The Protestant Libertarian Podcast

In this episode I discuss how the gospel writers develop both the messianic and divine identity of Jesus, building up from their sources. I discuss my preferred theory to the Synoptic problem, the Farrer Hypothesis. It postulates that Mark was the first written gospel, Matthew used Mark as a source and added his own material, and Luke used both Mark and Matthew as a source. I then explore a recent proposal made by James Barker who argues that John knew the Synoptic gospels. Advocating for the Farrer theory, he explores ‘Synoptic trajectories’, showing how each successive evangelist developed their source material, and shows how the line runs through John, which was a creative rewriting of the Synoptics. I apply these theories to the opening verse of each gospel. Mark 1:1 acknowledges that Jesus is Messiah, possibly alludes to Genesis 1-2, and sets the beginning of Jesus’ ministry with John the Baptist. Matthew agrees but pushes Jesus’ origins back to David through Abraham while narrating the divine conception of Jesus. Luke further develops the divine and messianic Christology of Mark and Matthew, tracing Jesus’ lineage back to Adam, boldly affirming his messianic status, and more extensively narrating Jesus’ divine conception. John agrees with all of this and takes the final step, showing Jesus participating in creation while retaining his Davidic, Messianic Christology.  Media Referenced:James Barker interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-181-how-the-gospel-writers-copied-each-other-with-james-barker/Helen Bond interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-167-the-gospels-as-biography-with-helen-bond/Paul and Divine Christology: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-127-paul-believed-that-jesus-was-god-with-chris-bruno/ The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with economist Dr. Bob Murphy about the Federal Reserve. Murphy argues that the Federal Reserve should be abolished. We explore the history of the Fed and how it has not only failed to produce economic stability but causes great economic harm. Murphy explains how the Fed devalues the currency, the impact Fed policy has on average Americans, and why Christians should be critical of the Fed. He also discusses why it should be abolished and how it can be reformed in the meantime. If you want a one-podcast introduction to the Federal Reserve, this is it! Media Referenced:Bob Murphy on X: @BobMurphyEconZeroHedge Debate: https://youtu.be/poymGXekiJs?si=ePSUljD-vWoIoRAeUnderstanding Money Mechanics book: https://cdn.mises.org/understanding_money_mechanics_with_cover_image_attached.pdfThe Bob Murphy Show: https://www.bobmurphyshow.com/ The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I explore Matthew 17:24-27, in which Peter is asked if Jesus pays the temple tax. After talking to Peter about this question, Jesus says the sons of kings are exempt from taxes, but “so that we do not offend them” Peter is to catch a fish with a coin in its mouth and pay the tax anyway. We explore the literary and historical context of this passage, showing that Matthew uses it to develop Jesus’ messianic identity. This passage corresponds to Jeremiah 29:7, where Jeremiah tells the Babylonian exiles to seek the welfare of the city before describing Babylon’s ultimate destruction. God’s people should seek to live at peace with their neighbors knowing that God will come back and rescue them in the end. I then explore how the themes of not giving offense and seeking the welfare of neighbors are found in Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, discussing our obligation to seek peace knowing that God will one day do away with these unjust systems.  Media Referenced:Everyone is Wrong About Romans: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-130-everyone-is-wrong-about-romans-13-including-me/Romans 13 Revisited: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-210-revisiting-romans-13/1 Peter 2 Podcast: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-121-submit-to-the-authorities-1-peter-213-17/1 Peter 2 Article: https://libertarianchristians.com/2024/11/26/submit-to-the-authorities/ The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with pastor Stephen Angliss about Biblical dispensationalism. He is both reformed and a dispensationalist, and he makes the Biblical and theological case for dispensational theology. He argues that dispensationalism is a hermeneutical posture towards Scripture which enables Christians to see how God acts through different periods of history. He explains the main tenets of dispensationalism, its theological diversity, why he believes it is superior to covenant theology, how it fits into the Reformed tradition, and, very importantly, the role of Israel in dispensational eschatology.  Media Referenced:Stephen on X: @Stephen_AnglissGraham Immanuel Baptist Church: https://www.grahamemmanuel.org/Mike Vlach on X: @mikevlachDispensationalism: https://a.co/d/d9nhsA4 The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk yet again with the great anarchist anabaptist Cody Cook. He is the author of two recent books on Anabaptism, The Anarchist Anabaptist and The Pocket Anabaptist. In this episode we explore what makes anabaptism unique and how it fits in with the wider protestant tradition. Cody explains how anabaptist have always been uncomfortable with state power, how anabaptists understand controversial theological issues such as baptism and justification, and why they are committed to nonviolence. We compare them to Lutherans, Calvinists, and other protestant groups, why anabaptism is compatible with anarchism, how modern anabaptists have compromised the tradition’s theology, and how anabaptists and other Christians can build ecumenical relationships.  Media Referenced:Buy The Anarchist Anabaptist: https://a.co/d/0AtxLAaBuy The Pocket Anabaptist: https://a.co/d/8wr7UQ5TPLP Interview on The Anarchist Anabaptist: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-183-anabaptist-anarchy-with-cody-cook/https://anarchistanabaptist.com/https://www.cantus-firmus.com/Cody on X: CantusFirmusCC The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

Kevin Burr and I discuss my article at LCI entitled ‘Progressive Christian Nationalism’ in which I explain how Christian nationalism and progressive Christianity are structurally identical. Despite wide disagreements regarding particular policy issues, both sides believe that the state should impose Christian values on society by force for the ‘good’ of the public. Enjoy this episode, and give Kevin and his podcast a follow! Media Referenced:Kevin Burr Twitter: @kbburrFaith in the Folds Twitter: @faithinthefoldsFaith in the Folds Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/faithinthefolds/Faith in the Folds Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTLaLhEOui1uJi_1UrqP7oAYouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZZM-uE_LoU&t=1144sProgressive Christian Nationalism Article: https://libertarianchristians.com/2023/10/09/progressive-christian-nationalism-left-right-authoritarian/Listen to the article here: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-112-progressive-christian-nationalism/ The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

On Blair Lee’s show ‘Bibleworthy’, I revisit Romans 13, the most controversial political passage in the New Testament. I explore how it functions in its historical and rhetorical context, how it relates to Paul’s wider theology, and how we should apply it today. I consider this to be my most definitive statement on the topic to date. Enjoy, and give ‘Bibleworthy’ a follow! Media Referenced:Bibleworthy Website: https://bibleworthy.com/Follow Blair on X: @blairjohnleeFirst take on Romans 13: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/libertarian-romans-13/Why Everyone Gets Romans 13 Wrong: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-130-everyone-is-wrong-about-romans-13-including-me/  The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this second installment of a two-part series on Kevin Burr’s podcast ‘Faith in the Folds’, I explain how Christian libertarians understand taxation, drugs, and foreign policy. These are three issues that are of extreme importance to liberty-minded Christians, and we discuss each of them in detail. Enjoy this episode and give Kevin and his show a follow! Media Referenced:Kevin Burr Twitter: @kbburrFaith in the Folds Twitter: @faithinthefoldsFaith in the Folds Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/faithinthefolds/Faith in the Folds Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTLaLhEOui1uJi_1UrqP7oAYouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAUl27XbdfA&t=3s The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

This episode is the first of a two-part series on Kevin Burr’s podcast ‘Faith in the Folds’ where I explain the relationship between Christianity and libertarianism. I discuss how I became a libertarian, the basics of libertarian philosophy, and how Christianity and libertarianism are compatible. Enjoy the episode and please give Kevin and ‘Faith in the Folds’ a follow! Media Referenced:Kevin Burr Twitter: @kbburrFaith in the Folds Twitter: @faithinthefoldsFaith in the Folds Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/faithinthefolds/Faith in the Folds Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTLaLhEOui1uJi_1UrqP7oAYouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo8fOgy95EQ The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I review a recent ZeroHedge article that discusses the shifting religious landscape of the United States. While Christians, and evangelicals in particular, still make up the largest religious demographic, nearly 30% of American adults are unaffiliated with any particular religious tradition. I discuss why I believe this has happened, how we should think about it theologically, and what the American church needs to do in response to this data. Media Referenced: https://www.zerohedge.com/political/visualizing-religious-landscape-us The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!