Kids Talk Church History

We tend to hear about European and North American missionaries, often overlooking how much missionary work was carried out by native peoples themselves. In this episode, we'll explore how two people born into slavery in North America went on to bring the gospel to Jamaica and Sierra Leone. Join Grace, Sean, and Priscilla as they discuss these two missionaries with Dr. Vincent Carretta, Professor Emeritus in the Department of English at the University of Maryland and author of Unchained Voices: An Anthology of Black Authors in the English-Speaking World of the 18th Century. Show Notes: Articles about George Lielle and David George: https://placefortruth.org/george-liele-first-baptist-missionary-in-jamaica/ https://placefortruth.org/david-george-from-anxious-runaway-to-zealous-pastor/ Equiano https://placefortruth.org/olaudah-equiano-waking-up-christians-to-the-evils-of-slavery/ Phillis Wheatley https://alliancenet.org/episode/phillis-wheatley/ Unchained Voices https://www.amazon.com/dp/0813190762?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Once again, our young hosts have reached a milestone in their exploration of church history. This time, they wrap up a fourteen-episode look at the nineteenth century in Europe and North America, with all its progress and challenges. Find out who our hosts' favorite characters were and what lessons they learn. During this time, we also include some special episodes that take us away from our usual path: a review of three new books and the celebration of our 100th episode! And we welcome a new host, Ellie, who is just as curious and adventurous as the rest! Take a moment to email us at questions@kidstalkchurchhistory.org to let us know which episodes from this period you enjoyed most, and who your favorite characters were. We would love to hear from you!

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! Thanks to the generosity of Zondervan Publishing, we are pleased to award one of our listeners a copy of Nadya’s book, Christians Reading Classics. Congratulations Lena G. from Tobaccoville, NC!

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

We are breaking off from our journey through the 19th century to talk about an interesting book that was recently published by P&R – an illustrated version of John Calvin's Institutes, geared toward young readers. You may remember John Calvin from an earlier episode. Join Linus, Leia, and Sean as they chat with Martin and Joy Williams about turning Calvin's important work into a comic book kids can understand. Thanks to the generosity of our friends at P&R Publishing, we were pleased to award two copies of Martin and Joy Williams’ book, John Calvin’s Illustrated Institutes: Knowing God and Knowing Ourselves, to our listeners. Congratulations to Randy C. from Columbus, OH and Justin P. from Fort Worth, TX! Show Notes Previous Kids Talk Church History podcast about John Calvin: https://kidstalkchurchhistory.podbean.com/e/john-calvin/

As more and more authors began challenging the Bible and its teachings, Christians needed to respond with honesty and clarity. Some Christian writers rose to the task, leaving an example for others to follow. One of these was B.B. Warfield, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary. And his life is very interesting, as you will see! Join Linus, Grace, and Sean as they discover more about Warfield and his answers to these challenges, with the help of Dr. Kim Riddlebarger, pastor emeritus of Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim, California. Thanks to the generosity of Reformed Fellowship, we were pleased to award a copy of Simonetta Carr’s Biography for Young Readers about B.B. Warfield to Maren H. from Stratham, NH!

During Herman Bavinck's life and for many years afterward, he was well known mainly in the Netherlands, where he was born. But today, people around the world are discovering his writings and realizing their importance. Why is that? In part, it's because Bavinck faced new challenges with honesty and humility, without compromising his Christian beliefs. Today, as we face many new challenges, we can learn a lot from Bavinck. Join Linus, Leia, and Sean as they share their excitement about this great theologian with Dr. John Bolt, professor emeritus of Systematic Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thanks to the generosity of Reformed Fellowship, we were pleased to award a copy of Herman Bavinck by Simonetta Carr to one of our listeners, Chase G. from Randleman, NC! Show Notes: Dr. Bolt had some additional notes about Bavinck to share with our listeners: Bavinck frequently spoke of the gospel as a "pearl of great price" (or treasure) and as a "leaven." The gospel is the most important thing in the world; it brings us into fellowship with God in Christ. But, secondarily, it is also a leaven because it changes individuals and societies. Bavinck also frequently quotes James 1:21: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights in whom there is no changing."

The Industrial Revolution brought much progress but created greater poverty and harsh living conditions for the workers, and the church could not look away. A man who led the church in a program of relief for the poor was the Scottish pastor Thomas Chalmers. Find out how he was able to do this as Linus, Grace, and Sean talk with Sandy Finlayson, author of Chief Scottish Man: The Life and Ministry of Thomas Chalmers. Thanks to the generosity of Evangelical Press, we were pleased to award two copies of Chief Scottish Man: The Life and Ministry of Thomas Chalmers by Sandy Finlayson to two of our listeners: Erin O. from Midlothian, VA and Lynn F. from Ramona, CA.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the teachings of three men changed the way many people thought about life and the world. These teachings still have a huge influence today. Who were these men, and what do these teachings mean for us? Join us as Grace, Sean, and Isaac explore the answers to these questions with Dr. Michael Lee, professor of Early American History and chair of the History Department at Eastern University.

Did you know that as late as 1850, people in Italy could still be arrested for owning a Bible and imprisoned for giving Bibles to others? This is what happened to a Florentine couple who were arrested for owning two copies of the Bible, and were imprisoned under suspicion that they were reading it or distributing it to others. And this was not an isolated story. The Roman Catholic Church could even kidnap children from Jewish or Protestant families! How did Protestants survive this difficult time, and when did it end? Find out answers to all this and more as Grace, Sean, and Isaac talk with Dr. Mario Cignoni, General Secretary of the Bible Society in Italy and author of many books. Show notes Articles written by Simonetta Carr about this time period: https://placefortruth.org/francesco-and-rosa-madiai/ https://placefortruth.org/bible-italy-council-trent-italian-republic/

Have you ever heard Roman Catholics say that the pope is infallible? It sounds like something they always believed, but in reality, this became their official teaching only in 1870! What did they believe before then, and why did they add this to their list of teachings? And why did the Roman Catholic Church oppose Bible societies? Explore these questions and more with Grace, Sean, and Isaac as they talk with Dr. Leonardo De Chirico, pastor of the church Breccia di Roma, in Rome, Italy, and Vice Chairman of the Italian Evangelical Alliance. Show Notes https://www.brecciadiroma.it/

Our young hosts have just finished their exploration of church history in the 18th century and have a lot to say about their discoveries and lessons learned. Like other wrap-up episodes, it is great fun for everyone involved! It's also an occasion to welcome our new host, Isaac, and to say goodbye to three pillars of the podcast: Emma, Trinity, and Sophia, who have just turned 18 or will turn 18 soon. Feel free to send a note to these lovely young ladies, and we'll be sure to pass it along!