Conversations That Matter

What did the Mexican-American War have to do with the Civil War, Manifest Destiny, Texas, California, and the modern American Southwest?
Jon Harris sits down with Thomas Wayne Riley of the American Southwest Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the Mexican-American War and the history that shaped the American Southwest.
The discussion begins with the enormous territorial consequences of the war and the idea of Manifest Destiny, before examining the border dispute that sparked the conflict and the American campaign into Mexico. They discuss the Mexican frontier, Texas independence, California, Mormon settlement, the growth of American communities in the Southwest, and the many future Civil War generals who gained military experience during the Mexican-American War.
The conversation also explores the war's connection to American expansion and imperialism, the San Patricio Battalion, the changing population of the Southwest, and the much older history of the region.
This is a conversation about the history between the American Revolution and the Civil War that is often overlooked, and why understanding that history helps explain the United States and the Southwest today.

00:00 – Introduction: The Mexican-American War and Modern America
06:00 – The Forgotten America Between the Revolution and Civil War
07:14 – Manifest Destiny and America's Expansion West
13:26 – How the Mexican-American War Began
20:35 – Life on the Mexican Frontier
24:21 – Population, Settlement, and the Growth of the Southwest
28:00 – Texas, California, and Mormon Settlement
35:00 – The Mexican War: Training Ground for Civil War Generals
42:02 – America's First Foray Into Imperialism?
52:58 – The San Patricio Battalion, Borders, and the Modern Southwest

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuWSPoH3ncE

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What happened to the Episcopal Church and America's Protestant establishment?
In this conversation, we trace the transformation of the Episcopal Church and other mainline Protestant institutions, from their historic place in American religious life to the rise of theological liberalism, institutional gatekeeping, managerialism, and progressive politics.
Our guest shares his own journey into Anglicanism and the Episcopal ministry, including his years at Yale, his growing concerns about the direction of the denomination, and his attempts to remain faithful while working within an increasingly hostile institutional environment.
We discuss the controversy surrounding sexuality and marriage in the Episcopal Church, the impact of Gene Robinson's consecration, the role of seminaries and denominational leadership, and the ways institutional pressures can discourage clergy from speaking openly.
The conversation also examines Operation Reconquista and the broader question of whether conservative Christians can recover institutions that have been captured by a different theological and cultural vision. We discuss what it means to leave an established denomination, the personal and financial costs of taking unpopular stands, and what young Christians considering ministry should do when the institutions around them have changed.
Finally, we discuss the role of the pulpit in public life and why pastors must be willing to speak boldly about the issues confronting their congregations and communities.
#EpiscopalChurch #Anglicanism #Christianity #ChurchHistory #MainlineProtestantism #ChristianCulture

00:00 Why I Was Drawn to Anglicanism
02:19 Conversion, C.S. Lewis, and the Gospel
07:02 Evangelical Christianity at Yale
08:56 The Episcopal Church's Crisis in the 1990s
13:18 Unitarianism, Darwinism, and the Loss of Christian Belief
22:45 From Yale to the Ministry
30:20 The Conservative Blacklist
35:20 Gene Robinson and the Breaking of the Episcopal Church
40:58 How Managerialism Changed the Church
49:20 2020, DEI, and the Decision to Speak Out
54:34 Operation Reconquista and Leaving the Episcopal Church
01:16:08 Advice for the Next Generation

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 
https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron
https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week on the Conversations That Matter podcast, Jon Harris covers a wide-ranging news roundup touching on the Southern Baptist Convention, Christian persecution, the Catholic Church, the Christian Nationalism debate, Steve Lawson, and what Jon calls the “true culture of death.”
Jon begins with a personal update following a house fire in his wife’s family, along with reflections on the recent Restoring Virtue Conference and upcoming speaking engagements.
From there, he discusses Eric Erickson’s criticism of figures on the Right and the importance of clearly defining neo-Nazi ideology rather than making broad accusations. He also examines recent controversy surrounding Candace Owens, a new Vatican document on interreligious dialogue, and claims surrounding the discovery of Noah’s Ark in Turkey.
The episode then turns to the Christian Nationalism debate, including J.D. Greer’s arguments concerning church and state, religious liberty, and the role of Christianity in public life. Jon also discusses Southern Baptist figures Jason Little and Walter Strickland, including Strickland’s comments concerning Nat Turner and liberation theology.
Jon then addresses the changing Christian legal movement, Steve Lawson’s recent book concerning his adultery and disqualification from ministry, and questions from listeners.
The final portion of the podcast examines assisted suicide, declining marriage and family formation, adult toy consumption, gender distrust, juvenileization, higher education, student loans, Title IX, and policies under the Trump administration. 
Jon concludes by discussing comments from Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu concerning persecuted Christians in the Middle East and the broader decline of Christianity in the region.
Listen through to the end for Jon’s thoughts on why Christians should focus less on theoretical political battles and more on the practical challenges directly in front of them.

00:00 Personal Update: House Fire and Restoring Virtue
10:40 The News Roundup Begins
11:45 Eric Erickson and the Debate Over Neo-Nazism
22:40 Candace Owens and Online Political Commentary
29:00 The Vatican, Vatican II, and Interreligious Dialogue
38:05 The Search for Noah's Ark
42:45 J.D. Greer and Christian Nationalism
61:45 Jason Little and the Southern Baptist Convention
63:00 Walter Strickland, Liberation Theology, and Nat Turner
77:00 The Christian Legal Movement and John W. Whitehead
84:00 Steve Lawson's Confession and Return to Public Ministry
89:30 Listener Questions
94:00 Assisted Suicide and the Culture of Death
95:00 Juvenileization, Marriage, and Gender Distrust
106:00 Trump, Student Loans, and Higher Education
109:40 Title IX and Gender Transition Treatments
114:30 Christian Persecution, Trump, and Netanyahu
123:50 Final Thoughts
Give Send Go: https://www.givesendgo.com/help-aaron-starsea-and-amber-rebuild-aft?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=help-aaron-starsea-and-amber-rebuild-aft
Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com
To Support the Podcast: 
https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/
Become a Patron
https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast
Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 
Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989
Follow Jon on Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/Give Send Go: https://www.givesendgo.com/help-aaron-starsea-and-amber-rebuild-aft?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=help-aaron-starsea-and-amber-rebuild-aft

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What actually makes someone a strong Christian?

A viral post claimed that the strongest Christians watch Disney movies, avoid politics, wear bikinis, drink alcohol, shop at Target, and celebrate Halloween. The argument was that Christians who impose restrictions on these things are essentially modern Pharisees.

There is an important truth here: Christians should not invent laws and impose them on other believers as though those rules came from God. But there is also a problem with defining Christian freedom by a list of cultural behaviors.

In this episode, I examine the distinction between Christian liberty, legalism, conscience, modesty, discernment, and genuine godliness. Scripture does not present godliness primarily as a collection of cultural boxes that we check. It begins with the character of the heart and manifests itself in how we live.

The question is not simply, “Can a Christian do this?” The deeper question is: What actually marks a godly Christian?

The episode also considers the “weaker brother,” the misuse of Christian liberty, alcohol, Halloween, modesty, political involvement, consumer choices, pornography, and the danger of creating our own standards of righteousness.

Christianity is marked by inward virtue that manifests itself outwardly.

00:00 — The Tweet About “Strong Christians”
01:22 — Are These Really Issues of Christian Liberty?
02:58 — The Weak Brother and Christian Conscience
05:16 — When the “Weak Brother” Becomes a Human Shield
06:25 — Alcohol, Communion, and Christian Freedom
08:34 — What Actually Makes Someone Godly?
10:42 — The Biblical Marks of a Godly Man
11:57 — Modesty, Virtue, and Godly Women
13:08 — The Problem With a Pornographic Culture
15:34 — What Strong Christians Are Actually Known For
17:24 — Halloween, Alcohol, and Circumstantial Wisdom
19:04 — How to Avoid Becoming a Pharisee

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast:
https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron
https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy