The Protestant Libertarian Podcast

In this episode I talk with Christopher Chen, author of the brand-new book Evil Empire? Government Officials as Proponents of the Gospel in Luke-Acts and Beyond , out now on Wipf and Stock, where he argues that there is a place for believers to hold positions of power even in hostile governments. In this conversation Christopher explains how God’s people often attained positions of power in the Ol...

In this episode I talk once again with the great Dr. James McGrath, who has authored the brand-new Beyond Deconstruction: Building a More Expansive Faith , out now on Eerdmans, where he discusses the process of deconstruction, changing one’s mind about issues of faith, and how to rebuild. In this conversation James defines deconstruction, describes his own personal experience of spiritual transfor...

In this episode I talk about my goal for lent of taming my tongue. I discuss the controversy surrounding Lent and why sincere spiritual development should not be a cause for Christian division, how I intentionally work on growing in an area of weakness during Lent every year, and why I chose to focus on controlling my speech. I have been reading Ephesians 4:29 every day, which reads “Let no unwhol...

In this episode I talk with Gary DeMar, a Biblical scholar, long-time president of American Vision, and host of the Gary DeMar show. Gary discusses eschatology and economics. He explains his own eschatological perspective, preterism, which is the belief that many of the Biblical prophecies were fulfilled in the first century. We discuss the difference between partial and full preterism, Matthew 24...

I had the flu and Streamyard defaulted to my computer microphone, so I apologize for my voice! In this episode I discuss Paul’s comments in Ephesians 1:15-23, particularly 1:20-22, that Jesus by virtue of his resurrection, ascension, and enthronement currently rules over all authorities and that the church shares in his cosmic victory. We discuss the major themes of Ephesians, particularly Christ...

This episode is a recording of a debate I had with Jacob Winograd in the fall of 2025 about whether history or theology should take priority in Biblical interpretation. I argue that our starting point for Biblical exegesis must be the historical context of Scripture while Jacob defends the need to think about the text theologically. Both of us maintain that history and theology are important. Enjo...

In this episode I explore the Parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15:1-7 in which Jesus, directly responding to his critics, explains how his audience would leave ninety-nine sheep in the pasture to find one who had wondered from the flock, rejoicing when the wayward sheep is found. Jesus isn’t telling a simple pastoral parable about God’s grace, but drawing on powerful imagery from the Old Testamen...

In this episode I talk with Cody Cook about his new book Delivered from This Present Evil Age where he argues that Galatians 4:1-7 portrays Christ defeating the spiritual powers which enslave humanity and inaugurating a new creation in which ethnic, national, and political divisions are abolished through Jesus. He discusses the influence of the apocalyptic school of Pauline interpretation on his w...

In this episode I explore the economic and political consequences of two passages in Mark 10. I explain how modern progressive and conservative Christians implicitly assume the nineteenth-century nation state model of political authoritarianism while undervaluing the role of the New Testament for ethical transformation. The church is supposed to be shaped by the teachings of Jesus, and we cannot e...

In this episode I discuss Paul’s statements in Romans 13:1-7 that governing authorities “ are established by God ” (Rm. 13:1) and that “ rulers are servants of God ” (13:6). I explain the need to understand the function of Romans 13 before drawing any conclusions regarding its meaning, and how it must correspond with the rhetorical context of Romans and Paul’s thought generally. I then explore the...

This episode features a debate I had with Cody Cook on LCI’s Greenroom, moderated by Jacob Winograd, where Cody and I debate whether libertarianism is compatible a right-wing or left-wing phenomenon. I take the position that modern libertarianism should rightly be classified as right-wing while Cody argues it is more compatible with left-wing ideology. Enjoy the friendly debate!   The Protestant L...

In this episode I talk with Cody Libolt, writer, podcaster, and co-author of the new book Redeeming the West: A Christian Defense of Reason and Individualism. Cody defines both ‘reason’ and ‘individualism’, demonstrating how these terms are often misused in modern discourse. He discusses the dangers of collectivism for Christianity, the Biblical basis for individualism, why Christians need reason...

In this episode David Beito and Phil Saunders debate Walter Block on the Israel/Palestine conflict. David and Phil defend the proposition that a Swiss-style canton model of government could resolve the conflict, offering a decentralized political arrangement which incentivizes cooperation and economic growth. Walter Block thinks the Palestinians are to blame for the conflict and need to be removed...

In this episode Dr. Dru Johnson returns to discuss his new book Understanding Biblical Law: Skills for Thinking Through and With the Torah , out now on Baker. Dr. Johnson explains how modern people have misunderstood the Law, reading it through our contemporary legal and theological frameworks, and busts several myths about Biblical Law. We then explore how the Law must be understood in in ancient...

In this episode I am joined once again by the great Cody Cook, this time to discuss the recent controversy regarding Kirk Cameron’s changing views of hell. Cameron defended the annihilationist position, also known as ‘conditional immortality’, and castigated by many evangelicals who hold to eternal conscious torment. We talk about the fallout of Cameron’s remarks and explain the differences betwee...

In this episode I discuss “the antichrists”, a group of people who appear exclusively in 1 and 2 John. John describes “the antichrists” in 1 John 2:18-25, 4:1-6, and 2 John 1:7-11. Despite many popular eschatological interpretations which a singular antichrist figure who signals the end of time, John specifically defines what he means by the term. The antichrists (John uses the plural) are literal...

In this fourth edition of my annual Christmas series I discuss six of the most important books I read in 2025. The list includes:   FDR: A New Political Life by David Beito The Struggle for Liberty by Ralph Raico, edited by Ryan McMaken Interpreting Jesus by Dale Allison The Fourth Synoptic Gospel by Mark Goodacre The Place of The Past by Drew Holland Jesus and the Law of Moses by Paul Sloan   I h...

In this episode I reflect on the relationship between the ascension of Jesus, his status as king over all creation, and inaugurated eschatology. The resurrected Jesus was taken up into heaven during his ascension and currently sits at the right hand of God, ruling over all creation as king and presiding over the cosmic temple as priest. Because of this, the promised ‘final days’ have already arriv...

In this episode I talk with Dr. Eric Schansberg, professor of economics at Indiana University (Southern) about his brand-new book Gen Men: What the Men of Genesis Can Teach Us Today . We discuss the crisis of masculinity in our culture today, the false caricatures about men promoted outside of the church, and why the church has failed to address this issue. We then explore how the men in Genesis r...

In this episode I talk with Dr. Ross Hastings, Professor of Theology at Regent College, Vancouver, about his brand-new book “ The Glory of the Ascension: Celebrating a Doctrine for the Life of the Church ”, out now on IVP. Dr. Hastings explains the ascension, why it matters for everyone and everything, why it is often neglected by Christians, what it tells us about Jesus as king and priest, the Tr...

In Genesis 3:5, the woman eats from the tree because the serpent promised she would be “like God”. This reveals the fundamental sin of humanity: trying to grasp for a power they weren’t intended to have. I discuss the historical and literary context of Genesis 1-11, the relationship between myth, history, and truth, and the purpose of these chapters. I then explain Genesis 1-3, showing how God cre...

In this episode I talk with Dr. Carmen Joy Imes about her brand-new book Becoming God’s Family: Why the Church Still Matters . We discuss the rich theology of God’s family in both the Old and New Testaments, particularly the significance of all people being created in the image of God, the calling of Abraham’s family to rescue the world, the failures of Israel, and the restoration of God’s family...

In this episode I welcome back Dr. James McGrath. We talk about his contribution to the book Judeophobia and the New Testament , where he discusses contemporary negative attitudes towards Jews and Judaism. We discuss the problem of Judeophobia, how Jews are often marginalized in Christian theology, and how the Jewish Jesus movement lead to rampant anti-Judaism during the Middle Ages. McGrath expla...

In this episode I talk with Dr. David Beito about his brand-new book FDR: A New Political Life , which is a critical biography of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We discuss his influences and upbringing, how he was shaped by Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and the Progressive Era, and his path to the presidency. We explore the New Deal, FDR’s signature domestic policy legacy, and how it n...

In this episode I talk with Dr. Jennifer Houston McNeel about her brand-new book Under Her Wings: Mothers and Motherhood in the New Testament , out now on Eerdmans, where she explores mothers and maternal imagery in the New Testament. We discuss the role of mothers in the Jewish and Greco-Roman worlds, how they are portrayed in the gospels, Acts, and the rest of the New Testament, the legacy of Ma...