The Way of Improvement Leads Home: American History, Religion, Politics, and Academic life.

For four years Drew Dyrli Hermeling has been the heart and soul of The Way of Improvement Leads Home Podcast. We are saddened that he has decided to step away from his work here, but excited that he will have more time to devote to his history students at The Stone School, an independent college-prep school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Drew joins us for one final episode to reminisce with John abou...

Are you watching Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial? Are you trying to make sense of it all? We want to help. In this episode we talk with CNN presidential historian and Southern Methodist University professor Jeffrey Engel on the history of impeachment. Engel sheds light on the debates over impeachment in the Constitutional Convention, the historic meaning of "bribery" and "high crimes and m...

If you know anything about John Fea, it's that when it comes to rock and roll, his tastes begin and end with the Boss. So when he heard that a new Springsteen exhibit was opening in his hometown of Freehold, New Jersey, John couldn't help but give himself a Christmas present and dedicate an episode to the exhibit. He is joined by the museum's curator and Monmouth University historian, Melissa Ziob...

Throughout the history of the Miss America Pageant, there has been a complicated relationship between sexuality and religion. The goal of the pageant is to crown the ideal American woman, but judge these women simultaneously based on their so-called purity as well as their sex appeal. Host John Fea explores his own relationship with the pageant and its roots in the New Jersey boardwalk culture. He...

Americans are undoubtedly familiar with the harrowing journey made by freedom seekers escaping enslavement that we have termed the "Underground Railroad." Sadly, historians are only now becoming equally aware of a "Reverse Underground Railroad," in which free black people from the North were kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. Historian Richard Bell tells the story of one such kidna...

Military history is changing. While Father's Day gifts still tend to focus on troop movements and great generals, military historians in the academy are instead turning to subjects like the lives of veterans, the effects of war on the home front, and minorities in the military. One such military historian is John Fea's newest colleague at Messiah College, Dr. Sarah Myers (@DrSarahMyers), who resea...

Who knew that evangelical Christianity and the emergence of the American oil industry were so intimately linked? In this episode, host John Fea explores what it means to be an evangelical and whether scholarly debates over the term help us to better understand the role played by evangelicals throughout American history. He is joined by Notre Dame historian Darren Dochuk, who discusses his new book...

In conservative political circles, the idea of "free enterprise" is revered with a religious zeal. This is especially interesting as these political ideals are often held by Evangelical Christians. Host John Fea explores what historians of termed the "business turn" of American Chrisitan history. They are joined by Cornell historian Lawrence Glickman (@LarryGlickman), the author of Free Enterprise...

Increasingly, college campuses have transformed from places of rigorous scholarly pursuits into glorified centers for job training. But is this what college is really for? Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling sit down and discuss the need for aspirational hope in an increasingly pessimistic world. They are joined by Dr. Johann Neem (@JohannNeem), author of the recent book, What's the Po...

Here at the podcast, we have often engaged with our collective love of popular music and the history embedded within that love. Host John Fea regularly cites New Jersey state treasure Bruce Springsteen and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling channels his experience in garage bands every time he produces an episode. It is therefore fitting that they close out the season with guest Bob Crawford (@BobCrawf...

Now that most everyone carries a search engine in their pocket, why do we still need to study history? Our present age demonstrates just how deceiving the internet can truly be. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling make the case that historical thinking is a critical tool for surviving this "post-truth" era while also warning against the dangers of leaning too heavily into presentism. T...

When people think of the melding of faith and business, companies like Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-A usually come to mind. However, like all things, the history of this type of partnership has a deeper history. Host John Fea reaches into early America to discuss the complicated integration of faith and business among Philadelphia's Quakers. They are joined by historian Nicole Kirk, author of Wanamak...

Don't be confused by the title, we are not talking about the spooky family from the 1960s. Rather, in this episode, we turn to the religious history of one of America's founding families. By focusing on the Adams family, one can trace the evolution of American religion as John, Abigail, JQA, and others wrestle with Providence, the Enlightenment, and a changing political landscape. Host John Fea an...

Whether you ask a young college student or a baby boomer, the only thing people seem to agree on these days is that we are more politically divided than ever. But is this true, and if so, how did we get this way? Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling try to tackle this question. They are joined by Princeton historian and CNN commentator Julian Zelizer (@julianzelizer), the co-author of t...

With so many contemporary examples of racism in American society, it is tempting to see these as the actions of racist individuals. However, many social critics have increasingly pointed to the structure and system of racism as an active part of American society today, and the Church is no different. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling are joined by Jemar Tisby (@JemarTisby), the presi...

Here on the podcast, we love pedagogy. We've dedicated a number of episodes to the ways different historians and instructors are innovating in the classroom. Today we're turning our attention to one such approach: Reacting to the Past. These large-scale role-playing games allow students to fully appreciate the context and contingency of history by simulating historical events. We are joined by Nic...

Her entire political career, Senator Elizabeth Warren has defended her claims to being descendent from American Indians. To prove her point, she recently released the results from a DNA test. However, this is not how American Indian communities determine who is a member and who isn't. Producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling takes over commentary duties to discuss the complicated history of American Indian i...

One of the most enduring phrases at the heart of American exceptionalism is John Winthrop's famous proclamation that the Puritan colonists were establishing a "city upon a hill." But the story of this lay sermon is much more complicated, and, according to Bancroft-winning historian Daniel Rogers, Winthrop was not being triumphalist, but instead a statement of anxiety. Dr. Rogers joins us to discus...

For those of us who teach history, we often worry that video games are just a distraction that our students play instead of doing their homework. However, history and historical thinking have long been tied to video games, from Oregon Trail through present-day titles such as Civilization and Assassin's Creed. Host John Fea reflects on his experience playing Assassin's Creed III. They are joined by...

Sadly, the Church, both in America and abroad, has a long history of supporting the institution of slavery. So what can a single congregation do to reconcile their past with a contemporary commitment to social justice? In today's episode, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss truth and reconciliation within the Church. They are joined by public historian Chris Graham, who serves...

Despite often being cast as the religion of immigrants, Catholicism has a long history here in the United States. Unfortunately, so does anti-Catholicism. In this episode, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss American Catholicism. John looks at the roots and utility of political anti-Catholicism. They are joined by historian Catherine O'Donnell who discusses her new biography, E...

With the election of Donald Trump, the term populism has returned to the political lexicon. However, while many people may use the term, fewer people truly understand its meaning and history. On today's episode, we try to unpack the idea of populism in the American context. John Fea discusses the history of his favorite populist, William Jennings Bryan. They are joined by the foremost historian on...

What do Tim Tebow and Colin Kaepernick have in common? Besides being NFL quarterbacks, they're both famous kneelers. Yet their actions have been interpreted by sports fans and American Christians in very different ways. In today's episode, we explore the deep historical connections between sports and Christianity. Host John Fea looks into what colonial New England's Puritans thought about sports....

The legacy of August 12, 2017, in Charlottesville haunts America. The precipitating event, the removal of Confederate monuments, continues to be debated in southern cities and on college campuses. This is a conversation that warrants sustained historicization. Host John Fea lends his thoughts to the recent toppling of "Silent Sam" at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. They are joined b...

On June 28, John Fea will release his new book, Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump with Eerdman's. As a bonus episode, producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling sat down with Fea to discuss the deep history that led 81% of white evangelicals to vote for Trump in the 2016 election.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices