About this episode

Nate Shannon and Todd Rester discuss the life and legacy of St. Patrick, exploring his journey from enslavement to missionary work in Ireland.

In light of St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, Nate Shannon is joined by Westminster professor of Church History Todd Rester to reflect on the life and witness of St. Patrick. Moving beyond popular legends, the conversation traces Patrick’s remarkable story from his upbringing in fifth-century Roman Britain, to his capture and enslavement in Ireland as a teenager, to his eventual return to the very land of his enslavement as a missionary of Christ. Drawing from Patrick’s own Confession, Dr. Rester highlights the humility, Trinitarian orthodoxy, and deep sense of divine providence that shaped Patrick’s life and ministry. They also consider why Patrick remains such an important figure for the church today. Rather than treating him merely as a subject of historical curiosity, the discussion explores how Patrick was remembered, read, and spiritually imitated in the centuries that followed. His example of self-denial, gospel conviction, and sacrificial love for a hostile people becomes a testimony to the grace of God at work in history.

People in this episode

Host: Nate Shannon

Guest: Todd Rester

Topics covered

• St. Patrick
• missionary work
• Church History
• Christianity
• humility
• divine providence

Keywords

• St. Patrick
• missionary
• Church History
• Christianity
• humility
• divine providence
• fifth-century
• enslavement
• gospel conviction
• sacrificial love

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Confession

Places: Ireland, Roman Britain

More episodes of The Westminster Podcast

• Our Hope is in Help w/ Pierce Hibbs · April 27, 2026 · 55 min
• The Scottish Tempest — Episode 4: Blood and Fire · April 24, 2026 · 5h 37m
• Irish Monasticism w/ Stafford Carson & Todd Rester · April 20, 2026 · 46 min
• Prayer, Gratitude, and the Christian Life w/ Dr. Greg Parker Jr. · April 13, 2026 · 52 min
• Confessional Theology and the Neo-Calvinist Vision w/ Dr. Gray Sutanto · April 6, 2026 · 33 min
• Has Science Made God Unnecessary? w/ Ransom Poythress · March 30, 2026 · 1h 4m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Westminster Podcast podcast page.