While answers to the question “How often do you think about the Roman Empire?” range from “daily” to “just about never,” ancient Rome has a considerable impact on the lives of people in the West. On this episode, Russell Moore welcomes Tom Holland—award-winning biographer, historian, and author of Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World. Holland’s new book Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age sheds light on the Roman Empire’s lasting impact. During their discussion, Moore and Holland consider the Roman influence on many American facets of life, ranging from government to philosophy to gender. They consider what ancient Rome can teach listeners about navigating dissension, the role of violence, and the role of virtue in maintaining a civilization. Their conversation covers the relationship of ancient Rome to Christianity, how the Bible depicts Rome, and how to read Revelation with the Roman context in mind. Moore and Holland talk about radicalization, the October 7th Hamas attack, and the influence of social media. Tune in for a powerful discussion that sheds light on specific ways our histories inform our present lives. Resources mentioned in this episode include:
- “Citizens” by John Guerra
- Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland
- Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age by Tom Holland
- Mary Beard
- A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe
- A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin
- Edward Gibbon
- Spartacus
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“The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video Producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton
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