Disarming Leviathan Podcast

About DrewDrew J. Strait is a pastor-theologian specializing in political idolatry, peacemaking, and how congregations can challenge violent extremism. Strait regularly teaches on Christian nationalism and offers a short course for the public called “Resisting Christian Nationalism with the Gospel of Peace.” He teaches at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and resides in South Bend, Indiana. Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

Author Amy Hawk joins us to share her experience moving from leading ministry in Christian Nationalist circles to publicly condemning this movement for betraying Jesus. Learn more about our ministry at DisarmingLeviathan.comAbout AmyAmy Hawk is a writer and speaker based in Oregon. She co-authored Six Years in the Hanoi Hilton: An Extraordinary Story of Courage and Survival in Vietnam, a military biography detailing her father’s harrowing experience as a prisoner of war, with a foreword by Senator John McCain.In addition to her work on military history, Amy writes and speaks on the intersection of Christianity and politics. Her latest book, The Judas Effect: How Evangelicals Betrayed Jesus for Power, examines how much of white evangelicalism in America has aligned with corrupt leadership in pursuit of political dominance. She is a passionate voice against the rise of Christian Nationalism and the damaging influence of MAGA Christianity on the American church.Learn more at www.amyhawk.com. Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

Carmen LaBerge shares Jesus-centered methods and postures we can use when engaging loved ones who have given themselves over to political polarization.About CarmenCarmen LaBerge is an author, speaker, and host of The Reconnect with Carmen LaBerge. Her book, Speak the Truth: Bring God back into the Conversation, is available in print and audio editions. Her work has also been featured on ChristianityToday.com, the Christian Post, and other outlets.Learn more about Disarming Leviathan Ministries at DisarmingLeviathan.com. Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

Amanda Tyler joins Caleb for a conversation about American Values, justice, pluralism, and Christian Nationalism.00:00 Introduction to Amanda's Advocacy00:46 Christian Nationalism Threats and Responses03:23 Understanding Pluralism and Church-State Separation08:58 Defining Christian Nationalism and Its Implications18:01 Historical Lessons on Religion and Government25:02 Role of Public Schools in Promoting Democracy and Freedom37:50 Christian Response to Nationalism and ResourcesAbout AmandaAmanda Tyler is executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), leading the organization as it upholds the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty: defending the free exercise of religion and protecting against its establishment by government. She is the lead organizer of BJC’s Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign and co-host of BJC’s Respecting Religion podcast.Tyler is the author of How to End Christian Nationalism, published by Broadleaf Books on October 22, 2024.Learn more about Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.com. Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

Political Scientist and scholar David Koyzis joins us again to talk about how the scripture can shape our understanding of how our faith can shape our understanding of citizenship, government, and civic engagement. About David KoyzisDavid Koyzis is an academic political scientist with a PhD in Government and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame, where he wrote a dissertation comparing the political thought of Herman Dooyeweerd and Yves R. Simon. David taught political science at Redeemer University College for thirty years, mentoring hundreds of young people who have gone on to contribute to public life in Canada and elsewhere. His new book, Citizenship without Illusions is out now!Get full access to Disarming Leviathan: Missionary to Christian Nationalists at rcnc.substack.com/subscribe Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

