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/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

We've started to post bonus content for Truce on our Patreon subscribers. If you give as little as $3/ month you'll get special bonus episodes like this one. You can donate at https://www.patreon.com/trucepodcastSpecial thanks to Eric Nevins of the Halfway There podcast. Learn more about his show at: https://ericnevins.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember Occupy Wall Street? That movement from the early 2000's caused a stir after the financial crisis of 2007-2008. They demanded that the people responsible for the crash be punished for their actions. We in the Christian church often struggle with the rich-- how to treat them, how to see ourselves. In this episode we take a look at some statistics that will make us rethink our view of the wealthy.This episode was produced by Nick Staron. When Nick isn't busy with the podcast, he's working as a stand-up comedian. He's the perfect guy for your church picnic, youth night, or college gathering. Find more about Nick at www.nickstaron.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John D. Rockefeller was a shrewd businessman. Even to the point of breaking the law to get what he wanted. His Standard Oil company was eventually broken up using the Sherman Antitrust act. But his money kept influencing society. On this episode of the Truce Podcast, we take a field trip to the National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park to see how one wealthy family strong-armed Congress into declaring federal land. And we see how this kind of leverage is used in the modern Christian church. The Bible verse used in this episode was excerpted from the Streetlights Audio Bible. https://www.streetlightsbible.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John D. Rockefeller was the richest man... maybe ever. His Standard Oil Company swallowed up the competition and broke the law. Yet, this man claimed the name of Christ.We're in the middle of a series about money in the church. How does it get to the church? Does it matter where the money comes from and where it goes?This episode of the Truce Podcast was written and produced by Nick Staron: https://www.nickstaron.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are Christians supposed to tithe? It's a big question, one that many pastors disagree on. A tithe literally means 10%. A bunch of people in the Old Testament were commanded to give 10%... are we supposed to continue that tradition today?This is the first part in our series about money in the church -- how it gets there, where it's used, and how it can be used to gain power. Special thanks to our friends who gathered around the campfire with us.Topics discussed in this episode:* Does the 10% tithe still apply to modern Christians?* What is a tithe?* What is the verse in Malachi that talks about giving?* How much money should a pastor make?* Do we have to pay our pastor?* Should a pastor wear expensive clothes?* What does Jerry Savelle think about tithing? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices