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Robert Joustra on Zombies, Cylons, Charles Taylor, and the Apocalypse

tonygill — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 08:00:13 +0000

It is the end of the world as we know it! Actually, when hasn’t it been the end of the world as we know it?! That is the question that motivates a fascinating new book looking at the world going to hell. Dr. Robert Joustra, an associate professor of international relations at Redeemer University College (Canada), calls in to talk about the book he co-authored with Prof. Alissa Wilkinson (King’s College) entitled How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse: Zombies, Cylons, Faith, and Politics at the End of the World. This is a fascinating work that employs the thinking of political philosopher Charles Taylor (also Canada) to understand how we have come to terms with the coming apocalypse through the ages. While reviewing the history of the apocalypse — because it always has been coming as long as there have been humans around — we spend most of our time talking about recent apocalyptic movies, television series, and literature, including Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead, The Hunger Games, and – of course – Mad Men! As Jerry Garcia would agree, this is one long, strange trip.

Prof. Joustra kicks us off by indicating that he might go trick-or-treating as Martin Luther on Reformation Day, but then we settle things down to the more serious issue of looking at the history of the apocalypse. We start with Revelation in the Christian Bible, but also acknowledge that the ancient Greeks had their own visions of the end. Indeed, the end of the world has always been coming and it actually serves to help us understand our contemporary times, including such desperate eras as the age of medieval plagues, Mongol invasions, and the threat of nuclear war. Robert notes that something interesting has happened in the past century or so, and that has been a turn to viewing the apocalypse as something humans bring upon themselves through their own actions rather than something visited upon all of us from “on high.” This insight comes by way of Charles Taylor, who penned the monumental book The Secular Age. Robert explains how he and Prof. Wilkinson were able to filter his thinking through a wide variety of popular culture movies and get their work published at Eerdmans, the purveyors of fine spiritual books.

We review the thinking of Charles Taylor and his concern over the “malaise of modernity” (the title of one of his other books, though published under a different title in the U.S.). Robert reveals how Taylor points out three “pathologies” of our contemporary age that include being adrift in the cosmos, making efficiency king of all goals, and the paradox of freedom’s double bind. Battlestar Galactica illustrates the first pathology and Robert lays out the plotline of that television series (both the old and new), showing how the robotic Cylons that humans created want to destroy the human race but simultaneously cannot live without the humanity instilled in us. The move Her, a story of a man who falls in love with a disembodied artificial intelligence, also harkens to this theme, which leads Tony to point out how he and Matthew Moore talked about artificial intelligence and the Robopocalypse via Buddhism a few months back (see below for a link to this incredible discussion). We jump forward to talk about the third pathology of malaise — the paradox of freedom — in relation to zombies (The Walking Dead) and The Hunger Games. All throughout this conversation, Robert isn’t simply satisfied with laying out the comic book version of these stories for Tony, but he drops important names such as St. Francis of Assisi and Thucydides connecting what Tony thought was the totally un-connectable. We go through the third theme of Taylor’s “malaise of modernity” with reference to television shows that at first glance do not appear apocalyptic, namely Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and House of Cards. (Tony admits to not watching any of these series given that he prefers happy endings, which prompts Dr. Joustra to cite G.K. Chesterton!) All of these shows, Prof. Joustra argues, talk about “end times” in terms of the transformation of humans into something other than the ethical beings they were meant to be — a radical individualism and desire for efficiency gone awry. Robert concludes the podcast with his own thoughts about what he learned throughout the process of writing this book. Recorded: October 16, 2017.

Prof. Robert Joustra’s personal web page.

How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse: Zombies, Cylons, Faith, and Politics at the End of the World, by Robert Joustra and Alissa Wilkinson.

The Religious Problem with Religious Freedom, by Robert Joustra.

God and Global Order: The Power of Religion in American Foreign Policy, by Jonathan Chaplin and Robert Joustra.

The Church and Religious Persecution, by Kevin den Dulk and Robert Joustra.

The Secular Age, by Charles Taylor.

The Ethics of Authenticity (a.k.a. The Malaise of Modernity), by Charles Taylor.

RELATED LINKS

Our Halloween Episodes (including zombies, Bigfoot, ghosts, UFOs, monsters, ancient aliens, and many other tricks and treats).

Matthew Moore on Buddhism, Meditating Machines, and the Robopocalypse.

Jim Papandrea on the Catholicism of Early Christianity

tonygill — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 09:00:09 +0000

Protestants have often accused the Roman Catholic Church of “adding on” a great many traditions, rituals, and theological components that were not part of early Christianity. Prof. Jim Papandrea, an associate professor of Church history at the Garrett-Evangelical Seminary (Northwestern University), takes these ideas to task by showing that early Christianity and Catholicism are very much in sync with one another. We begin our discussion by proving the role of “tradition” in early Christianity. Prof. Papandrea makes the case that tradition — the means of passing on knowledge throughout the ages — was important from the very birth of Christianity and was essential in the writing of the Bible. He talks about the need for authority and unity in teaching Church doctrine and how this lends itself to hierarchy. To illustrate this, Jim puts forth the life of Irenaeus, the Heretic Hunter (as he calls him). We then move on to a number of other topics that often divide Protestants and Catholics, such as the role of faith and good works, and the need for the papacy. As for the latter, Jim makes the case that true Catholics have never believed that you can earn your way into heaven via “good works,” nor have they denied the importance of salvation by personal faith, but rather he argues that doing good deeds is a means of ensuring one does not fall into a sinful lifestyle. He argues that baptism allows one to get a “clean slate,” but does not guarantee a free ride to salvation. Here he uses Clement of Alexandria to illustrate the proper understanding of alms-giving, penance, and salvation. Jim then reaffirms what was noted earlier in the podcast when it comes to the papacy, and that is the important role of a unifying hierarchy to preserve the faith. This leads to an interesting discussion of Eastern Orthodoxy and congregational Protestantism. He calls up Leo the Great to make his point about the importance of having a unified faith. We also examine the veneration of the saints, a practice that many Protestants see as idolatry. Much like our previous guest Brian O’Neel, Jim notes that this isn’t idolatry, but rather a means of devotion and intercession, as well as being an instructive way to live out one’s Christian faith. He makes an interesting analogy as to how honoring the saints helps us connect with “The Cloud” (of past Church history). St. Augustine comes into play here as the exemplar Church Father illustrating this point (and Tony notes that Augustine was also the “Hammer of the Donatists”). We finish off with Jim’s seven major “essential connections” between Catholics and Protestants. Throughout the conversation, we discuss the importance of ecumenism, and given the friendship Jim and Tony have had going back to high school, and that each individual has converted faiths in opposite directions, this was a lesson that was well received by both. Recorded: February 10, 2017.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Jim Papandrea’s personal website and bio at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary (Northwestern University).

Jim Papandrea on YouTube and Twitter. (RoR is also on Twitter!)

Handed Down: The Catholic Faith of Early Christians, by James Papandrea.

Seven Revolutions: How Christianity Changed the World and Can Change It Again, by Mike Aquilina and James Papandrea.

Reading the Early Church Fathers, by James Papandrea.

Rome: A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Eternal City, by James Papandrea (and Romesick Photography, a companion site).

The Earliest Christologies, by James Papandrea.

The Wedding of the Lamb: A Historical Approach to the Book of Revelation, by James Papandrea.

Novatian of Rome and the Culmination of Pre-Nicene Orthodoxy, by James Papandrea.

RELATED PODCASTS

Jim Papandrea on Christianity’s Seven Revolutions.

Jim Papandrea on the End of the World and Revelation.

Jim Papandrea on the Church Fathers and Patristic Exegesis.

Tim Kelleher on the Nicene Creed and Hollywood.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of February.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of January.

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

Brandon O’Brien on Paul Behaving Badly.

Michael Licona on the Historiography of the Resurrection.

Jim Tonkowich on Converting to Catholicism.

Sarah Bond on the Church & Funerals in Late Antiquity (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 15:32:48 +0000

(The following is an encore presentation of an earlier podcast. The RoR staff is taking a short break and we will be back shortly with more crescent fresh episodes!)

It has been said that the only thing certain in life are death and taxes. If that is the case, then Dr. Sarah Bond — assistant professor of history at Marquette University — has discovered a very interesting topic for research. Prof. Bond examines the changes to the funeral industry that occured in the Late Antiquity portion of the Roman Empire resulting from Constantine’s Edict of Milan. Through the course of this interview, we find out that workers in the “death industry” received some pretty sweet tax exemptions for their service. And this wasn’t the only noteworthy item about the lives of what Sarah refers to as “disreputable workers.”

