Kids Talk Church History

It's almost Christmas, and the song "Joy to the World" is playing everywhere! But did you know that its author, Isaac Watts, never meant it as a Christmas song? And did you know that he faced some opposition when he proposed that Christians can sing more than just the biblical Psalms? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Grace, Isaac, and Sean talk with our expert, Rev. Jonathan Landry Cruse, pastor of Community Pres...

It’s almost Thanksgiving, and we usually hear two different types of stories about the early European settlers in America. Some are about a group of pious and peaceful Pilgrims who came to find religious freedom. The others are about greedy Europeans who used Christianity to take advantage of Native Americans. Join Trinity, Sean, and Grace as they explore the true story of the relations between Puritans and Native Americans with th...

Many of us have heard of Jonathan Edwards and the American revival known as the Great Awakening. Usually remembered for his sermon with the scary title: "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," there is so much more to say about Jonathan Edwards. He was not just a pastor and theologian. He was also a missionary, a biographer, and the president of a college. Today, he is regarded as one of North America's most brilliant minds. Find o...

When we think about the 18th-century church, we think of famous preachers like John Wesley, George Whitefield, and Jonathan Edwards. Few people know there were also black pastors preaching the gospel. One of these, Lemuel Haynes, was probably the first African American

ordained by a mainstream Protestant Church in the United States. Join Sophia, Linus, and Sean as they ask Dr. John Saillant, author of Black Puritan, Black Republica...

Most of us have heard of William Carey. He’s often known as the Father of Modern Missions and is famous for his mission to India in the 18th century. But he was not the first protestant to go to India, and he didn’t go alone. So why is he known as the Father of Modern Missions? And why did so few Protestants go out as missionaries before him? Join Sophia, Linus, and Sean as they discuss the history of early missions to India with D...

Can a simple question and a forgotten book change the direction of a national church? It's hard to imagine, but it's exactly what happened in 18th-century Scotland. Join Emma, Grace, and Sean as they ask Dr. Stephen Myers, professor of systematic and historical theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, to shed light on these men, the events they participated in, and what they mean for us today.

Show Notes:

Simonetta Carr...

We often hear about the Enlightenment. Some ideas were born during this period of time, and others were called into question. But what actually was the Enlightenment, and how much does it influence the way we think today? What influence, if any, did it have on the church? Join Emma, Grace, and Sean as they ask Dr. Michael Lee, professor of Early American History and chair of the History Department at Eastern University, to tell us ...

Most Christians are familiar with John and Charles Wesley, as well as George Whitefield, who were among the leading promoters of the English Revival. However, there is much more to discover about that period of church history. Listen as Trinity, Christian, and Mina talk to Rev. Lee Gatiss, director of the Church Society, about these and other remarkable people and significant discussions of this period in history.

Show Notes:

Chu...

How did a seven-year-old girl who was brutally taken from her family and sold as a slave grow up to become the first African American woman to have her poems published? Join Trinity, Mina, and Priscilla as they listen to Professor Vincent Carretta, author of Phillis Wheatley: Biography of a Genius in Bondage, recount the fascinating story of this intriguing poet. Learn how her poems helped to change some of the mistaken opinions ma...

While William Cowper is widely regarded as one of the greatest evangelical poets of the 18th century, he was, in fact, one of the greatest of all the 18th-century poets. His poems reflect a profound faith in God and God's providence and presence in every aspect of life. Many became hymns and are still sung today. Join Grace, Sean, and Emma as they discuss Cowper's life, faith, and works with Dr. Andrew Newell, Junior Research Fello...

Most people are familiar with the hymn "Amazing Grace." According to statistics, it is performed approximately 10 million times worldwide every year. And that's just public performances. It doesn't count all the times when it's sung in churches. However, not everyone is familiar with the author of this hymn, John Newton, and his role in helping to abolish the slave trade while faithfully preaching the gospel. Join Grace, Sean, and ...

At a time when Protestants were fiercely persecuted in France, a young woman named Marie Durand was imprisoned for her faith and remained in prison under terrible conditions for 38 years. Her letters to pastors and influential people were instrumental in closing the prison, and her letters to her niece express the faith that helped Marie stay true to Christ. Join Sophia, Emma, and Grace as they discuss Marie Durand and the Huguenot...

Music has played an important role in church history. In previous episodes, we've talked about many composers who wrote hymns specifically for the church. However, there were also musicians like Bach who wrote sacred and secular music for the glory of God. Bach's compositions covered a wide range of emotions and were filled with theological insights. Join Sophia, Trinity, and Linus as they talk to Dr. Paul Grime, professor of Pasto...

Time-travel back with Trinity, Grace, and Sean to 18th-century Wales to learn about a series of revivals led by young people who wanted to bring people back to a true worship of God. Listen to Dr. E. Wyn James, professor emeritus in the School of Welsh at Cardiff University and author of several books, as he tells us many fun stories about the 18th-century Welsh Revival.

We’re also pleased to award one of our listeners a copy of Dr...

In this episode of Kids Talk Church History, we wrap up our fourteen-episode look at the seventeenth century, a war-torn time when the church crystallized its teachings with catechisms and confessions. Learn from our hosts why these confessions are important, why scholars are not boring, why some missionaries were forced to eat boiled shoes, and many more fun facts. Find out who their favorite characters are and what episodes they ...

In March 1643, Lady Brilliana Harley received a formal demand to surrender her castle to the royalists - those who supported the king against the Parliament. Her husband, Sir Robert Harley, had been in London since the start of the civil war. With six hundred soldiers marching against her and only fifty men fighting on her side, she had to decide whether to resist or surrender. Discover the rest of this exciting story as our hosts ...

Have you ever heard of a philosopher named Descartes? The one who said, "I think therefore I am"? Many Christians were not impressed because he made himself the proof of anything that is real. He also believed that soul and body are completely separate, while the Bible teaches they are tightly related. One of the first Christians who challenged his teachings was Elisabeth, Princess Palatine of Bohemia (in today's Czech Republic). J...

Some of us have heard the names of 17th-century poets like George Herbert, John Donne, and John Milton. But did you know that John Bunyan also wrote poems? And that there were many female poets too? Join Trinity, Mina, and Sean as they discuss these poets and their exciting lives with Dr. David Parry, Tutorial Fellow in English at Regent’s Park College in Oxford, England.

Show Notes

If you’d like to find out more about the poets ...