RTN Theology #11 The Character of Virtue w/ Stanley Hauerwas
Release Date: 07/29/2019
#377 The Hindenburg w/ Catherine Grace Katz
The Road to Now
Catherine Grace Katz joins us to talk about her new book, , and just how much the story of the ill-fated German Zepplin can tell us about the world in the years between World War I and World War II. You can pre-order your copy of Shadow Before the Flame at Catherine’s website, This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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George Carlin’s American Dream w/ Michael Bonfiglio & Kliph Nesteroff
The Road to Now
George Carlin had a comedy career that spanned half a century, and his take on the US remains relevant more than a decade after his death in 2008. The HBO documentary tells Carlin’s story as he evolved from a clean-cut comic in the 1950s into the edgy critic who remains one of the most influential comedians of all time. In this episode, , who directed the film (along with Judd Apatow) and , a historian of comedy who is featured in the film, join Bob & Ben for a conversation about the life and times of George Carlin. If you enjoy this episode, check out our previous conversation...
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#376 Miracle Road: The Story of Research Triangle Park w/ Mack Paul
The Road to Now
North Carolina’s Research Triangle has been a hub of innovation and economic growth for more than half a century, but the most remarkable invention in the area’s history might be the park itself. In this episode, Mack Paul explains how residents of one of the poorest states in the union found a way to reimagine their future and transform the ‘Old North State’ into a global leader in scientific advancement. Mack’s new book, which he coauthored with his father, Allen, is Miracle Road: The Story of Research Park (Duke University Press, 2026. You can read excerpts from the book...
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The Pursuit of Happiness w/ Jeffrey Rosen
The Road to Now
The inalienable right to “the pursuit of happiness” is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, but what exactly does that phrase mean? While Americans today may associate it with the right to own land, opulence or some other act of acquisition, many prominent founders understood it to mean something quite different. In this episode President & CEO returns to the show to give us the full story and discuss his new book The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to...
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#375 The Road to Venecky w/ Ben & Bob
The Road to Now
Ben & Bob catch up for a conversation about bad Ai textooks, new discoveries about precolonial American societies and a new take on the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Make sure to catch Bob at his endless book tour for ! Dates available by following him on Sources discussed in this episode: · John Green, (Penguin, 2025). · Pärssinen, M., Kalliola, R., Ranzi, A. et al. Nature (2026). · Robert Sapolsky (Penguin, 2017). · Adi Schane, WDRB.com, July 29,...
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#374 The Senate's Hard Summer w/ Ben & Bob
The Road to Now
Ben & Bob talk about the history of the US Senate and why the august body is now under attack from both the Freedom Caucus and the Democratic Socialists of America. For readings discussed in this episode, check out Michael Trotti’s from Made By History (Oct. 29, 2025) and , which states: “The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to...
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#373 Good Government w/ Lindsey Cormack
The Road to Now
In an era of cynicism towards politics, Lindsey Cormak wants you to focus on what government has gotten right and to raise your kids to be active citizens. And as the host of the new podcast (alongside History That Doesn’t Suck’s Greg Jackson), and the author she has evidence and a framework for how to get there. In this conversation we cover all this, as well as Lindsey’s research on Veterans and her work to document political rhetoric via congressional emails at is Associate Professor of Political Science at Stevens Institute of Technology. This episode was edited by...
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Necropolis: Disease, Power & Capitalism in 19th Century New Orleans w/ Kathryn Olivarius
The Road to Now
joins Bob & Ben to explain the powerful role that Yellow Fever played in shaping all aspects of life in New Orleans during the 19th Century. Kathryn is Associate Professor of History at Stanford University and the author of She was also a 2024 recipient of This is a rebroadcast of #329, which originally aired on March 10, 2025. This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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The Civilian Conservation Corps w/ Neil Maher
The Road to Now
Between 1933 and 1942, the Civilian Conservation Corps enlisted more than three million young men in a project that planted two billion trees, slowed soil erosion on forty million acres of farmland, and enjoyed support across political and geographic divides. In this episode we talk with Neil Maher, author of about how the CCC helped solidify FDR’s New Deal and spread the seeds of environmental activism for generations to come. is a Professor of History and Master Teacher in the Federated History Department at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University-Newark. He is...
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Mitch McConnell: The Price of Power w/ Michael Tackett
The Road to Now
Journalist joins Ben & Bob to discuss his book (Simon & Schuster, 2024). Tackett, who wrote the biography with McConnell’s consent, was granted unprecedented access to McConnell’s vast personal archives, his staff, and even the Senator himself, who sat for about 50 hours of interviews. If you’ve ever wondered how Mitch McConnell rose to power, how he's stayed there despite challenges from both parties, or what makes the man tick, this conversation has the answers. Michael Tackett covers . His work has earned him multiple awards, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Edgar...
info_outlineRTN Theology now is now on its own podcast feed! Subscribe anywhere you get The Road to Now for RTN Theology episodes 12-19 and more!
RTN Theology #11 features “America’s Best Theologian” (according to Time Magazine), Stanley Hauerwas. Chris Breslin brings an intimate conversation from Dr. Hauerwas’ office at Duke Divinity School that touches on the recent passing of his friend, Jean Vanier, the life of the church in the era of Trump, and what it means to become people of virtue and character. Professor and author, Dave Fitch chimes in with some of his favorite Hauerwasisms and the ways that Dr. Hauerwas has shaped his life and work. He also shares his most recent book project, The Church of Us vs. Them. We’re also treated to a special reading of a chapter on the virtue of Justice by Stanley Hauerwas from his recent book of letters written to his Godson. Throughout the episode are selections from Deeper Well Music Collective’s (Portland, OR) new release, Volume III.
For more on this episode and a full bibliography on the essential Hauerwas, check out our episode page by clicking here.
The Road to Now is Part of the Osiris Podcast Network.