For centuries, the Church has enshrined its so-called “Titans of the Faith” — Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Robert Dabney, John MacArthur, James Dobson, and others — writing their obituaries in glowing terms, thereby preserving their legacies and protecting their reputations. But beneath their pedestals lies a more complicated truth: wounds still carried by those harmed through their teachings, their silence, and their theology.

In this bonus episode, we share the essay Broken Pedestals: The Church, Its Titans, and the Cost of Silence. It traces how the Church has chosen silence over truth, praise over repentance, and reputation over faithfulness. From Edwards’s purchase of enslaved children, to Whitefield’s lobbying for slavery, to Dobson’s authoritarian vision of family life that helped disciple a generation into authoritarian politics — the story is not one of faithfulness, but of complicity.

And yet, there have always been prophets who refused to be silent. Frederick Douglass, Charles Spurgeon, and the Black Church stood as witnesses against the tide, reminding us that truth has always been possible, even when it comes at a significant cost.

This is not a comfortable story. But it is a necessary one. Because faithfulness is not silence. Faithfulness is telling the truth, even when it topples our idols.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

How the Church enshrined “heroes” of the faith while ignoring their sins

The lasting harm of silence and selective memory

James Dobson’s role in shaping evangelical authoritarianism and politics

Prophetic voices who spoke truth when others refused

What it will take for the Church to break the cycle and bear faithful witness today

Why It Matters

If the Church cannot tell the truth about its heroes, it cannot be a faithful witness to the truth. Silence is not neutrality. Silence is complicity. The time has come to topple our pedestals, confront our idols, and proclaim Christ above every name.