Governed by God

In this episode, I review and respond to an interview of Professor Richard Dawkins that took place near Easter. Professor Dawkins is a very outspoken atheist, having written numerous books against religion and against Christianity. In this interview, he reveals a very inconsistent and contradictory position: he loves Christian culture but does not believe a single word of it. In other words, he wants the fruit of Christianity but still is in the business of cutting down its trees. Such a strange – but common – attitude is one worth discussing, especially as Christians seek to defend the faith against an increasingly hostile culture. Watch the full video interview with Professor Dawkins on the LBC: Richard Dawkins: I’m a Cultural Christian As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

In this episode, I look at President Biden’s recent proclamation regarding the Transgender Day of Visibility. What does this have to do with Easter and the White House Easter Egg Roll? And how is transgenderism actually one of the most deadly and dangerous false gospels that exist today? I do not mean that transgenderism is dangerous to Christians, but rather to those who are deceived by it and who deceive others by it. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

In this episode, I tackle the rather relevant and controversial topic of immigration. How should Christians approach that topic? Does the Bible have anything to say about freedom of movement, or lack thereof? How do we properly love the stranger and sojourner among us? These are important questions that we need to think about carefully and biblically. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week I tackle the controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling on the topic of IVF and the rights of embryos. More specifically, I look at a brief history of the term ’embryo’ and ‘fetus’ and then consider Chief Justice Parker’s opinion in the case. What is a fetus and an embryo? Do embryos have rights? And if they do, what does that mean for IVF? Alabama Supreme Court Ruling As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week I look at some of the writings from the 16th Century Reformer Pierre Viret. Viret was a Swiss Reformer around the time of John Calvin, and he wrote several treatises and biblical commentaries. His works on government have been collated into a book titled The Christian and the Magistrate. What is the duty of Christian citizens? How should Christians honor rulers, even wicked ones? And how should a Christian act if he or she is in the position of a civil magistrate? The questions asked by Viret 500 years ago remain just a relevant for our culture today. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week I complete my review and response of a recent episode of the White Horse Inn concerning misunderstood passages of Scripture. In their discussion, Dr. Michael Horton, Pastor Bob Hiller, and Dr. Walter Strickland talk primarily about passages such as 2 Chronicles 7:14, and how such passages are misapplied today. While I agree with much of what they say, there are significant areas of disagreement. Once such area is whether passages that apply to the New Covenant people can be applied in any corporate sense or if they can only be applied individually. Another key area of disagreement is the meaning of “nations” in the New Testament, such as in Jesus’s command to baptize and disciple the nations. Does the word refer to the modern nation-state? If not, what does it refer to? Here is the link to the original White Horse Inn episode: Misunderstood Passages About Culture As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week I begin a multi-part review of a recent episode of the White Horse Inn concerning misunderstood passages of Scripture. In their discussion, Dr. Michael Horton, Pastor Bob Hiller, and Dr. Walter Strickland talk primarily about passages such as 2 Chronicles 7:14, and how such passages are misapplied today. While I agree with much of what they say, there are significant areas of disagreement. Once such area is whether passages that apply to the New Covenant people can be applied in any corporate sense or if they can only be applied individually. Here is the link to the original White Horse Inn episode: Misunderstood Passages About Culture As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I analyze and critique an interview between Dr. Jordan Peterson and well-known atheist thinker, Sam Harris. More specifically, I look at the last several minutes of their discussion, where Harris presents his understanding of evil and the theoretical solution. Ultimately, Harris presents an entirely secular gospel that includes repentance, evangelism, and the giving of a personal testimony. The world knows that it needs saving, but Harris believes that man can save himself. Here is the link to the original interview on YouTube: Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Given the Christmas season, this week I compare two different narratives: one of Jesus of Nazareth and one of Caesar Augustus. Several years before Christ, Caesar was declared to be the savior of the world, whose coming brought good tidings for all the people. We see that Luke's account of the gospel parallels this, and offers a clear contrast between Christ and Caesar. I also look at Isaiah 9 and consider what it means for the government to be upon the shoulders of the Messiah. What does it mean that Christ is Lord of Lords? How should earthly lords think of that? As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week I take a break from historical documents to look at some recent events here in Central Bucks School District. Our recent school board meeting on December 4, 2023 made Fox News and also was mentioned on The Michael Knowles Show. While there is much to discuss, the highlight of the evening involved the new board chair, Karen Smith, being sworn in not on the Bible, but a stack of LGBTQ+ books (including some sexually explicit ones). Today I look at Jeremiah 44 and see how Karen Smith, perhaps without knowing it, has sworn by the authority of a different god, the Queen of Heaven. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week I look at the concept of thanksgiving. First, I consider the importance of giving thanks as described in Romans 1. Then, I address the historical significance of Thanksgiving, including two Thanksgiving proclamations given by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Their proclamations are nothing short of Christian in their theology and terminology. If those proclamations were given today by a governor or president, I imagine that the person would quickly be labeled a Christian Nationalist. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

