Introduction to Telling Jefferson Lies Artwork

The Christian Past That Wasn't: Formerly Telling Jefferson Lies

Season Three which began April 28 is now complete. I renamed the podcast The Christian Past That Wasn't to be consistent with my book from Broadleaf Books, The Christian Past That Wasn't: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History. This is so much more than a fact-checking book; it critiques the entire Christian nationalist project and misuse of history for political gain. Consistent with the first two seasons of this podcast, The Christian Past That Wasn't demonstrates that separation of church and state was the intention of the framers of the charter documents. We would be so much better off if we stayed true to separation of church and state in the US.

Podcast summary:

Season one of 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 in season one 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 by publisher Thomas Nelson, followed by 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.

Season two consists of interviews with experts on Christian nationalism and the effects of religious liberty on church and state.

For more information on books about these topics, go to http://www.gettingjeffersonright.com and http://www.christianpast.com.

All Episodes

The Christian Past That Wasn't: Formerly Telling Jefferson Lies

Introduction to Telling Jefferson Lies

December 07, 2023 • Warren Throckmorton • Season 1

0:00 | 2:31

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This is the first teaser/trailer for the podcast series which begins in January, 2024.

Show Notes:

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill by Christianity Today, hosted by Mike Cosper, from Episode 11, The Tempest. https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill/tempest-mars-hill-driscoll.html.

Music by Warren Throckmorton

For more information about Getting Jefferson Right: Fact-Checking Claims About Thomas Jefferson, go to gettingjeffersonright.com. When you buy the book, make sure you get the second edition which just came out in 2023.

Coming in January, 2024

Mike Cosper: For several years, much of Throckmorton’s blogging had been focused on debunking the work of David Barton, a Christian nationalist known for writing books and curriculum about the origins of the U.S. that are popular in some very conservative and homeschool circles. That led to the publication of a book called Getting Jefferson Right, which Throckmorton co-wrote with Michael Coulter. The book carefully deconstructs many of Barton’s Christian nationalist myths, and it led to one of Barton’s books being pulled from publication. (section taken from The Tempest, episode 11 of The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, podcast series from Christianity Today.)

Warren Throckmorton: Hi, I’m Warren Throckmorton and that was Mike Cosper, host of the popular Christianity Today podcast Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Church. Cosper interviewed me to help tell the story of the last year of Mars Hill Church’s existence. In that brief clip, Cosper hinted at another rise and fall tale. Now, in this podcast, I, along with numerous guests, want to tell you the rest of that story.

Telling Jefferson Lies chronicles how history can be hijacked for ideological and political purposes. We begin with the extraordinary story of how a best-selling book about Thomas Jefferson by David Barton was here one day and gone the next due to historical errors which were there all along. In this series, we also tell the story of Getting Jefferson Right which was our response to The Jefferson Lies and how that story continues with the second edition which came out on November 1, 2023. This is also a much broader story about the surge of Christian nationalism and the misuse of history which often goes along with it.

Getting Jefferson Right is available at online booksellers and at www.gettingjeffersonright.com.

Subscribe to the podcast Telling Jefferson Lies today, wherever you get your podcasts.