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As ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other radical forms of political Islam take center stage in the news and policy circles, can we learn anything about the broad-based movement known as Islamism from the history of Europe? Prof. John Owen IV discusses how the West has dealt with its own radical ideological struggles and the parallels we can draw to the present situation in the Middle East and North Africa. Does a Scottish rebellion in the 1560s have anything worth informing us about the Taliban? Find out!

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Why would a Presbyterian who spent time in the ministry decide to convert to Catholicism? With a number of high-profile individuals making the same choice, we discuss this journey with Jim Tonkowich, former president of the Institute on Religion & Democracy. This interesting life story is peppered with sociological insights into church authority and structure, and the state of our religious environment today.

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What is it like to be Mormon and political in the United States? We invite Prof. David Campbell (Notre Dame) and Prof. Quin Monson (BYU) to discuss why members of the Latter Day Saints are considered a “peculiar people” (a term adopted from the Old Testament) and how this has affected their political affiliation and attitudes on a variety of issues. Both scholars also share their own perspectives growing up Mormon and how being a religious minority can affect one’s identity.

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Of all the countries in the world, why would anyone consider North Korea a territory for Christian evangelization? With one of the most repressive and atheistic regimes, that thrives on a cult of personality of its founding leaders, this would not seem to be fertile ground. Darren Slade discusses the political and religious background of this communist nation and what missionizing strategies have been employed in an environment that is extremely hostile to Christianity.

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In light of the recent victories in favor of same-sex marriage across the US, is there any future for the Religious Right? Prof. Hunter Baker of Union University reviews the history of this (mostly) Christian conservative movement, focusing on some of the lesser-known intellectuals underlying the movement’s early years including Carl F.H. Henry, Frances Schaeffer, and Chuck Colson. He then identifies the peak of the movement at about 2005 and discusses the generational shift happening within the Religious Right and what shape it will take in the near future. Hunter reveals his take on whether right-wing evangelicals need to take a “season of silence” or not as he discusses the work of Jonathan Malesic and James Davison Hunter.

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We take a short break and issue a big thanks to all the folks who have helped make this podcast series a success.

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One of the most distinctive and recognizable Christian groups in the United States are the Amish. But how much do we really know about this group? Prof. Don Kraybill, a noted scholar on Old Order Mennonites and Anabaptists, provides us with a historical background of the Amish and the related “horse and buggy” Mennonites. We also discuss their theology, ethnic/cultural practices, demographics, and economics. Along the way, we explode many of the myths and stereotypes in this wonderfully comprehensive interview.

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Was Ezekiel’s Wheel in the Old Testament really a spaceship? Were the lines on a Peruvian plateau a landing strip for ancient astronauts? Did extraterrestial beings give us the ability to nuke one another? And how did the Egyptians get those last few stones on the top of the pyramids if not by some super high-tech flying saucer? Chris White, producer of the film “Ancient Aliens Debunked,” joins us for our special Halloween episode to talk about these, and several more mysteries.

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Tony’s son, Victor, guest hosts this week’s show to explain why there isn’t a show this week. He explains that a new episode will air next week, though. Even Walter Cronkite needed a break!

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Why and how do religious groups motivate generosity? We visit with Prof. Carolyn Warner (ASU) who is involved in a multi-national, cross-faith, and interdisciplinary investigation exploring why religious individuals give money and volunteer time to help others. As part of a larger team of scholars, she has conducted interviews with Catholics and Muslims in France, Ireland, Italy, and Turkey using both person-to-person interviews and an experimental design to see if there are differences across these to faith traditions. She and her team discover that Catholics tend to be motivated by “love of God” whereas Muslims are moved to give out of a “duty to God.” This sheds light on whether organizations need to provide close monitoring and sanctioning of volunteer behavior or whether individuals can be counted to be generous on their own.

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