On Sunday, September 28th Thomas Jacob Sanford drove his truck into a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan during their services. He opened fire with his gun killing two worshippers, then set the building on fire killing two more. Eight others were injured and the church was completely destroyed. He was killed in the parking lot by local law enforcement. Mr. Sanford, as reported by someone who talked with him earlier that week, believed that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the “Antichrist.”

Where has the concept of “the Antichrist” appeared in American history and how can this help us understand what happened in Michigan?

Season 3, Episode 34 – Special Edition: The Antichrist in American History

Guest Bios

Dr. Matt Sutton is the Berry Family Distinguished Professor in the Liberal Arts at Washington State University and author of American Apocalypse: A History of Modern Evangelicalism. His new book Chosen Land: How Christianity Made America and Americans Remade Christianity will be published in early 2026.

Dr. Christopher Blythe is assistant professor of English at Brigham Young University and, importantly, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Both have expertise in Christian theology as it relates to the United States of 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 National Museum of American Religion, which tells the story of what religion has done to America and what America has done to religion.