Founded in 1834 as a mission of the Episcopal Church, the Seamen’s Church Institute provides vital services to seafarers, including crisis response, pastoral care, vessel visiting, counseling, transportation, and hospitality. The organization also supports mariner education and professional development through its Center for Maritime Education and advocates for seafarer rights through its Center for Mariner Advocacy. What is the history of this unique organization? Why will an understanding of this particular religious thread in the American tapestry equip us to be more effective at perpetuating our democracy, which includes religious freedom as defined by the U.S. constitution’s Article VI and the Bill of Rights religion clauses? Mark Nestlehutt will guide us today in answering these and other questions.

Show notes:

https://seamenschurch.org/historical-resources/

Season 4, Episode 4 – History of the Seamen’s Church Institute

Guest Bio

The Reverend Mark Nestlehutt serves as the President and Executive Director of the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), the largest and most comprehensive mariner service agency in North America.

Podcast Support

Scholarly support provided by Dr. Lauren Turek, Associate Professor of History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

Technical audio and video assistance provided by Dr. Randall Stephens, a Professor of American and British Studies at the University of Oslo.

Religion in the American Experience is a podcast of the private, digital-first National Museum of American Religion, which tells the story of how religion has shaped America and how America has shaped religion. This includes the establishment of religious freedom in the United States Constitution’s Article VI and Bill of Rights religion clauses.