How did our modern culture get here—especially when it comes to sex, marriage, and family life? In this episode, Elizabeth Pittman sits down with Dr. Erkki Koskenniemi, a Finnish Lutheran pastor and scholar, to explore how closely today’s world mirrors the ancient Greco-Roman world. Drawing from history, Scripture, and early Christian teaching, Dr. Koskenniemi explains what made Christians stand out in the Roman Empire—and what the Church can learn today as we increasingly live as a minority culture.

About the Guest

Dr. Erkki Koskenniemi is a Finnish theologian, pastor, and educator with 40 years of teaching experience in classical studies and theology. Author of Love, Marriage and Family: Learning from the Early Christians.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why modern Western culture increasingly resembles ancient Rome and Greece
• What early Christians inherited from Jewish family ethics
• How infanticide and child exposure shaped ancient family life
• What set Christian marriage and sexual ethics apart in the Roman Empire
• Why clear teaching and strong Christian community are essential today
• How Christian parents can help young people navigate secular culture
• What gives Dr. Koskenniemi hope for the Church today

Resources Mentioned

• Love, Marriage and Family: Learning from the Early Christians by Dr. Erkki Koskenniemi

Concordia Publishing House – Bringing you God's enduring Word in a changing world. 👉 cph.org

Follow CPH on social media: @concordiapub

LCMS Foundation – Helping congregations grow long‑term funding to support ministries:
👉 lcmsfoundation.org/podcast

Listen & Subscribe
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the Concordia Publishing House Podcast and leave a review—it helps others discover the show!