This episode discusses the intersection of religion and public health in America during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918–1919. Our guests discuss their sources and research, including how various churches and public health officials worked to promote the health of citizens. They also explore the theological implications of the pandemic for the denominations they studied.
Read more:
- How did Christian Scientists respond to the 1918–1919 Spanish flu?
- Responding to the pandemic with care for our world
Podcast guests
Hannah Ellingson is a graduate student and teaching assistant at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is currently finishing a master’s degree in religious studies and plans to start a master’s program this fall in library and information science. She received a bachelor’s in history and religious studies from the University of Puget Sound. Her research interests lie at the intersections of language, identity, and ethics.
Dr. Michael Hamilton is Executive Manager of The Mary Baker Eddy Library. He came to the position following ten years in the Religion and Philosophy Department at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois. Prior to teaching he served for 20 years as an active-duty US Navy chaplain, ministering to units in both the navy and marine corps. He holds a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research and writing focus on American religions.
