Disarming Leviathan Podcast

What happens when a theology of hierarchy, control, and male authority moves from the margins into the mainstream? In this episode, Margaret Bronson shares her firsthand experience growing up in a patriarchal Christian Nationalist movement that emphasized male dominance, rigid gender roles, homeschooling, and authoritarian leadership. Drawing on both personal story and historical analysis, Margare...

What happens when the symbols commonly associated with Christian Nationalism mean something entirely different to the people displaying them? In this episode, Caleb sits down with Arizona State University professor, veteran, and pastor John Mark Sianghio to explore how Christian Nationalism is experienced and expressed within immigrant communities, particularly among Filipino-American churches. Dr...

For many Americans, conversations about refugees happen at the level of politics, policy, and headlines. In this episode, Clint Leavitt invites us into a different starting place: the stories of real people. Drawing from his friendship with a Congolese refugee and the research behind his book Cockroaches, God, Death and Mangos , Clint shares how personal relationships transformed his understanding...

In this insightful interview, Mary Kaech from Phoenix Refugee Connections shares the history, current challenges, and opportunities in refugee resettlement in the U.S., emphasizing the importance of community involvement, faith, and understanding. Discover how refugees contribute to local communities and how Christians can actively participate in welcoming and supporting their neighbors. https://p...

In this in-depth interview, Matthew Soerens discusses the global refugee crisis, U.S. immigration policies, and the biblical perspective on caring for refugees and immigrants. He highlights recent policy changes, the economic and moral implications, and offers practical ways for evangelicals and citizens to advocate for humane immigration reform. Chapters 00:00 Understanding the Refugee Crisis 01:...

Daniel Yang discusses the significance of Refugee Day, the history and current state of refugee resettlement in the U.S., and the role of the church in welcoming and supporting refugees. He shares personal stories, historical context, and practical ways for individuals and churches to engage compassionately. Chapters 00:00 Understanding Refugee Awareness and Its Importance 02:18 Personal Stories:...

This June, we will publish a special series of interviews related to World Refugee Awareness Month. Please consider rating and reviewing the Disarming Leviathan podcast. It helps others find our work! Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

Who do you want to see on the pod? We are recording the next season of the Disarming Leviathan podcast! Let us know who you want to see on the pod in the comment section. Use the contact form at disarmingleviathan.com . Calling all Pastors! Join us for the J29 Coalition Cohort, starting August 2026. Learn more at J29Coalition.com . Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.subst...

We are in between seasons of the Disarming Leviathan podcast (mainly so I can finish my Doctoral project at Fuller Seminary), but I wanted to post this episode I did with the Surge Network . My friend Aaron Dailey and I talk about a variety of things, including how we have seen pastoral ministry change in Phoenix over the last two decades. I share some of the lessons I’ve learned, the growing anxi...

In this episode of Disarming Leviathan , Caleb sits down with Pastor David Ruybalid Ruybalid to examine the growing narrative that a “revival” is underway—especially among young men returning to church. While acknowledging real shifts in generational engagement, David offers a careful theological and pastoral critique of revival language that prioritizes numbers, emotion, or cultural momentum over...

Many Christians struggle with the violence and conquest language of the Old Testament—especially texts like Joshua that seem at odds with the way of Jesus. In this episode, biblical scholar Helen Paynter helps us read these passages within the unfolding story of Scripture, showing how themes like warfare and power are transformed at the cross. Together, we explore why using these texts to justify...

In this episode of the Disarming Leviathan podcast, biblical scholar Dr. Dru Johnson pushes back against the misuse of Old Testament law by culture warriors and partisan tribalists who treat the Torah as a ready-made tool for coercive governance. Instead, he presents biblical law as a formational guide—not a rigid codebook—for shaping the moral and social imagination of God’s people. Johnson expla...

In this episode, pastor and author Zach W. Lambert confronts the weaponization of Scripture in American public life and church culture. Drawing from his book Better Ways to Read the Bible , he outlines how harmful interpretive “lenses” have been used to justify everything from Christian nationalism to slavery to spiritual abuse. Rather than abandoning Scripture, Lambert calls Christians to reclaim...

In this episode, pastor and author Tara Beth Leach reflects on how the work of preaching and pastoring has changed in a time of political division, cultural anxiety, and social media outrage. She names the temptation pastors face to use the pulpit for venting or applause, and instead offers a vision of slow, intentional, Spirit-led formation shaped by liturgy, Scripture, and communal prayer. Drawi...

In this episode, writer and researcher Rachel Darnall shares her firsthand perspective on the rise of patriarchal theology in American Christianity and its connection to Christian nationalism. Drawing from her new video series It’s a Man’s World: The Genesis 3:16 Effect , Rachel explains how teachings rooted in control, male hierarchy, and politicized family roles have moved from the margins into...

In this episode, Dr. Vincent Bacote offers a thoughtful and theologically grounded vision for civic engagement shaped by the character of Christ. He challenges listeners to reject both Christian triumphalism and political withdrawal, advocating instead for a kingdom-oriented public witness that seeks the good of others. Drawing from his work in ethics, political theology, and his recent documentar...

In this episode, Joash Thomas challenges Western Christians to recover a holistic vision of justice rooted in the way of Jesus. Drawing from his new book The Justice of Jesus , Joash contrasts retributive and restorative justice, highlights the global church’s theological depth, and critiques the “colonizer’s gospel” that prioritizes soul salvation over bodily and communal healing. He explores how...

The Disarming Leviathan podcast returns with a new season focused on helping Christians navigate political discipleship and civic engagement in a polarized world. In this preview episode, host Caleb Campbell introduces upcoming guests—including Dr. Carmen Imes, Dr. Vince Bacote, and Joash Thomas—and outlines the season’s goal: equipping listeners to bear faithful witness to the Kingdom of God whil...

In this episode of Disarming Leviathan , biblical scholar Dr. Carmen Joy Imes joins Caleb Campbell to unpack her latest book, Becoming God’s Family: Why the Church Still Matters . Together, they explore how the Bible casts a radical vision of the church as a true spiritual family—one that defies the shallow belonging offered by partisan movements, nationalism, and consumer identity. Imes argues th...

In this special crossover episode, Caleb joins a conversation with scholars Paul D. Miller, David Koyzis, and Michael W. Austin to help the church understand and respond to Christian Nationalism. Together they unpack what Christian Nationalism is, how it differs from patriotism, and why it poses serious challenges to the gospel’s witness. They also explore related topics like Abraham Kuyper’s sphe...

In this special episode, Caleb joins the team from Bodies Behind the Bus for a conversation about faith, justice, and compassion in the face of political division. Together, they share a joint fundraiser supporting a DACA recipient fighting to stay with their family in the U.S. As we enter this season, we can be about the business of loving our neighbor through acts of service, generosity, and kin...

This is a rerelease of an earlier episode. Stay tuned to the Disarming Leviathan Podcast. New Episodes coming in a few weeks! Get full access to Disarming Leviathan: Missionary to Christian Nationalists at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe Get full access to Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a rerelease of an earlier episode. Stay tuned to the Disarming Leviathan Podcast. New Episodes coming in a few weeks! Get full access to Disarming Leviathan: Missionary to Christian Nationalists at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe In this episode, Phil Herndon examines how purveyors of American Christian Nationalism leverage the emotions of their audiences to gain allegiance, powe...

This is a rerelease of an earlier episode. Stay tuned to the Disarming Leviathan Podcast. New Episodes coming in a few weeks! Get full access to Disarming Leviathan: Missionary to Christian Nationalists at disarmingleviathan.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of Disarming Leviathan , Caleb Campbell speaks with Holly Berkley Fletcher about her journey from missionary kid in Kenya to CIA analyst...

Caleb joins Dr. Jemar Tisby for a joint podcast that explores the history of American Christian Nationalism and the church and ways that we can engage those who are imbibing this harmful ideology. About Jemar Tisby Jemar Tisby (BA, University of Notre Dame; MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) s the New York Times bestselling author of The Color of Compromise and the award-winning How to Fight Rac...