Truce

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast Jerry Falwell Sr. was one of the most outspoken evangelical Christians in the 1980s. He founded Liberty University and the Moral Majority political movement. In 1985 he went on a trip to visit South Africa, which was then engaged in its apartheid practices. That meant keeping 80% of the land for white use only and moving black people to reservations. It was a black majority country controlled by the white minority. Upon his return, Falwell made some controversial statements. Including one that American Christians should not protest South Africa or demand sanctions. Seems crazy, right? But South African guerillas were being funded (in part) by the Soviet Union. The worry that communism would take over South Africa was real. Which of the two evils would Christians choose? Backing an apartheid government, or potentially supporting the Soviet-sponsored rebels? Our guest today is Melani McAliste

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast Melani McAlister, author of "The Kingdom of God Has No Borders" and Professor of American Studies and International Affairs at George Washington University joins us to discuss how we export Christianity. In the 1950s and 1960s, American denominations sent white missionaries to Africa to share the good news. But with them went their bias and racism. This was the era of Jim Crow laws. Some missionaries took those laws to Africa, not allowing black people to eat at their tables. In this episode, we examine the problem of tying the United States to Christianity. When the US makes mistakes or does evil, how does that reflect back on the church? Christian missionaries sometimes export the United States with their messages. What else is going with our missionaries? Discussion Questions: Have you ever been on a mission trip before? What was your motivation for going? Do you think that it is possi

When I was a kid, we were playing at a friend's house. I fell and scraped up my knee pretty badly. Dirt and rocks were in the wound. My friend's mom was a nurse, so she got out her medical kit. She did her best to pick out what she could and then showed me her bottle of iodine. Iodine is a strong anti-microbial. Highly effective for cleaning wounds. But, like rubbing alcohol, it stings pretty bad. Pain, she said, is not always a bad thing. Pain is what our body uses to tell us something is wrong. That we need to make a change. If your appendix hurts, it's helpful. Because if they didn't, you'd have no way of knowing that they were going to burst. Sometimes, we need to feel pain. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty raw today. I haven't been able to focus on much. Yesterday, January 6, 2021, a mob of Trump supporters, incited by Donald Trump, stormed the Capitol building in Washington DC. It was an act of terrorism. A coup attempt on US soil. I'm angry. I'm scared. And what hurts the most is to know that e

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast Many of us are familiar with Joseph McCarthy and his infamous hearings on Communism in the US government. What we don't know is that McCarthy was far from the first person to use these tactics. In this episode of the Truce Podcast we examine the Rapp-Coudert Committee-- an effort in the New York City school system to root out Communists, Fascists, and Nazis who might be teaching students. In the end, even outspoken Christians participated in this witch hunt, which targeted mostly Jewish teachers and staff. Discussion Questions: Why were Americans so afraid of Communists? Was it against the constitution to withhold rights from people because Rapp-Coudert was just a hearing? What would you have done if you were accused of being a communist? Would you have named names? Why were Jewish people targeted for violence by the Christian Front? Do the actions of one part of a group define the ent

Give a little money to help support Truce! Details are at www.trucepodcast.com/donate 2020 has been a difficult year for many. I wanted to take a few minutes to discuss things that went well. So I opened up a phone line to collect stories from you, the listeners. Thanks to everyone who submitted their stories! I'll be opening up the phone lines again in another month to collect more listener feedback. Happy New Year and thanks for supporting Truce! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast It's time for our second annual Christmas Episode Exchange! Each year I put out a call on the Christian Podcasters Association Facebook page for 5-minute mini-episodes based on the theme of Christmas. Now I'm going to present several of the best from that group. 1) An Endurance Christmas from the Truce Podcast www.trucepodcast.com http://www.facebook.com/trucepodcast http://www.twitter.com/trucepodcast 2. Letters from Home Podcast by Meg Glesener https://lettersfromhomepodcast.com/ https://www.Twitter.com/letters_podcast 3. Life, Repurposed Podcast by Michelle Rayburn http://www.liferepurposed.me https://twitter.com/michellerayburn 4. Moments with Moni Podcast by Monika Hardy  https://www.momentswithmoni.com https://twitter.com/Monika_Hardy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast The 1983 Supreme Court case Lynch v Donnelly brought church and state together in one important decision. In it, the court decided that a city-owned creche (also known as a manger scene) could remain on private land because it was part of a greater display. It wasn't a stand-alone creche. It was surrounded by Christmas trees, a Santa's village, and more. The diorama could stay because it held no significant religious value. It was, in their words, "ceremonial deism". In this modern era where it seems like religion is slipping away from public life, it's good to stop and ask what we're losing. Do our public displays of piety have any real Christian weight to them in the first place? What are we fighting for if "In God We Trust" doesn't specify which God it's referring to? Supreme Court audio for this episode was used with a Creative Commons License from Oyez.org. The audio was edited from it

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast In 1954 the United States government, led by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, staged a coup to oust President Jacobo Arbenz of Guatemala. For what reason? To help the United Fruit Company. United Fruit was a giant company, capturing over 90% of the market in its heyday. The juggernaut found President Arbenz to be a nuisance when his agrarian reform meant they would be paid for some of their unused land, which would be given to peasants. With the help of powerful friends like Allen Dulles (the Director of the CIA), the United States staged a coup, installing Castillo Armas in his place. All of this took place while the USA was busy framing itself as a Christian nation. What does that mean for the Christian Church today? Are we a nation that supports that kind of behavior? Our special guest for this episode is Stephen Schlesinger, co-author of the excellent book "Bad Fruit: The Story of

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast Billy Graham may have been the most important evangelist of the 20th century. His words were heard by millions of people around the world. He preached in person, on television, magazines, radio, and film. His impact is still felt today. He is also one of the people most responsible for tying Christianity, Capitalism, and the United States. But his legacy didn't stop there. While he denounced communism, he went to great lengths to ensure that communists had access to the gospel too. Our guest this episode is David Aikman, author of "Billy Graham: His Life and Influence". Discussion Questions: Is Jesus' message individualistic, collectivist, or something in between? If the majority of a nation's citizens say they are Christians, does that make it a Christian nation? Does hobnobbing with the wealthy and politically connected occasionally backfire? Like, say, when you've come out backing Ri

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast What do American Christians really want in the Trump era? I think that we just want representation. We want someone to stand for us, to fight out battles. But that gets tricky. There is a story in the Old Testament that gives us some clues about how that temptation can hurt us in the end. Discussion Questions: Have you ever received a gospel tract? What was your reaction? What kind of information do you think is essential on a tract? Have you ever received a tract for a different religion? How did that make you feel? How did you know it was from a different religion? Is it okay for corporations to evangelize? What are the risks of that? The benefits? Are capitalism and Christianity the same thing? If so, where does it say that in the Bible? Does it feel threatening to question the connection between capitalism and Christianity? Why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast This was one of our first ever episodes! We're rebroadcasting it today because the 2020 US Presidential election is upon us. One of the questions that keeps coming up is: why does Donald Trump appeal to white evangelical Christians? This episode was produced three years ago, so it may sound a little different, but the information is still relevant to today. President Trump has made it pretty clear that he does not know the basic tenants of Christianity. So why do we say that he is one? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast The CIA, big business, and the Ad Council worked together to create the America that we know and love today. Together, they bonded our ideas of patriotism, capitalism, and religion. But not many of us know who the Ad Council is. Sure they created Smokey Bear, the Crash Test Dummies, and the Crying Indian ads... but who are they? Wendy Melillo, author of "How McGruff and the Crying Indian Changed America: A History of Iconic Ad Council Campaigns" and professor at American University, joins us to discuss her research into the Ad Council. Helpful Links: Religion in American Life Video Ad Wendy Melillo's fascinating lecture on her book The creepy "Why?" ad we referenced in the episode Ad Council's own history website Discussion Questions: Have you ever been impacted by advertising? How did it make you feel? Does it matter where our ads come from? Even public service announcements? Ho

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast Did Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle murder Virginia Rappe? That questions defined the film industry for thirty years. Upset with Hollywood's moral failures, Christians demanded changes. We took over, fighting until the studios decided to censor themselves. This special episode of Truce ties into our last episode with Abby Johnson of the Unplanned movie. This episode explores: * Who was Fatty Arbuckle? * Who was Virginia Rappe? * Did Fatty Arbuckle murder Virginia Rappe? * What is the MPAA? * What started the Motional Picture Association of America? * Did Christians really censor the golden age of films? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donate to help keep Truce going. Visit www.trucepodcast.com/donate for information James Fifield was a pastor, radio personality, publisher, and outspoken libertarian. He hated the New Deal and its restrictions. His organization, Spiritual Mobilization, created a marketing campaign that would bond Christianity to capitalism and the United States for decades to come. Also... you know those Ten Commandments monuments all over the country? Well, it turns out that many of them were built to advertise for one of the highest grossing movies of all time: Cecil B. Demille's "The Ten Commandments". Helpful links: List of Ten Commandments monuments placed by the Eagles Ten Commandments trailer featuring Cecil B. Demille One Nation Under God by Kevin Kruse The Evangelicals by Frances Fitzgerald Discussion Questions: Is it creepy when corporations tell people how to behave? Do you like it when companies tie religion to business? Is Christianity an individualistic religion? A collectivist one? Neither? Both?

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast When strikes broke out in the 1930's, some wealthy members of the US elite got together... to pray. One of the organizers of prayer groups across the country was Abraham Vereide. In this episode of Truce we tell the story of how Vereide became one of the most influential non-elected men of his time... and how his movement took a dark turn as revealed in Netflix's The Family. Contributed Voices (not all were used): Sharon Campbell - All God's Women Podcast Shea and Michelle Watson - The Pantry Podcast Annie Quinnell - The Unstoppable Solo Mom Podcast Tim and JK Winders - Seek Go Create Podcast Holland Webb - The Afterword Podcast Markus Watson - Spiritual Life and Leadership Podcast Discussion Questions: When is it an appropriate time for a labor strike? How bad do things have to get before a strike can shut down the economy? Is there a Christian perspective on labor strikes

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast In this bonus episode, host Chris Staron does his best to quiet fears about where Truce is headed. Is this show pushing a political motive? What about an economic system? Nope. Truce is about exploring our past in order to make us better. The goal is to remain orthodox and a-political. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Partner with us by donating at: www.trucepodcast.com/donate Many Christian leaders came to hate the New Deal, especially libertarians. Their opposition to the New Deal as creeping socialism sparked the National Prayer Breakfast, some of Billy Graham's speeches, and the bonding of capitalism to Christianity and the US. So we should probably know what the New Deal was! Our guest this episode is Justin Rosolino. He's a high school history teacher and the author of the book "Idiot Sojourning Soul". You can find pictures of Chris' 50 mile New Deal Bike Tour on the website at www.trucepodcast.com. Helpful Links: FDR's Inauguration Speech on C-SPAN Interesting YouTube video about the causes of the Great Depression Topics Discussed: What was the Social Gospel? Who was Franklin Roosevelt? What was the New Deal? The Civilian Conservation Corp The Works Progress Administration Jenny Lake - Grand Teton National Park Unemployment We're focused on making Truce the best Christian podcast on the market. Partn

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast Does the church represent working-class people or are we too focused on the wealthy? During the Industrial Revolution many saw churches as clubs for rich people. So working folks formed their own churches, unions, and organizations. In this episode Heath Carter, professor at Princeton and author of "Union Made" and "The Pew and the Picket Line", talks labor. Helpful Links: Rerum Novarum - the decree by the Pope about labor Interesting video featuring Heath Carter The Evangelicals by Francis Fitzgerald One Nation Under God by Kevin Kruse Topics Covered: Are labor unions Christian? What is Christian socialism? Were the apostles socialists? Does the book of Acts demonstrate socialism? What does James 5 say about the wealthy? What does the Bible say about work? What does the Bible say about asking for a raise? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice

Donate to support the Truce Podcast at www.trucepodcast.com/donate The United States and Russia ran along parallel tracks in the late 1800s and 1900s. Both were empires. Both were tangled in war. Both were feeling the weight of the Industrial Revolution. But they divided in how they would deal with labor. That critical difference changed the history of the world. In this episode, Professor Heath Carter of the Princeton Theological Seminary starts the first of a two-episode conversation about Christianity and labor. Mr. Carter is the author of Union Made and editor of books such as The Pew and the Picket Line. Helpful Links: Heath Carter on Twitter New York City in 1903 video (Library of Congress) Interesting video of Heath Carter talking about labor Article about the Native American from the top of the show Topics Discussed: Do Christians support unions? The F. Scott Fitzgerald quote about first-rate intelligence and two ideas Working conditions in the 1800s in Chicago Pew rents How do churches

Would you like to help support the Truce Podcast? You can learn how at www.trucepodcast.com/donate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices