The Libertarian Christian Podcast

In this episode, Doug Stuart is joined by author Ryan McMaken to discuss his book Breaking Away: The Case for Secession, Radical Decentralization, and Smaller Politics. After exploring the roots and history of secessionist movements, the conversation moves to a more conceptual discussion where Ryan explains the meaning of decentralization, its associated benefits, and alternatives. Doug then asks Ryan to elaborate on the relationship between localism and federalism and how the tension impacts universal rights. Acknowleding the recent relevance of secession, Doug and Ryan turn to practical considerations, rounding out the episode with a discussion on nuclear weapons, national debt, and the potential role of blockchain technology. Ryan McMaken is a senior editor at the Mises Institute and co-hosts the Radio Rothbard podcast. He earned his bachelor's degree in economics and master's degree in public policy and international relations from the University of Colorado.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00    Introduction 06:20    Is secession an American or un-American idea? 08:44    What does it mean for the world to be “decentralized?” 10:50    Benefits of decentralization 14:19    Alternatives to secession 17:09    Was the original constitution secessionary? 19:05    Universal rights versus localism 22:13    Localism versus federalism 22:06    The case for secession 29:38    What are the common arguments against secession?  33:06    Christians for Liberty Network plug 33:35    Practical considerations: what about the nukes? 39:00    What happens to the debt?  41:44    Blockchain technology and it’s impact on geopolitical governance   Additional Resources: - https://mises.org/library/breaking-away-case-secession-radical-decentralization-and-smaller-polities  - https://twitter.com/ryanmcmaken Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com  ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Doug Stuart speaks with Nilay Saiya, author of The Global Politics of Jesus: A Christian Case for Church-State Separation. They discuss the two primary ways Christians approach politics and what those errors are. Nilay discusses these approaches in juxtaposition to so-called "Christian Nationalism." He posits a third approach which he believes is aligned with historic Two Kingdoms theology and borrows from Catholic social teaching. He called this approach, Prophetic Witness. Nilay Saiya is assistant professor of public policy and global affairs at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research concerns the influence of religion on global politics. He is author of the book Weapon of Peace: How Religious Liberty Combats Terrorism (2018). He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00    Introduction 04:19    How is Christian nationalism distinct from Christians having a voice in governance? 05:56    Why can't much political theology cannot be reconciled with the teachings of Christ? 09:53    Is there a proper way to "take America back for God?" 14:00    How does the church see itself? Is it the new (nation) Israel? 15:43    Living as strangers and exiles; Christianism; political detachment 19:43    Two kingdoms theology - kingdom of the world and of the cross 26:46    Third approach: prophetic witness and faithful presence 29:07    The value of Catholic social teaching 29:45    When confusing prophetic witness with political activism (dual citizenship) 32:49    Godless people elected to power and the Christian response 36:37    Do we need elected officials who will listen to Christians? 39:40    Are the Sojourners Christian nationalists but on the left? 42:50    How do we live out the prophetic witness? 44:28    Closing thoughts   Additional Resources: - https://sites.google.com/site/nilayjsaiya/home?authuser=0  - The Global Politics of Jesus: A Christian Case for Church-State Separation: https://amzn.to/3ZLxLrd  Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com  ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Calvin Beisner is President of The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation, a network of Christian theologians, natural scientists, economists, and other scholars educating for Biblical earth stewardship, economic development for the poor, and the proclamation and defense of the good news of salvation by God’s grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00    Introduction 01:15    Who is Dr. Cal Beisner and what is the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation? 07:52    How combative was the correction of the dominion mandate? 11:50    The "green" study bible 13:05    Human centered approach to the environment 22:15    The conflict of goals between environmentalists and the poor 29:07    Kuznitz curve 31:33    If we could advise those who are negligent about the environment, what would we say? 37:47    Is there a cost of doing nothing? 44:20    Closing thoughts   Additional Resources: - https://cornwallalliance.org/  - https://www.facebook.com/CornwallAlliance  - https://reformedlibertarians.com/episode/climate-alarmism-cornwall-alliance/    Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com  ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Doug Stuart talks with Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute about both Nationalism and immigration. Nowrasteh recently debated The National Review's, Rich Lowry on the topic of Nationalism, with Nowrasteh taking the opposing view. This conversation lends well to arguments against so-called "Christian" nationalism as well. Though Nowrasteh is not himself religious, he makes compelling points about the destructive nature of nationalism to religious belief. Since religious belief is generally good for society, the last thing we should want to do is destroy it through state-sanctioned compulsion. Immigration turns out to be a issue related to nationalism, given the motivations for stricter immigration rules stem from nationalistic tendencies.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00    Introduction 01:20    How did Alex come to take on nationalism? 03:09    Nationalism has historically played out poorly - like the right-wing version of Socialism. 04:33    What is nationalism? A collectivist ideology based on tribe, ethnicity - America is not a nation 08:58     Nationalism is horseshoe theory in action 11:30    Can't our nationalism be based on libertarian principles and a culture founded on free society 14:30    Patriotism is not the same as nationalism. 15:35    What are Nationalism advocates accomplishing with their advocacy of nationalism? The right has no ideology. 19:30    What's wrong with Americans identifying as a group, being that we're not a proper nation? 23:49    The problem with certain natural instincts is the problem of state involvement. 24:47    The best way to ruin a religion, like Christianity, is to make it state-sanctioned. 26:17    Is Nationalism a bulwark against globalism? 29:25    Hopes for electing Trump against global agenda 30:44    Is there a growing threat from immigration? Perceptions of chaos 34:40    Why don't conservatives seem to understand the state is part of the problem with immigration? 41:52    Is the United States "full" and cannot take more immigrants? 44:40    Closing comments   Additional Resources: - https://www.cato.org/people/alex-nowrasteh - https://twitter.com/AlexNowrasteh - https://reason.com/video/2022/12/16/american-nationalism-rich-lowry-vs-alex-nowrasteh/ - https://www.amazon.com/Wretched-Refuse-Political-Immigration-Institutions/dp/1108702457/ Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com  ★ Support this podcast ★

Jacob Winograd of the Biblical Anarchy Podcast joins us again, this time to talk about his journey from being a hardcore Bernie Bro leftist to embracing biblical anarchy nearly overnight! Learn how Jacob grew to become the advocate for liberty he is today! Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

In today's episode, Doug Stuart discusses "woke antisemitism" with David L. Bernstein. Bernstein is the author of the book, Woke Antistemitism: How a Progressive Ideology Harms Jews. Bernstein describes himself a left-of-center, civil libertarian who has concerns about the woke progressive ideology infiltrating every facet of American life. His book aims to explain "a firsthand account from a top Jewish leader about how woke ideology shuts down discourse, corrupts Jewish values, and spawns a virulent new strain of antisemitism." This is another great conversation from a non-conservative critic of woke ideology. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00     Introduction 01:38     About David L. Bernstein 03:06     How the progressive left abandoned liberal values 05:14     Bernsteins' approach to disagreeing with the woke left 06:50     What does it mean to be ‘woke'? 08:55     How did you come to write this book? 11:07     Marxist/Hegelian undercurrent in woke ideology? 13:05     "Jewish privilege" and the question of Jewish (so-called) "whiteness" 17:14     Whiteness as a property – not about your appearance, but your philosophy or worldview 20:07     Critical race theory taught in public schools and pedagogy to demagogy 23:11     Woke progressives in the Jewish community 26:47     The "McWhorter test" 30:52     Afraid to speak up – "double think" – encouraging people to disagree 36:16     Rebuilding the Center strategy 39:07     Closing comments   Additional Resources: - Woke Antisemitism: How a Progressive Ideology Harms Jews, by David L. Bernstein - Jewish Institute for Liberal Values  - Email David L Bernstein - @davidlbernstein ★ Support this podcast ★

How do we as Christians and libertarians view the era of the American Revolution? Mike Maharrey of the 10th Amendment Center and the Godarchy podcast, and our own Matthew Bellis discuss their patriotic upbringing and how they square their heartfelt love for American principles, but disdain for the war, slavery, colonialism, etc. Can we properly judge Americans of the past with a 21st conception of morality? These questions (and more) are discussed by Mike, Matthew, and Doug with the hope of offering some clarity to how we as libertarians and Christians think about the American Revolution.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 02:55 How do you understand and process the American Revolution? (The distinction between the Revolution and the Revolutionary War). 08:40 Matthew Bellis on the above question: challenging slavery and the root of liberty from the Reformation 13:16 Was it a defensive war or war of aggression against the crown? 19:15 Where and how is proper authority vested? The office, Romans 13, the Constitution? 22:55 What would you do if your family was threatened in such a way that violence was unavoidable? 25:10 How many colonists favored the Revolutionary War? 28:22 Should Christians break fellowship over decisions to join the military/war? 31:48 How would you persuade someone like Thomas Paine based on what you know now? 37:48 Closing thoughts   Additional Resources: - Wendy McElroy on Just War and American Independence - Christian Theology of Public Policy: Highlighting the American Experience - "Were the American Revolutionaries Wrong to Revolt?" - Episode 256: America's Revolutionary Mind Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Doug Stuart talks to Alex Bernardo of the Protestant Libertarian podcast about the knowledge problem in theology and philosophy. The Protestant Libertarian Podcast explores the intersection between protestant Biblical studies and libertarian philosophy, discussing the Bible, history, culture, economics, philosophy, and current events from both protestant and libertarian perspectives.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction - About Alex Bernardo 07:34 What kind of Protestant are you? 10:20 How do you tie together being libertarian and Protestant? 12:20 Favorite topics covered 15:39 Biggest influences theologically and politically 20:51 How do you approach interpretation of Scripture? How is it authoritative? 26:22 How do we decide to apply the Old Testament? 31:28 What about the Ascension? 33:50 How do you decide what's important to get right? 45:04 Why don't you speak disfavorably of postmodernism? What is knowledge? 56:20 How woke culture leverages postmodernism and language? 59:11 Current reading list 1:07:25 Closing Remarks Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Michael Rectenwald is a former Marxist joining Doug Stuart to explain The Great Reset. Dr. Rectenwald is the author of twelve books, including The Great Reset and the Struggle for Liberty: Unraveling the Global Agenda (Jan. 2023), Thought Criminal (Dec. 2020); Beyond Woke (May 2020); Google Archipelago: The Digital Gulag and the Simulation of Freedom (Sept. 2019); Springtime for Snowflakes: “Social Justice” and Its Postmodern Parentage (an academic’s memoir, 2018); Nineteenth-Century British Secularism: Science, Religion and Literature (2016); Academic Writing, Real World Topics (2015, Concise Edition 2016); Global Secularisms in a Post-Secular Age (2015); Breach (Collected Poems, 2013); The Thief and Other Stories (2013); and The Eros of the Baby-Boom Eras (1991). (See the Books page.) In this episode Dr. Rectenwald fleshes out questions explaining the connection between Marxism and woke ideology, and that connection to Klaus Schwab's Great Reset, a plan with the World Economic Forum to monopolize the world economy. The discussion highlights some key point including the seemingly innocuous nature of the gateway ideologies to Marxism - namely, social justice, anti-racism, etc. If you've been interested in understanding more about the Great Reset, listen to this episode and consider purchasing Dr. Revtenwald's book.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 01:03 How did you come to reject Marxism and embrace libertarianism? 04:00 Connection between Marxism and "Wokism" 06:03 Can exploitation explain certain kinds of oppression? Was Marx 100% wrong? 10:30 Why can't a Marxist see the state as an oppressive institution?  12:56 Is there a kind of social justice that isn't 'woke' or Marxist? 16:11 Woke Capitalism? The Long March - the Socialist takeover of the economy. 24:43 The Great Reset: What is it?  29:20 The coordination of propaganda shrouded under the cloak of inevitability. 34:43 How to respond to the charge the Great Reset is a conspiracy theory?  40:43 Conspiracy Theorists echoing an anti-Semitic trope? 42:00 Are you optimistic? What's your proposed solution? 44:03 Please buy the book directly from Michael - get a signed copy   Resources Mentioned: https://www.michaelrectenwald.com/ Buy directly from his bookstore here: https://www.michaelrectenwald.com/apogee-bookstore Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Norman Horn speaks with Stephen Kent, author of the book, “How The Force Can Fix The World." Kent's book explores the libertarian themes, and the relevance Star Wars has to Christianity. The guys then break into spoilers about the new series, Andor.   Main Points of Discussion 00:00    Introduction 01:35    About Stephen Kent 03:16    Christian influences on Kent (and Star Wars?) 04:56    Purpose in producing the book - political polarization and enmity 07:26    Inserting your opponents as being The Empire or The Rebellion 10:14    Chapter on humility and common values 17:20    Matthew 18 - childlike faith 22:06    The Death Star and Luke Skywalker 24:57    SPOILER ALERT! Talking about new Star Wars productions: Andor   Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★