Podcast Episode 5
John Albert Broadus
with Dr. Eric Smith & host Nick Walters
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This episode of This Week in Christian History continues the mission of the Center for Christian History at Mississippi College to help listeners understand how the global Christian story unfolds across centuries. Every weekly installment brings together three key elements that keep the series grounded, historically rich, and accessible to listeners who want to see the larger sweep of the Christian tradition. First, each episode includes an interview with Nick Walters, the founder and director of the Center, whose work focuses on making Christian history engaging, accurate, and connected to the lives of today’s believers, students, and scholars.
Second, every episode also includes a Deep Dive conversation with a subject-matter expert who brings academic expertise to the table while still speaking to a general audience. In this episode, the Deep Dive centers on John Albert Broadus, one of the most influential Baptist theologians, preachers, and educators of the nineteenth century. Broadus became particularly significant in shaping Southern Baptist identity through his preaching, biblical scholarship, and decades-long service as a founding faculty member at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The featured scholar for this episode is Dr. Eric C. Smith of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, whose research and teaching focus on preaching, pastoral ministry, and the history of Baptist life. His perspective helps illuminate the historical context in which Broadus lived, the theological contributions for which he is remembered, and the way his legacy continues to shape theological education in the United States.
Third, each week’s episode incorporates a pair of historical highlights drawn from this same week in Christian history. These highlights provide brief but meaningful snapshots of important events that took place across the centuries in different regions of the Christian world. They serve as an accessible entry point for listeners who want to see how the past reaches into the present. The featured highlights for this week reflect moments that reshaped the religious landscape: one involving Pope Leo X’s authorization of the sale of indulgences in 1517, an act that played a direct role in sparking Martin Luther’s challenge and the Protestant Reformation; and another marking the conversion of John Newton, future author of “Amazing Grace,” on March 10, 1748, a spiritual turning point he remembered every year for the rest of his life. These brief moments provide a framework for thinking about the diverse ways God works in various eras through institutional developments, individual experiences, and movements that alter the direction of Christian history.
The podcast is produced by Blue & Gold Media and students at Mississippi College, whose work supports the Center’s larger educational mission. The goal of each episode is not only to introduce the audience to major figures, turning points, and themes in Christian history, but also to cultivate deeper historical awareness among listeners who want to think carefully about how the past informs Christian life today. The Center for Christian History seeks to make these stories meaningful, engaging, and historically responsible, and the partnership with Mississippi College reinforces the importance of training students in research, media, storytelling, and public history. Through interviews, expert insights, and carefully chosen weekly highlights, This Week in Christian History offers a consistent space for anyone who wants to explore how the Christian story has taken shape around the world and across generations.
