Breakpoint – "Reimagining the American Revolution?"

Podcast: Breakpoint
Host: John Stonestreet, Colson Center
Date: January 7, 2026
Episode Theme: Examining current retellings of the American Revolution through the lens of a Christian worldview, focusing on overlooked abolitionist Founding Father Dr. Benjamin Rush.

Episode Overview

John Stonestreet addresses a recent trend among historians and filmmakers to reinterpret the American Revolution, particularly critiquing Ken Burns’ latest project for retelling the story through the lens of critical theory. The episode centers on a more historically grounded and faith-oriented narrative, as presented by Dr. Joseph La Conti’s new documentary about Dr. Benjamin Rush, a largely overlooked Founding Father who actively opposed slavery based on Christian convictions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ken Burns’ Approach to the Revolution

• Burns’ documentary is critiqued for reinterpreting the Revolution via critical theory and, according to Stonestreet, making "wrong assertions along the way" ([00:18]).
• However, Burns does accurately highlight the Founders’ general neglect regarding slavery, juxtaposing patriot plots for liberty with ongoing slavery nearby.

2. Introducing Benjamin Rush: A Forgotten Abolitionist

• Dr. Benjamin Rush (signer of the Declaration of Independence at age 33, college graduate at 15, practicing physician at 24) is presented as a counterpoint to the typical narrative ([00:57]).
• Rush’s extensive contributions:
  • Army doctor
  • Chemistry professor/author
  • Prolific writer on medical education
  • Social reformer and key influence on Thomas Paine's "Common Sense"

3. Rush’s Abolitionism and Christian Convictions

• Unlike most Founders, Rush believed God-given rights applied to everyone—explicitly including enslaved people.

• Quoting Dr. Joseph La Conti:

  “Rush rejects the assumption that Africans are an inferior race. He cites evidence of their ingenuity and humanity as proof that they're equal to the Europeans. Addressing the city's clergy, Rush denounces them for using the Bible to sanctify their crimes against humanity.”
  — Dr. Joseph La Conti ([01:57])

• Rush’s activism included:

  • Founding member of the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons (now the Pennsylvania Prison Society) ([02:15])
  • Active supporter, pamphleteer, and member of abolitionist societies
  • Adviser to Richard Allen in founding the African Methodist Episcopal Church
  • Lending public support to black-led churches and reform efforts

4. The Christian Worldview in Action

• Rush’s life is held up as a living example of how Christian conviction fuels social action and reform.
• Stonestreet draws a lesson for today:

  “These stories from history, like that of Benjamin Rush, demonstrate how a Christian worldview is to be lived and not just believed.”
  ([02:49])

• Citing Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

  “Christianity is not an otherworldly religion. Rather, it describes the world as it actually is, and that allows us to be part of God's work, not just by preparing for heaven, but in repairing what's wrong with his world.”
  ([03:10])

5. Documentary Resource

• Dr. La Conti’s new documentary series on Benjamin Rush is available on YouTube; the first two of four episodes have been released ([03:30]).
• The series is recommended for its “keen insights into the origins of liberty and the American experiment, and…a reminder of what can happen when Christian clarity and conviction meet—as in the story of Dr. Benjamin Rush.” ([03:45])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Failures of the Founders:

  “Not far from the Philadelphia coffee houses where patriots were plotting against tyranny, men and women and children were being bought and sold like cattle.”
  — John Stonestreet ([00:43])

• On Rush’s Approach to Slavery:

  “Rush rejects the assumption that Africans are an inferior race. He cites evidence of their ingenuity and humanity as proof that they're equal to the Europeans. Addressing the city's clergy, Rush denounces them for using the Bible to sanctify their crimes against humanity.”
  — Dr. Joseph La Conti ([01:57])

• On Living Out Belief:

  “These stories from history, like that of Benjamin Rush, demonstrate how a Christian worldview is to be lived and not just believed.”
  — John Stonestreet ([02:49])

• On Christianity and Social Action:

  “Christianity is not an otherworldly religion. Rather, it describes the world as it actually is, and that allows us to be part of God's work, not just by preparing for heaven, but in repairing what's wrong with his world.”
  — John Stonestreet (quoting Bonhoeffer, [03:10])

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [00:01] – Open and critique of Ken Burns’ new documentary
• [00:57] – Introduction to Dr. Benjamin Rush’s life and credentials
• [01:57] – Dr. La Conti on Rush’s rejection of racial inferiority and criticism of religious justification for slavery
• [02:15] – Rush’s abolitionist actions and foundation of social reform movements
• [02:49] – Stonestreet on the practical impact of a Christian worldview
• [03:10] – Quoting Bonhoeffer on Christianity’s real-world relevance
• [03:30]–[03:45] – Recommendation of Dr. La Conti’s documentary series on Rush

Conclusion

The episode emphasizes that understanding the American Revolution—and the Founders—requires both historical accuracy and moral clarity. Dr. Benjamin Rush is portrayed as a model of Christian engagement in society: a Founder whose advocacy for abolition stemmed directly from his faith. The Colson Center encourages listeners to discover more about Rush via Dr. La Conti’s documentary series, underlining the continued relevance of Christian worldview for cultural engagement and social justice today.