Edward J. Larson

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward J. Larson discusses the founding of America, the attitudes of the Founding Fathers towards slavery, and the justification of slavery. They also delve into the U.S. Constitution, the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, the Atlantic slave trade, and the push for abolition. The conversation explores the Three-fifths Compromise, the Dread Scott Decision, Abraham Lincoln's reasoning for ending slavery, and the future of race relations in America.

In this discussion, Edward Larson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning professor of law and history at Pepperdine University, dives into the historical significance of the Scopes trial. He sheds light on the cultural clash between science and religion, illustrating how a minor misdemeanor turned into a national debate on evolution. Larson critiques media portrayals of the trial and discusses the philosophical implications of creation in biblical texts. Furthermore, he emphasizes the need for a balanced educational approach to evolutionary theory, highlighting its shortcomings.

In this engaging discussion, Edward Larson, a Pepperdine professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of 'Summer for the Gods', unpacks the complexities of the Scopes Monkey Trial. He explores how a small Tennessee town orchestrated the trial as a publicity stunt, attracting national attention and pitting science against biblical teachings. Larson reveals the true motivations of key players like Scopes, Bryan, and Darrow while examining the trial's long-lasting impacts on American culture and fundamentalism. This conversation sheds light on the evolving relationship between faith and science.