The Apostasy That Wasn’t: Early Church History Versus Conspiracy Theories (MP3)

 When Catholic and Protestants discuss Scripture, the conversation can degenerate into “my interpretation” versus “your interpretation.”

When such debates fail, it might be time for historical apologetics. A common anti-Catholic narrative posits that early in the life of the Church a “great apostasy” took place.

Authentic Christianity, the narrative goes, was restored only sixteen or more centuries later.

Does this account of an early falling away from New Testament Christianity bear the scrutiny of history, archeology, and sociology?