Ghost Church by Jamie Loftus

Latest Episodes:

9: Waiting for the Spirit in the Cape Jun 27, 2022

Show notes

In the final episode of Ghost Church (for now), Jamie befriends a Cassadaga medium, reads a manifesto, and looks backwards and ahead to where American spiritualism goes from here. Thank you for listening, and abolish the Supreme Court bitch.

Find Uncle Dennis Here: http://www.mysticallahan.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8: The Boys Are Fighting (Over Crotch Goo and Ghosts): Arthur Conan Doyle vs. Harry Houdini Jun 20, 2022

Show notes

This week, Jamie takes a look at the second wave of spiritualism in the United States through American Spiritualism's most famous schism -- believer Arthur Conan Doyle versus skeptic Harry Houdini over the mediumship (and yes, ectoplasm) of Mina Crandon. Featuring Paul F. Tompkins as Doyle and Robert Evans as Houdini. I know, right?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7: The Fool's Golden Rule (Espiritismo and Spiritual Churches) Jun 13, 2022

Show notes

This week, Jamie goes to a ghost museum, high fives a Jigsaw doll, and takes a look at two religious movements that pulled from American Spiritualism, took what they needed, and left the rest. Dr. Carlos Camacho stops by for a chat about espiritismo, and still no talk of ectoplasm.

Dr. Margarita Simon Guillory on "The Religious Studies Project": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q3kvN3RDpI

More information on Dr. Camacho here: https://linktr.ee/carloscreates2018

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6: The Legend of Seneca the Spirit Guide (or: Colonizer, Please) Jun 06, 2022

Show notes

This week, Jamie heads to the only spiritualist library in the American south -- open two hours a week -- to try and trace the legend of Cassadaga's founding to its root, as land taken from indigenous Americans. Writer Olivia Woodward stops by to discuss spiritual traditions of the Caddo Nation, thoughts on spiritualism's appropriation of Native culture, and questions George Colby's spirit guide.

Follow Olivia's work here: https://twitter.com/LivNative93

More on the Seneca Nation: https://sni.org/

More on the Mascogo: https://about.proquest.com/en/blog/2019/what-juneteenth-means-to-the-mascogo-tribe/

More on the Timucua: https://read.dukeupress.edu/hahr/article/77/3/502/144849/The-History-of-the-Timucua-Indians-and-Missions

More on the Miccosukee: https://www.miccosukee.com/history

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5: Apples, The Manipulator, and The Curse of Spiritualism May 30, 2022

Show notes

This week, Jamie visits a legendary Cassadaga medium and traces the story of spiritualism's Fox sisters to its end -- where the sisters abandoned the religion that had defined their lives.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4: Four Roads to Cassadaga May 16, 2022

Show notes

This week, Jamie passes the mic to four women of Cassadaga to tell their stories about how they came to American spiritualism -- from being raised by NASA scientists to a tragic loss.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3: The Tables Are Tipping May 09, 2022

Show notes

This week, Jamie goes to a table tipping class — a Spiritualist tradition that uses tables to connect people with their dead. Elsewhere in the past, the Fox sisters go on tour, where the skeptics put increasing pressure on the teenagers to meet their hype.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Ghost Church by Jamie Loftus

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected