The Life After Leaving Podcast: An Ex-Christadelphian Podcast

Today we’re finishing our investigation of the medical qualifications of “Doctor” John Thomas, the founder of the Christadelphians. In this history episode, we’ll follow John Thomas’ career during his time in the United States from the 1830’s into the 1850’s. We once again debunk persistent myths that have been repeated by Christadelphians for generations. Instead of accepting these myths, we critically examine them and speculate on the real reasons behind Thomas’ career choices. We also question John Thomas’ motives for his marriage, his reasons for moving frequently, and the credibility of the school that issued his M.D. degree in 1848. Zinnia also shares numerous new historical resources to do a deep dive into claims of extortion against John Thomas by the Richmond Campbellites and into the strange and questionable school, the “Scientific and Eclectic Institute” of Petersburg, Virginia, where John Thomas claimed to have earned his degree. Throughout this episode, we also reflect on what these stories indicate about John Thomas’ personality, his motivations, and why his persistent claim to have “the truth” isn’t actually something for Christadelphians to be proud of.

Please join us for another exciting history episode as John Thomas’ lies and criminal activity get exposed by Zinnia, a harbinger of destruction. 

Listener discretion advised

Resources and References:

Thank you to the ex-Christadelphians for sharing information about these Lancet articles!

⁠The Lancet 1829-1830 ⁠ 

See: Oct 10, 1829; Jan 16, 1830; Jan 30th, 1830

⁠John Thomas: His Friend and His Faith” ⁠

⁠Dr. Thomas: His Life & Work ⁠

⁠Monty Python and the Holy Grail ⁠

⁠Professor James Staughton⁠

⁠The Millennial Harbinger, 1835⁠

⁠“The New England Botanic Medical and Surgical Journal” Vol 2, No 8, Page 122, April 16, 1848⁠

⁠Population of Cincinnati in 1830 and 1840⁠

⁠Physicians in Ohio 1819-1850⁠ (used 1831 Directory)

⁠University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine⁠

⁠Population of Cincinnati⁠ (1830: 24,831)

⁠Cincinnati population in the 1800s⁠

America’s current population (2025): 333.3 million

Current number of American physicians (2025): 1,044,734

⁠Population of Philadelphia 1830 ⁠

⁠Desilver’s Philadelphia Directory (1831)⁠

⁠Doctors in Philadelphia ⁠

⁠The Millennial Harbinger (Feb 1835)⁠

⁠Demon Of Unrest by Erik Larson⁠

⁠James H Hammond⁠

Philadelphia & Virginia

⁠The Millennial Harbinger, 1834 ⁠

“A Review of the Defence of Dr. John Thomas" (Email ⁠[email protected]⁠ for a digital copy)

⁠The Apostalic Advocate, May 1837⁠ pg 18-19

Dr. Thomas: His Family and the Background of His Times’ by Charles Blore

⁠Inflation Calculator⁠

⁠Payment of Doctors⁠

⁠Doctor Fee Bills⁠

⁠Millennial Harbinger, Feb 1838 ⁠

⁠Take Back Your Life by Janja Lalich and Madeline Tobias⁠

⁠John Thomas M.D. Newspaper⁠

The Christadelphian Magazine, April 1886

⁠A Muppet Christmas Carol⁠

LAL Podcast: S1 Ep 6: Christadelphian True Crime 

⁠Rush Medical College⁠

The Christadelphian Magazine, April 1886 “Dr. Thomas’s Professional Status”

⁠Formation of the AMA⁠

⁠Incorporation of the S&E College March 1st 1847⁠ 

⁠1847 “J Thomas M.D.” ⁠

⁠1846 Oct Classes⁠

⁠The New England Botanic and Medical Journal, 1848⁠ “Biography of John Thomas M.D.”

