The errors multiply. Irenaeus now shows how heresy breeds heresy—Encratites rejecting marriage and food, Tatian denying Adam’s salvation, and the Gnostics of the Barbelo tradition spinning wild origin myths with endless Aeons. But alongside that distortion of memory and meaning, Augustine (in Confessions 10.21) probes how we remember the happy life. He argues that even though we’ve never seen it, we remember it as we remember joy: not by the senses, but by inward experience. Everyone desires happiness—and that common desire points to a shared memory. Meanwhile, Aquinas in Question 83, Article 4 explains that free will is not a separate power from the will—it is the will, acting through reason when we choose. Free will isn’t a second bow. It’s the will itself, drawn back and aimed by rational deliberation.

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Today we meet the tangled roots of heresy as Irenaeus catalogs Cerinthus, the Ebionites, and Marcion—each denying in different ways either the nature of Christ or the Creator Himself. These early errors become a springboard for reflecting on the human search for happiness. Augustine, in Confessions 10.20, wrestles with how we seek a happy life that we somehow already recognize, even if dimly. He asks: if we didn’t already know it, how could we desire it so deeply? Finally, Aquinas in Question 83, Article 2 explains that free will is not merely a one-time act or decision, but a power—a capacity rooted in our ability to choose rationally. Animals act by instinct; humans act by reflection. That power of rational self-direction is what Aquinas calls free will.

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Today’s portion of Against Heresies shows Irenaeus at full throttle. Carpocrates and his sect don’t just claim freedom from sin—they claim that doing evil might actually be necessary for salvation. They believe that each soul must experience every possible action in every kind of life, either in one incarnation or through reincarnation, to escape the material prison of the body. Nothing, they say, is evil by nature—only by opinion. The result? A theology that encourages lawlessness and pride, all under the guise of hidden “gnosis.” In Confessions, Augustine explores how memory holds even what it seems to have lost. When we forget something and try to recall it, we search our own memory—rejecting false matches until the right one returns and we say, “That’s it!” But we couldn’t even search for it unless some part of us still remembered. The process is mysterious: a dance of presence and absence that shows how deep and strange the human soul really is. Aquinas rounds out today’s trio by asking whether free will is a power. In his second article, he clarifies that free will is not a separate power from intellect and will—but it is a real power of the rational soul. It is our capacity to choose rationally and voluntarily, directed by reason and not by instinct. This power distinguishes humans from animals and defines our moral responsibility.

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In today’s reading from Against Heresies, Irenaeus introduces us to the strange, prideful teachings of Carpocrates and his followers. Their theology takes a dangerous turn as they reduce Jesus to a mere man who escaped the material world by sheer memory and spiritual insight. The Carpocratians go further, claiming superiority over Christ’s apostles—and even Jesus Himself—through a twisted doctrine of reincarnation and self-liberation. Their blending of magic, sensuality, and supposed freedom from the moral law is not just heretical—it’s satanic, in Irenaeus’s eyes. Meanwhile, Augustine wrestles with a paradox of memory: How can we remember something we've forgotten? In Confessions, he dives into the process of searching the memory itself for what it has misplaced. The very act of trying to recall something reveals that we still retain a trace of it—enough to recognize it when it returns.

Memory, for Augustine, is not just a container—it’s active, dynamic, and mysterious. Aquinas, in Summa Theologica, continues his exploration of free will. After affirming that humans possess free will, he now asks whether free will is itself a power. His answer is yes—but not a power separate from intellect and will. Free will is the power that emerges when reason presents alternatives and the will moves toward them. It is, in this way, both rational and appetitive—a defining feature of the human soul.

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Truth and deception collide in today’s readings. Irenaeus lays out the rule of faith—a single Creator God who made all things—and then contrasts this with the blasphemous teachings of Simon Magus and his successors, who used magic, idols, and false myths to enslave minds. Augustine reflects on how nothing lost can be found unless it’s remembered—reminding us that memory is the thread connecting our past to the present moment of recognition. Aquinas tackles whether the will is superior to the intellect, concluding that while the will is more active, the intellect reigns supreme in dignity because it is drawn to the highest good: divine truth (John 1:3; Acts 8:9–24; Luke 15:8).

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Today’s readings explore the competing currents of divine power, human desire, and spiritual memory. Irenaeus exposes the strange, scattered rituals and myths of the heretics, whose “redemption” is more magical confusion than true salvation. Augustine wrestles with how even beasts possess memory—and yet only man can long to soar past memory into God’s presence. And Aquinas explains how the will, though often shaped by the intellect, can also move the intellect—prompting it to reflect and attend to what the heart desires (Luke 12:50; Psalm 32:9; Romans 8:7).

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Certainly! Here's the updated podcast description including your three readings—Aquinas, Augustine, and Irenaeus—along with properly formatted hashtags at the end.

Today’s readings explore the mystery of human will, memory, and heresy. Aquinas addresses whether the will necessarily desires whatever it desires, concluding that while the will is drawn necessarily to happiness, it retains freedom in choosing the means. Augustine dives into a paradox: how can he remember forgetfulness itself, when forgetfulness is the absence of memory? He finds himself baffled by the mysteries within his own soul. Irenaeus confronts the Valentinians for claiming Christ revealed a hidden Father unknown to the prophets. He exposes how they twist Scripture and fabricate stories to separate Jesus from the Creator. Together, these readings call us to clarity in will, humility in mind, and faithfulness in doctrine.

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Today’s journey through the Church Fathers brings us a sobering and hope-filled trio of reflections. Irenaeus exhorts us to examine the reality of demonic influence and the nature of Christ’s victory over the spirits of wickedness, reminding us that demons are not merely allegorical but are real and active—and that Christ truly conquered them. Augustine takes us into the mystery of memory itself, reflecting on how we remember pain, pleasure, and even memory itself. It's a philosophical yet deeply personal meditation on the human soul. Then, Aquinas explores the nature of the will, asking whether we desire by necessity. He helps us think through freedom, nature, and grace in a way that grounds the conversation in both Scripture and reason. Each reading today points us toward the heart of Christian faith: that God sees, knows, remembers, and redeems.

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#ChurchFathers #Irenaeus #Augustine #Aquinas #ThroughTheChurchFathers #TheologyPodcast #HistoricalTheology #ChristianPhilosophy #SystematicTheology #MemoryAndWill #Patristics#EarlyChurch#CatholicTradition#BiblicalTruth #SpiritualWarfare #ConfessionsOfAugustine#SummaTheologica#DailyTheology #ChristianFormation#CredoHouse