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Dark networks are clandestine organizations that often engage in nefarious behavior. Often associated with religious terrorist groups, these dark networks are the focus of our discussion with Prof. Sean Everton of the Naval Postgraduate School. He covers the nature of these groups, how we learn about them via network analysis, and how counter-insurgency efforts are being crafted to disrupt these networks in places like Colombia, Indonesia, and Iraq.

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What would you do if you were a street preacher and someone poured beer on your head, blew smoke in your face, and threatened you with a knife? Jeff Rose of JeremiahCry Ministries has had that experience and he reveals his response in this fascinating interview that covers Jeff’s path to the street preaching profession and what it takes to be a street preacher.

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Prof. Jason Jewell enlightens us on the life, times, and philosophy of John Locke with specific attention to his views on religious toleration. We discuss Locke’s influence on Western culture as well as how he may have affected our views on church-state relations and religious liberty. Jason and Tony also contemplate the role of intellectuals on history and Jason gives us some insight into his online project to read the Great Books of Western Civilization.

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It is amazing what can be found hidden in plain sight! Rabbi Mark Glickman recounts the tale of the discovery of valuable Jewish documents located in the genizah of the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo, Egypt during the late 19th century. While many individuals knew there was a storehouse of old documents in this synagogue, it wasn’t until Rabbi Solomon Schechter of Cambridge University got hold of a snippet of the Ben Sirah manuscript that anyone realized how remarkably valuable these documents “hidden in plain sight” were. Rabbi Glickman takes us on the journey of discovery, reveals the treasures contained in these documents, and tells his own story of his visit to the Cairo Genizah. A “must listen to” podcast for those interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

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Prof. Allen Hertzke of the University of Oklahoma joins us to discuss religious liberty around the world. We cover why religious liberty has become an increasingly important issue in foreign affairs and why many intellectual and government elites tend to dismiss its importance. The conversation also includes current threats to religious freedoms in many parts of the world and what positive effects might arise from the spread of religious liberties.

Learn more about this topic by clicking “read more” below. We have links to valuable reading material and additional podcasts!

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What is it like to work in the contemporary Christian music industry and how has that business changed over the last few decades? We talk with Jim Houser, a managing partner at Creative Trust who manages such artists as Steven Curtis Chapman and Brandon Heath, about his experiences in the industry, focusing on his day-to-day activities, the challenges he and his artists face on the road, and how the music industry has changed in response to the digital music revolution. We also talk about the unique way in which Steven Curtis Chapman arranges his concerts.

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Sit in on a collegial discussion with Tony and his good friend Prof. Steve Pfaff as they discuss a range of topics including denominationalism and whether churches today emphasize sin enough. These two topics lead us down several different paths taking a look at how and why churches create brands, the benefits of religious pluralism, youth religious practice and whether megachurches are really just soft-peddling Christianity. This open-ended discussion is a window into what Tony & Steve often talk about while hanging out at the University of Washington and is a great wrap around to several recent podcasts we’ve featured on the show.

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A week before Halloween, we investigate the darker side of the supernatural with a look at how monsters have been portrayed in American history and what that says about US history. Historian Scott Poole (College of Charleston) talks about his new book, “Monsters in America” and shows how our obsession with, and imagery of, monsters has reflected some very dark trends over the past 400 years. From aliens to zombies, we cover it all in this special spooky version of the increasingly popular podcast! Warning: Not for the faint of heart.

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What do you need to do to start a church? Moreover, how fast can you do it if you only have one week to get the church up and running? Matt Boswell discusses the frenetic process of setting up a church in a podcast that has the flavor of a reality show. With virtually nothing to their name (including no money, no building, and no name), a small group of individuals were able to go from zero to 562 congregants in one week. How did that happen? What does that tell us about the entrepreneurial spirit within America’s religious economy? (Disclaimer: This podcast involves the congregation that the host of Research on Religion currently attends, though he had no influence on any of the decisions discussed in the podcast.)

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With Mitt Romney making waves as a presidential candidate frontrunner for the Republican Party, we visit with Prof. Patrick Mason to discuss the history of anti-Mormon bigotry in the United States tracing it back to the founding of the faith in the 1820s.

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