Republicans and Evangelicals I Milton Friedman and School Choice (part 2 of 2)

Republicans and Evangelicals I Milton Friedman and School Choice (part 2 of 2)

Author: Chris Staron April 8, 2025 Duration: 27:28
Give to help Chris continue to make Truce Milton Friedman is one of the most important economists of the last hundred years. His ideas were quoted by many evangelical writers in the 1970s and 80s, despite his not being a Christian and few of his ideas being in the Bible. Figures like Jerry Falwell loved the guy. Ronald Reagan adopted many of his ideas, though they disagreed on things like the increasing national debt. Friedman played a major role in the popularization of the school voucher concept. Essentially, some people want to allow parents to have a say in which school their children attend. If they want to take the children to a private school, they believe that the government should give them a certain amount of money that would have gone to the public school and give it to the private one. Those who disagree say that this would defund already underfunded schools. Friedman also believed that teachers should not necessarily be certified and that the free market would weed out the bad ones. Stanford professor Jennifer Burns (author of Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative) returns to help Chris explore this complicated subject. Sources: Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative by Jennifer Burns Reaganland by Rick Perlstein Free to Choose A helpful Britannica article on Friedman Listen, America! by Jerry Falwell. Paperback, August 1980 reprint version Bantam edition Divided We Stand by Marjorie Spruill Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman Discussion Questions: Had you heard of Friedman before this episode? What are school vouchers? How could school vouchers be seen by some as a tool of segregation? What would it mean if parents had to keep track of every teacher their children learned under? How are schools currently funded in the US? Why does that matter? How are some schools wealthy while others are poor? What should be the role of wealthy people when it comes to education? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Chris Staron, Truce-History of the Christian Church is a deep, journalistic look into the forces that have shaped American evangelicalism. This isn't a simple timeline of events; it's an investigation into the surprising intersections of faith, culture, and power. Staron digs into movements from fundamentalism's roots to modern political campaigns, and even examines connections to phenomena like pyramid schemes, revealing a complex history many listeners may never have encountered. Each episode is built on thorough research and thoughtful interviews, aiming to understand not just how the church arrived at its current moment, but how that story might inform a better path forward. The current season focuses specifically on the rise of the Religious Right, meticulously tracing the evolving alliance between evangelicals and the Republican Party. To tell this story, the podcast features conversations with notable guests like historians Rick Perlstein and Frances Fitzgerald, or journalist Jesse Eisinger, who bring their expertise to this nuanced narrative. Listening to this podcast feels like joining a rigorous yet accessible conversation, one that respects the subject's gravity while pursuing clarity and truth. For anyone curious about the real stories behind today's headlines concerning faith and society, this series offers essential context.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Truce - History of the Christian Church
Podcast Episodes
Looking Backward | Christian Fundamentalism Series [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:46
Now that we've read In His Steps together and discussed it, let's talk about another work of fiction. Looking Backward was written by Edward Bellamy. That name may sound familiar! We talked about his cousin Frances Bella…
In His Steps Discussion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:16
Support the Truce Podcast via Patreon or through the website you can do Paypal, check, or Venmo! We've been reading the book "In His Steps" together for the last few weeks. It was written by Charles Sheldon, a man whose…
In His Steps (part 3) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:40:42
This is part 3 of an audiobook presented on Truce. Please start at part 1! Become a patron of the show to keep more content like this coming your way! In His Steps by Charles Sheldon is a classic of Christian fiction. It…
In His Steps (part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:20:43
This is the second part of the series. Please start with part 1. In His Steps by Charles Sheldon is a classic of Christian fiction. It is also one of the top-selling Christian books of all time. We've been running throug…
Bonus Episode - In His Steps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36
Want more Truce? Give a little bit each month and you'll gain access to a patrons-only Zoom event! We'll be getting together to discuss "In His Steps" and answer listener questions. This event is open to anyone who gives…
In His Steps (part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:00:41
In His Steps by Charles Sheldon is a classic of Christian fiction. It is also one of the top-selling Christian books of all time. We've been running through the history of Christian fundamentalism this season. It's worth…
The Holiness Movement | Christian Fundamentalism Series [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:29
Can a Christian be holy? Can we go a week, a day, or an hour without sinning? These are questions that modern Christians struggle with. They have their origin in John Wesley, a hymn writer, preacher, and one of the found…
Moody's Lieutenants | Christian Fundamentalism Series [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:31
After the evangelist D.L. Moody died at the end of the 1800s, he left behind a series of lieutenants, guys who carried on the work of sharing the gospel and shaping culture. It was these men who went on to set the founda…
D.L. Moody | Christian Fundamentalism Series [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:58
DL Moody. The name may be familiar. There is a Moody Publishers, a Moody Bible Institute, Moody Radio. His name is all over evangelicalism. His remarkable life story is something worth noting. Though Moody was not a fund…