In episode 3 of "A Second Language," Second Baptist Church in downtown Little Rock struggles with conformity on race.
Release date: August 23, 2023.
About the podcast:
How does a church live out its mission amid a changing culture?
"A Second Language" from Good Faith Media is a six-part narrative podcast about Second Baptist Church in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, and how its location and leadership have shaped its witness.
Founded in 1884, the church grew as a hub for powerful religious and political personalities on local, state and national levels. Its influence touched on major issues of the day, including alcohol and race.
A turning point for the church occurred in 1957 during the city's integration crisis, when the church's Rev. Dale Cowling and Congressman Brooks Hays were seen as too soft on the race issue.
The church continued to evolve, leading on some critical issues while avoiding others, all in the context of rapid cultural change.
The podcast is a story about a mostly white Baptist church in the South and what its experience can teach us about life and death, hypocrisy and honesty, faith and fear – the risk and reward -- of talking about hard things.
"A Second Language" includes interviews with church leaders and members, historians, interfaith friends and community leaders, as well as archival material.
“A Second Language” was written, produced and narrated by Cliff Vaughn of Good Faith Media. The executive producer was Mitch Randall. Please like, rate and share the podcast. Learn more at GoodFaithMedia.org.
Thanks to our interviewees: Kwami Abdul-Bey, Lani Allenbaugh, Rebecca Cowling, Preston Clegg, Chris Ellis, Wendell Griffen, Stephanie Harp, Eric Higgins, Ray Higgins, John Kirk, Gene Levy, Jim and Gayle Maloch, Jenna Sullivan and Sara Tariq.
Special thanks to Starlette Thomas, who hosts “The Raceless Gospel” podcast from Good Faith Media – and to Cally Chisholm for the artwork.
And huge thanks to Kevin and Angie Heifner.
Thanks to Lisa Speer and Taylor Lawson at the Ouachita Baptist University Archives, Taffey Hall at the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, Carolyn Wilson in the Special Collections Research Center at the William & Mary Libraries, and Casiday Long in Special Collections at the University of Arkansas. Other material comes from the archives at NASA, the Library of Congress, and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.
Thanks to Jim Pfeifer and Sandra Hubbard, as well as Billie and Marc Heflin. Thanks to Patrick Fleming and Debbie Huff, Marquis Hunt, Joe and Charlotte Jeffers, Connie New, David Rice and everyone at the Bramble Market. Thanks also to the Community Bakery in downtown Little Rock.
The music comes from Pond5.
If you’re interested in learning more history about Little Rock and Arkansas, visit the fabulous EncyclopediaOfArkansas.net, a project of the Central Arkansas Library System. See the podcast's website for more helpful resources.
Check out other podcasts from Good Faith Media, including the first narrative podcast, “Brother Molly,” about the life and work of theologian Molly T. Marshall.
Links:
A Second Language: https://goodfaithmedia.org/a-second-language
Explore more Good Faith Media podcasts: https://goodfaithmedia.org/podcasts/
Good Faith Media: https://goodfaithmedia.org/
Social: @GFMediaOrg