The Protestant Libertarian Podcast

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 3:3 Benjamin 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: @WatsonSpeaking School’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!

In this episode I talk to Dr. Stephen Dempster about his new book ‘The Return of the Kingdom: A Biblical Theology of God’s Reign’, out now on IVP Academic. In this book Dr. Dempster explores the theme of God’s kingdom through the Bible. We look at God’s kingdom purposes in creation, how humans in general and Israel in particular fail to build the kingdom, how the kingdom is ushered in by Jesus, and how God’s kingdom will one day be fully restored. We also discuss how Christians ought to live in light of the Bibles inaugurated eschatology, why many western Christians have ignored the theme of kingdom, and how the kingdom of God shapes our relationship to the kingdoms of men. Media Referenced: The Return of the Kingdom: https://a.co/d/cdiaO6q Press Page: https://www.ivpress.com/the-return-of-the-kingdom Stephen Dempster Bio: https://www.ivpress.com/stephen-g-dempster 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. David Beito, who is a research fellow at the Independent Institute and professor emeritus at the University of Alabama, about his brand-new book ‘The New Deal’s War on the Bill of Rights’, in which he explains how the Roosevelt administration and his supporters systematically eroded Constitutionally-protected rights. Not only do we discuss the Japanese internment camps, but we look at how his administration loyalists spied on American citizens, censored newspapers and radio producers, persecuted black Republicans, and criminally prosecuted World War II dissenters. This book is an incredible presentation of a rarely told chapter of American history that you won’t want to miss! Media Referenced: The New Deal’s War on the Bill of Rights: https://a.co/d/8bIAOVW David Beito Academic Page: https://history.ua.edu/people/david-t-beito/ Independent Institute: https://www.independent.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 play a recording of a sermon that I preached at my church on Sunday, March (not May as I accidently say in the intro) 10, 2024, entitled Give Us Division. This is a part of a larger series called Give Us a King, where we explore what the Bible says about kingship. I discuss how politics are inherently divisive because they are about power, and why we were not created to rule over one another. I explain that, because Jesus is the only true king, we are loyal to him alone and should not let politics divide us as Christians. I really enjoyed preparing for and preaching this sermon, and I think that you all will like it as well! As an added bonus, I also taught a four-week course on the Gospel at my church that I reference in the sermon, and I will include a link to the website I made for the class below. Enjoy! Media Referenced: https://sites.google.com/view/gennazgospel 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 a recent Mises Wire article written by Karl Streitel entitled Government Schools are Propaganda Machines, in which he argues that homeschool students are less subject to indoctrination than their public school counterparts. I discuss my own experience as a public school teacher and explain how these schools are not designed to give students the critical thinking skills they need to succeed in a dynamic economy and the institutional failures that have created this problem. I then read and comment on Streitel’s excellent article, supplementing his argument with my own personal anecdotes and experiences. If you want to understand why our schools are failing from the perspective of an insider, this episode is for you. Also, it should go without saying that all of the views presented in this episode are my own and do not necessarily reflect the perspective of my school or school district. Media Referenced: https://mises.org/wire/government-schools-are-propaganda-machines https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-68-our-mediocre-public-schools-with-connor-boyack/ https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/turning-down-teacher-tenure/ 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 pastor and author Randy Lovejoy, who writes on the Substack MakeGoodHappen and is trying to push the conversation about church beyond traditional boundaries. Drawing on his wide experience in ministry, Randy explains why the church in the west is in decline and what we can do to fix it. He explains how Christian nationalism and progressive Christianity are both in part a response to this decline, and why we can and should be having creative conversations about saving the western church. This is a wide-ranging and informative conversation that you won’t want to miss! Media Referenced: Randy’s Substack MakeGoodHappen: https://substack.com/@randylovejoy Facebook and Instragram: The Lovejoy Collective Website: randylovejoy.com Faith Ventures