⁠Nov 1847 “Virginia Institute" ⁠

⁠Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati⁠

⁠Philadelphia Diploma Mill ⁠

 ⁠Degree Mills by Allen Ezell and John Bea⁠r

⁠Dr. John Buchanan⁠

⁠The Rise and Fall of Dr John Buchanan⁠

⁠Alexander Campbell on the S&E School⁠

⁠Worcester, MA school⁠

⁠S&E College to Send Diplomas to MA⁠

⁠The History of Medicine by Alexander Wilder⁠

⁠Eclectic Medical Journal 1844-1848⁠

⁠Eclectic Medical Journal 1849-1850⁠

⁠August 1848 Ad⁠

⁠THOMSONIANISM IN VIRGINIA by JAMES O. BREEDEN ⁠

*email ⁠[email protected]⁠

⁠“Medical Training in the United States Prior to the Civil War”⁠

⁠Harbinger, 1853 “Dr of Opinions”⁠

⁠Harbinger 1854 “not D.D. or M.D.”⁠

⁠Impeachment & John Thomas’ Farewell⁠

⁠Eclectic Schools⁠ 

⁠Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincinnati ⁠

⁠The Early Development of Medical Licensing Laws in the US ⁠

⁠Herald 1851, p 279⁠

Today we’re chatting with Katie! Katie’s story is an eye-opening account of the harms and pressure of sexism in Christadelphian culture on young girls. As a child, Katie was pulled out of the public school system in order to spend her time primarily caring for her brothers and taking care of the household tasks. As she grew older, was pressured to find a husband and begin to follow a “timeline” which would lead to staying home and having children while being told that she shouldn’t get an education at university. Despite the lack of encouragement and guidance, Katie escaped the Christadelphians, explored life as an independent woman, and attended university. In this episode, Katie also shares what it was like to join the Christadelphians as a child with her family, about Christadelphian dating culture, and about the poor behavior of the “brothers” in her former ecclesia that ultimately lead to her leaving Christadelphia once and for all. Please join us for yet another episode of fellowship among the heathens!  

Listener discretion advised.

 

If you’re interested in coming on the podcast or have comments or questions, you can contact Zinnia at ⁠[email protected]⁠

 

⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠ or⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠⁠!

 

References:

Corinthians 11:8-9 "For man did not come from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man made for woman, but woman for man"

 

⁠Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell⁠

 

Meghantschanz on IG ⁠“The Role of a Godly Husband (if women butchered the Bible the way men have)”⁠

 

Clarabelltoks on IG 

⁠Flipping Vacation Bible School⁠

⁠If we spoke to men the way we speak to women⁠

⁠If we spoke to boys the way we speak to girls⁠

⁠If we spoke to boys the way we speak to girls (2)⁠

⁠If we spoke to boys the way we speak to girls (3)⁠

⁠Flipping misogyny and homophobia in the church⁠

⁠Flipping misogyny in the church⁠

Today we’re chatting with Bec! In this episode, Bec shares her experience growing up as a “Logos” Christadelphian in Australia and trying to follow the ‘straight and narrow’ path until she made the difficult decision to leave her marriage and embrace her identity as a lesbian! Bec shares some vulnerable stories of life inside the ecclesia. From trying to be a good daughter and getting baptized as her mom was dying, to learning about her mother’s hidden heartbreak which had become fodder for gossip at their ecclesia, and to growing up and meeting Christadelphian men who wanted to marry her… if they could control her. Despite some heavy topics, we also enjoyed a few laughs as we asked, what did Solomon’s wives really do together while he was busy? If Christadelphian brothers see rainbows and assume it’s a queer symbol then have they voluntarily given “God’s symbol” to the gay community? And does sage really work to get rid of ghosts in your house??

Please join us for yet another episode of fellowship among the heathens!  

 

TW: Domestic violence, coercive rape, postpartum depression, suicidal ideation

 

Listener discretion advised.

 

If you’re interested in coming on the podcast or have comments or questions, you can contact Zinnia at [email protected]

 

Follow us on Instagram⁠ or ⁠Facebook⁠!

 

References:

 

⁠Underworld with Kate Beckinsale (2003)⁠

 

Proverbs 3:15 “She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.”

 

Forced Adoptions in Australia:

⁠SBS News: “I was told my baby had died. Decades later, I learned that was a lie”⁠

⁠“Social worker tells of forced adoptions”⁠

⁠“Catholic Hospitals Apologize for Forced Adoptions” ⁠

 

⁠From God to Gay Podcast⁠ 

 

⁠Will I ever be good enough by Dr. Karyl McBride⁠

 

⁠Joyce Meyer (Author)⁠

 

⁠Lee-Ann Cipri (Medium)⁠

Today we’re learning about the history of hands-on energy healing in the early Christadelphian community! In this episode, Zinnia discusses the founding of an ecclesia in Edinburgh, Scotland that quickly became interested in practicing hands-on energy healing. These new believers were radical free thinkers who offered sassy -but scriptural- retorts to the demands of Robert Roberts and John Thomas around the validity of baptisms. They also hosted lectures and classes for anyone interested in learning the art of “curative mesmerism”. The Edinburgh ecclesia not only became practitioners of “curative mesmerism” themselves, but also became involved in creating and supporting a local mesmerism organization and promoted the practice as part of the “doctrine of health” to other ecclesias while attributing their healing abilities to God. We also discuss the attitudes that attracted these early believers to Mesmerism and the various theories around what may have contributed to the decline of the practice of mesmerism in this ecclesia. We also learn about Robert Roberts “irresistible” experience with another man, the reason why Robert’s wife was re-baptized after their marriage, and hear about Zinnia’s experiences with hands-on energy healing in the modern day. Please join us for another fun blast to the past learning more forgotten history about the Christadelphians! 

 

Listener discretion advised.

 

If you’re interested in coming on the podcast or have comments or questions, you can contact Zinnia at [email protected]

 

References:

 

The Early History of the Kingdom of God in Britain" by William Norrie 

Part one

Pg. 128 “The Edinburgh Church of Baptised Believers of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God”

Pg 167 Sassy Rebuttals

Pg 178 Edinburgh Church

Page 202 Curative Mesmerism

Pg 245 On Jane Norrie’s rebaptism

 

The Life after Leaving Podcast Episodes:

S1 Ep 8 Robert Roberts and the Fandom of John Thomas

S1 Ep 10. The Bearded Wisdom of the Christadelphians

S1 Ep. 13 Hypnosis, Telepathy, and Ghosts

S1. Ep 4 Fellowship with Rob

S2. Ep 16. Fellowship with Steve

S3. Ep 32 Fellowship with Ben

 

‘John Thomas: His Friends and His Faith’ by Peter Hemingray 

P 131-132 Declaration of Beliefs in 1847

P 127-129 John Thomas’ Rebaptism

P 192-194 The Marturion Magazine

 

My Days and My Ways by Robert Roberts 

Mesmerism story pages 78-79

 

“Dr. John Thomas: His Life and Work” by Robert Roberts

 

Mesmer (1994) 

 

Alan Rickman

 

The Brief and Strange History of Mesmerism and Surgery

 

The phony health craze that inspired hypnotism (Youtube)

 

The Mesmerist by Wendy Moore 

 

Drake-Kendrick Lamar Feud

 

Referenced by William Norrie: “Messenger of the Churches” issued in July 1858 No. 2

 

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come by John Thomas, May 1858

 

The Zoist: A Journal of Cerebral Physiology & Mesmerism and Their Applications to Human Welfare Volume 12 Christadelphians named as members of the Scottish Curative Mesmeric Association

 

Reiki

 

Prana 

 

Qi 

 

The Astrological Roots of Mesmerism

 

Mesmerising Science: The Franklin Commission and the Modern Clinical Trial

 

Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism

 

Mesmerism (History of Hypnosis Documentary Series - Episode 02)

 

The History of Bad Ideas: Mesmerism (Podcast)

Today we’re chatting with Rebecca! In this episode, we hear from a former Christadelphian who had no intention of leaving the community until the day she walked out the door. Rebecca shares how she was raised in a small ecclesia in a rural area with the expectation that she would get baptized, become a wife and mother, and play piano for the Sunday memorial services. Despite asking a lot of questions during her childhood, she generally conformed to the traditional Christadelphian path for a woman, married a Christadelphian “brother”, and even raised her children to be Christadelphians. But as her children reached adolescence and began to grow into their identities, she was faced with a choice between accepting her children or allowing them to be harmed by the community she loved and served. Unlike most of our guests, Rebecca hadn’t been preparing to leave mentally or emotionally. But motivated by her love for her family, she navigated the unexpected turbulence of leaving the Christadelphian community and shares both the positives and negatives of life outside the group. We also talk about the guilt of recognizing the harms of authoritarian parenting, raising sensitive children in an environment focused on doomsday theology, and about deconstructing Christadelphian views on the LGBTQ community.

 

Listener discretion advised.

 

If you’re interested in coming on the podcast or have comments or questions, you can contact Zinnia at [email protected]

 

References:

 

Shippensburg/ Mid-Atlantic Christadelphian Bible School

 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone- Mailbox Scene (Youtube)