Truce - History of the Christian Church

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastWhat is the difference between communism and socialism? They get used interchangeably in our culture, but do they really mean the same thing?In this episode, we'll give a textbook definition of each and then see how those ideas change in the wild. Our guests today are my friend Brian Faehnrich, Professor Barbara Engel (author of "Russia in World History"), and Roland Elliott Brown (author of "Godless Utopia").The basic difference between communism and socialism is where the profit goes: In communism, the profits go to the government In socialism, the profits can go to the people Also, communism is inherently atheistic, in keeping with the vision of Karl Marx.Topic Covered: What is the difference between communism and socialism? Who was Karl Marx? Who invented communism? What was the first communist country? (Russia) How did Vladimir Lenin rise to power? Does communism work? Is communism a utopian idea? What did Karl Marx have against the Christian church? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast"We did our best, but it turned out as it always does".Kind of a dark statement, no? It is a popular Russian phrase that kind of encapsulates the spirit of Russian history. People who try hard to make a change, but that change is not exactly great. In this episode of the Truce Podcast, we spoke with Jennifer Eremeeva, author of the excellent book, "Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia" about the history of the Russian Christian church.Christianity came to Russia by sword point. It started out as a pagan culture, heavily influenced by the Vikings. When Vladimir, ruler of ancient Moscow, wanted some of the treasures of the Byzantine empire, he had a couple of options. He could invade and capture them, or he could make a trade deal. He tried both, but it didn't quite work out. As part of the peace deal, the Byzantine empire offered him a bride and trade if he converted to Christianity. So he did. Then Vladimir forced his kingdom to convert to Christianity or face death.This means that Russian held on to their pagan ancestry and co-mingled it with their new Christian faith.But that's not the end of the journey! Their shared faith became a bonding opportunity when the Mongols invaded. The church was their hub, the thing that connected them to all of the disconnected parts of Russia.After the Mongols left, things settled down for a bit. Until the Orthodox church showed up. You see, when the Byzantine empire fell to Muslim forces, the Orthodox church needed a new home. So Ivan brought them to Moscow. Now Moscow is home to one of the largest branches of Christianity in the world - the Russian Orthodox church.From sword point to housing one of the largest branches of the faith, Russia has a varied history with Christianity. Listen to this episode to get the full story.Sources and links: Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia - book by Jennifer Eremeeva Stephen Mansfield interview featured in this episode Five Minute Bible Hour video about the Orthodox Church Topic Discussed: How did the Russian Orthodox church begin? Who was Prince Vladimir? When did the Mongols enter Russia? Who was Ivan the Great? Why is the Russian church associated with paganism? What is a good primer on Russian history? The fall of the Byzantine Empire How did Moscow become the capital of Russia? Why do we like dark jokes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastChristmas and New Years can be a stressful time for us. But what if you had to celebrate two Christmas' and two Years'? Our special guest Jennifer Eremeeva (author of Have Personality Disorder Will Rule Russia) is an American married to a Russian. Each year they have the potential of four holidays in less than a month. But why?The confusion has to do with a discrepancy in calendars. It turns out that the old Julian calendar, which is used by the Russian Orthodox Church, is several days different than the Gregorian calendar that we use. This has to do with an old disagreement between the Catholic and Orthodox churches.Subscribe to Truce so you'll get every new episode as it is released!Donate here to keep Truce going!Herring Under Fur Coat:This recipe is pretty simple, but it may take a few hours to make so do this one in advance.Ingredients: 1 jar of mayonnaise (squeeze-able is easiest) 3 medium size beats (peeled) 4-5 carrots (peeled) 1 large potato (peeled) 1 jar of pickled herring 1 bag of grated cheddar cheese 1 bunch of fresh green onions 1 jar of pickles Cooking Instructions: Peel the beats, carrots, and potato then put them on boil for an hour. Yes, it will look like blood and the beats will dye the other veggies. While the vegetables are boiling, open the pickled herring (if in a jar). Remove any bones. Dice. Keep refrigerated until it is used. After the vegetables are boiled, grate each of them separately with the small holes. On a pie plate make a mound with the potato. Spread it out to the edges of your plate. Cover the potato with the following layers: mayo, pickled herring, green onions, mayo, carrots, mayo, pickles, beats, mayo, grated cheese. Place the whole thing in the refrigerator and let it sit for 2-3 hours before consuming. Overnight is okay too. The whole thing will turn a light pink color. Serve it like any other dip with veggies, crackers, or tortilla chips. Other Sources Russian Christmas blog post - Dividing My Time Jennifer Eremeeva blog post - Is This Christmas? Britannica article on the Julian Calendar Topics Discussed: Why is the Orthodox church on a different calendar? What are the differences between the Julian calendar and the Gregorian calendar? What is Christmas like in Russia? What unique dish should I make for Christmas? Russian food Why did Pope Gregory establish the Gregorian calendar? Who created the Julian calendar? Russian history Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastMerry Christmas! As a bonus, we are featuring some stories from the Christian Podcasters Association Christmas Episode Exchange. Each person in the group was allowed to submit a 5-minute mini-episode on the theme of Christmas. I've collected a few of them here and some more will be on our Patreon page for people who donate a little each month to keep Truce going. You can access the Truce Patreon page and for those extra stories.Here are the submissions in order of appearance:1) Truce Podcast – Christmas BoleroChris Staronhttp://www.trucepodcast.comhttp://www.twitter.com/trucepodcasthttp://www.facebook.com/trucepodcast2) The Road Home To You PodcastBrandy Goebel – Every Home Needs a Gnomehttp://theroadhometoyou.libsyn.com/https://www.facebook.com/groups/166024570692834/3) Biblical Chilihttps://biblicalchili.podbean.com/https://www.facebook.com/BiblicalChili/http://www.twitter.com/BiblicalChili4) Raising Kids on Your Kneeshttps://raisingkidsonyourknees.org/https://www.instagram.com/raisingkidsonyourknees/http://www.facebook.com/raisingkidsonyourkneeshttp://www.twitter.com/prayingforkids5) Letters from Home PodcastMargaret Glesener and her family sharing their Christmas tradition of sharing.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/letters-from-home/id1444502295https://www.instagram.com/lettersfromhomepodcast/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastRasputin - the rogue monk who changed the face of the world. Or did he?Grigory Rasputin was a wandering monk from Siberia. A peasant. A long-haired man with a family. Through a series of connections with powerful people, he became the right-hand man of Nicholas II, the Russian tsar. Some claimed that he had the power to heal. He was also a known philanderer.Rumors of his relationship with the tsarina ran rampant. He, a peasant, may have influenced military decisions in WWI. The man was everywhere all at once--until he was brutally murdered in Petersburg one dark night. They tried cyanide and nothing happened. The shot him, and he fled. Who was this mystery man? What was his impact on Russia? On the Christian church? Listen to this special episode to find out!Our goal is to become the best Christian podcast out there. We can only do that with your financial support. You can donate on Patreon and Paypal. Every little bit helps! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastThis is the second in a two-part story about the fall of the last czars of Russia. Their murder had a ripple effect across history. After them came Lenin and the rise of communism and the USSR. The modern American church changed to keep up. If Russia was going for collectivism and atheism, the USA would hold on to capitalism and Christianity. Which means that the gospel would soon be identified with money, power, and military might.In this episode we follow the abdication of Nicholas II to the untimely end of him and his family. Theirs was just the first of a long string of murders that would elevate Lenin and Stalin to power.Truce is a listener-supported show. Please consider donating a little each month via Patreon (which entitles you to some cool bonus material) or helping out with a one-time gift on Paypal. These gifts are not tax-deductible.Our research was greatly aided by the following books:The Romanovs by Simon Sebag MontefioreA Well Ordered Thing - Michael D Gordin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastOne murder changed the course of Christian history. And it wasn't of a pope or church leader - it was the murder of Russia's last czars, the Romanovs. This is the beginning of our series on how communist Russia shaped modern Christianity in America. Tsar Nicholas II made many crucial mistakes: allowing Rasputin into his life, ignoring workers, the Russo-Japanese War, and many others. How we dealt with these tragic errors led the country into the hands of the Bolsheviks.Oh yeah, and we made stroganoff. The recipe is below.Truce is a listener-supported show. Please consider donating a little each month via Patreon (which entitles you to some cool bonus material) or helping out with a one-time gift on Paypal. These gifts are not tax-deductible.Our research was greatly aided by the following books:The Romanovs by Simon Sebag MontefioreA Well Ordered Thing - Michael D Gordin Dairy-free stroganoff recipeIngredients:Egg noodles (as many as necessary - we used half a bag)1 lbs ground beef1 can mushrooms (small)1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1/2 teaspoon mustard powder1 diced onion1/2 cup beef broth1/2 cup dairy-free sour cream1/2 cup mayonnaiseDirections: Brown ground beef in a skillet. A little extra beef is fine. Elk and deer meat work just as well, though you may want to add more seasoning if it is too "gamey". Put hot water on to boil for the noodles. Drain the fat from the beef. Add noodles to hot water. When the meat is brown, add in garlic powder, pepper, mustard powder, onion, and mushrooms. Cook at about medium heat and stir. When the onion has softened a little, add in the mayonnaise, sour cream, and beef broth. Let that simmer for about 15 minutes. Drain noodles. Stroganoff is best served over a big heap of noodles. Put the beef mixture over the noodles and enjoy! Questions we examine: Why did communism take over Russia? Who were the last tsars of Russia? Who was Rasputin? What was the Russo-Japanese War about? Why did Lenin want to stay out of WWI? Was Tsarina Alexandra crazy or just on a lot of drugs? How did the downfall of the Russian tsars impact American Christianity? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 bonus material for this episode at www.patreon.com/trucepodcast.Links:https://philvischer.com/Topics discussed:* How did Phil create VeggieTales?* How do Christians deal with loss and negative criticism?* Phil Vischer's recent response to LGBT rights in the Christian Post* Answering your questions about VeggieTales* Where is my hairbrush?* The Laugh and Learn Bible* Why should I read the Bible on my own? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 tsarist Russia fall, how did communism gain its hold, and how did that shape the American church. I promise you, it's going to be fascinating! Subscribe now so you never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 season 2, we're going to explore the faith history of one of the most influential men of all time. We're joined by Pastor Justin Butler (highlandccky.org), author of Double-Sided Power: Studies in the Life of Napoleon Bonaparte. Our goal is to make Truce the best Christian podcast available. We need your help to do that! We're currently over $3,000 in the hole in this project. Would you consider helping us you? Donate on our website at http://www.trucepodcast.com. God willing, we'll be back with more Truce in early October. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices