History of the Present: Evangelicalism in the Making of Modern America

Today we reflect on the 1990s and the peak of American evangelicalism. Then we’ll look how everything changed after September 11, 2001. Finally, how has this shaped our worldview in 2023? 

We’ve reached the Age of Evangelicalism. A presidential race begins to reshape American's perspective…  and prosperity gospel becomes mainstream.   

The fight for civil rights in America has been a long slow struggle. There are so many important figures, but today we are going to focus on how three different people’s faith impacted their actions in Mississippi during the summer of 1964. 

Today we’ll look at how the threat of communism and the economic boom of the 1950s influenced and shaped Christianity and society. To gain insight we’ll examine the lives and ministries of two popular evangelists -  Billy Graham and Oral Roberts.

We’ve arrived in the 20th Century, and it’s here we begin to see some real divisions among Christians in America. In 1925, it all culminates in a historic court case in a small town in Tennessee.

Episode 06 - In today’s episode we are going to look at the road leading to the American Civil War and how Christianity shaped the conflict from the perspective of the people at the time. 

Episode 05 - Today, we’re talking about the Second Great Awakening and what that looked liked in different geographical regions, classes, and cultures within our new nation.

On todays episode, we begin by asking the question, “was America founded as a Christian nation?" As we examine the faith's our our Founding Fathers, we find  the answer isn’t as clear cut.

Episode 03 - Today, we begin by looking at rise of evangelicalism in the American colonies, we meet Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, and America experiences a Great Awakening.

Episode 02 - In this episode we pick back up at the Reformation, talk a little about John Calvin, and make our away to America and into the wilderness.

Episode 01 - In this episode we cover the early Church to the Reformation. We’ll learn a little bit about Martin Luther, and be introduced to John Calvin.

History of the Present - a discussion on evangelicalism in the making of modern America, hosted by Dr. Hunter Hampton, Kendall McDonald, and Blake Russell. We start Tuesday, March 7th with episode 01, "Early Church to the Reformation." New episodes released bi-weekly.