S4 Ep. 38 Liar, Liar, M.D. on Fire Pt. 2: The Ego, Extortion, and Lies of “Dr.” John Thomas

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