Constantine Campbell joins Jonathan for a discussion of his provocative book Jesus v. Evangelicals: A Biblical Critique of a Wayward Movement. They discuss Penal Substitutionary Atonement, the hierarchy of evangelical sins, megachurch culture, Evangelical social and political engagement and more. Constantine Campbell is a New Testament scholar who has taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Chicago, and Moore Theological College, Sydney, Australia. He is currently professor and associate director at the Sydney College of Divinity. He is the author of Jesus v. Evangelicals: A Biblical Critique of a Wayward Movement. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Jonathan is joined by sociologist Kristina Stoeckl for a deep dive on the Russian Orthodox Church, tracing its complex journey from repression under Soviet communism to support for Vladimir Putin and source of an orthodox nationalist state ideology. Kristina Stoeckl is Professor of Sociology at LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. Her main areas of research are sociology of religion, political sociology and social and political theory. She is a leading specialist on Russian Orthodoxy and religion-state relations in Russia. Her most recent book, co-authored with Drmitry Uzlaner, is The Moralist International: Russia in the Global Culture Wars. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Sociologist John Carroll joins Jonathan for an examination of the decline of Western culture. They discuss the failure of humanism to find meaning on the big metaphysical questions in a post-Christian world, the importance of archetypes and their transmission through a canon of great literature, the way that popular culture has replaced high culture, and why that might be a good thing (it's more conservative than people realise), the role of universities in the decline of Western culture and what is wrong with young people today, plus more! John Carroll is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at La Trobe University, Melbourne. He is the author of many books, including On Guilt: The Force Shaping Character, History, and Culture, The Existential Jesus and The Wreck of Western Culture: Humanism Revisited. He also writes for The Australian. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Mario Baghos joins Jonathan for a conversation about the symbolic and sacred function of ancient cities and the decline and mutation of this function in modern cities. Dr Mario Baghos is an Academic Sessional in the Department of Philosophy and Theology at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney, as well as Adjunct Lecturer in Theology in the Faculty of Arts and Education at Charles Sturt University. From 2010 to 2022 he taught patristics and church history at St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney. He has also lectured in the discipline of Studies in Religion at the University of Sydney. His most recent book is From the Ancient Near East to Christian Byzantium: Kings, Symbols, and Cities. Use promo code PROMO25 at checkout for a 25% discount! The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Michael Bird returns to the show for a discussion about secularism. Jonathan and Michael cover the Christian origins of secularism, why it is in the interests of religious people to have a secular government, the threat to the secular compact by militant secularism and the inimical impact of the contemporary perversion of genuine secularism. Dr Michael Bird is Academic Dean and Lecturer in New Testament at Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia. He is the author and editor of more than thirty books, including Religious Freedom in a Secular Age: A Christian Case for Liberty, Equality, and Secular Government. He writes at michaelbird.substack.com. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Michael Jensen joins Jonathan for an exploration of the ins and outs of Sydney's unique, and influential, brand of Anglicanism. The conversation covers the historical origins of the Sydney diocese and its distinct character, controversies surrounding the chasuble, lay presidency (administration) and women in ministry, as well as Sydney Anglican politics (ecclesial and secular), and whether Sydney Anglicans (and other Evangelical Anglicans) can, and should, remain part of the Anglican Church of Australia. Rev Dr Michael Jensen is the Rector at St Mark's, Darling Point, Sydney, a former lecturer in theology at Moore Theological College, and the author of many books, including Sydney Anglicanism: An Apology. He is also the co-host of the With All Due Respect Podcast. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Twitter.

Katherine Mangu-Ward joins Jonathan for a conversation about libertarianism. They explore the role of reason and free markets in the libertarian philosophy, the role and legitimate scope of government, progress towards libertarian goals over the 20th century, the tension between libertarianism's future-oriented optimism and conservatism's past-oriented pessimism about the future, the libertarian perspective on the contemporary Left and Right in America, the culture wars and why Christians are finding libertarianism increasingly attractive. Katherine Mangu-Ward is editor in chief of Reason, the magazine of "free minds and free markets." She has worked at The Weekly Standard and the New York Times. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post and she is a frequent commentator on radio and television, including Fox, MSNBC, C-SPAN and HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. She is also a co-host on The Reason Roundtable podcast.  The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Twitter.

Jonathan is joined by historian Judith Brett for a conversation about the history of liberalism in Australia. They explore the impact of 19th century liberalism on Australian politics and identity, the political struggle between liberalism and the Labor movement in the 20th century, the idea of the 'moral middle class' and its support for the Liberal Party in the early and mid-20th century, the changing demographics and economy of Australia and their impact on liberalism and the fortunes of the Liberal Party. Judith Brett is Emeritus Professor at La Trobe University, where she taught Australian politics, political biography and political history. She is the author of Robert Menzies’ Forgotten People, Australian Liberals and the Moral Middle Class and The Enigmatic Mr Deakin. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. Jonathan posts regularly about political theology, political philosophy and conservatism on Facebook and Twitter.

Journalist Bernard Lane joins the show for a conversation about gender clinics and the way that political ideology, activism, social phenomena, medicine and mental health intersect in the treatment of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria. Bernard Lane is a journalist covering the international debate about medicalised gender change for young people. He writes the newsletter Gender Clinic News on Substack.

Intellectual historian Wayne Hudson returns to the show for a discussion of his recently published book, Beyond Religion and the Secular: Creative Spiritual Movements and Their Relevance to Political, Social and Cultural Reform (Bloomsbury, 2023). Wayne and Jonathan ponder what religion has to offer humanity in advanced technological societies (a question posed in the book), and along the way explore Wayne's critique of the concept "religion," the role of the Enlightenment in the problematic category of "religion," false ontological and epistemological assumptions underpinning contemporary critiques of "religion," problematic dualistic notions of "religion" and the "secular," problems with the new concepts of "post-religion" and "post-secular" and the positive and essential role of spirituality to the processes of human evolution and our future as a species. Wayne Hudson is an Adjunct Professor at Charles Sturt University, the Australian National University and the University of Tasmania. His most recent book is Beyond Religion and the Secular: Creative Spiritual Movements and Their Relevance to Political, Social and Cultural Reform. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. Jonathan posts regularly about political theology, political philosophy and conservatism on Facebook and Twitter. Help the show thrive and survive by making a financial donation here.