April Ajoy, author of Star Spangled Jesus, shares her journey of growing up in the American Christian Nationalist movement, and how leaving that community has impacted her faith and engagement in the community. About April AjoyApril Ajoy is an author, content creator and podcast host who uses humor to shine light on harmful, toxic, and sometimes just weird traits of American Evangelicalism. After growing up an evangelist’s kid entrenched in Christian Nationalism and working in conservative Christian media, she saw the harm caused firsthand. Still a Christian, she uses her platform to expose the dangers of Christian Nationalism while promoting a more inclusive faith. April has been featured on Buzzfeed, CNN, Newsweek and more. She’s been married to Beecher for 10 years and they have two daughters together.Episode Sections00:00 Upbringing in Evangelical Circles01:21 Shift in Ministry Focus Post-9/1103:20 Christian Media and Nationalism08:12 What are some of the ways that your politics was synced up with your faith at that time?15:08 How are we worshiping the same God when we have completely different ideas of who Jesus is?18:55 Journey of Change and Understanding28:02 How would you coach us in approaching those who are embracing American Christian nationalism today?37:32 Creating Compassionate Alternatives42:43 Promotion and Social Media HandlesFor more about Disarming Leviathan, visit DisarmingLeviathan.com. Get full access to Disarming Leviathan: Missionary to Christian Nationalists at rcnc.substack.com/subscribe Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Rev. Malcolm Foley joins Caleb to unpack the insidious role greed plays in fueling some of the most pressing evils of our time—racism, Christian Nationalism, and violence. They explore how greed distorts systems and relationships, driving division and oppression, and how the Gospel of Jesus offers a transformative path forward.About Malcolm Malcolm Foley is a pastor, historian, and speaker who serves as special adviser to the president for equity and campus engagement at Baylor University. He has written for Christianity Today, The Anxious Bench, and Mere Orthodoxy. Foley copastors Mosaic Waco, a multicultural church in Waco, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Desiree.For more about Disarming Leviathan, visit DisarmingLeviathan.com Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

Disarming Leviathan Season 2 is out now! In this episode, Jim Wallis shares his experience fighting against racism, Christian Nationalism, and political idolatry in the Evangelical church in America for over 50 years. Content00:00 Early Influences and Racial Awareness 01:15 Crisis of Faith and Activism 02:35 Rediscovering Radical Faith 03:22 Founding Sojourners and 1980s Evangelicalism 06:50 Restoring Biblical Social Justice 08:44 Challenges of Christian Nationalism 14:34 Critique of Christian Nationalism and Call to Faith 19:26 How would you encourage us as it relates to hope? 24:05 Historical Inspiration and Living Faithfully 29:18 Service to the Vulnerable and Trust in CommunityAbout JimJim Wallis is a writer, teacher, preacher and justice advocate who believes the gospel of Jesus must be emancipated from its cultural and political captivities. He is a New York Times bestselling author, public theologian, preacher and commentator on ethics and public life.He is the inaugural holder of the Chair in Faith and Justice and the founding Director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice. In 2022, Washingtonian magazine named Wallis one of the 500 most influential people shaping policy in DC.Raised in a Midwestern evangelical family, as a teenager Wallis questioned the racial segregation in his church and community, which led him to the Black churches and neighborhoods of inner-city Detroit. He spent his student years involved in the civil rights and antiwar movements at Michigan State University.He is the founder of Sojourners, and is the author of 12 books, including America’s Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege and the Bridge to America; God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get it; The Great Awakening; The Call to Conversion; and Christ in Crisis: Reclaiming Jesus in a Time of Fear, Hate, and Violence; and host of the popular podcast The Soul of the Nation.For more on Jim, and his work, visit https://faithandjustice.georgetown.edu/about-jim-wallisFor more about Disarming Leviathan, visit DisarmingLeviathan.com Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

Hey friends, I’m excited to share an important update on the Disarming Leviathan podcast! We are in the midst of recording a series of interviews that will be released in 2025, featuring incredible guests like Sky Jethani, Amy Hawk, Megan Good, Jim Wallace, and many more engaging voices. I can’t wait for you to hear these episodes, which we aim to drop in January and February of 2025. I also want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who have generously supported the ministry of Disarming Leviathan. Every dollar you donate is directly invested back into the ministry to help create this podcast. On average, each episode costs around a hundred dollars to produce. This figure accounts for expenses like sound engineers, hosting, and the subscription services we rely on to edit and distribute our episodes effectively. Your generosity makes a real difference! If you feel moved to contribute, please consider supporting the Disarming Leviathan ministry at disarmingleviathan.com, or by purchasing a paid subscription to our Substack.Support the ministry of Disarming Leviathan by upgrading to a paid subscription.Thank you so much for your support! I can’t wait to reconnect in 2025 when we roll out some fresh, thought-provoking content for you. Thank you!-Caleb Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a rerelease of an earlier episode featuring Andrew Whitehead.Stay tuned to the Disarming Leviathan Podcast. New Episodes coming in a few weeks! Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe