The Protestant Libertarian Podcast

In this episode I talk with Dr. Dru Johnson about his new book What Hath Darwin to Do With Scripture, published by IVP. In this book, Dr. Johnson demonstrates that there are conceptual overlaps between the concerns of natural selection and the worldview of the Biblical authors. He explores how the ideas of scarcity, fitness, and generation, all of which were important for a Darwinian understanding of natural selection, were also concerns that are address in scripture. He explores both the similarities and differences in the way natural selection and the Bible handle these issues. We then explore how Dr. Johnson’s model can help us move beyond the impasse of the contemporary creation/evolution debate.  Media Referenced:What Hath Darwin to Do With Scripture?: https://a.co/d/b1SwLuvDru Johnson on Twitter: @dru_johnsonDru Johnson’s Website: drujohnson.comIVP Author Page: https://ivpress.com/dru-johnsonThe 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 discuss the story of the rich young ruler, which is found in Mark 10:17-22 and its parallels in Matthew 19:16-22 and Luke 18:18-23. I outline the problems with the dominant two-source theory of the synoptic problem in New Testament studies and advocate for the Farrer-Goulder-Goodacre Theory, which posits that Mark was written first, followed by Matthew, and that Luke used both as a source. I then explain the importance of oral tradition on the development of the Gospels and how traditions like the story of the rich young ruler must be interpreted within the larger framework of the Gospel narratives themselves and the tradition units with which they were transmitted. In all three Gospels, the exchange with the rich young ruler is preceded by stories that demonstrate the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the need to accept Jesus with the humility of a child. Those traditions contextualize the response that Jesus has to the rich young ruler, which demonstrates that his attitude towards his wealth is idolatrous and similar to the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. We then look at how this text doesn’t support socialism and how a historically grounded interpretation of this story demonstrates the dangers of wealth and the responsibility that the wealthy have towards those that are in need.  Media Referenced:Mark Goodacre Website: https://markgoodacre.org/Mark Goodacre’s NT Pod: https://podacre.blogspot.com/Questioning Q, Edited by Goodacre: https://a.co/d/hVTovfAJesus Remembered, James Dunn: https://a.co/d/e0oz2BWMark as Story, Rhodes, Dewey, and Michie: https://a.co/d/fYQIgo9Greed as Idolatry, Brian Rosner: https://a.co/d/73gVoJREpisode on 1st Timothy 5-6: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/1-timothy-5-6-widows-wealth-and-the-specter-of-socialism/Episode on Biblical Interpretation: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/rules-of-engagement-hermeneutics-biblical-interpretation/ 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 Dr. James McGrath about his new book ‘The A to Z of the New Testament: Things Experts Know That Everyone Else Should Too’, out now on Eerdmans Press. ‘The A to Z of the New Testament’ is an introduction to New Testament scholarship that is presented in alphabetical order and covers hundreds of important foundational scholarly interpretive issues. Dr. McGrath explains the birth narratives, resurrection, interpretation and intertextuality, the Synoptic Problem, the book of Revelation, women in the New Testament, and much more. This is an excellent one-stop shop to NT interpretation; enjoy the episode and buy the book! Media Referenced:The A to Z of the New Testament: https://a.co/d/6p9jbceJames McGrath Blog: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionprof/James on Twitter: @ReligionProfJames McGrath Eerdmans Page: https://www.eerdmans.com/author/james-f-mcgrath/  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 with Dr. Catherine Pakaluk, economist at the Catholic University of America, about the social and economic teachings of the Catholic church. The Catholic Catechism is the rule of faith for Catholic Christians, and in a section on the 7th Commandment, the church explains its teaching on social and economic issues. Dr. Pakaluk explains why the Catholic church is extremely critical of socialism, and why certain passages that seem to challenge the notion of free markets make sense within the larger framework of Catholic theology and are not an impediment to economic freedom. There are a lot of very important economic, social, and theological issues that are addressed in this episode, and you won’t want to miss it! Media Referenced:Catherine Pakaluk Academic Page: https://business.catholic.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/pakaluk-catherine/index.htmlCatherine Pakaluk Twitter: @CRPakalukCan a Catholic be a Socialist  w/ Trent Horn: https://a.co/d/jcuPhZbHannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth: https://a.co/d/gQBv0grCatechism in a Year, Ownership of Goods: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/day-313-ownership-of-goods/id1648949780?i=1000634219714Catechism in a Year, The Goods of Others: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/day-314-goods-of-others/id1648949780?i=1000634340376Catechism in a Year, The Church’s Social Doctrine: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/day-315-the-churchs-social-doctrine/id1648949780?i=1000634446429Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII, paragraphs 1-15; https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum.html2. Quadragesimo Anno, Pope Pius XI, paragraphs 44-62; https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19310515_quadragesimo-anno.html3. Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II, see especially 10, 11, 13, and also 43-48; https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_01051991_centesimus-annus.html 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 bonus episode, I read through a recent article published by 1517.org entitled ‘The Fact of Our Need for a King’. It is an Advent reflection on the Biblical significance of kingship, the perils of rejecting God as king, and why our ultimate hope must be placed in Jesus, the one true king. I also briefly discuss why I think that Twitter (or X) is a garbage dump and why American Christmas has become a pagan holiday. Check it out! Media Referenced:https://www.1517.org/articles/the-fact-of-our-need-for-a-king  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 with Dr. Ingrid Faro, author of the new book Demystifying Evil (2023, IVP Academic), which explores the how the Bible addresses the problem of evil. Dr. Faro provides a Biblical definition of evil, explains how the concept is developed throughout scripture, how humans are complicit in the problem of evil, and how unseen spiritual forces influence evil. We then talk about how God addresses evil and how humans play a major role in reducing the amount of evil in the world. Media Referenced:Buy Demystifying Evil: https://a.co/d/b6JIF46Ingrid Faro’s Website: https://www.ingridfaro.com/Ingrid Faro Twitter: @faro_ingrid 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! 

*My recording software defaulted my microphone to my built-in computer mic, and I was not aware of this until after we finished recording. I apologize in advance for the below-average sound quality of my microphone. In this episode I talk to Christina Dent. Christina is the founder and president of the organization End it for Good, which challenges the popular narrative that the best way to solve drug abuse and addiction is through the criminal justice system. Christina argues that the war on drugs has been a failure and that instead of criminalizing drug use we need to take a restorative approach to addiction. She discusses her move as a conservative Christian away from the criminal justice approach to drugs, how the problem of drug abuse and addiction has impacted our society, and how ending the drug war might actually enable us to solve the problem of drug abuse in our country.  Media Referenced:End it for Good: https://enditforgood.com/End it for Good Twitter: @EndItForGoodMSCurious: https://a.co/d/1Aklh2LChristin Dent on Twitter: @ChristinaBDent 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 Jordan Bush, executive director of Thank God for Bitcoin Media and co-author of the book Thank God for Bitcoin. We discuss the Federal Reserve, central banking, the production of money and how money functions, and why Christians need to think about the morality of these issues. We discuss alternatives to fiat currency such as gold and bitcoin, and Jordan suggests some helpful resources for those who want to learn more. This episode is an excellent introduction to the philosophy and problems of central banking and fiat currency and how Christians can thoughtfully reflect on those issues.  Media Referenced:Jordan Bush on Twitter: @jmbushwritesThank God for Bitcoin Media Twitter: @ThankGodforBTCThank God for Bitcoin website: tgfb.comThank God for Bitcoin book: https://a.co/d/482hYOkThe Ethics of Money Production, Hulsmann: https://a.co/d/eShcXFTHonest Money, North: https://a.co/d/7WekvSiThe Bitcoin Standard, Ammous: https://a.co/d/9HjwKzSThe Little Bitcoin Book: https://a.co/d/hmPWuXzAdam O’Brein on Bitcoin: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/bitcoin-and-the-future-of-currency-with-adam-obrien/  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! 

This episode was originally recorded for Cody Cook's podcast Cantus-Firmus. In our conversation, we discuss medieval Christianity, the Enlightenment, and the long road to religious freedom in the west. I am a social studies teacher and my class covers the global middle ages, and it was a lot of fun to take a dive into historical issues that I teach in the classroom and draw comparisons to their theological, social, and political relevance. This was a really fun conversation that addresses a different but related set of topics that I cover on the show, and I know you are going to enjoy it! Media Referenced:Cantus-Firmus Podcast: https://www.cantus-firmus.com/podcast/Brent Nongbri – Before Religion: A History of a Modern ConceptEdward Dolnick – The Clockwork Universe: Isaac Newton, the Royal Society, and the Birth of the Modern WorldJames Hannam – The Genesis of Science: How the Christian Middle Ages Launched the Scientific RevolutionLars Brownworth – Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western CivilizationTom Holland – Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the WorldAugustine of Hippo – City of GodThe 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 special Christmas episode, I recommend six books (and two runners-up) published in 2023 that I know all listeners of this show will find interesting! I give a brief synopsis of each book and explain why you should spend your hard-earned Christmas money on them. They are, in the order they appear in the episode:A Jewish Paul, Matthew ThiessenThe Beginning and End of All Things­, Edward KlinkUnderstanding Zionism, Anne PerezYou Will Own Nothing, Carol RothQuestioning the COVID Company Line, Laurie CalhounPax, Tom Holland Our runners-up were:Being God’s Image, Carmen Joy ImesThe Great Reset, Michael Rectenwald Amazon and podcast interview links can be found below. Enjoy!  Media Referenced:Six Books that Shaped My Political Thinking and Theology: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/six-books-that-shaped-my-political-thinking-and-theology/ A Jewish Paul, Matthew ThiessenAmazon Link: https://a.co/d/5MBPKcyThe Beginning and End of All Things­, Edward KlinkAmazon Link: https://a.co/d/7O1Jki4Episode: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-63-the-beginning-and-end-of-all-things-biblical-creation-with-edward-klink/ Understanding Zionism, Anne PerezAmazon Link: https://a.co/d/eaW8cz9Episode: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-83-understanding-zionism-with-anne-perez/ You Will Own Nothing, Carol RothAmazon Link: https://a.co/d/flbmlep Questioning the COVID Company Line, Laurie CalhounAmazon Link: https://a.co/d/bCoIS5lEpisode 1: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-73-questioning-the-covid-company-line-with-laurie-calhoun-part-1/Episode 2: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-74-questioning-the-covid-company-line-with-laurie-calhoun-part-2/Pax, Tom HollandAmazon Link: https://a.co/d/emBPSXZ Honorable Mention: Being God’s Image, Carmen Joy ImesAmazon Link: https://a.co/d/1GXiHivEpisode: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-69-being-gods-image-with-carmen-joy-imes/Honorable Mention: The Great Reset, Michael RectenwaldAmazon Link: https://a.co/d/gir8fjB 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!