Cultural Reflections and Moral Imagination

How the church responds when Jesus is co-opted by political power, and what it means to faithfully resist using cruciform love. In this latest installment of the Exile Series, Mike and Tim explore recent headlines where government leaders invoke Christianity as a means to assert national identity and justify coercive policies. Rather than offering partisan critique, they unpack the deeper spiritual crisis at work—when the name of Jesus is taken in vain to baptize authoritarianism and cultural dominance.

Rooted in Walter Brueggemann’s prophetic framework of “reality, grief, and hope,” Mike and Tim lead a passionate discussion around resisting empire the way Jesus did—through embodied love, not religious spectacle. They revisit core biblical ideas of the church living as exiles and dive deeply into the last days of Jesus' life—highlighting not just the fact that Jesus died on the cross, but how he lived and loved on it. From forgiveness to hospitality to non-retaliation, Jesus models a radical way of confronting evil with redemptive good.

Key Takeaways: • Resisting Political Appropriation of Christianity – How invoking Jesus to justify state power is a modern form of taking the Lord’s name in vain. • Walter Brueggemann’s Prophetic Framework – “Reality, grief, and hope” as a lens to navigate our cultural moment and resist false ideologies. • Cruciformity as Active Resistance – Jesus didn’t just die for us—he loved, forgave, and restored while dying. This nonviolent, redemptive love becomes the pattern for Christian resistance. • Reordering Our Spheres – Why the private, social, and public spheres must be aligned in love and integrity, and why public outrage alone isn’t the answer. • The Church as a Community of Justice – A call to form communities that shelter the vulnerable, confront injustice, and embody the Sermon on the Mount in both small and subversive ways.

Guest Highlights: No external guests—but powerful contributions from voices like Walter Brueggemann, Tim Gombis, and public figures such as Rev. William Barber and Shane Claiborne are discussed in the context of prophetic Christian witness.

Resources Mentioned: • Reality, Grief, and Hope by Walter Brueggemann • Ephesians (particularly chapters 2-4) – Link • Voxology’s Exile Series Archive – voxologypodcast.com • Book: Resident Aliens by Hauerwas & Willimon • Book: The Patient Ferment of the Early Church by Alan Kreider

Feeling overwhelmed by the cultural co-opting of Christianity? You're not alone. Join us as we discern the way of Jesus, especially when it's unpopular. Don’t forget to subscribe, share this episode, and leave us a review. Let’s keep walking this road of faith, justice, and hopeful resistance—together.

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Music by Timothy John Stafford Instagram / Twitter : @GoneTimothy Follow Mike on Twitter: @mikeerre



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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

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