Giants of the Faith - A Christian History Podcast

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Today's episode is focused on one of the most prominent black American ministers of the post-civil war era, Francis Grimke. Grimke was born a slave but rose to be a well respected champion of integrity and Christian ideals even in the face of racial discrimination and prejudice.

RESOURCES

 The Christian History Institute: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/it-happened-today/7/7

 The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/francis-grimke/

 The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/20-quotes-francis-grimke-preaching/

 The Works of Francis Grimke, Vol 1: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/590be125ff7c502a07752a5b/t/5953221ff7e0ab471416461b/1498620486248/Grimke%2C+Francis+-+Works%2C+Volume+1.pdf

 Intro Music: Country Strumstick Mountain Hop, by Andy Slatter

What follows is a reconstruction of Episode 1 of this show which featured GK Chesterton. I've never been pleased with Episode 1 - neither from a writing nor production standpoint - and so have decided to reconstruct it entirely. Frankly, it embarrasses me to have that be the first episode many people listen to and I don't think it does Chesterton's legacy any favors. What follows is that reconstruction. I'm not entirely pleased with this remake, either, truth be told but perhaps that is because GK Chesterton is hard to pin down. It's not that his life isn't well known - it is. It's just that the interesting bits are a little more obtuse.

If you've already listened to episode 1 at any time after January 12, 2021 you can skip this one as it is a repeat. But as I'm replacing the existing Episode 1 I figured I'd also throw this here as a bonus episode for anyone that has already heard the original version and is interested in hearing the revised one.

RESOURCES

Christian History Institute: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/issue/gk-chesterton-prolific-writer-and-apologist

Catholic Authors: http://www.catholicauthors.com/chesterton.html

Christianity Today: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/musiciansartistsandwriters/g-k-chesterton.html

Chesterton.org: https://www.chesterton.org/who-is-this-guy/

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Today's episode focuses on the man that is considered the Father of the Congregationalist Church as well as the Father of the Pilgrims and the Grandfather of the United States, Robert Browne also known as Trouble Church Browne. Browne is famous for being the first to set up a separatist church in England after the establishment of the Church of England. Browne may have been, ultimately, a coward who caved to the religious and civil authorities of his day but he started a movement that has had enormous impact on the world we live in today.


RESOURCES

Andrew Fuller Center: http://andrewfullercenter.org/articles/blog/2006/09/troublechurch-browne

Christian History Institute: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/browne

Lilford Hall: http://www.lilfordhall.com/ElmesFamily/Robert-Browne.asp

Intro Music: Country Strumstick Mountain Hop, by Andy Slatter

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Today we're turning our attention to the man who composed perhaps the greatest work of Christian art known to man. I'm referring, of course, to George Frideric Handel and his Messiah. He was no theologian, nor was he even particularly religious for much of his life, but his ultimate work, Messiah, has something of the Divine in it. And for that, he is a Giant of the Faith.



RESOURCES

MIT Concert Choir: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Handel_-_messiah_-_44_hallelujah.ogg

CBN: https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2011/december/handels-messiah-inspires-listeners-transcends-time

Christianity.com: https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/messiah-and-george-frideric-handel-11630237.html

Christianity Today: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/musiciansartistsandwriters/george-frideric-handel.html

The Handel Institute: http://gfhandel.org/handel/messiah.html

The New Statesman: https://www.newstatesman.com/2014/01/handel-messiah-matter-life-and-death

The Tabernacle Choir: https://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/messiah/george-frideric-handel-a-brief-history.html

Intro Music: Country Strumstick Mountain Hop, by Andy Slatter

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This short episode will be most interesting to my American listeners as we are zeroing in on the Godmother of Thanksgiving, Sarah Hale. And we're talking about the American version of Thanksgiving. 

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I'm pretty excited that this show has reached 20 episodes and to celebrate this milestone we're going to look at the life of one of the giants among the giants, Augustine of Hippo. Augustine is recognized by churches of all stripes - Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox (well, sort of) as an important church father. His impact is summarized by historian Diarmid MacCullough in his book Christianity: The First 3000 Years "Augustine's impact on Western Christian thought can hardly be overstated; only his beloved example Paul of Tarsus, has been more influential, and Westerners have generally seen Paul through Augustine's eyes."

RESOURCES

Christian History Institute: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/issue/st-augustine-of-hippo

Christianity Today: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/theologians/augustine-of-hippo.html

Early Christian History: http://www.earlychristianhistory.info/mani.html

Branemrys.blogspot.com: http://branemrys.blogspot.com/2010/08/vision-at-ostia.html

Intro Music: Country Strumstick Mountain Hop, by Andy Slatter

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One of my favorite things about doing this podcast is how much I learn each episode. Whether I'm familiar with the subject or not I always learn something new about each one. And I'm always inspired in some way. Today's featured subject, Netherlander Corrie ten Boom, was virtually unknown to me but she is one of the great Christian heroes of the 20th century. She, along with her family, resisted the Nazis during World War 2, sheltered Jews from the Gestapo, and worked to spread her faith across the globe. I hope you will enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed learning about Corrie.

RESOURCES

Inspirational Christians: https://www.inspirationalchristians.org/influencers/corrie-ten-boom/

Corrietenboom.com: https://www.corrietenboom.com/en/information/the-history-of-the-museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/corrie-ten-boom

Friends of Zion Museum: https://www.fozmuseum.com/explore-foz/betsie-ten-boom-fighting-until-the-end-for-g-ds-chosen-people/

Guideposts: https://www.guideposts.org/better-living/positive-living/guideposts-classics-corrie-ten-boom-on-forgiveness

Intro Music: Country Strumstick Mountain Hop, by Andy Slatter

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Today's episode is a bit of a change from the norm. Rather than focusing on one subject for the entire show I'm going to be covering several different people in one episode. These are people that are interesting and noteworthy but perhaps don't have enough material available about their lives to compose an entire episode around them. But I still helewant to bring them to your attention as exemplars of what we're going for here on Giants of the Faith.

RESOURCES

James Japanma “Jibanyama”
Evangelical History Association: https://sites.google.com/view/australian-dictionary-of-evang/i-j/japanma-james-1885-1962

Langton / Estienne
Christianity Today: https://www.christiantoday.com/article/who.divided.the.bible.into.chapters.and.verses/103616.htm

Helena Augusta
ThoughtCo: https://www.thoughtco.com/helena-mother-of-constantine-3530253

Albert the Great
Saints Resource: http://saintsresource.com/albert-the-great

Intro Music: Country Strumstick Mountain Hop, by Andy Slatter

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Today's episode features perhaps the greatest American intellectual and theologian, the man who is sometimes called the last Puritan, Jonathan Edwards.

RESOURCES

Christianity Today: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/theologians/jonathan-edwards.html

Crossway: https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-jonathan-edwards/

Inspirational Christians: https://www.inspirationalchristians.org/reformers/jonathan-edwards-biography/

Christian History Magazine: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/issue/jonathan-edwards-puritan-pastor-and-theologian

White Mountain Independent: https://www.wmicentral.com/community_beat/religion/the-descendants-of-jonathan-edwards/article_9e54e16d-59c5-5cf2-a99f-dea187da978a.html

Intro Music: Country Strumstick Mountain Hop, by Andy Slatter

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When I started this podcast one of my goals was to include people other than just the biggest and most recognizable names in Christian history - the Luthers, Pascals, and Calvins will all have their day but I also want to dive deeper into the vast ocean of Christians that have advanced the Kingdom. Today's subject is one of these "deep dive" Christians, journalist and author Malcolm Muggeridge.

RESOURCES

The Words: http://www.thewords.com/articles/mugger1.htm

Crisis Magazine: https://www.crisismagazine.com/1984/conversion-of-a-cynic

Christian Classics Ethereal Library: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/muggeridge

Intro Music: Country Strumstick Mountain Hop, by Andy Slatter