We begin with a discussion of Sarah’s general work on “disreputable professions” in ancient times, and she defines what this term means — careers in occupations that most people find distasteful and whose workers tend to remain “invisible,” yet critically important, to society. Funeral workers are the classic example of such a profession given that their contact with the deceased (who often die in violent or vile ways) conveys a sense of “death pollution” on them. Sarah notes that in pagan times, funeral workers were required to live outside of the city walls and would only be allowed into the city under the cover of dark to retrieve bodies. We discuss several of the other traditions associated with death at the time, including the preference for cremation over inhumation (i.e., burial).

With the rise of Emperor Constantine (and his co-Emperor Licinius in the East), things begin to change. The Edict of Milan puts Christianity on an equal footing as pagan religions, and soon thereafter the Church begins to see a flood of state financial support. Being a bishop now conveys more political and economic power in the Empire, and with it come changes in how the funeral industry operates. Sarah discusses how stronger patron-client relationships between bishops and funeral workers emerge, and how these funeral workers were often employed as personal “gangs” or “para-militaries” for the Church hierarchs. Some of the stories are incredible! Along the way, we also are given a sense for who is all involved in the funeral process, including paid mourners. Sarah teaches Tony a number of very cool Latin words. Prof. Bond also talks about the Cult of the Saints, and how the desire by wealthy people to be buried near a Christian saint, and the general lack of burial space (a scarce commodity), led to a great deal of corruption. Tony, ever the political economists, points out that this is an excellent example of rent-seeking behavior wherein a small group with coercive power controls access to a scarce resource and can extract all sorts of additional income and favors in exchange for that access.

Dr. Bond concludes our podcast with her reflections on what the study of the death industry and other “disreputable professions” in Late Antiquity can teach us about our current conditions. While the institutions of funeral services have changed over time, she notes that we still have certain cultural visions about people who provide these valuable services to society. Tell your friends about this truly fascinating discussion as it has valuted upwards to become one of Tony’s favorite podcasts over the course of 170 other interviews. Please connect with us via our Facebook Fan Page for regular updates. Recorded: October 3, 2013.

RELATED LINKS

Sarah Bond’s webpage at Marquette University.

RELATED PODCASTS

Gary Laderman on Resting in Peace: The Death Industry in American History.

Jim Papandrea on the Church Fathers and Patristic Exegisis.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part I.

Brian O’Neel on Saint Who?

Davis Brown on Just War Theory

tonygill — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 08:00:07 +0000

What is just war theory and how can it relate to tort law? What is the doctrine of proportionality? And how do all these concepts apply to various conflicts including the Iraq invasion of Kuwait, Russia’s involvement its surrounding nations, and the Pig War of 1859? Dr. Davis Brown, an assistant professor of political science at Maryville University, answers these questions and more as he takes us on a tour of the just war doctrine from its inception with the Early Church Fathers to its application in some recent conflicts. As a trained lawyer with experience in the US Air Force, Davis provides a unique perspective on a topic that has occupied the minds of some of history’s greatest religious thinkers.

We begin the interview with some background on Prof. Brown himself. He explains what he did as a judge advocate general (JAG) in the military, noting that it really wasn’t all flying in outer space and trying to apprehend bad guys like on television. Instead, he explains how various military actions are run past military lawyers to ensure they correspond with international and domestic US law. Davis then details his reasons for moving into the world of academia.

Following this brief biographical discussion, we move into the origins of just war theory. Prof. Brown notes that while Jesus did have things to say about conflict, it was Paul who begins the discussion of how political entities should conduct themselves with respect to their citizenry and other nations. He then jumps forward to the role that Augustine of Hippo played in formulating the doctrine of just war. Where the intellectual advance in these ideas next occurs is with Thomas Aquinas, who lays out three basic principles for a war to be just: 1) proper authority; 2) just cause; and 3) right intent. Davis discusses the dimensions of these three components with some reference to our contemporary world wherein some wars are being waged by “stateless entities” making it difficult to determine “proper authority.” He then takes us to the early 17th century and the thinking of Francisco Suarez, a Spanish Jesuit who tweaks Aquinas’s second feature of just war (just cause) and introduces the concept of proportionality. Suarez also advances the concept of “right intent” to talk about “right manner,” the means in which a conflict is conducted. Tony learns about a few Latin terms and their meaning, most notably jus ad bellum and jus in bellum. Davis also outlines some of the other advances in just war theory at this time, including the introduction of “reasonable prospect of success” and “means of last resort.” We discuss some of the historical context of this thinking and note that the interest in just war theory diminishes during the era of absolutist monarchies (17th through the 19th century), to be revived again following World War I.

Davis then adds his own intellectual take on just war theory by expounding upon tort law. He explains what tort law is and how it is applicable to international law and the specific topic of warfare. There exist four key elements that must be satisfied for a tort claim to have solid standing: 1) duty to another; 2) breach of contract; 3) causation; and 4) existence of damages. Davis shows how each of these works first with reference to ye olde “rat in the soup” problem that might lead to a tort claim in a restaurant, and then with respect to the decision of going to war. We talk a bit about enforcement at this point and what role the United Nations has played (or not played) with respect to arbitrating just war decisions. Tony then presents Davis with a number of recent conflicts and asks him to evaluate each in light of his understanding of the just war doctrine (and in the framework of tort law). We review the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Russian incursions into Georgia and Ukraine, and the 1978 invasion of Cambodia by Vietnam. To top it all off, Tony mentions the Pig War of 1859 involving a dispute over the San Juan Islands and surrounding waterways in the Pacific Northwest. He lays out this little-known conflict between the US and Great Britain and Davis then notes that this might be the first empirical case of “invincible ignorance” within just war theory he has encountered, and he explains what that all means. We finish up with some reflections on what Prof. Brown has learned over the course of his career as a JAG and an academic specifically studying religion and conflict. Recorded: August 6, 2015.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Davis Brown’s profile at Maryville University.

The Sword, the Cross, and the Eagle: The American Just War Tradition, by Davis Brown.

The Just War Tradition: Applying Old Ethics to New Problems, edited by Davis Brown and Henrik Syse.

Religious Characteristics of States Data Set, compiled by Davis Brown.

The Association of Religious Data Archives.

Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations, by Michael Walzer (mentioned on podcast).

War and the Christian Conscience, by Paul Ramsey and John Hallowell (mentioned on podcast).

RELATED PODCASTS

Ron Mock on Pacifism, War, and Terrorism.

Sean Scott on Religious Rhetoric and the US Civil War.

Should Christians Have Fought in the American War for Independence?

Andre Molle on Spirituality and the Martial Arts.

Thomas Farr on Religion, Religious Liberty, and U.S. Foreign Policy.

William Inboden on Religious Liberty, Foreign Policy, & the Arab Spring.

John Owen IV on Confronting Political Islam.

Michael Foley on Religion and Booze

tonygill — Sun, 03 May 2015 08:00:35 +0000

How do you take your religion — straight up or on the rocks? Either way, it is time to get your drink on with this out-of-the-ordinary podcast. We talk with Prof. Michael P. Foley of Baylor University’s Great Texts Program about his new book Drinking with the Saints: A Sinner’s Guide to a Holy Happy Hour. We cover a wide range of topics from the history of alcohol in the Bible to some brand new cocktail recipes. This interview is filled with fun facts, spiritual insights, and a wide variety of other surprises, a perfect pairing with whatever you might be drinking at the moment! (Visit our Facebook page for a few of Prof. Foley’s original recipes.)

We begin by asking Prof. Foley how he came to write such a book and he shares how alcohol when consumed in moderation can be a very pleasing experience and is often associated with great fellowship. Michael cautions us that this is not a book on debauchery, but rather is a way to savor the fine things in life and learn about the connection between alcohol and religion. He jumps into a number of “fun facts” about this relationship, noting how alcohol was rather important in bygone eras because it was an important alternative to drinking water that often contained many pathogens. He then reviews some of the places where alcohol can be found in The Bible, starting in the Old Testament with Noah. Fan of bar trivia will be thrilled with a number of other interesting references he makes between religion and booze throughout the ages, including the role of Trapist monks in brewing beer, Irish missionaries and their introduction of whiskey to Scotland, a magical liqueur, and the story of how one member of the clergy announced his invention of champagne. Tony becomes dismayed by the lack of rum in religious history, but his faith is rekindled by a mention of a “Mexican eggnog” (rompope).

A quote from G.K. Chesterton helps to transition us to a brief discussion on Prohibition, and Prof. Foley discusses why this movement may have become to be associated with evangelical religion, and possibly a few anti-Catholic sentiments. From that point, we move to the alcohols of the liturgical calendar. Starting with Advent, working through Christmas and then through Easter, we cover some of the favorite adult beverages associated with these celebrations. Along the way, we learn a bit about Fat Tuesday and Lent, and how abstaining from alcohol was not necessarily the historical thing to give up during the latter religious season. Indeed, Michael tells the story of how beer — particularly a dopplebock — became connected to Lent given its “nutritional” qualities. We learn about a more contemporary experiment in getting through Lent on beer, and beer alone. Easter and the Pentecost, we discover, are not particularly associated with any specific drink.

Next, we take a look at how some saints have been affiliated with certain drinks and, with a tip of the hat to RoR regular guest Brian O’Neel, we review some of the Catholic saints of May. It is at this point where Michael begins to reveal some of his own personal recipes that can be found in his book, several of which are named after saints. He explains how he came about choosing the ingredients of these drinks based upon the lives of these religious personalities. Moreover, Tony learns the difference between a mixed drink and a cocktail, and the rules that differentiate them. Michael also shares his fondness for shaking cocktails, as opposed to stirring, and why chards of chipped ice add to the pleasure of various beverages. Listen to his secret recipes or visit us at Facebook for the ingredient list, perhaps taking a sip or two while listening to this podcast!

Our interview finishes off with some final reflections about what Michael has learned from his process of researching and writing this book. Recorded: April 20, 2015.

Drinking with the Saints website (with a blog, Instagram, and other cool stuff).

Drinking with the Saints: The Sinner’s Guide to Holy Happy Hour, by Michael P. Foley (at Amazon.com)

Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Friday?: The Catholic Origin to Just About Everything, by Michael P. Foley.

Wedding Rites: The Complete Guide to Traditional Vows, Music, Ceremonies, Blessings, and Interfaith Services, by Michael P. Foley.

Confessions, by St. Augustine (with commentary by Michael P. Foley).

RELATED PODCASTS

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of February.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of January.

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

David Dixon on Religious Rhetoric and the Civil Right Movement

tonygill — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 08:00:27 +0000

It is well known that the U.S. Civil Rights Movement of the mid-20th century had a strong religious character to it, with individuals such as Rev. Martin Luther King playing a prominent role and with churches being the locus of organization. How far does the influence of religion extend, though? Prof. David Dixon, professor of political science at St. Joseph’s College, discusses a major undertaking the he and his colleague Davis Houck have been working on in documenting the amazing breadth of religious influence in that social movement. Both Prof. Dixon and Prof. Houck have spent countless hours sifting through audio and video archives looking at how religious rhetoric was used broadly in the fight for African American civil rights.

Dave begins the podcast detailing how this project came about, a particularly interesting story given that he specializes in Latin America and not mid-20th century U.S. history. He also tells the enormous effort he has put forth to locate rather obscure sermons and other speeches from individuals who are not household names. The discussion about the methodological issues surrounding this project are fascinating, including commentary about how he and his colleague had to track down the survivors of the Civil Rights Movement or their children in order to get permission to publish some of these transcripts.

We then take our discussion into some of the content that Dave has uncovered. He notes how the rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement reflected a growing confidence between 1954 and 1965 (the boundaries of their study). We also review some of the common themes that crop up, including references to the books of Exodus and Amos in the Old Testament. There are other interesting observations that Dave makes, including the importance of missionary movements in Africa and how it was difficult for many pastors to preach the liberating effects of Christianity to Africans only to bring some of their leaders back to the United States and have those individual experience various forms of segregation and oppression. Dave then recounts some of his favorite sermons from his two volume collection (plus an additional one on women in the Civil Rights Movement), noting how all forms of rhetoric from anger to humor were used to make salient points to diverse audiences.

We finish the podcast with some miscelleneous thoughts about how this project dovetails with Dave’s work on Latin America. He notes the various themes of liberation that are common between the two areas of research. He also has some reflections upon Pope Francis and how all of this might be related. The interview is peppered throughout with personal stories, making this a deeply personal interview. Recorded: March 7, 2014.

Rhetoric, Religion, and the Civil Rights Movement 1954-1965, Volume 1 and Volume 2, by Davis W. Houck and David E. Dixon.

Women and the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1965, by Davis W. Houck and David E. Dixon.

Zarytheus, a public access journal run by David Dixon and mentioned on the podcast.

RELATED PODCASTS

Darin Mather on Evangelicals and Racial Attitudes.

Merisa Davis on Bill Cosby, Religion, and African American Churches.

Sarah Bond on the Church and Funerals in Late Antiquity

tonygill — Sun, 06 Oct 2013 08:00:56 +0000

RELATED LINKS

Sarah Bond’s webpage at Marquette University.

RELATED PODCASTS

Jim Papandrea on the Church Fathers and Patristic Exegisis.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part I.

Brian O’Neel on Saint Who?

Michael McClymond on Jonathan Edwards

tonygill — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 08:00:07 +0000

Greetings to Real Clear Religion visitors. Please check out our archives for over 100 other free podcasts and “like” our Facebook Fan Page for weekly updates about guests and topics. And feel free to leave suggestions for topics and guests at our Facebook fan page.

Jonathan Edwards is often considered one of the greatest theologians in US history. Prof. Michael McClymond — professor of theological studies at St. Louis University — reviews the fascinating life and times of Rev. Edwards. But first, Michael explains how he himself moved from earning a degree in chemistry at Northwestern University to becoming a scholar of 18th century religious thought. His answer not only gives insight into his interesting career path, but also sheds light on Jonathan Edwards who was also interested in both the natural and supernatural worlds. Prof. McClymond then corrects Tony’s (rather redneck) pronunciation of “contemplative” and explains how this factors into Edwards’ life and general temperament. After this, we move back to the beginning of Jonathan Edwards’ life and talk about his upbringing, early education at Yale, and his conversion experience that set him down the path of preaching. Our conversation then follows various periods and turning points in Edwards’ life and how his theological thinking changed or evolved throughout each period. We start with his stint at the Northampton Church where his famous grandfather, Solomon Stoddard, preached. The role of religious revivals — both how Edwards inspired one and how he thought about its progression — factors importantly in this era. Not only was Edwards encouraged by how faith can motivate people to change their lives, but he was also profoundly affected by how quickly such movements can dissipate. Michael then guides us through the “ethical-rogorist,” “ecclesial-sacramental” and “Calvinistic-controversial” turns in Rev. Edwards’ life, devoting attention to how such a renown preacher and thinker was exiled from his ministry after 23 years. This exile then issues in yet another important phase for Edwards, the “cultural-historical” turn wherein his contact with Native Americans prompts his interest in non-Christian religious traditions. Our podcast ends with the death of Edwards shortly after accepting the presidency of Princeton (or The College of New Jersey as it was called then). Prof. McClymond then reflects on the historical importance of Edwards and how he is being rediscovered today as we gain access to his voluminous private writings that remained out of public sight during his life. Recorded: July 10, 2012.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Michael McClymond’s biography at St. Louis University.

The Theology of Jonathan Edwards, by Michael J. McClymond and Gerald R. McDermott.

Encounters with God: An Approach to the Theology of Jonathan Edwards, by Michael J. McClymond.

Embodying the Spirit: New Perspectives on North American Revivalism, by Michael J. McClymond.

Encyclopedia of Religious Revivals in America, edited by Michael J. MyClymond.

Familiar Stranger: An Introduction to Jesus of Nazareth, by Michael J. McClymond.

Institute for World Christianity.

RELATED PODCASTS

Thomas Kidd on the Great Awakening.

Mark David Hall on Religion & the Founding Fathers.

John Fea on Religion & the American Founding.

Mark David Hall on Roger Sherman, Puritan Patriot.

Should Christians Have Fought in the US War of Independence?

Douglass Baker on Dominionism, Michele Bachmann, and Rick Perry.

Douglas Baker on Dominionism, Michele Bachmann, & Rick Perry

tonygill — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:00:25 +0000

Recently, Republican presidential candidates Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry have been accused by some journalists of being influenced by a political theology known as Dominionism. Also known as Christian Reconstructionism, this line of thinking supposedly advocates for a theologically-based government based largely on Old Testament law. But are some of these assertions simply misrepresentations of various Christian thinkers, and of the positions of the GOP candidates. Douglas Baker, assistant to the provost at Union University and a regular columnist at Patheos.com (the Crisis and Kairos column), discusses the philosophy behind Dominionism. We trace the roots of this theological perspective back many centuries and discuss how thinkers such as St. Augustine and John Calvin approached the ongoing tension between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Man, reflecting upon the proper role of religious thought and law should play in secular governance. Our discussion then turns to two contemporary figures who are said to have had influenced modern Christian Reconstructionists — Rousas John Rushdoony and Francis Schaeffer. Baker argues that Rushdoony, although capturing the attention of some of the critics of Dominionism such as Michelle Goldberg and Sarah Diamond with his more extreme views, has largely been a marginal figure in the thinking of most evangelical Christians. Instead, Doug Baker asserts that Francis Schaeffer has had a more profound and moderate impact on evangelicals, influencing the likes of Chuck Colson, James Kennedy, and Jerry Falwell. We discuss why some journalists and authors have tended to focus on Rushdoony, and how they have misrepresented the debate over the role of religious faith in the public square that is ongoing amongst evangelical Christians. We then talk about the proper role religion should play in government, noting that religion can sometimes have a corrupting influence on politics and how politics may have a corrupting influence on religion. This discussion takes us back to James Madison’s thoughts on religion during the Founding and allows us to think about the recent Faith-Based Initiative that was pursued under our last three presidents, most notably George W. Bush. We finish up with Doug’s thoughts on how and to what extent Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry — two of the leading contenders for the Republican nomination for president in 2012 (as of mid-September 2011) — have been influenced by Christian Reconstructionism. Doug then shares his thoughts on whether LSU is a contender for the national football championship or not. Recorded: September 15, 2011.

RELATED LINKS

“Downgrading Dominionism” by Douglas E. Baker on Patheos.com.

Crisis and Kairos, Douglas Baker’s blog on Patheos.com.

Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, by Michelle Goldberg.

Roads to Dominion: Right-Wing Movements and Political Power in the United States, by Sara Diamond.

A Christian Manifesto, by Francis Schaeffer.

How Should We Then Live, by Francis Schaeffer.

The New England Soul: Preaching and Religious Culture in Colonial New England, by Harry Stout.

RELATED PODCASTS

Luis Bolce on the Media and Anti-Fundamentalism.

David Brody on the 2010 Midterm Elections and Religious Journalism.

Joe Fuiten on Clergy & Politics.

Jim Papandrea on the Church Fathers & Patristic Exegesis

tonygill — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:00:11 +0000

Who were the early Church Fathers? How did they interpret the Scripture? And how did their interpretations change over time and shape Christianity? Prof. Jim Papandrea of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (on the campus of Northwestern University) takes up these questions in a fascinating discussion of “patristic exegesis,” or how the early Church Fathers understood and interpreted the Scriptures. Our conversation begins with an examination of who qualifies as the early Church Fathers and whether or not this list is consistent across different denominations. We also chat about the difficulties early Christian bishops and theologians had in trying to create a relatively unified doctrine of the faith, though Jim reveals that there was much more agreement and harmony that one (particularly your host) would think. Dr. Papandrea then walks us through what he defines as the four main phases (or eras) of patristic exegesis, showing how the different eras varied by the degree to which they favored literal/historical or more allegorical interpretations of the Scriptures. Interestingly, Jim makes that point that most of the disagreement in interpretation tended to revolve more around the Old Testament, although the divine nature of Jesus was also up for debate by different theological factions. In this discussion, we talk about the role that the First Council of Nicaea played in solidifying Church doctrine and how different theological schools, notably Arianism, reacted to the Nicene Creed. Jim makes the case that patristic exegesis tended to move in more allegorical directions during the latter second century through the fifth century, but then moved back towards a more historical-contextual (or some might say “literal”) meaning in subsequent centuries, eventually reaching a balance between allegory and more historical interpretations in the fifth century. Prof. Papandrea provides some examples regarding interpretations that are overly-allegorical. Throughout this discussion, we touch on some specific Church Fathers such as Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, and Augustine. The podcast also veers in some other interesting directions, examining whether or not Augustine was the patron saint of the hippopotamus, if Christians can now safely eat weasels, and the profound implications relating to clothing tags at Sunday services. It is also revealed what theatrical performance both Jim and Tony were in during high school, and that they were “neighbors” in Los Angeles without ever realizing it. Recorded: July 11, 2011.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Jim Papandrea’s website at Garrett-Theological Seminary.

Prof. Jim Papandrea’s personal website (includes links to his writings, music, blog and Facebook page).

The Wedding of the Lamb: A Historical Approach to the Book of Revelation, by James L. Papandrea.

Spiritual Blueprint: How We Live, Work, Love, Play, and Pray, by James L. Papandrea.

RELATED PODCASTS

Brant Pitre on the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist.