What do Sammy Davis Jr., Muhammad Ali, Clare Booth Luce, Whitaker Chambers, and Charles Colson all have in common? They all had very public religious conversions. In this episode, historian Rebecca Davis joins us to talk about her new bookĀ Public […]
History Podcasts
Episode 97: “In Search of George Washington’s Hair”
Using America’s obsession with Washington’s hair as his window, historian Keith Beutler examines how “physicality,” or the use of the material objects, was the most important way early Americans (1790-1840)–museum founders, African Americans, evangelicals, and school teachers– remembered the nation’s […]
Episode 27: “Evangelicals Get Passionate About the ‘The Passion of the Christ'”
Hollywood star Mel Gibson releases a movie about the last week of the life of Jesus and it opens a new front in the culture wars. Episode 27: “Evangelicals Get Passionate About the ‘The Passion of the Christ’” dropped last […]
Episode 93: A Story of Faith and Conspiracy in Revolutionary America
Less than a year after the American Revolution, a group of North Carolina farmers hatched a plot to assassinate the colony’s leading patriots, including the governor. In this episode, Boston University historian Brendan McConville talks about the Gourd Patch Conspiracy. […]
Episode 21: “The Pro-Federal Marriage Amendment Coalition Emerges”
Evangelicals rally around George W. Bush Episode 21: āThe Pro-Federal Marriage Amendment Coalition Emerges” dropped last night. Subscribers toĀ CurrentĀ at the Longshore level and above receiveĀ this narrative history podcast. Here is a teaser: Listen to Episodes 0, 1, and 2Ā here. If […]
Episode 90: The Gospel According to Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh was a celebrated aviator, the father of the baby abducted in the “crime of the century,” a Nazi sympathizer, and a believer in eugenics. He also carried a small New Testament with him as he entered the South […]
Episode 17: “The City by the Bay Starts Marrying Same-Sex Couples”
San Francisco beats Massachusetts to the punch and starts issuing marriage licenses. The Christian Right responds. Episode 17: āThe City by the Bay Starts Marrying Same-Sex Couplesā dropped last night. Subscribers toĀ CurrentĀ at the Longshore level and above receiveĀ this narrative history […]
Episode 16: “The Massachusetts Legislature Holds a Constitutional Convention”
Opponents of same-sex marriage in the Bay State try to pass a constitutional amendment Episode 16: “The Massachusetts Legislature Holds a Constitutional Convention” dropped last night. Subscribers toĀ CurrentĀ at the Longshore level and above receiveĀ this narrative history podcast. Here’s a teaser: […]
Clearing-up some confusion about the Current podcasts
Current is the home of two podcasts. I host The Way of Improvement Leads Home Podcast. I have hosted it for for five years. It predates Current. This podcast is interview-driven. Our guests are historians. It is also FREE! You […]
Episode 12: “Defending Traditional Marriage”
The Christian Right’s preemptive defense of marriage Episode 12: āDefending Traditional Marriageā dropped last night. Subscribers toĀ CurrentĀ at the Longshore level and above receiveĀ this narrative history podcast. Here is a teaser: Listen to Episodes 0, 1, and 2 here. If you like […]
Are you listening to The Way of Improvement Leads Home Podcast?
As some of you know, Current houses two podcasts. Yesterday we dropped Episode 10 of “A History of Evangelicals and Politics.” This podcast is available to patrons at the Longshore tier and above. You can listen to the first three […]
Episode 84: How “Biblical Womanhood” Became Gospel Truth
After a several month hiatus, The Way of Improvement Leads Home Podcast is back with new episodes. We have some incredible guests lined-up this summer! In this Episode 84 we talk to historian Beth Allison Barr about her bookĀ The Making […]
The Way of Improvement Leads Home Podcast will be back later this month!
After a few months of hiatus, The Way of Improvement Leads Home Podcast will be back in a few weeks with new episodes. Stay tuned! In the meantime, get caught up with past episodes. Our last string of episodes featured: […]
The second episode of “A History of Evangelicals and Politics” podcast is here!
Episode 1: “The Religious Making of a President” (our second episode) dropped last night. Subscribers toĀ CurrentĀ at the Longshore level and above receive this brand new narrative history podcast. In this episode I talk about the differences between my conversion experience […]