Podcasts about Puritans

Subclass of English Reformed Protestants

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Latest podcast episodes about Puritans

Revitalize and Replant
Why We Need the Puritans, Part 2

Revitalize and Replant

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2025 25:41


Mark Clifton, Mark Hallock, and Dan Hurst share more reasons why we need to learn from the Puritans, based on an article from Jeff Robinson. Some Highlights: Because they saw all of life as being lived coram deo—before the face of God Because they were highly decorated soldiers on the spiritual battlefield Because they were skilled physicians of the souls Because they understood contentment in Christ as the key to genuine happiness Resources Related to This Episode: “Eight Reasons Why We Need the Puritans” by Jeff Robinson Little Pilgrim's Progress: From John Bunyan's Classic by Helen Taylor and Joanne Brubaker Following God Fully: An Introduction to the Puritans by Michael Reeves and Joel Beeke The Godly Man's Picture by Thomas Watson

Conversations with a Calvinist
Why are Baptists Becoming Anglican? (and more questions from our LIVE Q&A)

Conversations with a Calvinist

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2025 124:44


Questions and Timestamps:[The Title Question is at minute 52:00]Leading Bible Studies Without Getting Too Technical - What are your tips for studying to teach in a small group without becoming too academic or overwhelming? 9:45Understanding Luke 12:33 - Should Christians today obey the command to “sell your possessions and give to the poor”? Does owning non-essential items violate this command? 15:54Biblical Manhood - What do men in the church need most? How do we pursue biblical masculinity without embracing extremes? 30:06Too Many Reformed Baptist Seminaries? - There are several Reformed Baptist seminaries in the South with overlapping faculty. Are they all necessary, or does this show division in the movement? 40:25Affordable Seminary Options – What lower-cost seminary options would you recommend besides Luther Rice, especially for someone considering SBTS but open to alternatives due to cost? 40:25Anglican Conversions Trend - Is the trend of Southern Baptists becoming Anglican similar to those converting to Catholicism or Orthodoxy? Is this something evangelicals should be concerned about? 52:04Ecclesial Anxiety and Ecumenism – How should Protestants respond to “ecclesial anxiety” (attraction to Rome/Orthodoxy/Anglicanism) without compromising the Gospel, especially when some Protestant defenders downplay Sola Fide for unity? 52:04 Preaching Assignment – As a new pastoral resident preparing a 15–20 minute Sunday evening chapel message, would you recommend preaching a psalm (e.g., Psalm 10) for a one-off sermon? 1:10:59Kippah at the Wailing Wall – In light of 1 Corinthians 11:7, should Christian men cover their heads when praying at the Wailing Wall? Was Paul's instruction cultural, counter-cultural, or theological? Is head covering there a matter of Christian liberty (Romans 14)? Would you personally cover your head, and would you rebuke someone who didn't? 1:15:15Paedobaptism vs. Credobaptism – If someone becomes convinced of infant baptism, would infant immersion be preferable to pouring? If uncertain after study, how should one proceed? 1:24:00Baptism for the Bedridden – Should baptism be withheld from a bedridden new believer if full immersion is impossible, or should the mode be adapted? 1:28:00College Degree with No Career Intent – Is it unbiblical for a man to earn a degree with no intent to use it vocationally, planning instead to marry and become a stay-at-home dad? Would your answer differ if it were a woman pursuing a degree with the intent to marry and be a stay-at-home mom? 1:32:50Forgiveness of Future Sins – If past sins are forgiven at conversion, how does Christ's sacrifice atone for sins committed after becoming a believer? 1:41:00Guilt Over Pre-Conversion Sin – How should a believer deal with lingering guilt and accusations over past blasphemous actions (mocking Christ in a pre-conversion film) when struggling with scrupulosity and OCD? 1:46:00Office of Teacher – Do you agree with Calvin and the Puritans that “teacher” is a distinct New Testament office (all pastors are teachers, but not all teachers are pastors)? If so, should teachers be ordained? 1:49:05Doctrines to Hold Firmly in Ministry – For someone preparing for ministry, which doctrines require firm convictions (e.g., baptism, Lord's Supper, eschatology, covenant theology, age of the earth), and how should one prioritize study among many topics? 1:57:00Divorce and Eldership – Does being divorced automatically disqualify a man from serving as a pastor or elder in light of 1 Timothy 3:2? 1:52:20-----Support the Show: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/YourcalvinistLove Coffee? Want the Best? Get a free bag of Squirrelly Joe's Coffee by clicking on this link: https://www.Squirrellyjoes.com/yourcalvinistor use coupon code "Keith" for 20% off anything in the storeDominion Wealth Strategies http://www.Reformed.Moneyhttps://www.TinyBibles.comhttps://www.HighCallingFitness.comVisit us at https://www.KeithFoskey.com

Revitalize and Replant
Why We Need the Puritans, Part 1

Revitalize and Replant

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2025 22:32


Mark Clifton, Mark Hallock, and Dan Hurst share some reasons why we need to learn from the Puritans, based on an article from Jeff Robinson. Some Highlights: Because they were mature and we are not Because they understood the deep sinfulness of the human heart Because they knew their best life was later Because they viewed the family as a little church Resources Related to This Episode: “Eight Reasons Why We Need the Puritans” by Jeff Robinson A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life by J.I. Packer

Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul

Two years after William Tyndale cried, “Lord, open the King of England's eyes,” Henry VIII decreed that English Bibles be placed in every church. Today, Michael Reeves recounts the story of this troubled king whom God used to further church reform. Request The English Reformation and the Puritans, Michael Reeves' teaching series on DVD, with your donation of any amount. You'll also get lifetime digital access to all 12 video messages and the study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4237/donate   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Request the digital teaching series and study guide for The English Reformation and the Puritans with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global Join us at one of our upcoming Renewing Your Mind Live events. We're coming to Australia, California, North Carolina, and more. Learn more and register:  http://renewingyourmind.org/events  Meet Today's Teacher:   Michael Reeves is president and professor of theology at Union School of Theology in the United Kingdom.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

New Books in American Studies
David D. Hall, "The Puritans: A Transatlantic History" (Princeton UP, 2019) 

New Books in American Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 78:36


This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

New Books in Early Modern History
David D. Hall, "The Puritans: A Transatlantic History" (Princeton UP, 2019) 

New Books in Early Modern History

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2025 78:36


This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books Network
David D. Hall, "The Puritans: A Transatlantic History" (Princeton UP, 2019) 

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 78:36


This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Princeton UP Ideas Podcast
David D. Hall, "The Puritans: A Transatlantic History" (Princeton UP, 2019) 

Princeton UP Ideas Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 78:36


This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University.

New Books in Religion
David D. Hall, "The Puritans: A Transatlantic History" (Princeton UP, 2019) 

New Books in Religion

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 78:36


This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

New Books in World Christianity
David D. Hall, "The Puritans: A Transatlantic History" (Princeton UP, 2019) 

New Books in World Christianity

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 78:36


This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in Christian Studies
David D. Hall, "The Puritans: A Transatlantic History" (Princeton UP, 2019) 

New Books in Christian Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 78:36


This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies

New Books in British Studies
David D. Hall, "The Puritans: A Transatlantic History" (Princeton UP, 2019) 

New Books in British Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 78:36


This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies

2Days Denarius
Monday Prayer Starter Week of August 4, 2025

2Days Denarius

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2025 15:02


What are the characteristics of effective prayers and praying? Well, one of them is praying biblically in accordance with the will of God from Scripture. Few were equal or better than this than the Puritans. One of the greatest devotionals I've ever read and meditated upon is titled, "The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions," edited by Arthur Bennett. It is an inspirational collection of prayers/devotionals that will certainly engage the reader's heart and mind to learn prayer and follow Christ more closely. This prayer on this episode of 2Days Denarius is titled, "Morning Dedication." The author of the prayer is not given, as none are in the book. But prayers from names such as, Richard Baxter, David Brainerd, Thomas Watson, Isaac Watts, Charles Spurgeon, among others are the ones who are the contributors to this collection. It's encouraged to those who listen to acquire a copy of "Valley of Vision" and discover the devotional value of this book!"Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions," Arthur Benntt, ed. Banner of Truth Trust, Carlisle, PA: 1975."Valley of Vision" may be purchased on the Banner of Truth Trust website at: banneroftruth.orgSong "Holy Is the Lord" is used by permission of author/performing artist, Pastor Steve Hereford, of the Changed By Grace Church in Jacksonville, FL. His inspirational Scripture songs may be found on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and many other well-known streaming services. Search "Steve Hereford."Your comments are welcome! Send a text my way!2Days Denarius is a Bible believing teaching ministry devoted to the inerrancy, infallibility, and authority of Scripture as our only rule of faith and practice. It also holds to the doctrinal tenets of the London Baptist confession of 1689. This ministry may be reached at 2daysdenarius@gmail.com Material used in this podcast are provided under the educational and commentary provisions of Section 207 of the Fair Use Act of 1976.

Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul
Tyndale and the Early Reformers

Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025 26:26


William Tyndale's English translation of the New Testament created a firestorm that threatened the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Today, Michael Reeves depicts the people and events that set the stage for the English Reformation. Request The English Reformation and the Puritans, Michael Reeves' teaching series on DVD, with your donation of any amount. You'll also get lifetime digital access to all 12 video messages and the study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4237/donate   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Request the digital teaching series and study guide for The English Reformation and the Puritans with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global   Meet Today's Teacher:   Michael Reeves is president and professor of theology at Union School of Theology in the United Kingdom.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Reformed Forum
David Saxton | Biblical Meditation: God's Battle Plan for the Mind

Reformed Forum

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2025 60:36


David W. Saxton's God's Battle Plan for the Mind (Reformation Heritage Books, 2015) presents a compelling argument for recovering the lost art of biblical meditation, a discipline once central to Puritan piety and spiritual formation. Saxton argues that the modern church, though rich in theological resources and preaching, suffers from a superficial spirituality precisely because it has neglected meditation—a practice essential for transforming doctrinal knowledge into heartfelt godliness. Drawing extensively from the Puritans and Scripture, Saxton defines biblical meditation as the intentional, sustained, and spiritual reflection on God's Word. Unlike Eastern or mystical forms of meditation that promote mental emptying, biblical meditation involves filling the mind with divine truth, leading to spiritual transformation and godly living. The book is structured thematically, beginning with the importance of meditation, contrasting it with unbiblical forms, and moving through practical guidance on how to meditate—whether occasional or deliberate. It outlines occasions for meditation, offers advice on selecting subjects, and highlights both the benefits and the spiritual enemies of the practice. Saxton concludes with pastoral encouragement to begin and persist in this vital spiritual discipline. Rev. Saxton is pastor of Cambridge Bible Church in Cambridge, Ohio. Chapters 00:00 Mid-America Center for Missions and Evangelism Conference 01:41 Introduction 06:06 The Background to This Book 10:08 Distinguishing Meditation from Prayer 14:58 Why the Practice of Meditation Has Been Lost 18:12 Retraining Our Minds to Delight in the Right Things 21:44 God's Battle Plan for the Mind 25:22 Meditation as Essential to Spiritual Vitality 29:08 Practical Expectations 33:47 Steps to Beginning Effective Meditation 36:52 Occasional and Deliberate Meditation 42:37 Satan Especially Opposes Meditation 48:44 The Powerful Benefit of Meditation 53:15 The Spiritual Benefits of Meditation 59:10 Conclusion

The Holy Post
680: Cancelling Colbert, Starving Gaza, & American Charisma

The Holy Post

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2025 83:52


CBS has cancelled the top-rated late-night talk show. Was it really a financial decision, or was it done to get the Trump administration to approve a corporate merger? And will Stephen Colbert now come on the Holy Post? Horrific images of starvation are coming out of Gaza as pressure builds on the Israeli government to end the war, but when does pro-Palestinian activism cross the line into antisemitism? Historian Molly Wrothen's new book, “Spellbound,” explains how charismatic political and religious movements have shaped America, and why they depend more on a compelling story than a persuasive leader. Also this week— Phil is back from his European vacation with stories of schnitzel and chicken dancing.   Holy Post Plus: Bonus Interview with Molly Worthen: https://www.patreon.com/posts/135231773/   Ad-Free Version of this Episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/135245929/   0:00 - Show Starts   2:30 - Theme Song   2:50 - Sponsor - Rocket Money - Find and cancel your old subscriptions with Rocket Money at https://www.rocketmoney.com/holypost   3:55 - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - Brooklyn Bedding is offering up to 25% off sitewide for our listeners! Go to https://www.brooklynbedding.com/holypost   5:04 - Phil's Chicken Dance Adventure   15:05 - Colbert Cancelled?   24:21 - Antisemitism and Protesting Israel   42:43 - Sponsor - Poncho - If you've been looking for the perfect shirt—something breathable, fits great, feels even better, and stands out in a good way—give Poncho a try. Get $10 off your first order by using this link: https://www.ponchooutdoors.com/holypost   44:23 - Interview   47:50 - Building vs Destroying Institutions   58:56 - What Charismatic Movements Succeed?   1:09:45 - Charismatic Leader vs Charismatic Story   1:16:00 - Secular yet Spiritual   1:23:19 - End Credits   Links from News Segment: Holding Israel accountable isn't antisemtic—harming Jews is: https://religionnews.com/2025/07/16/holding-israel-accountable-isnt-antisemitic-harming-jews-is/   Other Resources: Spellboard: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump: https://a.co/d/4IWVyNX   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

Historically Thinking: Conversations about historical knowledge and how we achieve it
Spellbound: Molly Worthen on Charisma, Four Centuries of American History, and the Search for Meaning

Historically Thinking: Conversations about historical knowledge and how we achieve it

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2025 33:54


Hello: Autumn, 1949. Fortune editor Bill Furth, flinty-eyed gatekeeper, scans a manuscript from 30-year-old whiz kid Daniel Bell. Spots the word “charisma.” Snorts. Blue pencil meets page. Word dies swiftly, without much appeal. Fast forward ten years: charisma is everywhere. Eggheads bandy it, pundits quote it, preachers peddle it. Bell—vindicated. Since the 1950s, Americans have grown used to the word “charisma” being applied to everyone, often as a synonym for “charm”.. But what if charisma is more than charm or personal magnetism—what if it's a key to understanding the moral and spiritual crises of American life itself? That's the argument of Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump, a sweeping new book by my guest historian Molly Worthen. In it, she traces the tangled story of charisma across four centuries of American history—from the Puritans through Andrew Jackson, to Malcolm X and Donald Trump.Charismatic leaders, Worthen argues, don't simply stir emotions or win votes. They offer something deeper: a sense of cosmic meaning, spiritual clarity, and moral urgency in moments when traditional institutions seem hollow or adrift. In times of upheaval, we look for figures who promise to reveal hidden truths and restore a broken order. Molly Worthen is a scholar of American religious and intellectual history. She is Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and writes regularly on religion and politics for the New York Times and other national outlets. Spellbound is her third book; she has previously authored Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism and The Man on Whom Nothing Was Lost, a biography of the diplomat, Yale professor, and  Bridgeton, NJ native Charles Hill. (That last for my five listeners in South Jersey.)

Ideas Have Consequences
Climate Change's deity | Darrell Harrison

Ideas Have Consequences

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2025 59:51 Transcription Available


Episode Summary: What if climate change isn't primarily about science, but religion?Darrell Harrison, co-author of A Biblical Theology of Climate Change, makes the provocative case that climate alarmism is more than politics or science—it's a full-fledged worldview rooted in modern pantheism. He exposes how this ideology treats Earth as a deity. This deity demands radical sacrifice and drives policies that often harm both people and the very planet they claim to protect.We hope this conversation challenges you to approach environmental concerns not with fear or uncritical submission, but with truth, wisdom, and a biblical framework. Ideas really do have consequences. Understanding the worldviews behind today's most pervasive ideas will give you the clarity and confidence to exchange illusion for reality and respond faithfully to even the most controversial issues. Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA's mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations.

Girl Mode
Episode 135 - Australian Puritans vs. Toxic Lesbians

Girl Mode

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2025 46:36


Everything that was bad last week is even worse this week. Itch has followed Steam in delisting a ton of games for either including offensive sexual content or just gay people. Who can even tell the difference? We follow that exasperating conversation with what we've been playing this week, mostly consisting of games about a whole bunch of toxic lesbians.Timestamps:(01:00) Everything got worse(18:35) Toxic Yuri VN Jam(29:10) The Great Villainess(33:15) Metal Garden(36:50) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Young Justice, The Raven Tower)Mentioned this week:Two articles from Ana Valens on game censorshipFans need to understand Link and Zelda aren't a coupleEveryone Is Beautiful and No One Is HornyDevelopers Are Protesting As Adult Game Bans Come To Indie Storefront Itch.ioSteam Banning Some Adult Games Is A Big Deal Even If You Don't Play ThemStop Payment Processors from censorship!Protect Queer Creators and Sex WorkersSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The DTALKS Podcast - Detoxing from Life
Episode 283 - Cults Like Us (ft. Jane Borden)

The DTALKS Podcast - Detoxing from Life

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2025 61:26


Are you in a cult? Are you sure? Are you really sure? According to guest Jane Borden, our entire country was founded by a doomsday cult, the Puritans. Aaaaand if that didn't get your curiousity piqued for this latest episode of the podcast, then I don't know what will! In the latest episode of The DTALKS Podcast, Joe and Jane get into a conversation about the definition of a cult, some of the earliest examples, and how the world around us uses "Us vs Them" logic to drive people further and further apart. It's a startling realization in an age where everything seeks to divide us. It's a great episode that you won't want to miss, enjoy!   About Jane Borden Jane Borden is an author, culture journalist, and editor. She contributes regularly to Vanity Fair, and has written for the New York Times Magazine and The Washington Post, among other outlets. Her book Cults Like US: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America will be published in March 2025 by One Signal Publishers. Her first book, I Totally Meant to Do That, was published by Crown. Before all of that, she was a culture editor at Time Out New York.   ​She is also a professional editor, book coach, and ghost writer.​ Jane lives in Los Angeles. About 'Cults Like Us' This colorful and enlightening pop history explains why the eccentric doomsday beliefs of our Puritan founders still drive American culture today, contextualizes the current rise in far-right extremism as a natural result of our latent indoctrination, and proposes the United States is the largest cult of all.  Since the Mayflower sidled up near Plymouth Rock, cult ideology has been ingrained in the DNA of the United States. In this eye-opening book, journalist Jane Borden argues that Puritan doomsday belief never went away; it just went secular and became American culture. From our fascination with cowboys and superheroes to  our allegiance to influencers and self-help, susceptibility to advertising, and undying devotion to the almighty dollar, Americans remain particularly vulnerable to a specific brand of cult-like thinking. With in-depth research and compelling insight, Borden uncovers the American history you didn't learn in school, including how we are still being brainwashed, making us a nation of easy marks for con artists and strong men. Along the way, she also revisits some of the most infamous cults in this country—including, the Branch Davidians and Love Has Won, presenting them—as integral parts of our national psyche rather than as aberrations.   Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website! Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast! Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload.   With toys and action figures from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale)   Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast: Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life!    At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care.    Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com  

2Days Denarius
MONDAY PRAYER STARTER WEEK OF JULY 28, 2025!!

2Days Denarius

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2025 17:20


There is no better way than to begin the work week with prayer! On this episode of 2Days Denarius, a prayer from Puritan David Clarkson is provided to give listeners encouragement and added focus on the Lord to better serve Him in their endeavors. David Clarkson was a Puritan who served as an associate to the great John Owen. He also understood trials since he was one of more than 2,000 Puritan ministers who suffered great loss during England's "Great Ejection" in 1662. This prayer concentrates on believer's seeking Christ's righteousness, while also helping us to realize that putting Jesus first in our lives is far greater than anything this world has to offer. This prayer comes from Robert Elmer's excellent collection of Puritan prayers noted in the bibliography below. This is a great devotional work that is highly recommended to 2DaysD listeners!Clarkson, David. 2019. "No Hope without Christ's Righteousness" In Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans, edited by Robert Elmer, 18–19. Bellingham, WA: Lexham PressSong "Holy Is the Lord" is used by permission of songwriter/performing artist, Pastor Steve Hereford, of the Changed By Grace Church in Jacksonville, FL. His inspiring Scripture songs are available on many webstream media apps and sites, including Apple, Amazon Music, Spotify, and many more. Search "Steve Hereford."Your comments are welcome! Send a text my way!2Days Denarius is a Bible believing teaching ministry devoted to the inerrancy, infallibility, and authority of Scripture as our only rule of faith and practice. It also holds to the doctrinal tenets of the London Baptist confession of 1689. This ministry may be reached at 2daysdenarius@gmail.com Material used in this podcast are provided under the educational and commentary provisions of Section 207 of the Fair Use Act of 1976.

Behold Your God Podcast
Overcoming Obstacles to the Puritans

Behold Your God Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2025 28:32


This week we have Dr. Stephen Yuille in the studio again. During his last visit, he told us about a reading challenge through George Swinnock's The Blessed and Boundless God. Today, Dr. Yuille and Dr. John Snyder have a broader discussion in mind. Because of his profession and experience, many people ask Dr. Yuille how they can read and benefit more from the Puritans. He sought to develop a concise, systematic, scalable answer to that question. Instead of trying to read as much of Puritan writings as possible, Dr. Yuille encourages us to approach these spiritual giants devotionally. Just read a few pages each day. Reformation Heritage Books Puritan Treasures for Today is a great place to start. These books have been edited and modernized to remove the language barrier so many find difficult to overcome. Dr. Yuille's approach is to take six books and read them across six months. The goal is not quantity of reading but quality. Read the Puritans as they intended their books to be read. Read them with your heart, not just your mind. Meditate on what you read that day. We believe, as Dr. Yuille does, this is wonderful food for your soul and your will benefit by this practice. Each of the books Dr. Yuille suggests starting with are listed below with links to where you can find them. Want a great introduction to the Puritans? Check out our feature-length documentary Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God - https://shop.mediagratiae.org/products/puritan-all-of-life-to-the-glory-of-god-feature-edition-digital-streaming Show Notes: Month 1 - The Blessed and Boundless God by George Swinnock Physical: *https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-blessed-and-boundless-god-swinnock.html* Ebook: *https://heritagebooks.org/products/ebook-the-blessed-and-boundless-god-swinnock-puritan-treasures-for-today.html* Month 2 - *A Perfect Redeemer *****by William Perkins Physical: *https://heritagebooks.org/products/a-perfect-redeemer-perkins.html* Ebook: *https://heritagebooks.org/products/ebook-a-perfect-redeemer-perkins.html* Month 3 - All Things for Good (A Divine Cordial) by Thomas Watson Physical: https://heritagebooks.org/products/all-things-for-good-watson.html Month 4 - Triumphing Over Sinful Fear by John Flavel Physical: *https://heritagebooks.org/products/triumphing-over-sinful-fear-flavel.html* Ebook: *https://heritagebooks.org/products/ebook-triumphing-over-sinful-fear-flavel.html* Months 5  & 6 - The Fountain of Life by John Flavel Physical: https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-fountain-of-life-2-volumes-flavel.html Other Titles Mentioned: The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/the-doctrine-of-repentance/ On the Holy Spirit by John Owen https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/the-holy-spirit/ The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer https://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-God-Updated-W-Tozer/dp/1622452968 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/the-rare-jewel-of-christian-contentment/ Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

The Logos Podcast
From Pulpit to Democracy: How Puritanism Shaped the Soul of America (Sponsored Stream)

The Logos Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2025 145:19


A Major thank you to the Jason for sponsoring todays stream. In this stream I discuss the history and significant cultural influence Puritan Christianity has had in shaping the national soul of America. Make sure to check it out and let me know what you think. God bless Buy ALP Nicotine Pouches Here! : https://alnk.to/6IHoDGl Superchat Here https://streamlabs.com/churchoftheeternallogos Donochat Me: https://dono.chat/dono/dph Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8JwgaHCkhdfERVkGbLl2g/join If you would like to support my work please become a website member! There are 3 different types of memberships to choose from! https://davidpatrickharry.com/register/ Support COTEL with Crypto! Bitcoin: 3QNWpM2qLGfaZ2nUXNDRnwV21UUiaBKVsy Ethereum: 0x0b87E0494117C0adbC45F9F2c099489079d6F7Da Litecoin: MKATh5kwTdiZnPE5Ehr88Yg4KW99Zf7k8d If you enjoy this production, feel compelled, or appreciate my other videos, please support me through my website memberships (www.davidpatrickharry.com) or donate directly by PayPal or crypto! Any contribution would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Logos Subscription Membership: http://davidpatrickharry.com/register/ Venmo: @cotel - https://account.venmo.com/u/cotel PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/eternallogos Donations: http://www.davidpatrickharry.com/donate/ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/eternallogos Website: http://www.davidpatrickharry.com Rokfin: https://rokfin.com/dpharry Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/COTEL Odysee: https://odysee.com/@ChurchoftheEterna... GAB: https://gab.com/dpharry Telegram: https://t.me/eternallogos Minds: https://www.minds.com/Dpharry Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/W10R... DLive: https://dlive.tv/The_Eternal_Logos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dpharry/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/_dpharryBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-logos-podcast--4760780/support.

Pleasure Pathways
The History of Pleasure: How We Lost It—and What It Takes to Get It Back | EP. 82

Pleasure Pathways

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2025 24:42


In this episode, we trace the history of pleasure—from Ancient Greece and goddess worship, to the Puritans, patriarchy, and purity culture. You'll hear how joy became shame, how desire got pathologized, and how women's sensuality was stripped down to silence. We talk about how women have fought to stay connected to their bodies, their joy, and their truth. And what it really takes to heal that relationship today. If you've ever felt like pleasure had to be earned, hidden, or explained—this conversation is for you.Stay connected here Connect with me on Instagram  Email me here: Lauren@ohyeahcoaching.com

2Days Denarius
Praying with POWER! A Puritan Biblical Devotional Prayer

2Days Denarius

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2025 26:20


Some of the most powerful and introspective prayers from Scripture can often be found in the writings of the Puritans. They were very careful to keep watch over all aspects of their lives spiritually in relation to their faith walk with the Lord. On this 2Days Denarius podcast, one prayer from the Puritan Philip Doddridge (1702-1751) will be examined, mainly for the complete biblical focus and nature of this prayer. Listeners who desire to grow in prayer and the how-to's of it will surely benefit from investing their ears and hearts to this podcast! Bibliography for "Piecing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans" is provided below:Elmer, Robert, ed. Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019.Song "Holy Is the Lord" is used by permission of author/performer, Pastor Steve Hereford, of the Changed By Grace Church in Jacksonville, FL. His inspiring and worshipful Scripture songs may be found on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple, and many other streaming services. Search "Steve Hereford,"Your comments are welcome! Send a text my way!2Days Denarius is a Bible believing teaching ministry devoted to the inerrancy, infallibility, and authority of Scripture as our only rule of faith and practice. It also holds to the doctrinal tenets of the London Baptist confession of 1689. This ministry may be reached at 2daysdenarius@gmail.com Material used in this podcast are provided under the educational and commentary provisions of Section 207 of the Fair Use Act of 1976.

The Trans-Atlanticist
Jewish Life in Colonial America

The Trans-Atlanticist

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2025 53:44


In this episode, Andrew Sola and Tobias Brinkmann explore the history of the earliest Jews in the Colonies. Topics include the following: -The arrival in 1654 of the first Jewish ship in New Amsterdam, which was governed by Peter Stuyvesant (who is featured in the photo, arriving in New Amsterdam for the first time) -The story of Asser Levy, perhaps the first Jewish inhabitant of the North American colonies -The status of early Jews in Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese colonies -Jew and Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony -Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, where religious freedom for Jews and Muslims was established -Newport, the first Jewish community in the American colonies -The involvement of Jews in the slave trade -George Washington's Letter to the Jews of Newport in 1790 (text below) "The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support." Prof. Brinkmann's books are below: Between Borders: The Great Jewish Migration from Eastern Europe (Oxford UP, 2024) Sundays at Sinai: A Jewish Congregation in Chicago (U. of Chicago Press, 2012)

FLF, LLC
The Valley of Vision: The Dark Guest [Dead Men Walking Podcast]

FLF, LLC

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2025 22:37


Send us a text This week Greg recommend one of his favorite devotions called "The Valley of Vision". This is a collection of personal and corporate prayers written by Puritans used in there daily prayer life. Greg read the preface, gave a little history of the book, and then read one of the prayers named "The Dark Guest" that we are sure will be impactful and relevant for you today, even though it was written almost 400 years ago. This is a powerful little book that everyone should have in their collection. Enjoy! Dominion Wealth Strategists: Full Service Financial Planning! Click HERE for a free consultation today! Facebook: Dead Men Walking PodcastYoutube: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcastTwitter X: @RealDMWPodcastExclusive Content: PubTV AppSupport the show Get your free consultation with Dominion Wealth Strategists today! The only distinctly reformed Wealth Managment company! CLICK HERE! Check out out the Dead Men Walking snarky merch HERE! Build something for God's glory through Real Estate! Greg Moore Jr. can help you buy, sell, and invest! Call him at (734) 731-GREG

Dead Men Walking Podcast
The Valley of Vision: The Dark Guest

Dead Men Walking Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2025 23:40


Send us a textThis week Greg recommend one of his favorite devotions called "The Valley of Vision".  This is a collection of personal and corporate prayers written by Puritans used in there daily prayer life. Greg read the preface, gave a little history of the book, and then read one of the prayers named "The Dark Guest" that we are sure will be impactful and relevant for you today, even though it was written almost 400 years ago. This is a powerful little book that everyone should have in their collection. Enjoy!Dominion Wealth Strategists: Full Service Financial Planning! Click HERE for a free consultation today! Facebook: Dead Men Walking PodcastYoutube: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcastTwitter X: @RealDMWPodcastExclusive Content: PubTV App

Fight Laugh Feast USA
The Valley of Vision: The Dark Guest [Dead Men Walking Podcast]

Fight Laugh Feast USA

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2025 22:37


Send us a text This week Greg recommend one of his favorite devotions called "The Valley of Vision". This is a collection of personal and corporate prayers written by Puritans used in there daily prayer life. Greg read the preface, gave a little history of the book, and then read one of the prayers named "The Dark Guest" that we are sure will be impactful and relevant for you today, even though it was written almost 400 years ago. This is a powerful little book that everyone should have in their collection. Enjoy! Dominion Wealth Strategists: Full Service Financial Planning! Click HERE for a free consultation today! Facebook: Dead Men Walking PodcastYoutube: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcastTwitter X: @RealDMWPodcastExclusive Content: PubTV AppSupport the show Get your free consultation with Dominion Wealth Strategists today! The only distinctly reformed Wealth Managment company! CLICK HERE! Check out out the Dead Men Walking snarky merch HERE! Build something for God's glory through Real Estate! Greg Moore Jr. can help you buy, sell, and invest! Call him at (734) 731-GREG

ChrisCast
Live Free or Zoo

ChrisCast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2025 23:48


A meme flickered across feeds this week: South Carolina stacked up against California like a balance sheet for how well you can cage chaos. Homicide rates, GDP, life expectancy — by each measure California shines as the model: safer, wealthier, longer-lived. South Carolina looks rougher, poorer, more violent, a reminder that for some Americans, freedom means a shorter, riskier life. Beneath the numbers, the line: “Don't California my South Carolina.” It's more than a bumper sticker. It's the oldest American choice: Would you rather live longer, safer, and curated in a soft enclosure — or live free enough to fail, starve, and fight at the forest's edge?A good zoo is not a trick. It extends lives. It keeps predators out, or in. It offers illusions of wilderness while carefully curating the risk. California has spent a century mastering this balance. Its early Progressive roots laid out protections for labor, housing, and the urban poor. By the mid-century boom, it perfected suburbia: highways, lawns, hidden fences. Today it pilots universal basic income and climate protections. It works — statistically. But the hidden cost is that freedom to claw your way out shrinks until the animals forget there ever was a gate.South Carolina and places like it — the Mountain West, the rural South, the high plains — carry an older instinct. The frontier mind knows the wilderness is dangerous but would rather risk the claw than hand it over. It's not about wanting chaos; it's about accepting that a life worth living is mortal, unpredictable, never fully occupied by guardians. When settlers crossed into the forests, they feared the wilderness more than the king they left behind. Puritans wrote of the moral abyss in the trees, the space where you stood alone before God with no wall between you and failure. Out of that dread came the rugged individualist, the one who keeps the bear gun or the revolver not to kill but to remember the gate is not locked.In 1965, French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard captured this tension in Alphaville, a bleak sci-fi noir about a city run by Alpha 60, a sentient computer that abolishes contradiction and poetry. The city is orderly, safe, perfectly contained. Citizens live behind doors marked occupé — occupied — or libre — free. But freedom is an illusion; the guardians hold all the real weapons. Into this system drifts Lemmy Caution, a detective from the wild “Outer Nations.” He smuggles in a revolver and outlaw poems, proof that the wild spark always tries to slip the fence. Godard's generation feared that postwar France's technocratic planners would engineer a zoo so perfect the people would choose it themselves.When France sent America the Statue of Liberty, they gave us a flame, not a fence. The poem “Give me your tired, your poor…” is an American footnote; the torch stands as a dare: keep this wild spark alive if you can. For all our talk of British roots, America's spiritual lineage is French — the Enlightenment bet that real freedom demands risk. That legacy lives today in the states that embrace constitutional carry, stand by the “Live Free or Die” motto, and bristle at any new enclosure that feels too neat to be true.The tension is permanent. California's better zoo is a real achievement. But the meme reminds us that some people will trade longer, safer lives for the raw edge of the trees. A caged bird may live twice as long as one in the forest, but its song is the only thing that knows the truth. Godard understood this: the guardians do not always kill the wild spark — the animals do, when they forget how to find the gate marked libre. A perfect cage is still a cage. The flame stands for those who keep the claw, and the choice.Live Free or Zoo. America's Alphaville choice.

Historical Jesus
216. The Hampton Court Conference

Historical Jesus

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2025 10:11


King James convened the Hampton Court Conference in 1604, where a new English version of the Bible was conceived in response to the problems of the earlier translations perceived by the Puritans, an orthodox faction of the Church of England. One cannot underestimate the spiritual, cultural, political, and literary importance and influence of the Authorized Version's preeminence in the English-speaking world. Check out the YouTube version of this episode at https://youtu.be/OAsU9HzL2vM which has accompanying visuals including maps, charts, timelines, photos, illustrations, and diagrams. Hampton Court Palace books available at https://amzn.to/3ND5Q8I Hampton Court Palace souvenirs at https://amzn.to/4fdL5w1 King James Version (KJV) Bibles available at https://amzn.to/3jOQna7 ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Mark's TIMELINE Video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio Credit: The Story of the King James Bible with James Naughtie (BBC Radio 4). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History Unplugged Podcast
Don't Look to 1903s Germany to Understand American Populism. Look to 1830s New York Revivals Instead.

History Unplugged Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2025 63:45


Something strange happened in Upstate New York during the 1830s. This area was called the "Burned-Over District" because so many fiery religious revivals swept through that it was metaphorically burned over. This region became a key source of the Second Great Awakening, a Protestant revival movement marked by emotional preaching and mass conversions, as preachers like Charles Finney inspired thousands to seek personal salvation and social reform. The revival spirit also birthed new movements: Mormonism emerged with Joseph Smith's founding of the Latter Day Saint movement in 1830, the Jehovah’s Witnesses trace their roots to the Bible Student movement that gained traction later in the century, and Spiritualism took hold in the 1840s with the Fox sisters’ claims of communicating with spirits in Hydesville, New York. This episode, however, isn’t just about the Burned-Over District. It’s about how these revivalists tapped into a distinctly American form of power, one not built on title or lineage, but on pure, raw charisma. From Puritan prophets and prophetesses in the 1600s to big-tent revivalists in the 1800s, and even to modern self-help gurus like Tony Robbins and Oprah Winfrey, charisma has shaped influence across time. It empowers figures like presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama to amass followings, sustain authority, and shape the national narrative through sheer personal appeal. Today’s guest is Molly Worthen, author of Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump. We explore the roots of charisma and power in American democracy, whether it’s necessarily bad or can be used for good, and how to avoid falling under the spell of a charismatic demagogue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MinistryWatch Podcast
Ep. 483: How Charisma Shaped Both American And Church History A conversation with Molly Worthen

MinistryWatch Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2025 45:34


Here at MinistryWatch, we have become all too familiar with the allure and the dangers of celebrity preachers. One of the things you will here me say often is that we humans are not meant to be celebrities. We're not wired for it. Celebrityhood is a condition that wars against the health of our soul. And yet…we Americans, and American evangelicals in particular, have an addiction to celebrities. To use the words from the Joni Mitchell song, our star-making machinery keeps spitting them out. And when these celebrities burn out, or meltdown, we brush them aside and make more. Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard, Ravi Zacharias, Mark Driscoll, Jimmy Swaggart, Bill Hybels. How much time do you have, because this list could go on and on. All of this is why Molly Worthen's new book caught my attention. It's called Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump. Molly is one of those rare academics – she's a professor at the University of North Carolina – who writes in readable, compelling ways. And her discussion of what she calls charisma, which she says differs from celebrity or charm, is fascinating and has opened up my eyes to new ways of seeing some of the characteristics of the modern evangelical church. If Molly Worthen's name sounds familiar to you, it could be because I've cited her often in my own work. Her book Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism, was helpful to me when it was published ten years ago. I should also add that since the publication of that first book, Molly Worthen herself has had a conversion experience and now counts herself as a born-again Christian. I ask her about that near the end of this conversation, and I would invite you to stick around to the end to hear her interesting and – to my way of thinking – encouraging personal story. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

Rarified Heir Podcast
Episode #242: Dick Smothers Jr. (Dick Smothers)

Rarified Heir Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2025 84:29


Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Dick Smothers Jr., son of, who else, comedian & musician Dick Smothers, one half of the comedy team, The Smothers Brothers. On this episode, we explore some pretty intense stuff as we get into what it was like growing up with a famous father and a famous uncle whose comedy was a touchstone for comedians of the 1960s. And while Dick Smother's was perhaps one of the best straight men in comedy, the story Dick Smothers Jr. tells us story is anything but rosey. We learn about the attention his dad craved and the strained relationship they have to this day. Moreover, we talk about heavy metal and Dick Jr's 80s band Kamikaze, his fascination with Alister Crowley as well as black magic and his one-time career choice to become an adult actor. Yes, this episode delves into another kind of celebrity, pornography. One we haven't spoken about this before or acter this episode first aired but we delve into it extensively here. We discuss why Dick Jr. chose to become a porn star, why Dick Jr. didn't change his name because…well….he already had the best name in blue movies and what it was like talking to the press knowing his famous name would draw attention. And therein lies the rub. Pun intended. This episode is a frank and serious discussion and we learn a lot about why Dick Jr. chose that career path, his relationship with his father, the challenges of being in ‘the industry' and much more. Puritans beware! So if black magic, pornography and heavy metal were on your Bingo card for this episode of the podcast, you are in luck! Because this is another episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast where everyone has a story. This one is likely one you have never heard before. Take a listen. Yo-Yo Man fans, hang onto your hats!

The Culture Translator
Molly Worthen on Charisma: From Ancient Grace to Modern Power

The Culture Translator

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2025 41:24


Molly Worthen is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a freelance journalist. She teaches courses on North American religion and politics, global Christianity, and the history of ideas. She writes on these themes for The New York Times and has contributed to The New Yorker, Slate, The American Prospect, Foreign Policy, and other publications. She has also created video and audio courses on the history of Christianity and the history of charismatic leadership for the Great Courses and Audible. Her new book is called Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump.  Check out the book Spellbound. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Reasonable Theology Podcast
How Christianity Has Advanced Freedom and Equality for All Americans

Reasonable Theology Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2025 38:25


In a world where Christianity is often portrayed by critics as a force for oppression and intolerance, my guest Mark David Hall offers a different perspective.In this replay episode we discuss his book, Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land: How Christianity Has Advanced Freedom and Equality for All Americans, which details how Christianity has played a significant role in advancing liberty and equality throughout the history of the United States.We Talk About:• How critical views such as those of the 1619 Project portray Christianity• Ways in which the Puritans helped set the stage for representational government• The role of Christians during the Revolutionary War era• How Scripture was misused in our history to support the evils of slavery• The impact of Christians on the abolitionist movement to end slavery• How followers of Christ should view their role in the public square todayListen as we discuss Christianity's important contributions to the founding and growth of the American ExperimentGet a free trial of Logos at ReasonableTheology.org/Logos Support the showGET THE NEWSLETTEREach edition of the Reasonable Theology newsletter contains my latest article or podcast episode PLUS: A Theological Word or Phrase Explained Quickly and Clearly A Painting Depicting a Scene from Scripture or Church History Audio of a Hymn or other Musical Selection to Enjoy A Recommended Book or Resource to Expand Your Library SUBSCRIBE HERE

Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Novato, Marin County
God's Faithfulness in Church History

Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Novato, Marin County

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2025 43:39


Sunday School class led by Mr. Justin Crick at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 06/22/2025 in Petaluma, CA. This week Sunday School lesson titled “God's Faithfulness in Church History: From the Apostles to the Puritans” The post God's Faithfulness in Church History appeared first on Trinity Presbyterian Church North Bay (OPC).

Theology Central
Bridget Bishop: First to Hang

Theology Central

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2025 36:52


Bridget Bishop was the first to hang during the Salem witch trials. This episode tells the story of her trial, execution, and legacy—walking from courtroom to gallows, from stone memorial to dark streets. She wasn't a witch. But her death opened the door to a season of terror.

The Road to Now
#340 How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Trump w/ Molly Worthen

The Road to Now

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2025 54:29


Bob speaks with UNC-Chapel Hill historian Molly Worthen about her new book Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Trump. Gary Fletcher edited this episode.

A Little Bit Culty
Cults Like Us: Jane Borden on LGATs, Humor & Human Potential (Part 2)

A Little Bit Culty

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2025 37:58


We're back with Part 2 of our conversation with Jane Borden, author of Cults Like Us, where we pick up right where we left off – with the Puritans, of course. Because what's more American than a doomsday cult in denial? In this half, we explore how their legacy of moral perfectionism, isolationism, and a rigid “us vs. them” worldview continues to shape American institutions, politics, and even pop psychology. Jane takes us through the cult wars of the '80s and '90s, the rise of deprogrammers and cult apologists, and the influence of Large Group Awareness Trainings (aka LGATs) like EST and Landmark on today's self-help landscape. We also dive into the concept of normative dissonance, how political architects like Newt Gingrich exploited division for power, and why bridging social gaps might be the antidote to modern-day culty chaos. Along the way, Jane reminds us why humor can be a powerful tool for understanding even the darkest parts of our culture. If you missed Part 1, hit pause and go back. We promise it's worth it! And be sure to check out Cults Like Us and more of Jane's work at janeborden.com. Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody's mad at you, just don't be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Kristen Reiter Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

A Little Bit Culty
Cults Like Us: Jane Borden on Puritans, Power & American Exceptionalism (Part 1)

A Little Bit Culty

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2025 40:06


Were the Puritans America's first cult? Our guest this week makes a compelling case for yes. Jane Borden is a journalist and the author of Cults Like Us: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, she joins us to unpack how Puritan beliefs—think apocalypse prepping, chosen nation syndrome, and the worship of wealth—laid the groundwork for the kind of culty thinking that still thrives in America today. We dig into the legacy of American exceptionalism, the allure of authoritarian leaders, and the ways our pop culture heroes reflect Puritan values more than we realize. Jane also walks us through the tragic case of the Love Has Won cult and explains how power warps empathy, especially when paired with a doomsday mindset. It's a wild ride through history, psychology, and politics, with heavy cult undertones. Check out Jane's book Cults Like Us and more of her work at janeborden.com, and stay tuned for Part 2 next week. Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody's mad at you, just don't be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Kristen Reiter Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

The Dream
Do Cults Like Us?

The Dream

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2025 43:36


Jane Borden has written a book all about cults, the key thesis of which is that Pilgrims, Puritans, etc. were part of a doomsday cult and that manner of thinking was what founded the United States.You can find more from Jane Borden on Instagram: @janeborden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The New Evangelicals Podcast
381. The Dark Side of Charisma

The New Evangelicals Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 75:10


In this episode, Tim interviews Molly Worthen, author of 'Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump.' They explore the concept of charisma, its historical significance, and its role in both religious and political leadership. Worthen shares her unique journey to evangelicalism and discusses how charisma has been a driving force in shaping American history, from the Puritans to contemporary figures like Trump and Rush Limbaugh. The conversation delves into the dual nature of charisma, its moral neutrality, and its impact on social movements and media. Molly's Faculty Page Molly's Author Page Chapters 02:49 Molly Worthen's Journey to Evangelicalism 09:07 The Evolution of Charisma Through History 14:55 Charisma in Political Leadership 27:12 Rush Limbaugh and the Age of Gurus 39:00 Trump's Charisma and Political Strategy 46:32 The Role of Storytelling in Politics 52:12 Navigating the Landscape of Christian Nationalism 01:01:18 Understanding the Complexity of Voter Behavior ____________________________________________________ ⁠⁠you'd like to support our work, you can DONATE here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Us On Instagram @thenewevangelicals  Subscribe On YouTube @thenewevangelicals The New Evangelicals exists to support those who are tired of how evangelical church has been done before and want to see an authentic faith lived out with Jesus at the center. This show is produced by Josh Gilbert Media | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joshgilbertmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We are committed to building a caring community that emulates the ways of Jesus by reclaiming the evangelical tradition and embracing values that build a better way forward. If you've been marginalized by your faith, you are welcome here. We've built an empathetic and inclusive space that encourages authentic conversations, connections and faith. Whether you consider yourself a Christian, an exvangelical, someone who's questioning your faith, or someone who's left the faith entirely, you are welcome here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Eric Metaxas Show
Michael Wilkerson

The Eric Metaxas Show

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 43:06


Michael Wilkerson shares his newest book: Puritans, Pilgrims & Prophets: How the first generation of English settlers shaped the future of a nation (Why America Matters). More at: stormwall.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Vital Center
Exploring the Secrets of Political Charisma, with Molly Worthen

The Vital Center

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 67:24


We all have an opinion about charismatic leaders — but do we really know what “charisma” means? Molly Worthen, in her new book Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump, points out that charismatic leaders historically haven't always been distinguished for their charm or compelling oratory. Rather, charismatic leaders are those who enter into a mutual exchange with their followers, in which the leader “draws back the veil on an alternative world in which followers find that they have secret knowledge, supernatural promise, and special status as heroes.” Worthen, who is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is also a renowned writer on religion for the New York Times and other media outlets, further observes that charismatic leaders and their followers blur the line between politics and religion: “Even in contexts that seem to have nothing to do with religion, charisma describes something like a liturgical act, a drama performed together, in which the parties join to consecrate a new reality that all, for their own reasons, prefer to the old one.”Worthen distinguishes between five types of charismatic leaders who have appeared across the centuries of American history: Prophets, Conquerors, Agitators, Experts, and Gurus. Some were builders, who created new institutions and left enduring legacies; others were destroyers, who dismantled structures that stood in the way of the path they promised their followers would lead to salvation. Donald Trump, in Worthen's typology, is a Guru, one who channels the deeply rooted myth of the hero-entrepreneur, and who offers his followers the opportunity to take part in a story of America's return to greatness. “Trump was not, personally, a paragon of conventional religious devotion,” Worthen notes. “Yet his political career depended on a hunger among his most dedicated supporters that can only be called spiritual.”In this podcast discussion, Worthen discusses not only her studies of charismatic leaders but also her previous work on religious belief, the Grand Strategy program at Yale, and her own conversion to evangelical Christianity.  

Conversing
Charisma—from Puritans to Trump, with Molly Worthen

Conversing

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 52:11


Historian and journalist Molly Worthen explores the mysterious and potent force of charisma, and its power to shape American identity, culture, politics, and religion. She explains how storytelling, transcendence, and authority are used by America's most charismatic leaders. Drawing on her new book Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump, Worthen shares how charismatic authority reveals deep human desires for meaning, agency, and transcendence. The conversation explores themes of vulnerability, spiritual hunger, religious disaffiliation, and the evolving nature of belief and belonging in modern society. Worthen unpacks the often-overlooked distinction between charisma and charm or celebrity, examining the role of storytelling in cultivating authority and devotion. She also shares how researching this subject intersected with her own spiritual journey, culminating in her recent conversion to Christianity. Key Moments Molly Worthen discusses her latest book, *Spellbound.* Charisma: a relational, story-driven phenomenon, not mere charm or celebrity Our religious impulse persists despite declining traditional affiliation Worthen's personal spiritual journey: from intellectual agnosticism to Christian faith while writing the book Donald Trump's narrative charisma and religious-political appeal examined in depth Human longing for transcendence and meaning as the root of charismatic power Episode Highlights “Evangelism is just telling people what happened to you.” “The heart of charisma is the leader's ability to tell a story… that does a better job at explaining the chaos and the suffering.” “We want the comfort of knowing that some force larger than us is ultimately in charge—and yet we also seek agency.” “I came to realize I was writing a book that was fundamentally about spiritual hunger—and that I myself had that hunger too.” “Authenticity as a personal style has no necessary relationship with honesty.” “We kid ourselves if we think more sources solve the mystery of charisma—reality is an asymptote we never perfectly reach.” About Molly Worthen Molly Worthen is Associate Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, specializing in North American religion, politics, global Christianity, and the history of ideas. She is a contributing writer for The New York Times and author of several books, including Apostles of Reason and The Man on Whom Nothing Was Lost. Her most recent book is Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump. Show Notes Authority—who should we listen to? Internal battles within American evangelicalism The definition of charisma and its distinction from charm, celebrity, and power Charisma: “ the allure in a leader that gives him or her the power to move a crowd that is premised on a relationship. … you need two parties at least. It's not solely a quality of fluorescence that shines out from the individual without other people to interact with it.” The leader's ability to tell a story that explains the audience's experience of life Paradoxical quality: we want our decision to make a difference in our fate, but we also want some being or force larger than us to make it all okay. “ It's not just about looking at the one who is the special anointed one, but it's that somehow through that person, I too, or we too, see ourselves more clearly.” Special revelation and stories of experiencing God in particular ways “Capturing the ineffable” Role of charismatic leaders in American religious and political life Impact of Joseph Smith, Anne Hutchinson, JFK, and Adlai Stevenson Why institutional religion no longer captures spiritual impulse for many Americans Storytelling as the essence of charismatic authority Evolution of American individualism and the cult of authenticity How mass media, trauma, and cultural crises shape charismatic influence Coming to terms with the limits of your “source base”—”Reality is an asymptote.” “It's that sort of transcendent storytelling ability that is the heart of charisma.” Mormonism and the charisma of Joseph Smith Leaders like JFK and Adlai Stevenson offered different models of modern charisma “So much of my book is really about the fortunes of established institutions in American culture because charismatic figures always define themselves vis-a-vis institutions.” Routinizing charisma (cf. Max Weber) “The gap or the consistency between what our subjects are, are thinking and intending consciously and what they actually do.” Intuition vs analysis—steeping in cultural milieu and operating out of personal life experiences The Puritan heretic, Anne Hutchinson “Very few humans are out and out cynics.” Charismatic figures aren't always attractive or eloquent—they resonate through meaning-making “ The religious impulse is finding a place to land other than organized religion.” Protestant roots of American consciousness tied to authority and self-discovery Humanist psychology and positive thinking “The age of the gurus” Charisma and Contemporary Politics: Donald Trump Trump's story of victimhood, self-made success, and defiance of institutions as a charismatic myth Trump's stream-of-consciousness style perceived as authenticity by many followers. “For example, his rambling stream of consciousness, speaking style that actually is a core, is core to his appeal, I think for many Trump supporters because it comes across as a kind of authenticity—as a willingness to tell it how it is and speak off the top of his head. And authenticity as a personal style has no necessary relationship with honesty in terms of correspondence to, you know, empirically verifiable facts.” The alignment between his narrative and the prosperity gospel ”While Donald Trump is no one's idea of an Orthodox Christian, he grew up in Norman Vincent Peale's Church in New York City, Marble Collegiate Church, hearing the Prosperity Gospel, the gospel of positive thinking.” ”I think Trump has a, has a really acute spiritual instinct for. That picture of reality one in which we can really reshape reality with our minds.” Early support from independent charismatic church networks shaped his rise. Importance of positive thinking theology (e.g., Norman Vincent Peale) in his spiritual instincts. “I suppose I was about two thirds of the way through the rough draft of this book when I was rudely interrupted by the Holy Spirit. I have always studied Christianity as a very sympathetic and, frankly, envious outsider and never was entirely happy with my agnostic fence sitting, but also wasn't actively looking to resolve my metaphysical questions.” “ I've always had this conviction that humans are fundamentally religious creatures and they have this impulse to connect to a transcendent source of meaning to worship.” “I came to realize that I was writing a book that was fundamentally about spiritual hunger and how humans cope with it. But that I myself had had that hunger as well—that I'm not immune to that feature of the human dilemma.” “We want to be pulled into something transcendent, where we are more fully ourselves.” Praying for a mystical experience—at least being “strangely warmed” ”God had already done something to my desires—I was walking in the direction of Jesus already.” “ I always see every kind of historical problem as somehow having to do with contesting visions of human nature.” “There's this silly misconception that Christianity is intellectually stultifying—that to become a orthodox, traditional Christian is to shut off all kinds of questions and accept a black and white way of thinking. And that has not been my experience.” Research project on miracles “ Evangelism is just telling people what happened to you.” Conversion was driven by rigorous academic inquiry into the resurrection and New Testament Experience echoed themes in the book: story, vulnerability, and being seen Her analysis: “God had already done something to my desires before the arguments convinced me.” Post-conversion excitement about theological study, healing, and miracles Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.

The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steven Hassan
Cults Like Us: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America with Jane Borden

The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steven Hassan

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 54:49


One of Jane's most striking points in her book and our conversation is that cults aren't just something “other people” get involved in. Cults can deceptively recruit anyone and work in many different spheres of influence. “I just started pulling the thread,” Jane recalled, “and traced it back to the Puritans.” She explains how the theological worldview of early American settlers, particularly the Puritans, established a pattern of black-and-white/good-versus-evil thinking. The Puritans believed in things like divine judgment, righteous punishment, and the idea that only a few could be saved while the rest would suffer in the apocalypse. This religious idea was an organizing principle for our society and prevails today. For instance, the idea of an existential threat or ultimate salvation has bled into common culture. Whether it's climate doomism, political collapse, or even the rapture, American society is addicted to “the end is near” thinking. It is everywhere, embedded into our popular culture. Cultic control today has many faces: multilevel marketing schemes (MLMs), political cults, religious cults, therapy cults, “wellness” gurus, and even one-on-one abusive dynamics. These groups reflect and exploit the very same psychological patterns found in traditional cults—fear, isolation, obedience, and identity manipulation. And there are many cults in the Cult of Trump. Check out this fascinating interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reformed Forum
J. Brandon Burks | The Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials

Reformed Forum

Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 59:56


In this episode of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey welcomes Dr. J. Brandon Burks, pastor of Christ Reformed Church (URCNA) in Florence, Kentucky, to discuss his recent article published in The Confessional Presbyterian Journal (Vol. 20, 2024): The Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials: Living According to God's Revealed Will. Together, they explore the theological context of the infamous Salem witch trials of 1692, uncovering how speculative theology and reliance on so-called “spectral evidence” reflected a deeper deviation from Scripture's clarity and sufficiency. Dr. Burks outlines the influence of figures such as William Perkins, Cotton Mather, and Richard Baxter, while also shedding light on how the distinction between God's secret and revealed will was tragically misunderstood. The conversation goes beyond history, offering timely insights into contemporary fascination with mysticism, the spiritual dangers of neglecting the ordinary means of grace, and the need for biblically grounded theology in facing spiritual warfare today. They conclude by considering the value of a redemptive-historical and confessional framework in pastoral ministry and theological education. Links Debunking the “Moldy Bread Theory” The Haunted Cosmos podcast Chapters 00:07 Introduction 02:11 Academic Background and Church Planting in Kentucky 07:36 Van Til's Theology of Christian Education 09:39 The Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials 15:04 Speculative Theology 18:03 Williams Perkins' Theology as a Basis 24:00 Covenants with the Devil 26:14 Devil's Marks and Their Significance 29:52 Exploring the Explosion of Accusations in 1692 33:39 Debunking the Moldy Bread Theory 35:29 The Influence of Samuel Parris 39:21 The Dangers of Speculative Theology 44:26 Balancing Awareness of the Spiritual Realm 50:33 Misunderstandings of the Salem Witch Trials 53:35 Further Reading and Resources on the Trials 58:07 Conclusion Participants: Camden Bucey, J. Brandon Burks

The Crossway Podcast
Is Evangelicalism Suffering from a "Sanctification Gap"? (Matthew Bingham)

The Crossway Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 42:03


In this episode, Matthew Bingham shares why habits of spiritual formation are so important for the Christian faith by looking at the lives of the Puritans. ⁠⁠Read the full transcript of this episode.⁠⁠ ❖ Listen to “Disciplines of a Godly Man” with Kent Hughes: ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

Theology Applied
THE LIVESTREAM - BUILDING CHRISTIAN BURROUGHS - No longer plan B

Theology Applied

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 61:31


They didn't wait for Washington to fix it.When the Puritans landed in New England, they weren't petitioning Parliament. They were planting churches, building schools, raising crops, and electing elders. When Christian settlers carved towns out of the American frontier, they didn't wait for cultural permission—they brought the Book, the rifle, and the plow, and they built.Today, too many Christians are still acting like tenants in someone else's crumbling house—debating how to rearrange the furniture while the foundation splits in half.But the New Christian Right is done waiting.We're not trying to tweak the machine—we're walking away from it. We're not asking what can be salvaged from D.C.—we're asking what can be secured in our own counties, our own churches, our own homes. We're not retreating. We're fortifying.It's time to build Christian boroughs: worship-centered, economically linked, family-led, law-respecting communities that can survive the collapse and seed the next Christendom.If that sounds too ambitious, remember this: the future doesn't belong to the most powerful. It belongs to the most planted.This episode is brought to you by our premier sponsors, Armored Republic and Reece Fund, as well as our Patreon members and donors. You can join our Patreon at patreon.com/rightresponseministries or donate at rightresponseministries.com/donate.So how do we start? Where do we dig in? And which hills are actually winnable? Let's talk strategy.MINISTRY SPONSORS:Reece Fund. Christian Capital. Boldly Deployedhttps://www.reecefund.com/Private Family Banking How to Connect with Private Family Banking: FREE 20-MINUTE COURSE HERE: View CourseSend an email inquiry to chuck@privatefamilybanking.comReceive a FREE e-book entitled "How to Build Multi-Generational Wealth Outside of Wall Street and Avoid the Coming Banking Meltdown": protectyourmoneynow.netSet up a FREE Private Family Banking Discovery call: Schedule HereMulti-Generational Wealth Planning Guide Book for only $4.99: Seven Generations LegacyWestern Front Books. Publishing for men on the right. Not churchy. Christian.https://www.WesternFrontBooks.com/Mid State Accounting Does your small business need help with bookkeeping, tax returns, and fractional CFO services? Call Kailee Smith at 573‑889‑7278 for a free, no‑obligation consultation. Mention the Right Response podcast and get 10% off your first three months. Kingsmen Caps Carry the Crown with Kingsmen Caps — premium headwear made for those who honor Christ as King. Create your custom crown or shop our latest releases at https://kingsmencaps.com. Squirrelly Joes Coffee – Caffeinating The Modern Reformation Get a free bag of coffee (just pay shipping): https://squirrellyjoes.com/rightresponse