Continued through all 24 lectures)

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