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Feeling down about the economy, crime rates or anything else? Cheer up because Bradley Wright joins us to summarize his new book “Upside: Surprising GOOD NEWS about the State of Our World.” Prof. Wright notes that over the past half century, nearly all measures of human well-being have improved (sometimes dramatically) even though we often feel things are getting worse. We discuss why we think this way in addition to highlighting the statistical trends that should give us hope. While stepping slightly outside of our specific focus on religion, this episode nonetheless brings the discussion back around to a number of Christian organizations that are making the world a better place.

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Just in time for July 4th, Mark David Hall discusses one of the least known of the most influential Founding Fathers in American history, Roger Sherman. Building on last week’s theme, Prof. Hall uses Roger Sherman to illustrate how Reformed (Calvinist) theology had a profound influence on American ideals and institutions. Roger Sherman, a staunch Calvinist from Connecticut, figured prominently in the formulation of several critical documents in US history, including the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the US Constitution (including the Bill of Rights). Prof. Hall also reflects upon the question of whether or not America was founded as a Christian nation.

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Was America founded as a Christian nation? This is the title of Prof. John Fea’s book and the topic of our podcast this week. Prof. Fea presents a nuanced answer to this question, showing that although that the British American colonies were overwhelmingly Christian in culture in the late 18th century, the Founding was not necessarily a Christian event. We cover what it means to be a “Christian nation,” and examine whether the Founders lived up to Christian ideals, including a discussion of just war theory. This is a great podcast to pair with next week’s discussion featuring Mark David Hall.

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Prof. Byron Johnson, director of Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion, joins us to talk about his new book “More God, Less Crime.” We focus our attention on prison ministries noting how difficult it is to overcome the “prison code” and how faith-based programs work. Specifically, we explore the InnerChange Freedom Initiative in Houston, TX and review Prof. Johnson’s six-year study of that program. Byron makes a strong case that although these prison ministries show positive results, more attention needs to be placed on helping prisoners after they leave the confines of jail.

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Prof. Thomas Farr discusses the important role of religion and religious liberty in foreign relations. Dr. Farr brings both a scholar’s insight and his experience as a 21 year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and recent director of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom. We examine why American diplomats have often had a blind spot for religious issues and then turn our discussion to why promoting religious liberty is in the national security interest of the United States (and other nations).

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Prof. Karrie Koesel (U of Oregon) explores the “house church” movement in China, revealing how these clandestine religious groups are formed and operate in an environment that is not necessarily hospitable to independent religious organizations. We note some of the penalties that can accrue if such churches are discovered, but also discover that many of these churches exist in a “gray” market with the tacit approval of local government officials. We end our discussion with some speculation about how religion may be changing Chinese society and politics.

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Why are American Jews more liberal than their socio-economic non-Jewish counterparts?
Why are they more politically liberal than Jews in other countries? And what explains the rightward, then leftward, drift of Jews from the 1970s to present? Prof. Ken Wald provides an interesting historical explanation to these three puzzles. A great complimentary episode to last week’s discussion.

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Carmel Chiswick (University of Illinois, Chicago and the George Washington University) discusses the economics of American Judaism, showing how higher wage rates and the “cost of time” shaped the way that Jewish immigrants practiced their faith. We look primarily at the German and Russian/East German Jewish immigration of the 19th century and how the socio-economic circumstances of those groups shaped the Reform and Conservative Jewish movements. Our conversation also covers the issues of immigration, education, and assimilation, ending with a discussion of what America Judaism looks like today, what it is likely to become, and how it is influencing Judaism worldwide.

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William Donohue of the Catholic League discusses how cultural nihilists are engaging in “secular sabotage.” Our discussion starts with an examination of who are these nihilists and how moral virtue is essential to control unbridled appetites in a free nation. We then weave through a variety of topics including Lady Gaga, Hollywood, and how Catholics and Protestants are often engaging in self-sabotage.

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David Gallagher, Director of Communications for Opus Dei in NYC, discusses the history, organization and public perception of Opus Dei, a Catholic movement started in Spain in 1928 with the intent of encouraging holiness in one’s daily life.

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