St. John Fisher vs Martin Luther: Introduction (Part 1/4) ~ Michael Davies (22 June)

About this sermon

In Part 1 of this powerful lecture series, renowned Catholic historian Michael Davies introduces the life, ministry, and extraordinary holiness of St. John Fisher, the great English bishop, theologian, martyr, and defender of the Catholic Faith. Often overshadowed by St. Thomas More, St. John Fisher was one of the most brilliant minds of the pre-Reformation Church and arguably the most effective theological opponent of Martin Luther. Davies explores Fisher's pastoral life as Bishop of Rochester, his devotion to preaching, his care for souls, his profound spirituality, and his remarkable sermons on repentance, mercy, penance, and salvation. This lecture reveals why Fisher became one of the Church's greatest champions against the errors of Protestantism and why his witness remains urgently relevant today. In this lecture: • The forgotten legacy of St. John Fisher • Why Fisher was more than a match for Martin Luther • His appointment as Bishop of Rochester • His pastoral care for the poor and dying • His commitment to Catholic orthodoxy • The Seven Penitential Psalms • Fisher's preaching on mercy, repentance, and confession • His devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary • Lessons from his famous sermons and spiritual writings • The crucifix as the Christian's book of wisdom • The path to holiness and eternal life St. John Fisher remains a model of episcopal courage, doctrinal fidelity, pastoral charity, and unwavering devotion to Christ and His Church. "God does not condemn us to hell; we condemn ourselves. Yet until the final moment of life, repentance remains possible." 00:00 Introduction: The Forgotten Saint 01:00 Why St. John Fisher was Luther's greatest opponent 03:05 Lady Margaret Beaufort and Fisher's rise to Rochester 05:00 A bishop chosen for holiness rather than politics 06:20 The Diocese of Rochester and Fisher's fidelity 07:40 Reforming abuses within the Church 09:00 Fisher's zeal for preaching and pastoral care 10:20 The fearful responsibility of a bishop 11:30 Visiting the sick and serving the poor 12:40 Fisher's reputation as England's greatest preacher 14:00 The Seven Penitential Psalms 15:10 Fisher's theology of preaching: instruct, delight, move 17:00 Rhetoric, imagery, and powerful sermon examples 20:00 Paradise, virtue, and the battle against sin 21:30 Fisher's love of creation and spiritual allegory 22:40 The Sparrow on the Housetop sermon 26:45 Fisher's sermon against Lutheranism 27:30 The Blessed Virgin Mary as the Morning Star 31:20 Mercy, penance, and God's forgiveness 32:25 The greatness of Divine Mercy 35:15 God's justice and mercy explained 36:40 Satisfaction and the Sacrament of Penance 38:00 Fisher's observations on human nature 39:10 Funeral sermon for King Henry VII 41:20 The fleeting nature of earthly power 43:45 Lady Margaret Beaufort and heroic devotion 47:50 The Crucifix: The Christian's Greatest Book 51:00 Never despair of Christ's mercy 52:20 The eternal consequences of rejecting grace 53:40 God's mercy is greater than all sin 55:20 Conclusion Michael Davies' opening lecture on the greatness of St John Fisher, bishop & martyr. For more please visit https://www.keepthefaith.org/ Davies' book http://www.amazon.com/dp/0911845860/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=32A4TXBWTAGEC&coliid=I1D0Z58HJIUSBR Books on St John Fisher found here https://mediatrixpress.com/?s=john+fisher To help translate St John Fisher's apologetic against Luther please visit https://mediatrixpress.com/?page_id=3467 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶️ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶️ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.us for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶️ 3. BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ ▶️ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.us/donate-support/ ▶️ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 Please "Like" our videos so that Youtube shares it to others by clicking the "Like" thumbs-up under the video = 👍🏻 ▶️ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶️ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Sensus Fidelium Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 #StJohnFisher #MichaelDavies #CatholicHistory #MartinLuther #CatholicChurch #Reformation #CatholicApologetics #T