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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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What does religious faith have to do with environmental stewardship? Rev. Fletcher Harper of GreenFaith joins us to discuss the history and work of his ecumenical environmental advocacy organization. We cover the biblical basis for environmental stewardship and explore why religious groups have been relative latecomers to the “green movement.” Rev. Harper also discusses the various projects GreenFaith has been involved in and how his group has been received by members of other religious communities and the secular environmental movement. Our podcast also explores the relationship between religious individuals and the government when it comes to improving environmental quality. Rev. Harper makes the case that it is important not only to change the culture, but to get the incentives right if Christians and other faith traditions want to make a positive impact on society.

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Is the Catholic Church likely to be a force for political liberalization in Vietnam? Prof. Lan Chu takes up this question and also talks about the history of Catholicism in that country with special attention on how the Church has survived under a communist regime. Our discussion also includes various comparisons with Eastern Europe and Cuba, and Prof. Chu provides some speculation about what the future of Vietnam might look like.

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To what extent can religious organizations assist immigrants adopting to a new country? Prof. Margarita Mooney (UNC) explores the role of the Catholic Church in assisting individuals of the Haitian diaspora in three communities — Miami, Montreal, and Paris. She discusses the role of personal faith and religious institutions in helping immigrants make the often difficult transition to living in a new environment, and notes that the efforts of Notre Dame d’Haiti in Miami were much more successful than similar efforts in Canada and France. She explains why this is the case and what importance that has for society at large. Our interview also digs into various methodological concerns of doing direct participant observation, a great discussion for students and non-academics who want to understand how social scientific research is conducted.

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Prof. Thomas Farr discusses the important role of religion and religious liberty in foreign relations. Dr. Farr brings both a scholar’s insight and his experience as a 21 year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and recent director of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom. We examine why American diplomats have often had a blind spot for religious issues and then turn our discussion to why promoting religious liberty is in the national security interest of the United States (and other nations).

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William Donohue of the Catholic League discusses how cultural nihilists are engaging in “secular sabotage.” Our discussion starts with an examination of who are these nihilists and how moral virtue is essential to control unbridled appetites in a free nation. We then weave through a variety of topics including Lady Gaga, Hollywood, and how Catholics and Protestants are often engaging in self-sabotage.

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Prof. Ruth Melkonian surveys the history of Protestantism in Latin America and examines whether evangelicals and Pentecostals in the region share the same political views as their U.S. brethren or whether they appear more similar to non-evangelicals in Latin America. She reveals that Latin American Protestants are more similar to their non-Protestant compatriots in the region than they are to their counterparts in the United States. We also discuss the issue of Latino immigration into the US and how evangelical leaders have viewed this phenemonenon.

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Prof. Jon A. Shields (Claremont McKenna College) examines whether the Christian Right conforms to norms of democratic deliberation and civil discourse. Our discussion covers the history of the pro-life movement, the rise of the Religious Right, and how those movements have changed over time. Prof. Shields offers evidence that Christian conservatives do, for the most part, enhance the democratic process contrary to popular opinion.

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University of Washington historian James Felak recounts the formative experiences in Pope John Paul II’s life and how he influenced the collapse of communism in Poland and the Soviet Union.

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