There's the Jacob Taoist you, that Paul is more anti-Roman and in some ways more anti-statist than Jesus. How is Paul revising Jesus politically? I think that Jesus is very radically anti-state. Both in Jerusalem and in Rome, power is interfused with those who claim a mandate to interpret the divine. This is clearly the case in the Jerusalem temple. The Romans too are absolutely implicated in a sense that their power is interfusing with an understanding of the divine.
Historian Tom Holland joined Tyler to discuss in what ways his Christianity is influenced by Lord Byron, how the Book of Revelation precipitated a revolutionary tradition, which book of the Bible is most foundational for Western liberalism, the political differences between Paul and Jesus, why America is more pro-technology than Europe, why Herodotus is his favorite writer, why the Greeks and Persians didn’t industrialize despite having advanced technology, how he feels about devolution in the United Kingdom and the potential of Irish unification, what existential problem the Church of England faces, how the music of Ennio Morricone helps him write for a popular audience, why Jurassic Park is his favorite movie, and more.
Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video.
Recorded February 1st, 2023
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Photo credit: Sadie Holland