Episode 90.

Are you a museum goer? Are you interested in the history of religion in America? Is religious freedom in America important to you? If you answered yes to any of those questions, today’s episode will speak to you. Chris Stevenson has been developing the National Museum of American Religion for 15 years. Currently a digital-first project, Chris and his team began the Religion in the American Experience podcast as a stepping-stone to exhibits. They are also talking about a traveling exhibit. The key questions underlying all of these endeavors are: What has America done to religion and what has religion done to America?

Highlights:

· Religious freedom in America

· Inspiration for the National Museum of American Religion project

· The Museum’s Digital First Approach

· Religion in the American Experience podcast

· Smithsonian vs. private structure

· Mobile museum: religion's pandemic journey

· Exploring positive lived religion

Bio:

Chris Stevenson has worked as a teacher, systems engineer, and consultant. He has a B.S. in applied physics and Masters degrees in education and agricultural engineering. His overriding interest is buttressing civil society, and in 2000 he founded the non-profit Community Levee Association. Shortly thereafter Mr. Stevenson founded America’s Quilt of Faith. Out of the initial America’s Quilt of Faith project, Faith2SelfGovern, grew the start-up National Museum of American Religion project. Mr. Stevenson is the author of Letters from an American Husband and Father: Championing Virtue as the Most Durable Empire, a compilation of his letters to the editor and essays written between 1998 and 2012.

References:

Harvard University Pluralism Project, founded by Prof. Diana Eck

Article 6 of the US Constitution

1st Amendment of the US Constitution

Social Media links for guest:

Facebook

Instagram

X (Formerly Twitter)

LinkedIn

Transcript on Buzzsprout

More Episodes with Mormons:

Social Media links for Méli:

Website – the Talking with God Project

Meli’s email

LinkedIn – Meli Solomon

Facebook – Meli Solomon

Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices.

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org/