In continuing our study of John Locke's two treatises on government, today I finish up looking at his second treatise. The premise of Locke's version of Social Contract Theory is that, at some point in the past, everyone was completely independent and free but then explicitly consented to form a government. Locke does not explain when this meeting took place, or why it resulted in a system of majority rule for those who consented. Those who come later still have to consent, but Locke fails to point out that later generations only need to give implicit, or silent, consent. The problem with these two different forms of consent is that no serious long-term relationship can be based purely on consent, whether implicit or explicit. We see the failure of this concept in many different areas within our culture. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I shift over to a discussion of John Locke and his works on government. Many consider Locke to be both a secularist and a key influence in the American War for Independence. I challenge both of those notions. More specifically, I look at his first treatise on government, which was a response to the concept of the divine right of kings. Then I begin looking at his second treatise on government regarding the matter of consent of the people. Consent is a vague concept, and one that I think hinders Locke from really reaching an accurate conception of civil government. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I finish our study of Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville, by looking at what he says concerning the women of America. In the 1830s, Tocqueville drew a stark contrast between American women and the women of France. He went so far as to say that the prosperity, success, and strength of America was a direct result of "the superiority of their women." But what was it about American women that made them superior? The answer might be surprising. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I look at two documents. The first is the book of Philemon from the New Testament, which sets the stage for the peaceful end of slavery. The second is Alexis de Tocqueville's book Democracy in America, in which he discusses the issue of slavery in the southern states. He argues against slavery not only on the basis of Christianity, but also on the basis of economics. Simply put, slave states were far worse off economically than free states, and that is not an accident. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I continue looking at Alexis de Tocqueville's work Democracy in America, written in the 1830s. He saw Americans as having an inordinate love of the power of the majority. Yet even so, liberty remained strong in the land. How was that possible? What was restraining the power of the majority in the United States? Tocqueville provides the answer to that by highlighting three things that preserve liberty: demographic/geographic factors, federalism/decentralization, and the Christian faith. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

To start off this season, I look at the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville, specifically his work Democracy in America written in the 1830s. Today I consider his chapter on omnipotence and tyranny of the majority. In democracy, we say that majority rules. But what restrains the majority from abusing their power? What about when the majority opinion is formed? How are those who go against the majority treated? Tocqueville answers those questions while also describing what we would call the roots of cancel culture in America. Now, almost two hundred years later, the roots of cancel culture have produced the fruit. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I finish the series on idolatry and the demonic by looking at our modern context. Secularism, at its root, is a modern form of paganism. The idea that there is no God, there is no meaning, and we are all just little autonomous gods running around is simply paganism repackaged. These ideas have possessed our culture today, similar to other cultures in the past. But there is a solution. So please join me today as I end this season of the podcast looking at a very important, and relevant, topic. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I continue with the series on idolatry and the demonic by looking at the god Molech, or Moloch. Molech was a god of death and harvest, requiring sacrifices for success and protection against evil. He was most well-known for the demand of child-sacrifices, something that the people of Israel failed to resist. Join me today as I consider the worship of Molech through the ancient world and how it continues today. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I continue with part two regarding the ancient worship of Asherah, or Ishtar. As an androgynous goddess whose holiest month was June, what else did Asherah worship involve? Most importantly, why does that matter for today? This is part of my greater series on idolatry, the demonic, and the pagan deities of the ancient near east. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I continue with a series on the demonic by looking at the ancient worship of Asherah, or Ishtar. As an androgynous goddess whose holiest month was June, what else did Asherah worship involve? Most importantly, why does that matter for today? As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I continue with a series on the demonic by looking at the ancient worship of Baal. While baal simply means "lord" or "master," with many baals existing at one time, there was also a universal Baal. Who was this Baal, and what does Baal worship involve? What are the principles behind Baal worship, and how do those principles continue in existence today? As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I continue with a series on the demonic. What activity is associated with demons? How do they influence people? Furthermore, what authority does Christ have over them, and how should Christians view them? I also look at several common errors concerning demons and how those errors remain popular today. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I begin a series on the demonic. What are demons and where does the term come from? How do they relate to the principalities and powers mentioned in the Bible? How do they interact with the material world and what influence do they have on people? As we look at the concept of demons, we will see how they impact doctrines - teachings - and how these doctrines of demons are alive and at work in our culture today. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I look at the spiritual and religious foundation of the transgender movement. More specifically, I review and respond to several public comments made in March and April at the Central Bucks School Board meeting. What is the foundation of the transgender argument? What makes it religious, and even the promotion of a false gospel? I answer those questions on today's episode. 00:58 - Passage of the Day: Ezekiel 8:14-15 (Mourning for Tammuz) 07:25 - Is transgenderism a religion that promotes a false gospel? As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I answer the question: Can Scripture alone give us a system of government by which to live? While unbelievers certainly ignore Scripture, even Christians are divided on whether the Bible is sufficient. Some argue that the Bible is useful but needs to be paired with natural law and philosophy. Others suggest that natural law and non-biblical philosophy could be helpful, but should ultimately be under the authority of God's word. Tune in today as I try to navigate these questions. 01:50 - Passage of the Day: Deuteronomy 4:5-8 (Israel to be an example to the nations) 06:50 - Can Scripture alone provide us with a system of government? As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week, I look at a recent viral video clip of a debate between Oklahoma State Senator Nathan Dahm and Jon Stewart. Their discussion centers around drag queen story hour, the right to vote, and the right to bear arms. I unpack their arguments and look at some of the assumptions that are brought to the table. In any debate, everyone brings certain rules to the table (i.e., the rules of the game). If you play by your opponent's rules without challenging them, the game is lost. While Jon Stewart imported several rules and assumptions into the discussion, Senator Dahm did not challenge him and ultimately lost the argument. Tune in to see how. 01:20 - Passage of the Day: Luke 17:1-3, Mark 9:42-48, Matthew 18:1-6 (Causing these little ones to sin) 08:35 - Review and critique of debate between Senator Dahm and Jon Stewart. Here is the clip of Senator Dahm and Jon Stewart (parental warning on language) Here is information on America's Health Rankings regarding causes of death. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

On this week's episode, I complete our series on the topic of tyranny and totalitarianism by looking at the the source of our freedom - Jesus Christ. There is a difference between liberty and license, with liberty being the freedom to do good and to act virtuously. On the other hand, license is the freedom to do whatever you want. Yet sin is not a liberating activity; it is an enslaving one. For any person, or people, to even hope to be free economically and politically, they must first be free spiritually. True freedom - freedom from sin - can only be found in the Son of God. 00:53 - Passage of the Day: John 8:31-36 (The Son sets us free) 05:30 - Seeds of Freedom As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Although I intended to go back to our series on tyranny, today I deviated yet again by looking at a speech given by Governor Shapiro of Pennsylvania on February 16, 2023. Speaking from a church in Philadelphia, Governor Shapiro discusses the topic of the death penalty. By advocating for a complete abolishment of the death penalty, he is actually failing to do his God-given duty as a civil magistrate. So, today I offer a review and critique of his speech from a biblical perspective. 01:15 - Passage of the Day: Genesis 9:6 (Institution of Capital Punishment) and Ecclesiastes 8:11 (Deterrence of Crime) 06:00 - Review of Governor Shapiro's address on February 16, 2023 concerning the death penalty. The link to the full speech can be found below: Governor Shapiro Announcement on Criminal Justice As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Taking a break from the series on tyranny, today I share about my recent experience speaking at a Central Bucks School Board meeting. It took place on January 10th and was, as expected, fairly well-attended. The topic of the evening was Policy 321, the policy regarding classroom neutrality (no flags on the walls except the national flag or state flag). My own three-minute statement was not so much about the policy as it was about the history of our nation. Interestingly, one of the non-Christian speakers toward the end gave a statement that demonstrated just how spiritual this battle is. Satan wants the children, and Christians are called to do something about it. 00:45 - Passage of the Day: Psalm 11 (What can the righteous do?) 07:50 - My school board meeting experience on January 10th. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

