Best Brian J Stephens Podcasts (2025)

1
Brian A. Stauffer, "Victory on Earth or in Heaven: Mexico’s Religionero Rebellion" (U New Mexico Press, 2019) 1:02:15

Play Pause

6h ago1:02:15

1:02:15

In Victory on Earth or in Heaven: Mexico’s Religionero Rebellion (University of New Mexico Press, 2019), Brian A. Stauffer reconstructs the history of Mexico's forgotten "Religionero" rebellion of 1873-1877, an armed Catholic challenge to the government of Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada. An essentially grassroots movement--organized by indigenous, Afro-…

1
Addressing Comments on Caissa K12's New York Times Feature 30:49

2d ago30:49

30:49

Following Caissa K12’s recent feature in The New York Times, Brian sits down to directly respond to some of the reactions and comments it sparked. Joined by producer Caroline Christian, he addresses common misconceptions about public school districts, highlights the double standards they often face, and discusses the challenges of operating on an u…

1
David de Boer, "The Early Modern Dutch Press in an Age of Religious Persecution" (Oxford UP, 2023) 34:47

13d ago34:47

34:47

David de Boer returns to the podcast to talk to Jana Byars about his first book, The Early Modern Dutch Press in the Age of Religious Persecution (Oxford UP, 2023). This book is available open source here. For victims of persecution around the world, attracting international media attention for their plight is often a matter of life and death. This…

1
Charly Coleman, "The Spirit of French Capitalism: Economic Theology in the Age of Enlightenment" (Stanford UP, 2021) 1:02:34

13d ago1:02:34

1:02:34

Charly Coleman's latest book, The Spirit of French Capitalism: Economic Theology in the Age of Enlightenment (Stanford University Press, 2021) is at once a history of ideas, the economy, religion, and material culture. Pursuing the imbrication of the economy and theology with respect to both worldly and spiritual value and wealth, the book explores…

1
A Future Without Public Education 20:14

15d ago20:14

20:14

What happens when a society turns its back on public education? In this episode, we look at education’s past and present to uncover the devastating consequences cultures face when public education systems are dismantled or neglected. The loss of education doesn’t just slow progress and economic growth; it threatens the very foundation of a function…

1
The History That’s Shaping Tomorrow’s Schools 28:49

17d ago28:49

28:49

What can the history of public education teach us about its future? Across centuries and civilizations, public education has always played a central role in shaping societies and developing productive citizens. Learn how this global evolution defined the system we have today, and why understanding the importance of public education is vital in navi…

1
Public Schools Must Choose To Compete 20:06

29d ago20:06

20:06

The future of public education depends on our willingness to face reality: traditional public schools are in a competition, whether they want to be or not. In this episode, explore why districts must choose to compete, and how their communities must rise to the challenge and support them. The decline of access to free, high-quality public education…

1
What School Choice Means in Florida: Lessons for District Leaders Nationwide 44:32

1M ago44:32

44:32

School choice legislation aims to create competition, but how can it be fair when public schools play by different rules? Scott Howat, the Chief Communications Officer of Orange County Public Schools, joins to discuss the financial impact of universal vouchers, the importance of accountability with taxpayer dollars, and why school choice isn’t the …

1
Christopher Ocker, "Luther, Conflict, and Christendom: Reformation Europe and Christianity in the West" (Cambridge UP, 2018) 37:34

1M ago37:34

37:34

Martin Luther - monk, priest, intellectual, or revolutionary - has been a controversial figure since the sixteenth century. Most studies of Luther stress his personality, his ideas, and his ambitions as a church reformer. In Luther, Conflict, and Christendom: Reformation Europe and Christianity in the West (Cambridge UP, 2018), Christopher Ocker br…

1
Navigating The Intersection of AI & Education 15:37

1M ago15:37

15:37

AI’s relevancy has increased drastically in recent years, but is it education’s cornerstone or its crutch? This episode explores the benefits and consequences of AI in the classroom, as well as the long term repercussions on students of a growing digital divide. Listen in to gain insights related to mitigating these challenges.…

1
How Public Schools Took On The Statehouse 42:01

1M ago42:01

42:01

Public education supporters across the nation have watched one community’s battle against unfair state legislation, a battle led by Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson. In this episode, featuring guest host Paige Walkup, Dr. Johnson shares how she fought a bill that aimed to dismantle the state’s public school districts. …

1
Gary Kulik, "Conscientious Objectors at War: The Vietnam War's Forgotten Medics" (Texas Tech UP, 2025) 55:14

1M ago55:14

55:14

During the war in Vietnam, thousands of young men served as conscientious objector medics. They had been certified by their local draft boards as noncombatants, but many would know intense combat nonetheless. Without weapons training, they ran through the infantry lines, answering the desperate call, "Medic!" Many displayed exemplary heroism even a…

1
Allan Doig, "A History of the Church through its Buildings" (Oxford UP, 2021) 37:15

1M ago37:15

37:15

A History of the Church through its Buildings (Oxford University Press, 2021) by Allan Doig takes the reader to meet people who lived through momentous religious changes in the very spaces where the story of the Church took shape. Buildings are about people, the people who conceived, designed, financed, and used them. Their stories become embedded …

1
Why Public School Districts Are Suing Social Media Companies 28:08

1M ago28:08

28:08

Across the country, public school districts are taking tech giants like Meta and TikTok to court, blaming them for a mental health crisis unfolding in America's classrooms. This episode dives into the details behind local school district’s lawsuits against today’s largest social media platforms, citing their addictive properties as the cause of dec…

1
Pope Leo XIV (with Christopher White) 53:42

1M ago53:42

53:42

Vatican Reporter Christopher White has just written book about Pope Leo XIV, our new Holy Father, an American, an Augustinian, from Chicago, from Perú; it’s a biography, but it also places Pope Leo in the Context of the Second Vatican Council, the legacy of Leo XIII and especially his predecessor Pope Francis and the synodal church of the last few …

1
Jürgen Buchenau and David S. Dalton, "Anti-Catholicism in the Mexican Revolution, 1913-1940" (Simon and Schuster, 2024) 1:02:36

2M ago1:02:36

1:02:36

Anti-Catholicism in the Mexican Revolution, 1913–1940 examines anti-Catholic leaders and movements during the Mexican Revolution, an era that resulted in a constitution denying the Church political rights. Anti-Catholic Mexicans recognized a common enemy in a politically active Church in a predominantly Catholic nation. Many books have elucidated t…

1
Should Public School Districts Outsource? 25:43

2M ago25:43

25:43

As more public schools face budget shortfalls, many districts are considering outsourcing school services to cut costs, but is it the right move? This episode clarifies the conversation around outsourcing in public school districts, covering common reasons for outsourcing, when it can be effective, and when it may be risky. Through real-world examp…

1
What Every Public School Leader Needs to Know About DEI 24:13

2M ago24:13

24:13

The Department of Education's decision to eliminate DEI initiatives will have lasting effects on public school districts. This episode dives into the legal landscape surrounding public education and DEI by breaking down what is currently permitted, which practices face increasing restrictions, and the potential consequences for districts that do no…

1
Michael Amoruso, "Moved by the Dead: Haunting and Devotion in São Paulo, Brazil" (UNC Press, 2025) 1:09:00

2M ago1:09:00

1:09:00

In the sprawling city of São Paulo, a weekly practice known as devotion to souls (devoção às almas) draws devotees to Catholic churches, cemeteries, and other sites associated with tragic or unjust deaths. The living pray and light candles for the souls of the dead, remembering events and circumstances in a rite of collective suffering. Yet contemp…

1
John Eldevik, "Reading Prester John: Cultural Fantasy and Its Manuscript Contexts" (Arc Humanities Press, 2024) 34:26

2M ago34:26

34:26

Reading Prester John: Cultural Fantasy and its Manuscript Contexts by John Eldevik During the Middle Ages, many Europeans imagined that there existed a powerful and marvel-filled Christian realm beyond the lands of Islam ruled by a devout emperor they called “Priest John,” or “Prester John.” Spurred by a forged letter that mysteriously appeared aro…

1
The Impact of Immigration Policies on Student Attendance 23:51

2M ago23:51

23:51

This episode examines how immigration enforcement and recent ICE raids are impacting public school attendance and dismantling safe spaces for students. It explores the decline in attendance among undocumented students, widespread walkouts, and the real-world consequences of these policy changes. Listen to learn what some schools are doing to protec…

1
MSCS Board Member Tamarques Porter on District Success 43:47

2M ago43:47

43:47

This episode features a candid conversation with Memphis-Shelby County Schools board member Tamarques Porter, who shares his perspective on the district’s success and potential challenges. The discussion covers the heated debate around school closures and building innovation, the dismissal of the former superintendent, and the potential for a state…

1
Can Public Schools Display The Ten Commandments? 7:49

2M ago7:49

7:49

This episode dives into the legal and legislative battle over religious displays in U.S. public school classrooms. We unpack why the Ten Commandments were originally banned, explore the efforts to reverse that decision in prominent Supreme Court cases like Stone v. Graham, and examine what’s at stake for public school districts nationwide. You’ll a…

1
Dana Rubin: 'Throughout history, women have been changing the world with their voices', curator and author of Speaking While Female 1:03:03

2M ago1:03:03

1:03:03

In March, I chatted to speech collector Dana Rubin for Women's History Month (there have been delays releasing the episode - my apologies, Dana). It's a great chat with a kindred spirit. Dana has created the Speaking While Female speech bank that showcases speeches by women across history and around the world. She also edited the book Speaking Whil…

1
Jonathan Teubner, "Charity After Augustine: Solidarity, Conflict, and the Practices of Charity in the Latin West" (Oxford UP, 2025) 1:24:45

2M ago1:24:45

1:24:45

Jonathan Teubner, Charity After Augustine: Solidarity, Conflict, and the Practices of Charity in the Latin West (Oxford UP, 2025) Through a unique blend of the personal and historiographical, Charity after Augustine is an exploration of why the Augustinian tradition’s attempts to build solidarity or social cohesion in the societies of the Latin Wes…

1
Is Texas Trying To Destroy Public Schools? 19:24

2M ago19:24

19:24

Learn who benefits and who gets left behind in the education budget recently passed by the Texas Legislature. From promised teacher raises for only 50% of staff to missed opportunities for traditional public schools, the universal voucher program in Texas raises questions about its impact and the future. With an increasing number of traditional pub…

1
Are Vouchers Designed To Destroy Public Schools? 17:47

3M ago17:47

17:47

School choice is gaining momentum across the country, with initiatives like vouchers, education savings accounts, and charter school expansions moving quickly through state and federal legislatures. Supporters say these programs empower parents and promote healthy competition, but the real impact on public schools is more complicated. In this episo…

1
Supreme Court Ruling On The ADA & The Impact On Public Schools 11:01

3M ago11:01

11:01

A recent Supreme Court decision has reshaped how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is applied— and public school districts across the country will feel the impact. In this episode, we break down what the ruling means, why it matters, and how it raises the legal standards schools must meet in serving students with disabilities. Throu…

1
Stefanie Lenk, "Roman Identity and Lived Religion: Baptismal Art in Late Antiquity" (Cambridge UP, 2025) 44:01

3M ago44:01

44:01

Christianity is often considered prevalent when it comes to defining the key values of late antique society, whereas 'feeling connected to the Roman past' is commonly regarded as an add-on for cultivated elites. Roman Identity and Lived Religion: Baptismal Art in Late Antiquity (Cambridge UP, 2025) demonstrates the significant impact of popular Rom…

1
Maya Mayblin "Vote of Faith: Democracy, Desire, and the Turbulent Lives of Priest Politicians" (Fordham UP, 2024) 1:19:46

3M ago1:19:46

1:19:46

A richly cinematic and compelling look at priest-politicians in Brazil and their religious and secular entanglements, Vote of Faith: Democracy, Desire, and the Turbulent Lives of Priest Politicians (Fordham UP, 2024) explores the complex intersection of democracy, patriarchy, and religiosity in Brazil. For over a hundred years, Catholic priests hav…

1
Stephen Okey, "A Theology of Conversation: An Introduction to David Tracy" (Liturgical Press, 2018) 1:20:50

3M ago1:20:50

1:20:50

Sometimes described as "a theologian's theologian," David Tracy's scholarship has impacted countless thinkers around the globe. The complexity of his thought, however, has often made engaging his work into a daunting challenge. Combining analysis of the most influential features of Tracy's theology (theological method, the religious classic, public…

1
Julia McClure, "Empire of Poverty: The Moral-Political Economy of the Spanish Empire" (Oxford UP, 2025) 41:51

3M ago41:51

41:51

Empire of Poverty: The Moral-Political Economy of the Spanish Empire (Oxford University Press, 2024) by Dr. Julia McClure examines how changing concepts of poverty in the long-sixteenth century helped shape the deep structures of states and empires and the contours of imperial inequalities. While poverty is often understood to have become a politic…

1
'The bells of St Stephen's, tolling for Mum' — eulogy for Margaret Wilson by Tony Wilson, Melbourne, 2025 23:37

4M ago23:37

23:37

My mother, Margaret Joan Wilson died on the 20th of April 2025 while I was away in Budapest. It was a big shock and a terrible day. We had a private family ceremony on 7th May and a more public celebration of life on the 8th. This speech was delivered at the second event. The text and video of the eulogy is up at Speakola newsletter and in the Spea…

1
Elaine Pagels, "Miracles and Wonder:The Historical Mystery of Jesus" (Doubleday, 2025) 38:53

4M ago38:53

38:53

Early in her career, Elaine Pagels changed our understanding of the origins of Christianity with her work in The Gnostic Gospels. Now, in the culmination of a decades-long career, she explores the biggest subject of all, Jesus. In Miracles and Wonder:The Historical Mystery of Jesus (Doubleday, 2025) she sets out to discover how a poor young Jewish …

1
Art and Its Holy Object (with Steve Auth) 1:07:32

4M ago1:07:32

1:07:32

For the transcendental and numinous things, sometimes there are no words. But art—paintings, sculpture, music, film—can knock us sideways a little and help us see something, or understand a fleeting meaning, a dream we’ve woken from, that we try to hang onto. He was a successful Wall Street investment guy for decades, but he had a deep love of art …

1
Nancy M. Rourke, "Ecological Moral Character: A Catholic Model" (Georgetown UP, 2024) 38:40

4M ago38:40

38:40

The images we use to think about moral character are powerful. They inform our understanding of the moral virtues and the ways in which moral character develops. However, this aspect of virtue ethics is rarely discussed. In Ecological Moral Character: A Catholic Model (Georgetown UP, 2024) , Nancy M. Rourke creates an ecological model through which…

1
PART 2: Impact of the Department of Education on Public Schools 28:41

4M ago28:41

28:41

We are continuing the conversation about the impact and future of the Department of Education. This is the second part to Public Education Unfiltered’s episode on the potential ED shutdown. Discover the misplaced blame that often gets cast on the wrong groups and how critics are focusing on the wrong issues. Hear why we need to be rewarding results…

1
Stephanie Schmidt, "Child Martyrs and Militant Evangelization in New Spain: Missionary Narratives, Nahua Perspectives" (U Texas Press, 2025) 49:20

4M ago49:20

49:20

A cornerstone of the evangelization of early New Spain was the conversion of Nahua boys, especially the children of elites. They were to be emissaries between Nahua society and foreign missionaries, hastening the transmission of the gospel. Under the tutelage of Franciscan friars, the boys also learned to act with militant zeal. They sermonized and…

1
Simon Mayall, "The House of War: The Struggle Between Christendom and the Caliphate" (Bloomsbury, 2024) 1:08:54

4M ago1:08:54

1:08:54

A powerful new history detailing the most significant military clashes between Islam and Christendom over the 1,300 years of the Muslim caliphate. From the taking of the holy city of Jerusalem in the 7th century AD by Caliph Umar, to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following the end of World War I, Christian popes, emperors and kings, and Muslim…

1
Donald S. Prudlo, "Governing Perfection" (St. Augustine's Press, 2024) 23:18

4M ago23:18

23:18

"In the beginning, God administrated." For as Donald Prudlo observes, "There can be no achievement without administration." In this book he seeks to restore the idea that while administration is necessary even in the institutional Church, holiness is not only possible for those charged with governance, but is a fulfillment and type of Christus Rect…

1
Miles Pattenden, "Electing the Pope in Early Modern Italy, 1450-1700" (Oxford UP, 2017) 52:19

4M ago52:19

52:19

Jana Byars talks to Miles Pattenden about his book, Electing the Pope in Early Modern Italy, 1450-1700 (Oxford UP, 2017), just about to be released in paperback. This study offers a radical reassessment of the history of early modern papacy, constructed through the first major analytical treatment of papal elections in English. Papal elections, wit…

1
Timothy Twining, "The Limits of Erudition: The Old Testament in Post-Reformation Europe" (Cambridge UP, 2024) 1:07:06

4M ago1:07:06

1:07:06

The history of early modern biblical scholarship has often been told as a teleological narrative in which a succession of radical thinkers dethroned the authority of the sacred word. The Limits of Erudition: The Old Testament in Post-Reformation Europe (Cambridge UP, 2024) tells a very different story. Drawing on a mass of archival sources, Timothy…

1
PART 1: Impact of the Department of Education on Public Schools 33:51

4M ago33:51

33:51

What actually is the department of education? A question many are asking recently, so learn what the department of education does and does not do, along with what the impacts of its “shutdown” will be. In the face of speculation and fear, find out what all of this means for public school districts across the country and what the future may look lik…

1
Donald S. Prudlo, "Stimulus Pastorum: A Charge to Pastors" (St. Augustine's Press, 2022) 29:27

4M ago29:27

29:27

The work of St. Bartholomew of Braga, O.P. (1514-1590) appears here in English for the first time despite its long and enduring influence in ecclesiastical circles. His meditations on the office of pastor have provided critical insight bishops since their initial circulation and have helped form the most famous among them, including Bartholomew's p…

1
Udi Greenberg, "The End of the Schism: Catholics, Protestants, and the Remaking of Christian Life in Europe, 1880s-1970s" (Harvard UP, 2025) 1:10:56

4M ago1:10:56

1:10:56

Reconciliation between Europe's Protestants and Catholics led to a new era of Christian collaboration. Why did these erstwhile foes end their schism and begin to make peace? In this riveting study, Udi Greenberg shows that ecumenism grew out of a shared desire to protect against perceived threats to Christian life. The End of the Schism: Catholics,…

1
Asa Simon Mittman, "Cartographies of Exclusion: Anti-Semitic Mapping in Medieval England" (Penn State UP, 2024) 1:03:22

4M ago1:03:22

1:03:22

From the battles over Jerusalem to the emergence of the “Holy Land,” from legally mandated ghettos to the Edict of Expulsion, geography has long been a component of Christian-Jewish relations. Attending to world maps drawn by medieval Christian mapmakers, Cartographies of Exclusion: Anti-Semitic Mapping in Medieval England (Penn State University Pr…

1
Faith Tibble, "Crown of Thorns: Humble Gods and Humiliated Kings" (T&T Clark, 2025) 39:51

5M ago39:51

39:51

Jesus' Crown of Thorns has become one of the most ubiquitous features of Christian religious art, but was the original crown anything like the crown of popular medieval art and piety? The image conjured by art history is that of a bloodied, beaten Jesus, wearing a cruelly fashioned, woven crown made of sharp thorns. But this image is deeply mislead…

1
Salve Regina (with Bishop Athanasius Schneider) 42:45

5M ago42:45

42:45

“And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling [.…] And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” (Mk 4: 37-41) Bishop Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary bisho…

1
'Bob, you're dead. Do you want a state funeral?' — John Safran's eulogy for Father Bob Maguire, May 2023, Melbourne, Australia 1:13:48

5M ago1:13:48

1:13:48

Author & documentary maker John Safran talks in this episode about his eulogy for 'the People's Priest', Father Bob Maguire at St Patrick's Cathedral Melbourne in May 2023. He also discusses his latest book 'Squat' about his week squatting at Kaye West's LA Mansion and his creative life as Australia's best known 'valid troll' (to use John's own exp…

1
Forest Issac Jones, "Good Trouble: The Selma, Alabama and Derry, Northern Ireland Connection 1963-1972" (First Hill Books, 2025) 25:59

5M ago25:59

25:59

Forest Isaac Jones is an award-winning author of non-fiction and essays, specializing in the study of Irish History, the US Civil Rights Movement and Northern Ireland. His latest essay, ‘The Civil Rights Connection Between The USA and Northern Ireland’ was awarded honorable mention in the category of nonfiction essay by Writer’s Digest in their 93r…