In this captivating episode, Rachel sits down with Claire Hoffman, journalist and author of the memoir Greetings from Utopia Park, to explore the enigmatic life of Aimee Semple McPherson, a pioneering female evangelist whose influence still resonates today. Claire delves into McPherson's rise to fame, her charismatic preaching style, and the scandal surrounding her mysterious disappearance in 1926 Los Angeles, which captivated the nation. Rachel and Claire discuss the complexities of power and belief, examining how McPherson's passionate drive to spread her gospel often clashed with societal expectations of women in her time.
As they unpack the themes of celebrity culture, the addictive nature of transcendent experiences, and the challenges faced by women in religious leadership, Claire highlights the duality of McPherson's legacy—both as a groundbreaking figure and a tragic example of the pressures that come with fame. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersections of religion, gender, and the human experience.
Find out more about Claire and her work here:
https://www.clairehoffman.com/
Get Claire's new book Sister: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson at your favorite bookstore or online:
Connect with us on social media:
https://linktr.ee/indoctrination
Watch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS
Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more:
https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination
Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:
https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATION
IndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:
https://thepodcastconsultant.com/about
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.