America is easily the most religious country among the wealthy western democracies.

Why?

Episode 19 of Before We Were White - "New, Improved, and Super-Sanctified, Part 2" is out now.

Part 2 explores the Medieval Catholic church, and how its quest for total political, economic, and spiritual power and authority led to the birth of Protestantism.

America is easily the most religious country among the wealthy western democracies.

In almost every other nation, greater wealth and educational levels correlate with a drop-off in levels of religiosity.

The USA remains a conspicuous outlier in this regard.

Why? Episode 18 of Before We Were White - "New, Improved, and Super-Sanctified, Part 1" is out now.

An exploration of the curious synergy between God and Mammon in American history, from Canaan to Corporation, from Pilgrims to Pentacostalism, from Jamestown to Jonestown.

Part 1 goes right back to the source, tracing the line between Bronze Age storm gods and the Medieval Catholic church.

How did a musical instrument which started off hundreds of years ago in Africa end-up becoming a symbol of "white" American country music?

Was this a case of simple cultural appropriation, or is there another story waiting to be told?

When it comes to American history, nothing is ever as black and white as people think...