This episode is a recording of a sermon I preached on Sunday, May 19th at my church. In this sermon, I outline four reading strategies that will help guide Christians to a better understanding of the Bible. I discuss how the Bible is a library, not a book, that the Bible was written for us but not to us, that the Bible must be understood in its historical context, and that the Bible should challenge our beliefs instead of affirm them. I think that these reading strategies helped my congregation, and I hope that they help you too! Media Referenced:Here are the two other sermons I have preached and released on the show: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/simon-the-zealot/ https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-117-christians-should-not-be-divided-by-politics/ 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 Karl Streitel, a retired high-school English and finance teacher who now works as a freelance writer and editor. Karl writes and speaks extensively about the problems with America’s public education system, and in this episode we discuss what actually happens in American public schools, why they are systemically broken, and how we can fix them. We both share stories from our experiences teaching in the public schools and Karl explains why there is no moral justification for taxpayer-funded education and compulsory schooling. This episode is an insider's take on how public schools actually operate.  Media Referenced:Mental Lab Substack: mentallab.substack.comThe Learning Liberty Podcast: learningliberty.netMy review of Karl’s Mises article: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-116-public-schools-are-designed-to-indoctrinate-students/ 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. Chris Bruno about a brand-new book he co-wrote called The Divine Christology of the Apostle Paul, which is out now on IVP Academic. This book argues that Paul did believe that Jesus was divine and that this high Christology develops in the earliest years of the church. Bruno reviews the work of four influential scholars, Richard Bauckham, Larry Hurtado, Chris Tilling, and N.T. Wright, who have each developed models for understanding Paul’s divine Christology. We then explore the most important Christological texts in Paul, including 1 Corinthians 8:6, Philippians 2:5-11, and Colossians 1:15-20, and Bruno explains how each of them demonstrate that Paul believed that Jesus was God.  Media Referenced:The Divine Christology of the Apostle Paul: https://a.co/d/5vGW9tABook Information: https://www.ivpress.com/the-divine-christology-of-the-apostle-paulDr. Chris Bruno BIO: https://www.ivpress.com/chris-brunoOahu Theological Seminary: https://oahuseminary.org/  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 Michael J. South. Michael is a sixth-generation Mormon who believes that libertarianism is the only political philosophy that is compatible with his Mormon faith. He explains his background as a Mormon, key teachings of the Mormon church, and how the Mormon belief in personal agency is essential to the connection between libertarianism and Mormonism. We also discuss the political commitments of the Mormon church in America and the prospects for promoting liberty among his fellow Mormons.  Media Referenced:Michael J. South Twitter: @renegademormonPodcast and Blog: https://renegademormon.com/Website: themormoncaseforliberty.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. 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. Clint Burnett, a visiting scholar at Boston College and a priest in the Anglican Church of North America serving in Knoxville, TN. In his brand-new book ‘Paul and Imperial Divine Honors’ (Eerdmans, 2024), he challenges the prevailing theory in New Testament scholarship that there was a monolithic ‘imperial cult’ of the Casers against which the early Christians reacted. He carefully examines the archaeological evidence and presents a much more nuanced picture of imperial divine honors by exploring how Christians in Philippi, Corinth, and Thessalonica experienced emperor worship differently based on local customs. This book has dramatic consequences both for the Paul and empire debate as well as how Christians should think about political engagement today.  Media Referenced:Paul and Imperial Divine Honors: https://a.co/d/44zWUPQClint Burnett Website: https://www.clintburnett.com/Clint Burnett Twitter: @DClintBurnett1 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 Rev. Derek Kubilus, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Ashland, Ohio, about his brand new book ‘Holy Hell: A Case Against Eternal Damnation’ (2024, Eerdmans Press), in which he argues for universalism, the belief that God will ultimately save everyone. While I am personally an annihilationist (a belief also known as ‘conditional immortality’), this book makes the provocative case that many of the passages in the New Testament which seem to refer to eternal condemnation are actually about purging and refining sin, and the model that Kubilis proposes is labeled ‘protestant purgatory’. He discusses both philosophical and Scriptural problems with the tradition belief in eternal conscience torment and challenges his audience to rethink their assumptions about hell. Even if you are not convinced by his argument, it is a clear and though-provoking take on an extremely important and controversial issue.  Media Referenced:Holy Hell: A Case Against Eternal Damnation: https://a.co/d/664QPWeDerek Kubilis Eerdmans Interview: https://eerdword.com/interview-with-derek-ryan-kubilus/Derek Kubilis Twitter: @DerekKubilis1 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 economist Catherine Pakaluk, who teaches at the Catholic University of America, about her brand-new book Hannah’s Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth, in which she gives an economic, social, political, and theological account of why many women are choosing to have multiple children. In this well-reasoned and researched book, she explains why western civilization has deprioritized childbearing, why many women are still choosing to have multiple children anyway, the economic and social impact of childbearing, and how this all relates to the Austrian theory of subjective value. She also explains why having and raising children is so important and offers advice to young people who are on the fence about having kids.   Media Referenced:Hannah’s Children: https://a.co/d/2dZ6NiNCatherine Pakaluk Academic Page: https://business.catholic.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/pakaluk-catherine/index.htmlCatherine Pakaluk Twitter: @CRPakalukThe Social and Economic Teachings of the Catholic Church: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-103-the-social-and-economic-teachings-of-the-catholic-church-with-catharine-pakaluk/  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. Michael Pakaluk, a Catholic philosopher who teaches at the Catholic University of America. Dr. Pakaluk explains many of the doctrines, teachings, and beliefs of the Catholic church that protestants often fundamentally misunderstand. We explore topics such as the sources of authority in the Catholic church, Mary, praying to the saints, the relationship between faith and works, purgatory and indulgences, transubstantiation, and much more! This is an essential conversation for anyone interested in the dialogue between Catholics and protestants.  Media Referenced:Dr. Michael Pakaluk Professional Page: https://business.catholic.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/pakaluk-michael/index.html Twitter: @michael_pakaluk  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 explore 1 Peter 2:13-17, where Peter exhorts several churches in Asia minor to ”submit for the Lord’s sake to every human institution (2:13)”. While an isolated reading of this particular passage might lead to the conclusion that Christians should never challenge their government, a close reading of the text reveals a much more complex picture. I discuss how every Biblical text must be read it its historical, cultural, and rhetorical context to understand what the original author was attempting to communicate. I then establish that the apostle Peter is the genuine author of 1st Peter. The purpose of the letter is to remind Peter’s audience of their identity in Christ which sets them apart from the non-believers around them and encourage them to remain faithful in the midst of suffering. They are to faithfully testify to the Jesus the Christ through their actions. I explain how Peter’s commentary on government and authorities is a part of a section that reminds women to submit to their husbands and slaves to their masters (2:13-3:8) and that by doing so they are faithfully testifying to the cross, not legitimizing the power of human government, patriarchal marriages, and slavery. I also explore Peter’s messianic theology, where he explicitly states that Christ has dominion over all creation (4:11, 5:11) and refers to Rome as ‘Babylon’ (5:13). This passage is the ‘Romans 13’ of the Catholic epistles and deserves the detailed exegetical treatment it receives here. Enjoy! Media Referenced:Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3:3Benjamin Laird Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/how-the-new-testament-was-formed-with-benjamin-laird/Holly Carey Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-93-the-female-disciples-in-the-gospels-with-holly-carey/Romans 13 Episode: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/libertarian-romans-13/Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-105-jesus-and-the-rich-young-ruler/  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! Check out the Protestant Libertarian Podcast page at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theplpodcast. 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 to Lisa Watson, free-market education activist and host of the School’s Out podcast for the Herzog Foundation. Lisa discusses her journey from an atheist social justice warrior leftist to a Christian and a conservative, why the progressives capture important institutions like the public schools, how the public education establishment is failing America’s students, and how free-market opportunities such as school choice, private school, microschooling, and homeschooling would be more beneficial to American students and taxpayers than the current government monopoly. She discusses the strategies for achieving a free market in education and her optimism about its success.  Media Referenced:Lisa Watson Twitter: @WatsonSpeakingSchool’s Out Podcast: https://schoolsout.buzzsprout.com/The Herzog Foundation: https://herzogfoundation.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. 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!