Cotton Mather was a third generation minister born into Puritan royalty, a nepo baby long before anyone had ever used the term. But his involvement in the Salem witch trials — and defense of the trials afterward — led to his eventual vilification. We’re joined by Professor Rick Kennedy who helps us sort through Mather’s complex role in Puritan New England. 

• Learn about Rick Kennedy

• Learn about Rick Kennedy’s book The First American Evangelical: A Short Life of Cotton Mather

• Rick Kennedy’s latest book is Winds of Santa Ana: Pilgrim Stories of the California Bight

• Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok

• Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials