Telling Jefferson Lies
Watch for information about Season Two coming in 2025!
Season one of the series was active from January-April, 2024. Bonus episodes were periodically posted throughout the remainder of 2024. Please subscribe so you will be notified about Season Two in 2025.
Telling Jefferson Lies chronicles how history can be hijacked for ideological and political purposes, as well as a much broader story about the surge of Christian nationalism and the misuse of history which often goes along with it. The series begins with an in-depth consideration of the methods of Christian nationalist story teller David Barton. Then I tell the story of how his book on Jefferson was pulled from publication in 2012 and the response of evangelicals to that rare event. From there, I broaden the scope to examine the varieties of Christian nationalism and the negative consequences of this way of thinking about church and state. The last segment examines the reasons why the separation of church and state is good history, good civics, and good religion.
For more information, go to http://www.gettingjeffersonright.com.
Telling Jefferson Lies
Still Searching for Christian America, Part One
In 1983, Mark Noll, Nathan Hatch, and George Marsden published a book titled The Search for Christian America. They concluded that there was nothing uniquely Christian in the founding of the United States and there is no Christian America to which to return.
In this episode, both Drs. Noll and Marsden join me to say they believe today they were right in 1983 and the same conclusions are correct today. In between comments from these illustrious historians, I interview experts regarding the various conceptions of Christian nationalism, including "secular" leaning nationalism, white nationalism, and Catholic varieties, including integralism. I also provide a brief look at the research approach to describing Christian nationalism.
This is part one of two parts. Next week, I examine Reconstructionism, Seven Mountains dominionism, the old guard moral majority Christian nationalism, and the National Prayer Breakfast movement.
Guests in today's episode: Joel Bowman, Scott Coley, Michael Coulter, Greg Forster, Goerge Marsden, Paul Matzko, Mark Noll, Matthew Taylor, Jemar Tisby.
SHOW NOTES;
Produced, written, and hosted by Warren Throckmorton
Closing Song - Every Time by Roman Candle
https://open.spotify.com/track/5N9QXoxHPTkQWy39PtQPNX?si=a095c40062e64e8e
Theme Song - The World Awaits Us All
Additional Christian Nationalism Resources:
Building God's Kingdom by Julie Ingersoll
The Flag and the Cross by Philip Gorski
Taking America Back for God by Samuel Perry and Andrew Whitehead
White Too Long by Robert Jones
The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby
The Power Worshippers by Katherine Stewart
The Religion of American Greatness by Paul Miller
American Idolatry by Andrew Whitehead
Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Getting Jefferson Right: Fact-Checking Claims About Thomas Jefferson by Warren Throckmorton & Michael Coulter.
Ministers of Propaganda by Scott Coley