On this week's episode, I continue our series on the topic of tyranny and totalitarianism by looking at several writers and philosophers who predicted the future of totalitarianism. Two hundred years ago, Alexis de Tocqueville described what despotism would look like in a democratic nation. About one hundred years ago, C. S. Lewis predicted the rise of tyrants who would act for the "good" of the people. Lastly, about fifty years ago, R. J. Rushdoony warned of the nanny state and the idolatry the lies at its foundation. As we consider the words of these prophets of totalitarianism, let us think about what this means for us today. Where are we now? Have things gone too far? Are we too late? 00:30 - Passage of the Day: Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 (Oppression in the Land) 05:23 - Prophets of Totalitarianism As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

On this week's episode, I continue a series on the topic of tyranny and totalitarianism by looking at several classic dystopian novels. What is it that makes Brave New World, 1984, and This Perfect Day so relevant to the topic of tyranny? In what ways are those stories similar, and in what ways do they differ? What lessons can we learn from the heroes (The Savage, Winston, and Chip) and what warnings should we discern from the villains (Mustapha Mond, O'Brien, and Wei)? Perhaps it is no coincidence that they all were written in the 20th Century... 00:30 - Passage of the Day: Genesis 11:1-9 (Tower of Babel) 08:20 - Part three on the topic of tyranny As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

On this week's episode, I continue a series on the topic of tyranny and totalitarianism. Why does the tyrant do what he does? What does it look like when the tyrant takes over? And what role do the people play in the rise of tyranny? Today I look at both history, Scripture, and popular culture to answer those questions. 00:43 - Passage of the Day: 1 Samuel 8:10-18 (Israel's Demand for a King) 09:57 - Part two on the topic of tyranny. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

On this week's episode I begin a series on the topic of tyranny and totalitarianism. What does tyranny mean? When did it even begin to exist? What does tyranny look like and is there a difference between a patriarchal tyranny and a matriarchal tyranny? Join me today as I look at both Scripture and popular culture to better understand this topic. 00:59 - Passage of the Day: Genesis 4:17-24 (The Story of Lamech) 09:00 - An introduction into the topic of tyranny. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

On this week's episode I share about my recent experience speaking at a Central Bucks School Board meeting. With a packed crowd and 35 total speakers, it was a long evening. Despite my nervousness, I thought it went well. After reading my speech on the show, I discuss some unexpected things that I experienced - both good and bad. I finish the show by playing a clip of another speaker, who was a local reverend and an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. I address some of the odd arguments he made, including his twisting and abuse of the Ten Commandments. 01:25 - Law of the Day: Luke 4:1-12 (Jesus in the Wilderness) 09:30 - My school board meeting experience. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

On this week's episode I interview a student who attends Pennridge High School here in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He shares with me his experience as a Christian facing topics such as transgenderism and pronoun confusion among fellow students. He also spends a few minutes talking about the furries - students who dress and act like animals - and describes one situation in which he saw a student dog-walking another student. Finally, my guest shares his thoughts on how Christian parents should approach the topic of public schooling in today's confused culture. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

On this week's episode I look at the relationship between the First Amendment and Education. Does the First Amendment mean that the government cannot base its laws and policies on God's word? And how can the government be "neutral" in the classroom? To give a real-life example, I look at Policy 321 that is being proposed in the Central Bucks School District in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. That policy attempts to keep the classroom neutral. At a recent board meeting, one of the liberal board members argued that there is no such thing as neutrality within the classroom. Is that really true? And if it is, how should that cause Christians and other conservatives to think about the concept of neutrality? 00:33 - Passage of the Day - Luke 11:14-23 06:12 - The First Amendment and Education As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

