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While our recording studio gets a major upgrade, and with your host taking a short break, we bring you one of our all-time favorite episodes that aired in 2011. Get your yee haw on as we go West to discuss cowboy churches. Daniel Stiles, rodeo announcer and ordained minister, discusses his life ministering to cowboys and cowgirls. We talk bull riding, cowboy pride, the challenges of living in the country, and how the cowboy church movement has expanded since the late 1970s. Dan also relates a remarkably inspirational story how cowboy ministries made a difference in the life of one young man who was down and out. The podcast finishes with an outstanding observation about Christianity and life in the US from the vantage point of the countryside. (Special secret: This has been my favorite interview to date.)

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What happens when a congregation or a denomination finds itself beset with conflict? Who you gonna call? Tony invites Gary Friesen, executive vice-president of Peacemaker Ministries, to explore the world of Christian reconciliation services. Peacemaker Ministries is a non-profit organization that has been at the forefront of providing third-party conflict resolution services for religious groups and also provide training services for clergy and laity to avoid or de-escalate conflict on their own using biblical principles. This is a fascinating look at what happens when things don’t always go smoothly in church.

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What does the relationship between religious groups and the state look like around the world? Prof. Jonathan Fox of Bar Ilan University talks about the findings that have come from his expansive data collection and research exploration into the nature of religion and politics around the world. We discuss how religious organizations are regulated by governments in different parts of the globe and whether or not — and how — religious groups offer the state legitimacy and vice versa.

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Research on Religion checks in with journalist/blogger extraordinaire Jeremy Lott to discuss a couple big stories in the world of religion. We examine what happened at the recent Episcopal Church General Convention and speculate as to why Episcopalians and other mainline churches are losing members. Then we turn our attention to other recent news events including the conversion of former atheists, and religious liberty issues concerning the US health care mandate and circumcision in Germany.

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With the election season heating up, we revisit the issue of whether religion plays a role in voting behavior in the United States. Prof. Gerald De Maio (Baruch College, CUNY) discusses his collaborative research with Louis Bolce on the “religion gap” in American politics. This research indicates that those who attend church more regularly, or who hold more orthodox religious views, tend to vote much differently than seculars. De Maio and Bolce’s research also shows how the media has failed to pick up on this electoral divide while touting other “gaps” — e.g., gender, age, soccer moms — that are much less salient when it comes to predicting election outcomes. We speculate how the “religion gap” will play out in the November 2012 elections.

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Jonathan Edwards is often considered one of the greatest theologians in US history. Prof. Michael McClymond reviews the fascinating life and times of Rev. Edwards and shows how his theology evolved over time based upon his surrounding circumstances and personal experiences. A serious intellectual who also relished in the beauty of God’s creation, Jonathan Edwards was at the forefront of a number of theological and religious trends that became hallmarks of American Protestantism.

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In March of 1939, Eugenio María Giuseppe Pacelli became Pope Pius XII just days before the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia and months before Germany continued their march into Poland. Prof. James Felak (University of Washington) examines the life and times of Pope Pius XII and explores the controversy surrounding his papacy. Interestingly, we learn that criticism of Pope Pius XII’s actions only emerged two decades after World War II. Prof. Felak discusses the difficult diplomatic and moral situation that Pius XII found himself in during the war, lays out the logic of his actions, and then assesses the overall impact (including his post-war proclamations) of Pius XII’s papacy on the contemporary Church Church.

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In a first of its kind, Research on Religion engages in a tripartite debate. Three scholars were asked the following question: “As a Christian in the American colonies, would you have picked up arms against King George and Britain to fight for independence following the battles at Lexington & Concord in April, 1775?” Prof. Gregg Frazer (The Master’s College) answers “no.” Prof. Jonathan den Hartog (Northwestern College) responds “yes.” And Mark David Hall (George Fox University) offers a definitive “maybe.” Hear how each of these three scholars of that period justify their positions with questions and comments from your host, Anthony Gill.

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With all the talk about declining levels of civic engagement in the United States, is there any evidence that religious education might play a role in promoting community involvement among youth and young adults? Prof. Kevin den Dulk discusses his research into this question and observes that some types of religious education — most notably Protestant private schooling — does tend to facilitate civic involvement in young adulthood. Kevin compares Protestants with Catholic private schools, secular parochial schools, public education and homeschoolers. Our discussion also engages the topic of whether or not civic participation is really declining in American life.

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Did Protestant missionaries help plant the seeds of democracy throughout the world? Prof. Robert Woodberry takes us on a historical tour-de-force around the globe showing how “conversionary Protestants” helped to promote literacy, spread printing technology, facilitate civic organization, defend religious and civil liberties, and protest the abuses of slavery and colonialism. We discuss how this happened and why Protestants were uniquely situated to do this, although we look at similar Catholic efforts in recent decades. We conclude with speculative thoughts about the Arab Spring.

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