In this episode I talk with Dr. Helen Bond, professor of Christian Origins and New Testament at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and cohost of the Biblical Time Machine podcast. She has a chapter in the new book The Next Quest for the Historical Jesus, out now on Eerdmans, where she argues that the gospels need to be understood as an expression of ancient Greek biography. Dr. Bond explains how ancient biography works as a genre, that the goals of ancient biography are to recount the life of a great person so that others can imitate them, and why the goal of ancient biography isn’t simply historical accuracy but rather representing the ‘gist’ or the ‘impact’ that the subject had on those who encountered them. She also explains how the gospels contain anecdotes that were skillfully woven into a narrative by the writers, how the gospels reflect the oral culture of antiquity, and why we should be less concerned about determining whether individual stories and sayings in the gospels happened exactly as they were told and more concerned with the overall impression of Jesus the gospel writers are trying to impart. We then discuss the Next Quest and how recovering the gospels as biography will help move historical Jesus research forward.  Media Referenced:Helen Bond Bio: https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/persons/helen-bondAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001HMRULC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=62f6a737-f5de-43aa-aa9c-5d5dc01d12b6&ref_=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1Biblical Time Machine Podcast:Listen on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/biblical-time-machine/id1648738323Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7cNljZzhe4w3zL9t0MaOZH?si=9G0vB9NVRDe5XZZVDfOGVgThe Next Quest for the Historical Jesus: https://a.co/d/6oqI7qdCraig Blomberg Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-162-johns-gospel-and-the-historical-jesus-with-craig-blomberg/James Crossley on the Next Quest: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-169-the-next-quest-for-the-historical-jesus-with-james-crossley/ 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 shows profile! Thanks! 

In this bonus Thanksgiving episode I read an article entitled The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West by legendary New Testament scholar Krister Stendhal. Originally published in Swedish in 1960 (published in English as a chapter in his book Paul Among Jews and Gentiles), Stendhal argues that the west has missed the historical context in which Paul was writing. The western tradition, starting with Augustine and reaching its height with Luther, has assumed that Paul was extremely introspective and found relief from the guilt of his sin through the grace of Jesus. Stendhal argues that this isn’t the case; based on several claims in Paul’s letters that he was a devout, faithful, and upright Jew, there is little indication that Paul had a guilty conscience. The real historical context of Paul is the relationship between Jews and gentiles, and the extremely important 1st century issue of gentile believers in Jesus and law obedience. This article had a massive impact on New Testament studies, anticipating both the New Perspective and the Paul Within Judaism school, and I find his article extremely convincing and compelling. I hope you enjoy it! Media Referenced:Article PDF: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/569543b4bfe87360795306d6/t/5a4d41fa085229a032376713/1515012617149/01Stendahl.pdfPaul Among Jews and Gentiles: https://a.co/d/bdACCuWHenry Cadbury Episode: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/henry-cadbury-anti-war-biblical-scholar-warned-against-modernizing-jesus/Woodrow Wilson and Medieval Scholarship: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-91-how-woodrow-wilson-invaded-medieval-europe/NT Review Podcast on Stendhal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ury30mLfcLU 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 shows profile! Thanks!  

In this episode I talk with Dr. Christopher Holmes, the Director of Biblical and Theological Education at Frist Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, about his brand-new book Unspoiled Endings: Reclaiming the Book of Revelation from Misuse and Neglect, out now on Fortress Press. The book is an accessible introduction to the book of Revelation, and in this episode he explains the historical and practical significance of Revelation. He describes the challenges of reading Revelation, understanding it as a part of the genre of apocalyptic literature, reading strategies that help us interpret difficult passages, its prophetic nature, what it says about the church, judgement, worship, evil, and hope, and much more. This is the perfect introduction to a complex but important book that will help you better understand and apply the urgent message of Revelation. If you have ever been confused or scared about the contents of Revelation, this one is for you! Media Referenced:Unspoiled Endings: https://a.co/d/hey8RynChris Holmes Staff Bio: https://www.firstpresatl.org/staffYouTube: @revdrchrisholmesOffice Hours Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMlp8n6T3aAoxB-uw5kn2NAdqv8M9q7i4&si=q3qmdQVuvrrgN--HTPLP EP 3 on Revelation: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ludwig-von-mises-vs-christian-scholar-round-1-michael-gorman/John Walton on Prophecy: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-109-understanding-old-testament-prophecy-with-john-walton/Sermon on Revelation: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-136-the-book-of-revelation-sunday-sermon/  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 shows profile! Thanks!

In this episode I speak with Dr. Teresa Morgan, the McDonald Agape Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Yale Divinity School, about her brand-new book Trust in Atonement: God, Creation, and Reconciliation, out now on Eerdmans Press. In this book, Dr. Morgan argues that the Greek word pistis, which is generally translated as ‘faith’ or ‘belief’, should often be understood as ‘trust’. She outlines a new model of atonement, compatible with other models, in which trust is central to understanding God’s at-one-ment with humanity. Atonement, Morgan contends, is the restoration of trust between God and humanity based on the trustworthiness of Christ. We explore the way in which trust helps reconcile God, humanity, and creation, trust as a process, how Jesus mediates trust, and the powerful potential for trust to reshape the world.  Media Referenced:Trust in Atonement: https://www.eerdmans.com/9781467466912/trust-in-atonement/Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/e2OUhMCTeresa Morgan Bio: https://divinity.yale.edu/faculty-and-research/yds-faculty/teresa-morgan 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 shows profile! Thanks!

This episode is a sermon I preached at my church on Sunday, October 27, during a series covering the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. My topic for the week was faith and faithfulness. I explore how the concept of faith is central to Galatians and the rest of the New Testament, and why it would make sense for Paul to incorporate it into his list of spiritual fruit. When then look at the Greek word behind faith/faithfulness, pistis, and explain how it is a dynamic term that can be translated in many different ways. While pistis generally denotes faith/faithfulness in English, Biblical scholar Nijay Gupta argues that it is understood as ‘belief’, ‘trust’, and ‘obedience’ in various New Testament passages. We explore faith as ‘belief’ in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, faith as ‘trust’ in Romans 1:16-17, and faith as ‘obedience’ in James 2:14-26. I also explain how ‘faith’ is what brings us into a relationship with God but is developed and refined by the Holy Spirit if we allow Him to help us grow.  Media Referenced:Nijay Gupta, Paul and the Language of Faith: https://a.co/d/gduqK89The 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 shows profile! Thanks!

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Craig Blomberg about his brand-new book ‘Jesus the Purifier: John’s Gospel and the Fourth Quest for the Historical Jesus’, out now on Baker Academic. Blomberg reviews the history of the first three ‘Quests’ for the historical Jesus, explaining how historical Jesus research has developed over time. He explains why, from the beginnings of modern Jesus research, the gospel of John was almost universally rejected as an historical source for reconstructing the life of Jesus. He then demonstrates that many advances have been made in studies of John over the last 40 years, and argues that John is indeed a viable historical source, offering us insight into the life of Jesus that is missing in synoptic-oriented research. He explores the theme of ‘purity’ in the gospel of John and explains how it must go back to the historical Jesus himself. He then explains how a fourth quest needs to incorporate John as a historical source and why the proposed ‘Next Quest’ will be incomplete without a reevaluation of John.  Media Referenced:Jesus the Purifier: https://a.co/d/ifeRf8dCraig Blomberg Bio: https://denverseminary.edu/directory/blomberg-phd-craig/Blomberg Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Craig-Blomberg/author/B001HCY7S6?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=trueThe 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. 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 shows profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Jason Fry, author of the brand-new book National Divorce: A Plan for Peace, in which he makes the argument for the breakup of the United States. A native Texan who has been working in the Texas secession movement for years, Jason makes the case that Americans are more divided than ever and should be allowed to peacefully part ways. He explains the philosophy of national divorce and secession and demonstrates how complex issues like infrastructure, entitlements, defense, and trade could easily be managed by seceding states. He also discusses why Christians in particular should support national divorce.  Media Referenced:Book Website: https://www.national-divorce.com/Jason on X: @JasonKFry 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. 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 shows profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk about the reasons why I can’t support either Trump or Harris, why America is Babylon, and why I don’t believe that the election will change anything. I hope I am wrong about the third one. I had an interview fall through and I recorded this for YouTube; the links for the video are posted below. I am going to try to put out more video content in the weeks to come! Enjoy this short bonus episode and subscribe over on YouTube! Also, check out my new article for LCI where I explain why the New Testament does not support socialism! Media Referenced:Original YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpYODuozDfQSubscribe on YouTube: @ProLibertyPodMy LCI article on Socialism: https://libertarianchristians.com/2024/10/26/no-the-new-testament-does-not-teach-socialism/ 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. 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 shows profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. Tucker Ferda, associate professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He is the author of the brand-new book Jesus and His Promised Second Coming: Jewish Eschatology and Christian Origins, out now on Eerdmans Press. In this book Ferda challenges a long-standing assumption in New Testament scholarship by arguing that the hope for Jesus’ second coming was not a product of the early church but originated with the historical Jesus himself. Tucker explains the reception history of the second coming, demonstrating that the early church and pre-Enlightenment Christians all believed Jesus taught of his own second coming, and how that perspective shifted during the Enlightenment. New Testament scholarship has essentially assumed that Jesus couldn’t have predicted his own second coming, and the question has been ignored in modern scholarship. Ferda disagrees. Working backwards from Paul, through the Gospels, to the historical Jesus himself, Ferda contends that the belief in the second coming only makes sense if it was originated by Jesus himself, and shows that his view of his own death, interim, and second coming is completely compatible with 2nd temple Jewish eschatology. We then discuss the intended impact of his work on NT scholarship and the forthcoming ‘Next Quest’ for the historical Jesus.  Media Referenced:Jesus and His Promised Second Coming: https://a.co/d/5l7E3dXTucker Ferda Faculty Page: https://www.pts.edu/ferdatTucker Ferda on Academia: https://pts.academia.edu/TuckerFerda 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. 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 shows profile! Thanks!

This episode is a recent replay of a Greenroom conversation that I moderated between libertarian presidential nominee Chase Oliver and Jacob Winograd. We ask Chase about his campaign, what motivated him to run, and how he has travelled around the country spreading libertarian ideas. We then explore some of the controversy surrounding his campaign and members of the Mises Caucus and allow him to respond to the inter-libertarian criticism. We then talk about the broken two-party system and his commitment to ending the wars and debt through libertarian principles as well as what he hopes to accomplish during his presidential run.  Media Referenced:Support Chase Oliver: https://votechaseoliver.com/Chase Oliver on X: @ChaseForLibertyJacob Winograd on X: @BiblicalAnarchy 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. 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 shows profile! Thanks!