On this week's episode I look at two documents that were recently released publicly. The first one is The Frankfurt Declaration, originally published in Frankfurt, Germany earlier this year. It is a public declaration of Christian pastors and leaders on the role of the civil government, the importance of honoring the conscience, and the need to defend human rights. The second document is an Open Letter from Pastor John MacArthur to Governor Gavin Newsom regarding Governor Newsom's role as civil magistrate and his need to submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ. With that said, please join me on today's podcast as I consider the truth and importance of both of these letters. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today David Fowler, president of the Family Action Council of Tennessee, comes on to the show again to talk about the topic of the positive, or statutory, law. This is the second interview of a two-part interview on the common law. On this episode, we look at how statutory law is supposed to relate to the common law, and how modern law today deviates from that purpose. We specifically focus on the principles of marriage and parenthood. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I interview David Fowler, president of the Family Action Council of Tennessee, on the topic of the common law. What is the common law and how does it differentiate from other types of law? Also, what is the role of judges and how have courts today deviated from their assigned roles? We tackle these topics, and more, on today's episode. 00:46 - Interview with David Fowler on the common law. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I begin Season 3 of the podcast with a look at the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Does the act really alleviate the anger of Mother Nature, as Speaker Pelosi asserts? Why do we use this kind of religious language when talking about the climate? Furthermore, is climate change real and what does the Bible have to say about it, if anything? 01:30 - Law of the Day: Joshua 24:14-15 05:00 - Discussion of the Inflation Reduction Act and Speaker Pelosi's comments. Biblical overview of the concept of climate change as a result of sin. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I posted Week 6 of the class that I have been teaching at Hilltown Baptist Church titled God and Government. This week I discussed civil disobedience and resistance. When is disobedience acceptable? What level of resistance can be offered? What role do lesser magistrates play? And, of course, how do we balance this with the command to submit to our governing authorities? As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I posted Week 5 of the class that I have been teaching at Hilltown Baptist Church titled God and Government. This week I discussed biblical principles of government. More specifically, we looked at how Scripture gives us the foundation for: separation of powers, rule of law, checks and balances, and federalism. We also look at how these principles have been implemented throughout history, particularly in the United States. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I posted Week 4 of the class that I have been teaching at Hilltown Baptist Church titled God and Government. This week, while I was away, my friend and fellow teacher Brad Lanning taught on the topic of stewardship and citizenship. How involved should Christians be in the political process? What does it mean to be a steward of our citizenship? How outspoken should we be about political matters? Brad covers these topics and more on today's lesson. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I posted Week 3 of the class that I have been teaching at Hilltown Baptist Church titled God and Government. This week we look at the biblical concept of the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of Heaven. What is this kingdom? Where does it exist? How does it exist? Who gets to be a part of it and what do they do? Aside from answering these questions, we also look at how the kingdom of God interacts with all other kingdoms and why Christ's reign and rule supersedes all other rulers. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I posted Week 2 of the class that I have been teaching at Hilltown Baptist Church on God and government. This week we look at how the various spheres of government relate to each other and, at times, overlap. We also consider what happens when spheres fail and other spheres fill in the gap. Lastly, we look at the tendency for the sphere of civil government to dominate all others as part of humanity's attempt to rebuild the Tower of Babel. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I posted my recording of a class I have been teaching at Hilltown Baptist Church titled God and Government. This week I provide an introduction into sphere sovereignty and look at the various responsibilities of each sphere. Individuals are ordained by God to exercise self-control and to govern their daily activities. Families are ordained to provide healthcare, welfare, and education to the next generation. Churches are ministries of reconciliation ordained to make disciples of all nations. Finally, the civil sphere is ordained to provide justice and maintain peace. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

(00:40) Abortion in the Ancient World - Today I finish Part Two of a series on abortion in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. One Jewish historian, Philo, describes in detail the practice of exposure and its affect. While men like Hippocrates and Philo attempted to speak out against abortion and infanticide, things change when Christianity arrives. The early Christian leader Tertullian argues that life begins at conception and describes a medical instrument used in abortion called "the slayer of the infant." Christian emperors, such as Valentinian I and Justinian, work toward changing Roman law to protect the unborn. Regrettably, American law in some ways is turning pagan, although in a matriarchal, not patriarchal, direction. As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

(01:50) Law of the Day - "When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." (Exodus 21:22-25) (06:05) Abortion in the Ancient World - Today I begin a series studying abortion and infanticide in the ancient world. Surprisingly, and sadly, the ancient Romans and Greeks practiced abortion, utilizing both drugs and surgical instruments. Many of the reasons for doing this were similar to the reasons people give today, one of them being the idea of necessity due to poverty. There were ancient Greeks and Romans who spoke out against abortion and infanticide, just as there were those who spoke in favor of it. Interestingly, things do not really change until Christianity begins to wield influence throughout the Roman Empire. As always, if you have any civic/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Today I finish the three-part series on theonomy by looking at what it means to legislate morality. All legislation, or law, is a declaration of value. The question is what we will value and how value will be determined. There is always a standard, but the debate is on what standard will be used. The law that God gave to Israel was not just for Israel but was meant to be an example to the nations. For example, in God's word we find principles of federalism, rule of law, and separation of powers. Finally, I briefly address the concept of natural law and its relationship to God's law. As always, if you have any civic/government related questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!