Menu
Podcasts
Podcasts
Description
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss why, in 1870, the Vatican Council issued the decree ‘pastor aeternus’ which, among other areas, affirmed papal infallibility. It meant effectively that the Pope could not err in his teachings, an assertion with its roots in the early Church when the bishop of Rome advanced to being the first among equals, then overall head of the Christian Church in the West. The idea that the Pope could not err had been a double-edged sword from the Middle Ages, though; while it apparently conveyed great power, it also meant a Pope was constrained by whatever a predecessor had said. If a later Pope were to contradict an earlier Pope, then one of them must be wrong, and how could that be…if both were infallible?
With
Tom O’Loughlin Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Nottingham
Rebecca Rist Professor in Medieval History at the University of Reading
And
Miles Pattenden Departmental Lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of Oxford
Producer: Simon Tillotson and Julia Johnson
What does President Trump plan to do with Venezuela’s oil?
NPR
President Trump says he plans to control revenue f....
Emily Dickinson (Archive Episode)
BBC Sounds
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting ....
Supreme Court poised to rule on tariffs, birthright citizenship and more
NPR
The Supreme Court is expected to rule this year on....
Jan. 6, 2021: Five Years Later
NPR
Five years ago, a mob attacked the United States C....
How Do Trump’s Actions In Venezuela Square With MAGA And ‘America First’?
NPR
President Trump campaigned on promises to put “A....
Trump Says The U.S. Will 'Run' Venezuela After Capturing Maduro
NPR
Overnight, the U.S. military launched strikes on V....
U.S. foreign aid changed in 2025 – and it was felt around the world
NPR
On the night of his inauguration, President Trump ....
Welcome to the NPR Washington Desk
NPR
Happy New Year! In this special episode, the Polit....
Shakespeare's Sonnets (Archive Episode)
BBC Sounds
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting ....
The Annual Can't Let It Go Year End Extravaganza
NPR
We look back on some of the highlights from 2025 w....
Year In Review: The Impact Of Project 2025
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Year In Review: Trump's Immigration Policy
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Year In Review: Trump's Foreign Policy
NPR
Editor's note: This episode originally aired on De....
Year In Review: Trump’s Environmental Policy
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Margery Kempe and English Mysticism (Archive Episode)
BBC Sounds
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting ....
Year In Review: Trump, Gerrymandering & Redistricting
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Year In Review: Trump's Economy
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Year In Review: Congress' Successes & Failures
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Roundup: Congress Skips Town Without ACA Vote, Trump Reclassifies Cannabis
NPR
It was another busy week in Washington. We discuss....
Trump Uses Prime-Time Speech To Blame Biden, Immigrants For Economy Woes
NPR
President Trump used his prime-time speech Wednesd....
Eclipses (Archive Episode)
BBC Sounds
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting ....
Americans Give Trump Low Marks On The Economy In New Poll
NPR
Only 36% of Americans approve of President Trump�....
Year In Review: Trump's Foreign Policy
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Donald Trump Is Sports-Fan-In-Chief
NPR
President Trump has built a brand as the sports-fa....