The nineteenth century saw the birth of many new religious movements. Most claimed to be Christian, yet their teachings departed from the Bible. In this episode, Grace, Isaac, and Priscilla explore the life and the teachings of Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as Mormons). How did Smith come to be regarded as a prophet? What did he teach? Who was Mormon, and do we still have the golden plates on which he supposedly recorded his revelations? Join our hosts as they bring these and other questions to Dr. John Turner, professor of Religious Studies and History at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and author of the book, Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet. 

For many, the question posed by the church father Tertullian, "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?," meant that Christians should not read the pagan classics. In reality, Tertullian read and appreciated many of these works! Join Linus and Leia as they talk with Dr. Nadya Williams about the importance of reading the classics as Christians. If you haven't read any of them, this episode may change your mind. And if you have, you will want to re-read them with fresh eyes!

Francis Grimké was one of the most important preachers of the 19th century. He addressed pressing matters like racism while staying grounded in his Christian faith and presenting the issues in a clear, understandable way. Join Grace, Isaac, and Ellie as they discuss Grimké and his ministry with Dr. Drew Martin, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Covenant Theological Seminary and author of the book, Grimké on the Christian Life.

The Second Great Awakening bore a lot of good fruit. Many people found faith, churches were established, and missionaries were sent. But there were also some problems because while everyone agreed that the gospel should go out to as many people as possible, not everyone agreed on how to do it. Learn more about the evangelistic methods of the Second Great Awakening as Linus, Ellie, and Sean talk with Dr. Andrew MacDonald, Associate Director at Wheaton College Billy Graham Center and an expert in American religious history. 

Today we are excited to have reached a major milestone: our 100th episode! Join Grace, Isaac, and Ellie to find out how we got started and how we got here. And meet our special guest, Tim Challies, who tells us all about his recent book for kids, God’s Big Great Global Church. 

We are pleased to offer two giveaways in celebration of our 100th episode!

Congratulations to Chris P. from Lancaster, PA and Chelsea Y. from Hamilton, OH, each of whom won a copy of Tim Challies’ book, God's Great Big Global Church, courtesy of The Good Book Company.

And congratulations also to Abby J. from Tracy, MN who won a copy of Simonetta Carr’s award winning book, Church History, courtesy of Reformation Heritage Books.

Show Notes

Tim Challies’ website with links to his blog posts, articles, and books, many of them written for children: https://www.challies.com/

What was the Second Great Awakening? Why do we call it "awakening" and not "revival"? Why are the Awakenings called "great"? And why were the itinerant preachers called "circuit riders"? Explore these questions and more as our hosts talk with Dr. Don Forston, Professor Emeritus of Church History and Pastoral Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

In the 19th century, an Anglican priest named John Henry Newman proposed a return to the Medieval church to pursue a greater devotion. Eventually, Newman became Roman Catholic and is now considered a Roman Catholic saint. While we might disagree with his conclusions, we can learn a lot from the questions he raised. Join Linus, Leia, and Christian as they learn about Newman and his questions from Dr. Carl Trueman, Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. 

F. W. Walther is well known in Lutheran circles but less so in other churches. He is important for his insistence on the true gospel - the good news that Christ has done everything that's necessary for our salvation. He is also a good example of facing new challenges with humility and courage. Join Linus, Leia, and Christian as they discuss the importance of C. F. W. Walther with Dr. Larry Rast, president and professor of American Christianity and American Lutheranism at Concordia Theological Seminary in Indiana.

We often hear of the 18th-century revivals in England and America, but we rarely hear that there was a major revival in Geneva, Switzerland – a revival that spread to many other countries of the world. Join Sean and Isaac as they discuss this important time in history with Jean Decorvet, President and professor of theological studies at Haute école de théologie protestante (HET-PRO).

We are pleased to award a copy of Simonetta Carr's book about Marie Durand, written for young readers, to one of our listeners. Congratulations to Zaylin S. from Greenville, TX!

Show Notes

Previous episode mentioned in this podcast that you might want to check out:

The Pietists: https://kidstalkchurchhistory.podbean.com/e/the-pietists/

In the 19th century, an English pastor named Charles Spurgeon earned the nickname of “Prince of Preachers.” Thousands of people traveled to London to hear him preach. But it was not just because he had a way with words. He really was able to communicate the gospel like few others, and he truly cared for others. Learn more about Spurgeon and his interesting life, as Sean and Isaac chat with Dr. Geoff Chang, Assistant Professor of Church History and Historical Theology and Curator of the Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Thanks to the generosity of Reformed Fellowship, we are pleased to offer a copy of Simonetta Carr's book about Charles Spurgeon, written for young readers. Enter here to win!

Show Notes:

Simonetta Carr's book about Charles Spurgeon: https://reformedfellowship.net/collections/all-books/products/charles-haddon-spurgeon

5-volume "Modern Defenders of the Faith" discount set (including Spurgeon): https://reformedfellowship.net/collections/all-books/products/modern-defenders-of-the-faith-christian-biographies-for-young-readers-discount-set-copy

23-volume discount set of all currently available titles in this series: http://reformedfellowship.net/collections/all-books/products/christian-biographies-for-young-readers-discount-set