Podcast Episode 26
Adoniram Judson
with Dr. Brent Aucoin & host Nick Walters
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This Week in Christian History continues its journey through the lives, events, and turning points that have shaped the global Christian story. Each episode features an interview with Nick Walters, founder of the Center for Christian History at Mississippi College, a long-form Deep Dive with a subject matter expert, and two historically verified highlights drawn from the same week in Christian history.
In this episode, the Deep Dive focuses on the birth and significance of Adoniram Judson, one of the most influential missionaries in American and world Christian history. Dr. Brent Aucoin of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary joins the program as the expert guest. Judson’s legacy spans translation work, missionary expansion, and the development of Christian witness in Burma (Myanmar), making his life an enduring subject of scholarship and global Christian interest. This section of the episode explores his place in the broader tradition of Protestant missions, his intellectual and spiritual background, and the long-term impact of his work. The conversation situates Judson among the early 19th-century missionary movement while also connecting him to the larger story of Christianity’s expansion across Asia.
One of the historical highlights featured this week is the restoration of the Society of Jesus. On August 7, 1814, Pope Pius VII formally reinstated the Jesuit order after decades of suppression. With the restoration came a period of renewed growth across Europe and around the world. Jesuits re-established their distinctive roles in scholarship, education, missionary outreach, and service to the church. They became strong defenders of the papacy throughout the 19th century, and two centuries later, their influence reached a historic moment when Pope Francis—himself a Jesuit—became the first member of the order to be elected to the papacy.
The second historical highlight looks at a remarkable example of early American Christian mobilization. On August 4, 1821, Reverend William Blair was commissioned by the Sunday and Adult School Union. During his first year of service, Blair crossed six states on horseback, traveling more than 2,500 miles while founding sixty-one Sunday Schools and four adult schools. His work quickly demonstrated the vast need for structured Christian education across the expanding United States, prompting the Union to hire additional missionaries. Nearly two centuries later, in 2011, the organization changed its name to InFaith, continuing its long tradition of grassroots ministry and community evangelism.
These stories together outline a week marked by renewal, expansion, and missional energy. The reinstatement of the Jesuits reshaped Catholic influence worldwide, the birth of Adoniram Judson marked the beginning of one of the most important missionary careers in Protestant history, and William Blair’s early American evangelistic efforts helped define a pattern of ministry that extended for generations. Each element of this week contributes to the broader tapestry of Christian development, demonstrating how individuals and institutions profoundly shape the faith across continents and centuries.
IMAGE CREDIT
Public domain portrait of Adoniram Judson via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adoniram_judson.jpg
