Religion in the American Experience

Season 4, Episode 31 – The Religion of John and Abigail Adams Welcome to another episode of “Religion in the American Experience”, the podcast that equips listeners to be more effective stewards of religion’s role in the American experiment in self-government. During America’s semiquincentennial we are exploring religion’s role in the life and times of the major players in the establishment of the...

Season 4, Episode 30 – Interview with Producer of “Christianity at a Crossroads” Welcome to another episode of “Religion in the American Experience”, the podcast that equips listeners to be more effective stewards of religion’s beneficial role in the American experiment in self-government. Today we are talking with Martin Doblmeier about his new documentary film Christianity at a Crossroads. Chris...

Welcome to another episode of “Religion in the American Experience”, the podcast that equips listeners to be more effective stewards of religion’s beneficial role in the American experiment in self-government. Today we will explore history of Christian Science, a religion founded in the United States in the 19th century.   Season 4, Episode 2p – American Religion: Christian Science   Guest Bio Mic...

Welcome to another episode of “Religion in the American Experience”, the podcast that equips listeners to be more effective stewards of religion’s positive role in the American experiment in self-government. Today we will explore William Penn, founder of the Quaker colony of Pennsylvania, and his influence on the future United States.   Season 4, Episode 28 – How Did William Penn Influence the Fut...

Welcome to another episode of “Religion in the American Experience”, the podcast that equips listeners to be more effective stewards of religion’s positive role in the American experiment in self-government. The influence of religion on American medicine is pervasive. This episode is an interview with Dr. Harold Koenig about the history of religion in the clinical encounter.   Season 4, Episode 26...

Welcome to another episode of “Religion in the American Experience”, the podcast that equips listeners to be more effective stewards of religion’s positive role in the American experiment in self-government. We are beginning a series exploring the history of religions’ view and treatment of planet earth, considered by many religious traditions as God’s creation. The first episode is about the hist...

Welcome to another episode of “Religion in the American Experience”, the podcast that equips listeners to be more effective stewards of religion’s positive role in the American experiment in self-government. Today we will be talking with children’s author Katherine Paterson about religion’s role in her life and work.   Season 4, Episode 25 – Religion and the Life, Times, and Work of Katherine Pate...

Welcome to another episode of “Religion in the American Experience”, the podcast that equips listeners to be more effective stewards of religion’s positive role in the American experiment in self-government. Today we will be exploring the surprising, fascinating, and little-known story of post-Vatican II liturgical jazz music in mid-twentieth century Black Catholic America.   Season 4, Episode 24...

 Welcome to another episode of “Religion in the American Experience”, the podcast that equips listeners to be more effective stewards of religion’s positive role in the American experiment in self-government. The country is celebrating America’s 250th  – the semiquincentennial – and we are featuring episodes that explore the religion of the principal actors during the country’s founding era. Today...

Welcome to another episode of “The Making of US: Lived Religion in America”, a subseries of the podcast “Religion in the American Experience”, which makes each of us more effective stewards of religion’s positive role in the American experiment in self-government. In this subseries we explore the role religion has played in the lives of everyday Americans, reminding us that while religion exerts a...

The influence of religion on American medicine is pervasive. This episode is an interview with Dr. Jeff Levin about the contents of his book Religion and Medicine: A History of the Encounter Between Humanity’s Two Greatest Institutions. We believe that understanding this thread in America’s religious fabric will make each of us more effective stewards of religion’s role in the American experiment...

The influence of the King James Bible on American literature has been vast. This is the first of many episodes that will explore this topic, and it will focus on ways this particular edition of the Bible has shaped the American novel.   We believe that understanding this thread in America’s religious fabric will make each of us more effective stewards of religion’s role in the American experiment...

This year during America’s 250th anniversary, we are paying particular attention to how religion figured into the people and events of the country’s founding era. In May of 1776 Presbyterian minister John Witherspoon gave a unique sermon entitled The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men, which created quite a stir. What is in this sermon that would raise eyebrows, who exactly was John W...

Paul David Hewson, also known as Bono, was born in Dublin, Ireland on May 10, 1960. He is the founding member and lead singer of the band U2, formed in 1976, the same year he experienced a Christian conversion. In 1982 he married Alison Stewart, whom he met when he was a teenager. Bono is the recipient of 22 Grammy Awards and in 2005 was, as part of U2, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...

Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan Gough) was born on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. Enduring a turbulent childhood, she started singing in New York City in her teenage years, becoming an exceptionally talented, and then famous, jazz and swing singer in the 1930s and 40s. Billie won four Grammy Awards , all of them posthumously. We would like to i...

As we celebrate America’s 250th, this is a timely question to ask: Was the American Revolutionary war biblical and just – religiously permissible and religiously justifiable – in the minds of the leaders and colonists who fought in and supported it? It is our hope that by answering this question, each of us will be more effective stewards of religion’s role in the American experiment in self-gover...

During America’s 250th anniversary year we are discussing how religion shaped the founding of the United States. This episode explores religion and the American revolution. It is our hope that by understanding this particular topic, each of us will become more effective stewards of religion’s role in the American experiment in self-government.   Season 4, Episode 15 – Religion and the American Rev...

The country is celebrating America’s 250th  – the semiquincentennial – and we are uncovering whatever of its religious roots we can find. As many know, English philosopher and physician John Locke, one of the most influential of the Enlightenment thinkers, had a significant influence on the American founding through his many books including A Letter Concerning Toleration, Two Treatises of Governme...

The Virginia Declaration of Rights was adopted on June 12, 1776. Some scholars argue that Article 16 is America’s most original, innovative, and important contribution to conceptions of religious liberty. “That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equal...

Arnold Friberg’s famous painting of George Washington kneeling in prayer at Valley Forge has been in the news. While we are not going to join the conversation about whether or not the painting is an accurate depiction of truth and what this may or may not mean about Washington, his religion, or America, we do want to provide an answer to this question: what does the historical record tell us about...

Join us during America’s 250th while we uncover the long and fascinating history of religious freedom in the United States, considered by many to be one of its greatest innovations. How will a more complete understanding of this particular religious thread in the American tapestry make us more effective stewards of religion’s in perpetuating the American experiment in self-government?   Season 4,...

Chaplains– clergy attached to a secular institution including hospitals, prisons, embassies, schools, labor unions, police departments, fire departments, universities, intelligence agencies, airports, and military services - play a unique and meaningful role in the American landscape. These are ordained clergy who minister to members of the chaplain’s particular faith, to facilitate ministry to th...

Join us during America’s 250th while we uncover the long and fascinating history of religious freedom in the United States, considered by many to be one of its greatest innovations. How will a more complete understanding of this particular religious thread in the American tapestry make us more effective stewards of religion’s in perpetuating the American experiment in self-government?   Season 4,...

What is the history of the Shakers - The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing – in the United States? How have they shaped us and how has America shaped them? Why is it important for us to know? Who are the last two – now three – surviving members of this religious community, what are they doing and where are they doing it? And, finally, why will an understanding of this fascin...

Join us during America’s 250th as we uncover the long, fascinating, and critically important history of religious freedom in the United States, considered by many to be one of its greatest innovations. How will a more complete understanding of this particular religious thread in the American tapestry make us better stewards of religion’s and religious freedom’s role in perpetuating the American ex...