Category: Religion & Popular Culture


Curtis Freeman on Undomesticated Religious Dissent

In the Bunhill Fields cemetery across from Wesley Chapel in London, there are three graves of prominent English dissenters — John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe, and William Blake. Our guest this week, Prof. Curtis Freeman (Duke Divinity School), encountered these memorials a few years back and he was sent on a scholarly journey that investigated the role of “undomesticated dissent” in British and American history. He shares his findings and why a deeper understanding of these three writers are important for the context of democratic governance.

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Barry Hankins on Jesus, Gin, and the Culture Wars (Encore Presentation)

We are still on a sabbatical but hope to return with new audio formatting and access modes in the next month. Please stay tuned.

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Jeff Henig on Prison Ministry (Encore Presentation)

We will be taking a short sabbatical to tend to some home care issues. In the meantime, we will feature some of Tony’s favorite episodes from the past. Enjoy.

Why would anyone ever become a prison chaplain? And what do prison chaplains do? Jeff Henig, who recently became employed as a prison chaplain in Arkansas, discusses his life story and how he entered the world of prison ministry. Along the way we learn a lot about a cappella music and the difference between jail and prison. Jeff also shares some of the spiritual, psychological, and legal challenges prison chaplains face, as well as telling us some important life lessons he’s picked up through this whole process.

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Shachar Pinsker on Jewish Coffee House Culture

The period from the mid-19th century until World War II represented a period of great migration for Jews in Europe and one in which Jewish modernity was being debated and formed. Prof. Shachar Pinsker (University of Michigan) discusses how coffee houses played an important role in this mobility and transformation of Judaism.

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David Deavel on De Sales, Newman, Chesterton, and Hitchcock

Location, location, location.  That is the eternal cry of every real estate agent, and it proved prophetic for this week’s guest, Prof. David Deavel, an assistant professor of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas — as he grew up an evangelical Christian in the shadow of Notre Dame, which gave him the foundation […]

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Dirk Dalhausser & Kerry Jones on Building Churches

How often do you think about what goes into building a church? Tony has thought about this a great deal and invites Dirk Dalhausser and Kerry Jones of Goff Companies to talk about the various dimensions of constructing a church building, from initial planning to post-construction visits. The discussion includes surprising insights about parking, seating, commons areas, and even baptismal space. This “nuts and bolts” discussion may help you plan your own church project, or appreciate the architectural logic of the sanctuary that you attend.

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Jeff Rose on Street Preaching (Encore Presentation)

Most people view street preachers as fanatical or crazy. Research on Religion takes the time to discuss the motivation, challenges, and benefits of choosing “open air preaching” as a means of spreading the Gospel. This is one of Tony’s favorite podcasts, dating back to 2011, as it provides and up-close-and-personal look with an actual street preacher, people we often don’t take the time to understand. This interview dispels a number of stereotypes people may have of those who preach the Gospel in open air.

We will return soon with a number of new interviews.

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Aurora Griffin on Being Catholic at Harvard

What is it like to be a devout Catholic attending a secular university?  What steps can young believers take to ensure the integrity of the faith?  Aurora Griffin, a graduate of Harvard University and a junior research scholar at the Center for the Study of Statesmanship at the Catholic University of America, answers these questions […]

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Anthony Esolen on Timeless Hymns

What makes for a “timeless hymn”? Prof. Anthony Esolen (Thomas More College) discusses his recent book “Real Music: A Guide to the Timeless Hymns of the Church,” and shares with us the importance of singing and poetry for the faithful. We review a number of important themes found within various hymns and reference a few of the greats over the past several centuries.

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Mark Lawson-Jones on Christmas Carols

Why was the partridge in the pear tree? This is all the more mysterious given that these birds can’t fly well. We answer this and several other questions related to the history of Christmas carols with special guest Rev. Mark Lawson-Jones, a chaplain for Mission to the Seafarers and author of the delightful book “Why Was the Partridge in the Pear Tree? The History of Christmas Carols.” We cover a broad swathe of history dating back to the medieval period when carols were used in various pageants, discuss the fun of wassailing, note that the Puritans almost killed Christmas fun, and then discuss the history and meaning of a few well-known songs.

Share the gift of knowledge with a friend and invite them to listen to our show. We have over 350 episodes in the archives.

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