#127 - Joe Loconte

The Eric Metaxas Show

Metaxas Media

Religion & Spirituality

4.7 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 29 May 2026

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today On The Eric Metaxas Show, Eric talks with Joe Loconte about his new documentary on Benjamin Rush, one of the most overlooked figures of the American Revolution. They discuss Rush’s Christian faith, his work as a physician, his role in the Continental Army, his fight against slavery, his humane treatment of the mentally ill, the Protestant roots of religious liberty, John Locke, George Washington, John Adams, and why the secular version of America’s founding leaves out some of the most important parts of the story. Subscribe for clips from The Eric Metaxas Show to hear politics and culture from a Christian perspective.⭐ PRE-ORDER TODAY:Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World📕: https://a.co/d/0ir3NlapTODAY'S SPONSORS:⭐ FREE SLAVES with CSI: https://csi-usa.org/metaxas/🛏️ MyPillow — Save BIG with code ERIC: https://www.mypillow.com/☀️ Honest, fast, and free Medicare plan guidance: https://askchapter.com/metaxas/

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey there, folks. If you know this program, you know that I'm friends with a guy who goes by the name of Dr. Joseph LaCante.
0:11.6	And we've had him on many times, and it's always a joy to have him on as it is right now. Joe LaCante, welcome back.
0:22.9	Thank you, Eric. Great to be back. I also go by the name of Joe. Joe is just fine. Yeah.
0:27.6	You sometimes go by Joe, but not Joey. Just Joe. Just Joe. Just Joe. My dad used to call me
0:35.8	Joe Pepp because the Italian name for Joseph is Giuseppe and short for Giuseppe is Peppy. So I might be known as Joe Pepp around the house. Joe Pep. Joe Pep. Joe Pepetone. Joe Pepetone. Did a lot of cocaine back in the day. We're not going there. We're not going back there. Joe Pepitone.
0:54.4	I had a Joe Pepitone baseball glove in the 70s.
0:57.3	Oh, gosh.
0:57.9	Well, all right.
0:58.3	Listen, this is the problem. When people are my friends, I forget how distinguished they are. I have to tell my audience who this really is. Folks, Joe Laconte, Dr. Joseph Lecante, is director of the Rivenell Center in New York City,
1:11.3	serves as presidential scholar at New College of Florida and the C.S. Lewis, Dr. Joseph Lecante, is director of the Rivenell Center in New York City,
1:11.3	serves as presidential scholar at New College of Florida and the C.S. Lewis Scholar for Public
1:15.6	Life at Grove City College, New York Times bestselling author of many books. I've had him on
1:22.5	the program many times. He's been on Socrates in the city. But Joe, you and I right now are working on something very similar.
1:32.2	You have made this documentary.
1:34.3	I want you to tell my audience about it.
1:36.0	All about Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the great heroes of the American Revolution.
1:40.3	I don't deal with Rush very much in my book. I mention him here and there and
1:45.8	quotes, but you tell the story. So let's start at the beginning. What is this documentary?
1:52.4	What led you to make a documentary about Benjamin Rush? Yes, I think like you, Eric, we wanted
1:58.4	to contribute to this cultural moment of honoring America's 250th.
2:03.0	You and I both aware that a lot of people are going to get it wrong, and we wanted to try to get
2:07.6	it right. I came across a biography of Dr. Benjamin Rush, and I realized this founder is among the
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