Research On Religion » Martin Luther

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

tonygill — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 08:00:21 +0000

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 for later converting to Catholicism. And along the way, he became an expert on a number of Catholic saints, theologians, and writers, which is where our discussion winds today. And a winding road it is, starting with St. Francis De Sales, moving into John Henry Newman, off to G.K. Chesterton, and finally stopping with Alfred Hitchcock. This is a fun-filled and light-hearted look at a number of Catholic thinkers and their relationship to our modern world.

The conversation begins with a bit of the background on our guest, and an interesting fun fact that the city of St. Paul was once called “Pig’s Eye.” We learn much about how Prof. Deavel ended up thinking about everything from Catholic social thought to vampires and Harry Potter. After that, we get on to the primary topic at hand, which is Saint Francis De Sales, a priest who originally started out as a lawyer and who was also an avid rower back in the 16th century (and eventually passing in 1622). Prof. Deavel terms De Sales a “patron saint for our time” by observing that Francis threw himself into a very contentious environment in Switzerland several decades after the Protestant Reformation. Catholics were not all that popular in Geneva back then, thus De Sales had to figure out how to keep a low profile (once hiding in a tree for a full day), yet keep true to his love of spreading the Gospel. De Sales strategy was to show and live a life of love, and would often minister in local houses. His understanding that all Christians were holy was a thought that preceded the thinking of the Second Vatican Council’s emphasis on ecumenism by more than three centuries. David points out that in today’s world where politics has become a “blood sport” and all sorts of groups are locked in seemingly endless battle, De Sales message of tolerance is one that should be heralded. Francis De Sales eventually was promoted to bishop of Geneva and founded the Salesians religious order (or Visitation sisters).

We then move on to discuss John Henry Newman who lived for most of the 19th century and became an important figure in Catholic education. Experiencing a Christian conversion at age 16 and becoming an Anglican clergy member in the 1820s, Newman was a principal leader of the Oxford Movement that sought to return the Church of England to its Catholic roots. Though unsuccessful in returning the Anglican Church to Catholicism, Newman found himself converting to Catholicism in the mid-19th century, eventually becoming a Cardinal in the Church. We discuss his emphasis on education, culminating both in his work in Dublin, as well as his series of lectures that culminated in the work The Idea of a University which has heavily influenced Catholic higher education to this day. Although never having hidden in a tree like Francis De Sales, Cardinal Newman has been on the road to sainthood and is currently categorized as Blessed Newman, one step away from becoming an official saint. Our conversation turns then to G.K. Chesterton, another Catholic thinker that has occupied the mind of Dr. Deavel. He contrasts the irreligious early life of Chesterton with the two previous figures we discussed, but notes the similarities in how his faith was shaped early in adulthood, eventually culminating in his admission that he was Christian by age 26 and eventual conversion to Catholicism in 1922. We then veer into the world of Alfred Hitchcock who was influenced by Chesterton but took a much different religious trajectory. Prof. Deavel notes the religious influences in Hitchcock’s life and how he came back to Catholicism at the end of his life. Our conversation ends with some reflections by David on what this eclectic path of study he has taken has revealed to him over time. Recorded: February 23, 2018.

Prof. David Deavel’s Academia.edu page (where you can find his various articles).

LOGOS: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture.

The Catholic Controversy, by St. Francis De Sales.

Introduction to the Devout Life, by St. Francis De Sales.

The Idea of a University, by John Henry Newman.

Orthodoxy, by G.K. Chesterton.

“The Ballad of the White Horse,” by G.K. Chesterton.

Martin Luther Insult Generator (mentioned in podcast).

Pope Francis Insult Generator (also mentioned in podcast in an ecumenical spirit).

RELATED PODCASTS

Brian O’Neel on Saint Who? Some Holy Unknowns.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of January.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of February.

Jim Tonkowich on Converting to Catholicism.

Corey Olsen on J.R.R. Tolkien.

Louis Markos on the Poetry of Heaven and Hell.

Micah Watson on C.S. Lewis.

Anselm Rink on Missionaries and Political Authority

tonygill — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 09:00:22 +0000

Missionaries can often convert people to another faith, but do their efforts have other effects? Prof. Anselm Rink, a junior professor of political economy at the University of Konstanz (Germany), joins us to discuss an interesting survey and field experiment conducted in Peru to understand the effects missionizing may have on citizen attitudes towards political authority. We begin the conversation with a bit of Prof. Rink’s background and how he ended up studying Protestants in the Peruvian highlands, and he notes that it was part-and-parcel of his Peace Corps experience in Ecuador. We then dive into his study by defining what “political authority” is. Anselm notes that definitions vary quite a bit, but he focuses his attention on two dimensions borrowed from Max Weber — obedience and persuasion. He covers some of the different perspectives on how social scientists have understood these concepts, including a brief mention of the famous Milgram study.

Prof. Rink then lays out his theoretical expectations on why missionaries should have any impact on the dimensions of political authority. As far as obedience goes, it is possible that there are theological reasons a missionary (or other religious leader) would enhance acceptance of authority in that followers are asked to adopt an authority figure. There is also the possibility that there is a habitual mechanism that enforces obedience through generalized rituals. With respect to persuasion, Anselm notes that exposure to new religious ideas could create an intellectual substitution effect wherein people see things differently, or be affected by cognitive dissonance wherein messages from a religious authority may undermine a political message. Prof. Rink then lays out the religious landscape of Peru, pointing out the growth of Protestantism of the Pentecostal and indigenous varieties. When Tony asks whether messages from Catholic priests would have an effect on the dimensions of political authority, Anselm responds that this is possible but he focused his research efforts on Protestant missionaries because they tend to have a more “otherworldly” dimension to their spiritual message and that his theoretical expectations would be that the effects of new religious messages would be more pronounced with stricter denominations.

The conversation then gets scientific as we go over Prof. Rink’s research design, talking about the 16 villages that he chose and how this helped to enhance his field experiment design. Within these villages, there were Adventists, Maranatha Christians, Peruana (indigenous), and churches that had mixed elements of some or all of these. We go through the qualitative interviews he conducted with missionaries and the surveys he administered to local citizens that included an experiment about giving up coins based upon the roll of dice. His findings from this work were rather interesting. It turns out that while Protestant missionaries tended to make their followers more obedient, they actually were less susceptible to persuasion. As such, the effects of missionaries run in somewhat contradictory directions.

We finish off the interview with a discussion of his work on religious radicalization in Kenya with his co-author Kunaal Sharma. Instead of focusing on macro-political and economic explanations (such as economic crisis) for conversion to radical religious movements (both Christian and Muslim), they have been investigating the micro-level foundations for why individuals in a community setting would sign up with radicalized groups. Anselm’s work in both Latin America, Africa, and Europe allows Tony to prompt him about his reflections on his own research. Anselm noted that the similarities among humans in different contexts should be seen as important and has some further views on altruistic behavior. Recorded: February 19, 2018.

Please note: Due to an international Skype connection, the audio of Prof. Rink is a bit compressed and muted. Nonetheless, the intellectual content is superb.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Anselm Rink’s personal webpage and the Department of Politics at University of Konstanz.

“Do Protestant Missionaries Undermine Political Authority? Evidence from Peru,” by Anselm Rink in Comparative Political Studies. (subscription required)

“The Determinants of Religious Radicalization,” by Anselm Rink and Kunaal Sharma in Journal of Conflict Resolution. (subscription required)

RELATED PODCASTS

Robert Woodberry on Missionaries and Democracy.

Christopher Hale on Religion and Protest in Mexico.

Ruth Melkonian on Latin American Protestants.

Andrew Johnson on Pentecostals in Prison in Brazil.

Sarah Dreier on Anglicans, Lutherans, and African Churches.

Proselytism, Humanitarianism, and Development: A Panel Discussion.

Religious Freedom and Political Flourishing: A Panel Discussion.

Kevin Den Dulk on Religion, Education, and Civic Engagement.

Charles North on Religion, Economic Development, and the Rule of Law.

Joel Fetzer on Confucianism and Democracy.

Alison Pond on Being a Mormon Missionary.

Religious Liberty and Violent Religious Extremism.

Eli Berman on Religious Terrorism.

Sean Everton on Dark Networks.

Michael Douma on Van Raalte and Dutch Religious History

tonygill — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 09:00:23 +0000

Not very many folks outside of the confines of religious scholars in western Michigan have heard of Rev. Albertus Van Raalte, but this Dutch preacher from the 19th century had a profound impact on the Dutch Reformed movement both in the Netherlands and the United States. Prof. Michael Douma, an assistant professor and director of the Institute for the Study of Market & Ethics at Georgetown University, reviews the life and thought of Van Raalte, explaining how his special blend of history and theology. We begin the conversation with an overview of how Dr. Douma became interested in the topic of Dutch religious history, one of his many interests. He recounts his interest in the Dutch language , his work at the Van Raalte Institute at Hope College, and how this took him to graduate school at Florida State University to study the history of Dutch-American immigration. He then reveals how he discovered a manuscript of Van Raalte’s teaching notes that he calls the Kampen Manuscript (and which Tony incorrectly calls the Krampen manuscript, thinking of Krampus).

We briefly review the history of Dutch immigration into the United States with Michael pointing out that there were two waves, an early migration during the first half of the 17th century and then another wave after about a 180 year respite. This latter migration wave, beginning in earnest in 1846, was partially motivated by religious divisions that were heating up within the Dutch Reformed Church in the Netherlands during the 1830s. At that time, the Reformed Church was experiencing a pattern of theological liberalization that was increasingly critiqued by a set of rural-based Pietists with a more fundamentalist reading of Christian theology and history. A schism (Afscheiding) resulted in 1834 and a series of other events eventually prompted an exodus of these reformers a decade later. It was during this twelve year period that Albertus Van Raalte begins to make a name for himself in theological circles. Initially starting out as a medical student, he quickly becomes involved in various Pietist circles and Bible reading groups that prompts him to take up theology as a life’s calling. We discuss some of the conflicts he had with various other religious figures at the time and his brief teaching career at the University of Leiden, where the theology that he writes down in the Kampen Manuscript takes shape.

Prof. Douma argues that Van Raalte’s theological developments were influenced heavily by a teleological and “stage-based” historical reading of Christianity, wherein the Netherlands played an important role with the northward shifting of Christian dynamism following the Reformation. We review Van Raalte’s critiques of Catholicism and his preference for decentralized church governance. Despite Van Raalte’s critiques of the contemporary developments within Protestantism, he nonetheless viewed himself as somebody who tried to bring various factions of the Reformed Church together. Alas, greener pastures called across the Atlantic and Van Raalte took his mission to the United States with an initial design on settling in Iowa only to be diverted to western Michigan at the urging of various Detroit political leaders. Michael talks about how Van Raalte related to the ancestors of the first wave immigrants, his efforts to keep the Dutch Reformed Church unified, and how a schism nonetheless developed between the Reformed Church of America and the Christian Reformed Church. Following Van Raalte’s death in 1876, he becomes increasingly famous for his theological innovations with subsequent writers such as Arnold Mulder giving him credit for the rise of farmer-theologians. We finish off with Prof. Douma’s reflections on the importance of Van Raalte’s history for contemporary times and the various things Michael has learned along the course of his scholarship. Recorded: January 26, 2018.

Prof. Michael Douma’s personal website.

Veneklasen Brick: A Family, an Industry, and a Unique 19th Century Dutch Architectural Movement in Michigan, by Michael Douma.

How Dutch Americans Stayed Dutch: An Historical Perspective on Ethnic Change, by Michael Douma.

What Is Classical Liberal History?, co-edited by Michael Douma and Phil Magness (forthcoming 2018).

Creative Historical Thinking, by Michael Douma (forthcoming 2018).

The Dominie of Harlem, by Arnold Mulder (mentioned in podcast and available in pdf format).

Van Raalte Institute at Hope College.

Christian Reformed Church (CRC).

Reformed Church in America (RCA).

RELATED PODCASTS

Evan Haefeli on the Dutch Origins of Religious Liberty

Oliver Crisp on Calvin and Reformed Theology

James Felak on the Counter-Reformation

tonygill — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 08:00:29 +0000

As we wind down our seven-episode series on the Protestant Reformation, we give the “other side” a chance to make their historical case. Prof. James Felak, a professor of history at the University of Washington (and frequent RoR guest), sits down with Tony to discuss the Catholic response to Luther’s protest. Known popularly as the “Counter-Reformation,” Dr. Felak notes that it really should be termed the Catholic Reformation as we note how Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and others broke with the Church in a schismatic movement. We start the discussion with a look at the religious and political landscape leading up to Luther’s challenge. Fifteenth century Europe was characterized by three key factors that conditioned the Reformation, Felak argues. First was the increasing strength of secular kingdoms relative to the Roman Catholic Church, which prompts a variety of power and financial struggles between the crown(s) and the popes. Growing corruption within the Church presented the second challenge to Christianity during this century, which leads to the third factor — indulgences. Out of curiosity, Tony asks when the Catholic Church began to be called the “Catholic Church,” rather than just the Church given that Catholicism is now used as a term of contradistinction to Protestantism. James mentions that he wonders the same thing too when teaching courses on Christian history, and we more or less agree that the term Catholic Church is put into greater usage in the 16th century. (Listeners are encouraged to weigh in on this question.)

We then move to the early 1500s and the “immediate” (by late medieval standards) reaction of the Vatican to Luther. Tony poses a counterfactual to his historian guest, asking what would the Christian timeline looked like had the Holy See just ignored Martin Luther. There were two popes involved in pushing back against Luther, and times of leadership transition can be difficult. Prof. Felak responds that the Protestant Reformation was a “slow train moving” and it was likely to happen at some point. We talk about how Johann Eck became involved in debates with Luther and how Luther’s pamphleteering left the Vatican no choice but to respond. The printing press made ignoring the issue very difficult. We review the events of the Diet of Worms and then springboard forward to the Council of Trent that sets the “Counter-Reformation” in motion. James points out that Rome was really responding to at least five “reformations” over the first half of the sixteenth century, only one of which was Luther. This included movements spurred on by Zwingli, Calvin, Arminians, other radical reformers, and the breakaway English Church. The Council of Trent — which occurred over several decades (and James explains why) — initiated a two-prong response which was to, first, reform the institutional Church, and second, to answer a variety of doctrinal challenges to the faith. As for the first, there was greater emphasis placed on educating the clergy via rigorous seminary training, incentivize bishops to preach in their own dioceses, and ensure subsequent popes chosen had a strong moral character. There was also a movement to promoting religious orders, which we talk about later. As for the doctrinal pushback, the Catholic Church reaffirmed the seven sacraments, the doctrine of purgatory, and intellectual reasoning regarding the issue of “faith alone or good works.” James spends time to explain the Catholic view of faith and works.

The conversation veers towards a discussion of the religious orders that were promoted to respond to these new institutional and theological challenges. The Jesuits were the most famous of he orders to arise at this time, but Prof. Felak documents a number of other ones, including the shoeless (discalced) Carmelites. He puts this in context of the older orders that emerged centuries before (e.g., Franciscans) and notes the new orders were much more engaged in the world and proselytizing than the earlier ones, including a renewed dedication to education of the clergy and laity. James brings up folks such as Charles Borromeo and Teresa of Avila. Tony asks about the Inquisition, and James responds by pointing out there were four distinct inquisitions including one prior to the Reformation (the Medieval Reformation), the Roman, Spanish, and Portuguese. The latter two had a more political flavor as the Iberian peninsula was not dramatically touched by Protestant reformers and these campaigns were run by kings, not clergy. We finish with some of James’s personal thoughts on how the Reformation affected Christianity and the Catholic Church, as well as how the Reformation has been viewed over the past five centuries. He shares an interesting tale of being in a Seattle bookstore and his thoughts on Lutherans as compared to other Protestant denominations. Recorded: October 6, 2017.

At the Price of the Republic: Hlinka’s Slovak People’s Party, 1929-38, by James Felak.

After Hitler, Before Stalin: Catholics, Communists, and Democrats in Slovakia, 1945-48, by James Felak.

“The Blessed Evangelical Mary: Why We Shouldn’t Ignore Her Anymore,” by Timothy George (Christianity Today).

“The Reformation at Five Hundred: An Outline of the Changing Ways We Remember the Reformation,” by Thomas Howard and Mark Knoll (First Things).

RELATED PODCASTS

The Protestant Reformation Series (including podcasts from Goldman, Pfaff, Stark, Gray, Sorenson, and Nelson).

James Felak on Picking Pontiffs and Pope Francis I.

James Felak on Vatican Council II.

James Felak on Pope Pius XII, the Wartime Pontiff.

James Felak on John Paul II and Communism.

Ken Kollman on Church Centralization.

Jon Sweeney on the Pope Who Quit.

Robert Nelson on Lutheranism and Nordic Social Democracy

tonygill — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 08:00:20 +0000

The Nordic nations of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have long been known for maintaining quality governance, high levels of socio-economic equality, and high levels of happiness amongst the population. While political economists have been pressed to explain the success of these countries, Prof. Robert Nelson, a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland, suggests that it may have something to do with its “Lutheran Ethic.” We begin this discussion with a retrospective of Prof. Nelson’s career, which had him completing a PhD in economics and focusing on land use issues for several decades. The curious question for listeners becomes how he began writing on issues related to religion, to which he gives a very interesting and introspective reply, including a bit of discussion of his own thinking on whether a god exists. We then move into his definition of religion, which tends to be broader than used by other scholars. The conversation turns to a discussion of the “Protestant Ethic” as famously noted by Max Weber, and Bob’s corrective which points out that Weber was really talking about a Calvinistic ethic, which was different than the theological culture that Luther himself gave rise to within Lutheranism. We talk about who Luther was, what he considered to be important virtues, and how he viewed “free market capitalism” (to the extent that something like that was explicitly known in Europe at the time). Prof. Nelson notes that Luther was hostile towards the idea of “self-interest,” had a strong sense of community (more so than, say, the Calvinists), emphasized the virtue of “calling” and the need to serve community, and was big on the Golden Rule. He provides some insight into how this translates into Finnish culture about “general rights,” a notion of property that is different than what is thought about in the United States. Bob covers a few other differences that Lutheranism has with respect to Calvinism, including that Lutheranism was more “top down” in in application of community. We also review Luther’s changing attitudes towards governmental authority, particularly in light of the “mob rule” of the Peasants’ Revolt. The next topic up involves a survey of “social democracy,” and what that means in contemporary Scandinavia. We briefly review the history of the Nordic social welfare states, how these nations jettisoned the class warfare mentality of early 20th century socialists, and how it is viewed culturally as “The People’s Home.” Dr. Nelson notes that over time the notion of “economic progress” by way of social science came to replace many of the Lutheran ideas that were inculcated in those countries in centuries earlier, but how this new secular ideology has much in common with previous Lutheran theology. We go through a number of key points within Lutheranism and compare them to contemporary social values and norms within Nordic society. The interview concludes with some of Bob’s thoughts on where Nordic social democracy is today, and why it may be headed into crisis. Recorded: October 2, 2017.

Lutheranism and the Nordic Spirit of Social Democracy, by Robert Nelson. (Also available with e-book version at Aarhus University Press.)

God? Very Probably: Five Rational Ways of Thinking about the Question of a God, by Robert Nelson.

The New Holy Wars: Economic Religion versus Environmental Religion in Contemporary America, by Robert Nelson.

Economics as Religion: From Samuelson to Chicago and Beyond, by Robert Nelson.

Reaching for Heaven on Earth: The Theological Meaning of Economics, by Robert Nelson.

Private Neighborhoods and the Transformation of Local Government, by Robert Nelson.

Public Lands and Private Rights: The Failure of Scientific Management, by Robert Nelson and Sally Fairfax.

Mind and Cosmos, by Thomas Nagel (menti0ned in podcast).

RELATED PODCASTS

The Protestant Reformation Series (including other podcasts from Goldman, Pfaff, Sorenson, Gray, and Stark).

Robert Nelson on Environmentalism as Religion.

Rodney Stark on Myths of the Reformation

tonygill — Sun, 17 Sep 2017 08:00:00 +0000

Everybody knows that the Protestant Reformation ushered in what eventually became an era of scientific enlightenment, economic development, and secularization to Europe. Or did it? Prof. Rodney Stark, co-founder of Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion, says “Nonsense!” to many of these so-called historical truths as we walk through some common myths and misconceptions of the famous religious movement that Martin Luther set rolling. We begin first by noting that there really wasn’t just a single Reformation, but at least three including Luther’s protest, Calvin’s subsequent religious movement, and King Henry VIII’s English Reformation, which wasn’t so much a change in theology as it was a transfer of authority. Prof. Stark also points out that once Catholicism’s exit door was opened and excommunication was off the table as a form of punishment, Protestantism became a fissiparous movement that underwent continual reformations leading to thousands of recognizably distinct Christian denominations today. We further learn that “Protestantism” was a term first used by the Catholic Church, and not by the individuals protesting Rome’s monopoly dominance of Christian theology. The next myth that we wander into is that the Reformation (writ large for all the various reformations) was a religious rebellion of the masses. Here Rod points out that Europe was not deeply religious in the sense of being steeped in official Catholic doctrine, but rather was a mish-mash of popular Christianity, pagan rituals, and other non-Christian superstitions and rituals. The lower classes seldom attended religious services during the supposed “golden age” of Christianity, and when they did it was often raucous affairs, not the solemn worship services often depicted in paintings and literature. Social movements, he points out, are rarely ever spurred on by the poor, but rather by economic and cultural elites that have the time and motivations to organize collective action. We address the German Peasant’s War (sometimes Revolt) of 1524-25 as possible evidence of a popular religious uprising, but this was merely the one in a long string of sporadic peasant revolts against unfavorable economic conditions. Rod notes that the reason why some regions of Europe tended to “go Protestant” while others stayed Catholic had little to do with popular sentiment and more to do with elite politics and the economic position of princes to the Vatican in terms of debt owed. Poland is brought up as a curious case of a region that initially sided with Protestantism, but then returned to the Catholic fold. Rod further points out that Protestantism did not lead to an uptick in formalized religious worship, citing the work of a historian who actually took a census of church attendance and rolls during the 16th century.

The next issues that we tackle are not so much myths as they are misfortunes. Prof. Stark explains why he sees Protestantism as providing for the cultural and political conditions that gave rise to European nationalism, that had some beneficial aspects in coagulating states, but also led to a number of extremely vicious wars between rival geographies. Rod further notes that what the Protestant Reformation(s) did was really end Christendom, the spiritual language that kept Europe pieced together during some rather fragmented centuries, at least amongst the political elite. We then go on to discuss whether or not Christianity was the impetus behind the Scientific Revolution and, eventually, the Enlightenment. Rod corrects the record about the so-called Dark Ages in that there was still a great deal of scientific and technological progress that was occurring in the centuries prior to Luther, and that the seeds of capitalism were also sown and growing long before there could have been a Protestant Ethic. Rod explains that many of these notions were promoted by scholars who held an anti-Catholic agenda (e.g., Voltaire) and were uncritically accepted by scholars up to present day (although he also points out that many contemporary historians are setting the record straight). All this then leads us to consider the purported rise of individualism and secularization in the modern (post-18th century) era. Again, Rod emphasizes that Europe never really secularized because it always was relatively secular in terms of large numbers of people avoiding religious institutions, and what constitutes the notion of “individualism” today has always been around in some form.

We finish off with a brief discussion of one of Prof. Stark’s other recent books, Why God? Explaining Religious Phenomenon. His main critique here is that social scientists have typically approached religion as something that has nothing to do with God, citing the likes of Emile Durkheim who considered religion to be something other than an institutional connection to the transcendent or supernatural. Rod corrects the record by noting that scholars need to take the actual beliefs of the people they study seriously, and if they say they are creating organizations for the purpose of worshiping God, then that must might be what they are doing. He leaves us with some critical words of wisdom, which is always to be suspicious of the received wisdom. Recorded: August 21, 2017.

(Note: Prof. Stark has always been one of my informal academic mentors, and was a close neighbor of mine when he lived in Washington State. Following our formal interview, we had a nice chat about bears, bobcats, and coyotes in the area that I live. We shared a number of other “everyday stories.” It was a simple conversation, but a truly delightful one that should remind us about the importance of living one’s daily life.)

Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion.

Reformation Myths: Five Centuries of Misconceptions and (Some) Misfortunes, by Rodney Stark.

Why God? Explaining Religious Phenomenon, by Rodney Stark.

For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch Hunts, and the End of Slavery, by Rodney Stark.

Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History, by Rodney Stark.

The Triumph of Faith: Why the World Is More Religious than Ever, by Rodney Stark.

See Prof. Stark’s personal website (link above) or his Amazon author page for a full listing of titles.

RELATED PODCASTS

Protestant Reformation Series.

Emily Fisher Gray on Luther’s 95 Theses.

Rob Sorenson on Martin Luther’s Life.

Steven Pfaff on the World of 1517.

Marion Goldman on Martin Luther and Spiritual Virtuosity.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Faith.

Rodney Stark on How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part I.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part II.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part III.

Rodney Stark on the Crusades.

Steven Pfaff on the Protestant Reformation.

Russell Kleckley on Religion, Science, and Johannes Kepler.

Emily Fisher Gray on Luther’s 95 Theses

tonygill — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 08:00:54 +0000

On October 31, 2017, we will celebrate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s famous “95 Theses,” a list of various complaints and debating points about indulgences and the authority of the Vatican. No series on the Protestant Reformation would be complete without an examination of this momentous document. To dig into the themes of liberty and authority contained therein, and set the document in its historical context, we invite Prof. Emily Fisher Gray, an associate professo9r of history at Norwich University (Vermont). We start off chatting about plans to celebrate the quincentennial of the Reformation in a few months, and Prof. Gray informs us that some Europeans are gearing up for the event with a bus tour around Germany, collecting additional “theses” and calls for reform that they intend to present in Wittenberg at the end of October. We then move on to discuss Emily’s interest in the Reformation before setting up the “95 Theses” in their historical context. Dr. Gray notes that Martin Luther was not the first person to raise concerns about how the authority of the Church was being exercised. We discuss some earlier “proto-Protestants” such as John Wycliffe, Jan Hus, John of Paris, the Drummer of Niklashausen, and Savanarola. None of these authors caught fire the way Luther’s writings did (although Hus and Savanarola did catch fire another way). Emily explains this might be due to a number of factors such as the backwater location of Wittenberg combined with the availability of the printing press. Luther never likely intended or thought his challenges to the Church would be spread as far and wide as they were, but “go viral” they did (possibly making Luther the first “social media superstar”). Prof. Gray leads us through a number of the themes of the “95 Theses,” obviously paying some attention to Luther’s critique of indulgences and the doctrine of purgatory, but also several of the theses that dealt with the proper role of clerical authority. She even reads a couple of these theses to us, emphasizing how “punchy” Luther’s writing could be. Emily further points out that Luther was no fan of capitalism, or at least the financial classes, as he had harsh words not only for the “pardon merchants” (as he called the sellers of indulgences), but the banking infrastructure of Europe at the time as well. We follow through on some of Luther’s subsequent writings where he developed themes of liberty and authority, and trace this to the immediate consequences of “95 Theses” in the form of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1524. Luther himself was concerned by the serfs taking his words as a means to rebel against feudal authority and wrote harshly in response in his delightfully titled “Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes.” This allows us to delve into whether Luther’s thoughts inspired a change in the vision of secular authority within European society, and to what extent his writings inspired the continent’s secularization and the Enlightenment to come much later. Throughout the interview, Emily reminds us that Luther’s personality and rhetorical style was one of a brash populist, and he wasn’t afraid of telling fart jokes amongst his intellectual peers. We finish with Prof. Gray’s thoughts on whether or not the Reformation needed Luther. She argues that the need for reform was bubbling under the surface in Europe at the time, and had it not been Luther it would have likely been somebody else who took up the mantle of reform. Emily also reflects upon what she has learned throughout the course of her studies. Her most prominent realization was that when people are left to their own devices, they are amazingly good at mitigating conflict and learning to live with one another. Recorded: August 2, 2017.

“The 95 Theses,” by Martin Luther.

Dictatus Papae, by Pope Gregory VII.

Unam Sanctam, by Pope Boniface VIII.

“To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation,” by Martin Luther.

“The Freedom of a Christian,” by Martin Luther.

“Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes,” by Martin Luther.

Martin Luther Insult Generator (mentioned on podcast).

RELATED PODCASTS

The Protestant Reformation Series (set of podcasts).

Rob Sorenson on Martin Luther’s Life.

Steven Pfaff on the World of 1517.

Marion Goldman on Martin Luther and Spiritual Virtuosity.

Steven Pfaff on the Protestant Reformation

Oliver Crisp on Calvin and Reformed Theology

Rod Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part II

Rob Sorensen on Martin Luther’s Life

tonygill — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 08:00:21 +0000

As this year marks the quincentennial of the Protestant Reformation, we take a closer look at the life of Martin Luther, the Augustinian monk who got the ball rolling. Rob Sorensen, a high school instructor at The Bear Creek School and PhD candidate at Faulkner University, joins us to talk about Luther, the man, based off his own book Martin Luther and the German Reformation, a superb summary of the “accidental reformer’s” life from Anthem Press. Our conversation begins, as usual, with a little background of the guest himself discovering how he became interested in Martin Luther and ended up writing a book on this historical figure. We then plunge into Luther’s life going back to his parents’ background. While Luther himself claimed he grew up within a peasant family, his father was a manager of mines and his mother came from a family that had a number of professionals within it, making Martin more middle class (for the time) than the typical image of a feudal agrarian serf. We chat about why Luther wanted to emphasize this point in his background, and Rob notes that this most likely due to Martin’s desire to show that he was not granted anything by birth, but earned his place. The discussion turns to Luther’s strict father and educational upbringing, and how he was put on a professional track to become a lawyer but was diverted to the life of a religious monk in his early 20s. Rob tells the story of how Martin promised God that he would go into a religious profession if He saved him from a lightning storm, the event that turn him to the Augustinians. We examine Luther’s intellectual and spiritual life, covering his training in nominalism as well as his obsession with trying to prove himself worthy within God’s eyes. Again, Rob regales us with a vivid story of a Luther who would be consistently confessing his sins, no matter how minor, to the point where one of his mentors — Johan von Staupitz — finally told him to go out and commit a real sin before taking confession again. We follow Martin’s intellectual journey through the Augustinians, to Wittenberg University, his “table talk” with students, and then into the throes of the indulgence controversy which he provokes. Rob explains the nature of the controversy and why the Castle Church of Wittenberg was chosen as compared to the local parish church. We briefly chat about Luther’s last two decades including a rather interesting story of how he came to be married, a story that reveals Luther was a rescuer of reluctant nuns and a matchmaker. The interview finishes with Rob’s thoughts on what he learned through the process of studying Luther and foreshadows what is to come with his dissertation on Christopher Dawson’s reflections on the Protestant Reformation. Recorded: June 30, 2017.

RELATED LINKS

Rob Sorensen’s bio (and haircut story) at The Bear Creek School.

Martin Luther and the German Reformation, by Rob Sorensen.

The Table Talk of Martin Luther, edited by Thomas Kepler (mentioned in podcast).

Faulkner University (where Mr. Sorensen is completing his PhD dissertation).

RELATED PODCASTS

Steven Pfaff on the World of 1517 (Protestant Reformation Series)

Marion Goldman on Martin Luther & Spiritual Virtuosity (Protestant Reformation Series)

Steven Pfaff on the Protestant Reformation

Oliver Crisp on Calvin and Reformed Theology

Rod Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part II

Jason Jewell on Why Christians Should Read the “Great Books”

Jason Jewell on John Locke and Religious Toleration

Steven Pfaff on the World of 1517

tonygill — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 08:00:26 +0000

Martin Luther’s theological challenge to the Catholic Church that began with an inauspicious posting of 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral set off a major schismatic movement within Christianity that still reverberates to this day. And yet, there were many “reformers” who had come before Luther that didn’t have the same impact as he did in the early decades of the 16th century. Dr. Steven Pfaff, professor of sociology at the University of Washington, joins us for the second installment in our Protestant Reformation Series to review what European society looked like in the century leading up to the events of 1517. Prof. Pfaff discusses the state-of-the-art social science research on the economic, political, and social changes that were washing over the continent in the late medieval period. We begin first with the political and economic trends of the 15th century. Europe remained largely an agrarian society, but new advances in mining and incipient manufacturing were giving rise to new independent cities and the rise of a new middle class based upon the success of craft guilds and expanding trade routes. Princes were becoming more powerful in certain areas, more universities were being created, and literacy was beginning to spread. While all of these changes look small by today’s standards, they were reshaping the landscape upon which religious change would play out. Prof. Pfaff details a number of developments within the institutional Catholic Church that, to many, looked venal. We cover the expanding trade and monetization of indulgences, the commercialization of pilgrimages, the expanding veneration of saints, and the practice of simony (i.e., the sale of religious offices). Both Steve and Tony note that many of these institutional innovations were part and parcel of the need for a large hierarchical organization to fund and hold itself together in a Europe that was increasingly fragmented during the early and middle medieval period. Social Scientists must be careful in looking back at history with 21st century norms and values, and instead place oneself within the often difficult situations faced by clergy and bishops in centuries gone by. Prof. Pfaff then examines how this variety of social change allowed a particular moment to become a movement. He reminds us that structural conditions alone do not a revolution make, and that many statistical analyses of such factors overlook the relational nature (e.g., interpersonal networks) of social movements. Luther had at his disposal not only the printing press, but a cadre of dedicated students who were motivated to press for reform and schism. Steve also shares his interesting and updated findings about how the Hanseatic League — a dense network of trading partners in central and western Europe — helped to provide a conduit for Reform ideas. Finally, Prof. Pfaff shares what he thinks is the biggest lesson from this historical era, one that still resonates strongly today. Recorded: May 10, 2017.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Steven Pfaff’s bio at the Dept. of Sociology, University of Washington.

The Spiritual Virtuoso: Personal Faith and Social Transformation, by Marion Goldman and Steven Pfaff (pre-orders available).

Exit-Voice Dynamics and the Collapse of East Germany: The Crisis of Leninism and the Revolution of 1989, by Steven Pfaff.

The Institute for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Society (Chapman University) – graduate student workshop opportunities.

Sacred Trust: The Medieval Church as an Economic Firm, by Robert Ekelund, et al. (mentioned in podcast).

Brand Luther, by Andrew Pettegree (mentioned in podcast).

The 95 Theses, by Martin Luther (mentioned in podcast).

Sermon on Indulgences and Grace, by Martin Luther (mentioned in podcast).

RELATED PODCASTS

Marion Goldman on Martin Luther & Spiritual Virtuosity (Protestant Reformation Series)

Steven Pfaff on the Protestant Reformation (one of our very first recorded episodes!)

Steven Pfaff on Denominationalism, Sin, and Other Stuff.

Oliver Crisp on Calvin and Reformed Theology.

Rod Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part II.

Russell Kleckley on Religion, Science, and Kepler.

Gary Richardson on Religion & Craft Guilds in the Middle Ages.

Marion Goldman on Martin Luther and Spiritual Virtuosity

tonygill — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 08:00:06 +0000

What made Martin Luther such a critical figure in Christian (and world) history? Prof. Marion Goldman, a professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Oregon and scholar-in-residence at Portland State University, explains that Luther was a unique “spiritual virtuoso.” Reviewing her book The Spiritual Virtuoso (co-authored with Steven Pfaff), she defines a “spiritual virtuoso” as an individual who is intensely focused on sanctification, a reluctant leaders, and yet someone who still inspires others within a social movement. Building upon the thought of Max Weber, but differentiating this concept from that famous sociologist, Mimi argues that the concept of “virtuoso” and “virtuoso activism” is different than charisma. The virtuosi tend to be more humble in their personality and instead of building a movement centered around them are more concerned about sharing the process of transformation with others. We turn to a synopsis of Martin Luther’s life using this conceptual framework as a guide. Luther came from a relatively privileged family but became obsessed with the concept of sin and purification early in his life, joining an Augustinian monastery and involving himself in tortuous rituals of repentance. Coming under the mentorship of Johann von Staupitz, Luther’s life takes a more academic turn and he begins a career as a theology professor at Wittenberg University, a lesser known school out in the “Siberia” of The Academy. Protected and sponsored by Prince Frederick III (Elector of Saxony), Luther’s teaching and scholarship flourished. Mimi and I discuss how virtuosos often inhabit a “fringe” space just outside the mainstream of intellectual or artistic life, different from the prevailing zeitgeist but still accepted within the normal flow of society. We follow Luther’s career through his conflict with the Catholic Church and to the Diet of Worms and beyond, examining how Luther struggled to inspire and lead a movement he unexpectedly created. Some of this struggle came through trying to balance the creative destruction of spiritual virtuosity and the need for orderly societal institutions. Prof. Goldman also lists a number of historical conditions that allowed this “virtuoso activism” to succeed, including economic growth, increasing social and geographic mobility, and the printing press. We then discuss how two other movements — the Abolitionist Movement and computer revolution — were inspired by similar virtuosi including Sarah Grimke, Theodore Weld, and Steve Jobs. A great deal is revealed about Jobs’ own connection to the Human Potential Movement, a spiritual revival making its way around California and Oregon in the 1960s and ’70s. Mimi ends the interview with some of her personal reflections on what she has learned through the process of studying Luther and other virtuosi. Recorded: April 25, 2017.

Please note that during the podcast Tony refers to the forthcoming book as Spiritual Virtuosity. The actual title appearing for pre-order is The Spiritual Virtuoso.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Marion Goldman’s bio at the Department of Sociology, University of Oregon.

The Spiritual Virtuoso: Seeking Sanctification, Remaking the World, by Marion Goldman and Steven Pfaff (pre-order copies available).

The American Soul Rush: Esalen and the Rise of Spiritual Privilege, by Marion Goldman.

Passionate Journeys: Why Successful Women Joined a Cult, by Marion Goldman.

Gold Diggers and Silver Miners: Prostitution and Social Life on the Comstock Lode, by Marion Goldman.

RELATED PODCASTS

Steve Pfaff on the Protestant Reformation.

Oliver Crisp on Calvin and Reformed Theology.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part II.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part III.

Russell Kleckley on Religion, Science, and Johannes Kepler.