Appearance: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/faith-ventures-ep-13-the-courage-of-entrepreneurship-with-randy-lovejoy/ 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, Ezra Wyrick and Joshua Eakle discuss the differences between their political philosophies. Joshua is a self-described classical liberal and Ezra is a libertarian with anarchistic leanings. They discuss the difference between these two positions, as well as where they agree and disagree on several contentious issues such as the war in Ukraine, economics, the government response to Covid, the proper size of the state, voting, Trump and Biden, and the Libertarian party. This is a respectful and thoughtful dialogue that highlights differing approaches to achieving a free society, and both guests do an incredible job of outlining their positions. Check it out! Media Referenced: Ezra Wyrick on Twitter: @Ezra4Liberty Joshua Eakle on Twitter: @JoshEakle Project Liberal: @ProjectLiberal Students for Liberty: @sfliberty 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 review the book Jesus and the Rise of Nationalism by Halvor Moxnes, which explores the relationship between the rise of modern nationalism and the rise of historical Jesus research in the 19th century. He explains how this new conception of nationalism, along with biography writing and a reconceptualization of ‘homeland’, shaped the intellectual context of extremely influential New Testament scholars. He looks at the work of Fredrich Schleiermacher and D.F. Strauss in the German states, Ernst Renan in France, and George Adam Smith in the United Kingdom and shows how their portrayal of the historical Jesus was influenced by nationalist ideals. Instead of presenting us with a picture of Jesus that situates him in his own time, these scholars turn Jesus into a figure that makes sense within the political landscape of the 19th century. I then explore how Moxnes’ critique can be turned against his own suggestion at the end of the book that we should, correctly, abandon nationalistic portrayals of the historical Jesus by replacing them, incorrectly in my view, with 21st century ideas about globalism and critical theory. I then explain how all of our attempts to modernize Jesus will fail and why we need to do our best to situate Jesus in his first century context. Media Referenced: Jesus and the Rise of Nationalism: https://a.co/d/9bZu3Xc Halvor Moxnes Biography: https://wipfandstock.com/author/halvor-moxnes/ Fredrich Schliermacher Biography: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schleiermach Gorge Adam Smith Biography: https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/smith-sir-george-adamdeg The Socialist Roots of Modern Biblical Studies: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-92-the-socialist-roots-of-modern-biblical-studies/ 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 short episode, I read through my article Progressive Christian Nationalism, where I argue that progressive Christianity and Christian nationalism are structurally identical. While they support different policy agendas, they both believe that their theological values should be imposed on society by law, that this will bring about earthly and heavenly good, and that these laws need to be imposed at the federal (i.e. national) level. I then talk about why both conservative and progressive Christian commentators will ignore the real problems facing our society in 2024, which are Federal Reserve policy and the never-ending warfare state. Media Referenced: https://libertarianchristians.com/2023/10/09/progressive-christian-nationalism-left-right-authoritarian/ 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 Cody Cook and Doug Stuart about progressive Christianity. We examine the rise of progressive Christianity and its current popularity, why many evangelicals are deconstructing and moving to the left, and the ideological similarities between progressive Christianity and Christian nationalism. We then explore why Christian libertarianism is a better alternative to both systems and how progressive Christians and Christian nationalists will develop politically over the coming years, especially as we get closer to the 2024 presidential election. This is a great introduction and response to the progressive Christian movement. Media Referenced: The Libertarian Christian Institute: libertarianchristians.com Doug Stuart Twitter: @dougstuart Libertarian Christian Podcast: https://libertarianchristians.com/shows/libertarian-christian-podcast/ Cody Cook Twitter: @CantusFirmusCC Cantus-Firmus Podcast: https://www.cantus-firmus.com/podcast/ 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. Preston Sprinkle about his new book Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire. In Exiles, Dr. Sprinkle articulates a political theology for the church, arguing that Christians should see themselves as set apart from the nations by rejecting empire and proclaiming the gospel. We look at the Biblical foundation of his political theology and why we should identify with Christ instead of other political allegiances. We also explore the current state of anti-imperial New Testament scholarship and how the church should apply the insights presented in this book. Media Referenced: Exiles: https://a.co/d/2YJjRv3 Preston’s Website: https://www.prestonsprinkle.com/ Preston on Twitter: @PrestonSprinkle Theology in the Raw: https://theologyintheraw.com/podcasts/ 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 Old Testament scholar Dr. John Walton about his brand-new book The Lost World of the Prophets: Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic Literature in Ancient Contexts, out now on IVP Academic. In this conversation, we explore how prophecy in the Old Testament developed throughout the course of Israel’s history, how prophecy fits into the cultural context of the Ancient Near east, why prophecy is primarily about speaking on behalf of God and not predicting the future, the relationship between prophecy and covenant, apocalyptic literature, and how prophecy should shape our understanding of the mission of the church and the future of God’s creation. This is an incredible introduction to a very complex topic that all Christians and libertarians need to understand. Media Referenced: The Lost World of the Prophets: https://a.co/d/8RWoHaR John Walton’s Academic Page: https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/faculty/john-walton/ John Walton IVP: https://www.ivpress.com/john-h-walton 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 Jacob Winograd, host of the Biblical Anarchy podcast, about his political predictions for American politics in 2024. We discuss the depressing state of American foreign policy, the federal debt and spending crisis, and if there will be accountability for Epstein’s associates and the politicians and bureaucrats that lied about Covid. We then discuss the presidential election, Trump and Biden, and the prospects of success for the Libertarian party in 2024. Media Referenced: Jacob Winograd Twitter: @BiblicalAnarchy The Biblical Anarchy Podcast: https://libertarianchristians.com/shows/biblical-anarchy/ Take Human Action PA Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/take-human-action-pa/id1575925285 Take Human Action PA Podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7qvCAl0xiFPTFzvjDPTpIQ?si=fd6b7b753c9644dc 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 Erik of @AlphaclassARC, who is a self-described Marxist from Sweden, about why he believes that socialism is the best way to organize an economy. In this wide-ranging conversation he defines socialism and Marxism, explains the problem with the left-right dichotomy in politics, argues for the success of socialist policies around the world, and criticizes organizations like the World Economic Forum. We also discuss our mutual opposition to American military imperialism and why many people around the world view US foreign policy with skepticism. This was a fun conversation and I know that you all will enjoy it! Media Referenced: Eric on Twitter: @AlphaclassARC Revolutionary Blackout: https://www.youtube.com/@revolutionaryblackout7315; @RevBlackNetwork Second Thought: https://www.youtube.com/@SecondThought The Deprogram Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeprogram9999; @TheDeprogramPod Midwestern Marx: https://www.youtube.com/@MidwesternMarx; @MidwesternMarx 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. 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/b1SwLuv Dru Johnson on Twitter: @dru_johnson Dru Johnson’s Website: drujohnson.com IVP Author Page: https://ivpress.com/dru-johnson 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 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/hVTovfA Jesus Remembered, James Dunn: https://a.co/d/e0oz2BW Mark as Story, Rhodes, Dewey, and Michie: https://a.co/d/fYQIgo9 Greed as Idolatry, Brian Rosner: https://a.co/d/73gVoJR Episode 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/6p9jbce James McGrath Blog: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionprof/ James on Twitter: @ReligionProf James 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.html Catherine Pakaluk Twitter: @CRPakaluk Can a Catholic be a Socialist w/ Trent Horn: https://a.co/d/jcuPhZb Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth: https://a.co/d/gQBv0gr Catechism in a Year, Ownership of Goods: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/day-313-ownership-of-goods/id1648949780?i=1000634219714 Catechism in a Year, The Goods of Others: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/day-314-goods-of-others/id1648949780?i=1000634340376 Catechism in a Year, The Church’s Social Doctrine: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/day-315-the-churchs-social-doctrine/id1648949780?i=1000634446429 Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII, paragraphs 1-15; https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum.html 2. 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.html 3. 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!