Truce - History of the Christian Church
Truce explores the history of the evangelical church in America, from fundamentalism to pyramid schemes to political campaigns. Host Chris Staron uses journalistic tools to investigate how the church got here and how it can do better.
The current season follows the rise of the Religious Right, examining the link between evangelicals and the Republican Party. Featuring special guests like Rick Perlstein, Frances Fitzgerald, Jesse Eisinger, Daniel K. Williams, and more.
151
Romanov Stroganoff (1 of 2)
The murder that changed modern Christianity - the Romanovs and the fall of tsarist Russia.
31 min
152
Phil Vischer (creator of VeggieTales)
Truce is back with a special guest: Phil Vischer, one of the creators of the VeggieTales video series. He's also the creator of the new Laugh and Learn Bible and one of the hosts of the Holy Post Podcast (strongly recommended). You can find our...
26 min
153
Season 3 Trailer
Truce is back for a third season! We'll begin with a conversation with Phil Vischer, creator of the popular VeggieTales animated series and the author of the new Laugh and Learn Bible. Then we're going to take a sharp turn and study Russia: how did...
1 min
154
The Faith of Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte. No question he was a military genius and was partially responsible for modernizing Europe. But there are some things we just aren't sure about. Like, was Napoleon a Christian, a Muslim, or a poser?
In this, the final episode of...
31 min
155
Patreon/ Season 3 Update featuring Eric Nevins ...
We've started to post bonus content for Truce on our Patreon subscribers. If you give as little as $3/ month you'll get special bonus episodes like this one. You can donate at https://www.patreon.com/trucepodcast
Special thanks to Eric Nevins of...
3 min
156
We are the 99%
Remember Occupy Wall Street? That movement from the early 2000's caused a stir after the financial crisis of 2007-2008. They demanded that the people responsible for the crash be punished for their actions. We in the Christian church often struggle...
14 min
157
Leverage: How Wealthy Christians Use Money to C...
John D. Rockefeller was a shrewd businessman. Even to the point of breaking the law to get what he wanted. His Standard Oil company was eventually broken up using the Sherman Antitrust act. But his money kept influencing society. On this episode of...
23 min
158
John D. Rockefeller: Money in the Church
John D. Rockefeller was the richest man... maybe ever. His Standard Oil Company swallowed up the competition and broke the law. Yet, this man claimed the name of Christ.
We're in the middle of a series about money in the church. How does it get to...
22 min
159
Are Christians Supposed to Tithe?
Are Christians supposed to tithe? It's a big question, one that many pastors disagree on. A tithe literally means 10%. A bunch of people in the Old Testament were commanded to give 10%... are we supposed to continue that tradition today?
This is...
16 min
160
Using the Internet to Reach Muslims
Reaching Muslims via the Internet. Can it be done? Our special guest today uses Google Ads, videos, and messaging apps to reach out in Muslim countries. We can't give any specifics about who he is or which organization he works for. But we think...
19 min
161
Population Scare!
The Pew Research Center released a study stating that there will be more Muslims in the world than Christians by the year 2050. That study terrified many Christians! Because we're so used to being the dominant religion on Earth. So there seemed to be...
19 min
162
Reaching Muslims featuring Samy Tanagho
This bonus episode features Samy Tanagho, author of "Glad News, God Love You My Muslim Friend". Samy explains a few ways that Christians can reach out to our Muslim friends. He recommends that we start with common ground: Jesus as Messiah, Abraham and...
9 min
163
Should Christians Fear Muslims?
After 9/11 many American Christians became afraid of Islam. Even to the point of no longer wanting to share the gospel with Muslims. On this special episode of the Truce Podcast, Chris speaks with Dr. Hormoz Shariat of Iran Alive Ministries and Samy...
25 min
164
Embryo Adoption - featuring Nate Birt of "Froze...
If life begins at conception, what do we do with all of the embryos left after in vitro fertilization? Author and journalist Nate Birt joins us to discuss embryo adoption and his book Frozen But Not Forgotten. This is a Truce Podcast extra. Truce...
5 min
165
Fatty Arbuckle and the MPAA
Did Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle murder Virginia Rappe? That questions defined the film industry for thirty years. Upset with Hollywood's moral failures, Christians demanded changes. We took over, fighting until the studios decided to censor themselves....
20 min
166
Censorship
Freedom of speech. We all say we want it, but do we really? On this episode of the Truce podcast, we talk with Abby Johnson, the subject of the new film "Unplanned" which hit theaters in March. Abby shares her story of having worked for Planned...
36 min
167
How Multi-Level Marketing Targets Christians (4...
Did you know that Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump have all stumped for the multi-level marketing industry? MLMs, direct sales, and network marketing have powerful friends. But what about Christian...
21 min
168
The Amway Decision (feautring Robert Fitzpatric...
The Amway Decision. The Federal Trade Commission decided that Amway was not an illegal pyramid scheme, but a legitimate business. How did that happen? Why is it important. This week on the Truce Podcast we're joined once again by Robert Fitzpatrick of...
11 min
169
The Human Cost of Multi-Level Marketing (featur...
We know that tying business to religion can be tricky. Think about recent stories involving Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-A, or In-N-Out Burger. But what happens when we tie our religion to a business model that just doesn't work?
That's what many...
24 min
170
Multi-Level Marketing, Pyramid, and Ponzi Schem...
What is multi-level marketing? It turns out, it is a very popular business model that targets Christians and other people of faith. But... it is almost guaranteed to fail. Because MLM's and direct sales companies are not designed to sell a product but...
28 min
171
Prosperity and Reformed: Follow the Money
We're taking a week off from releasing a full episode of the Truce podcast, but I wanted to give you a little something to think about. Where is your media coming from? Your audio sermons? Your curriculum? Let's start a conversation! You can find the...
1 min
172
The Prosperity Gospel (featuring Brandon Kimber...
The Prosperity Gospel. It goes by a lot of names. Prosperity, name it and claim it theology, The Secret, the word of faith movement... but how did it begin? Who came up with the ideas that are now spreading throughout the world? This week on the...
25 min
173
Leadership (featuring Mark Galli of Christianit...
This week we talk with Mark Galli, editor in chief of Christianity Today about leadership. Are we all called to lead or are just some of us? Does that mean we don’t have to lead if we’re not gifted in that way?
We’re also joined by Paul Wingfield...
17 min
174
Failure as a Weapon (featuring Andrew Schwab of...
Is it okay to fail? Are we okay with failure in the Christian church? Even mainstream churches frequently link financial and business success with God's blessing. If we're not rich and don't have a big following, does that mean that God doesn't love...
19 min
175
The Influencer Economy (featuring Andrew Schwab...
There are so many temptations for people who create media. We are constantly targeted by scams, encouraged to brag about ourselves, and told we could always be doing better. Those pressures are shaping the modern church. For better or worse.
This...
23 min