The Libertarian Christian Podcast

Jason Szeftel is and author and podcaster with a background in international development, law, and economics. He's spent considerable time in China and was recently on our podcast to talk about China's influence in the world. He's back to talk about the history of Christianity in China. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Doug and Norman welcome to the show Erik Lindborg of The Gamertarians to discuss recent popular media that should be of interest to libertarians and Christians. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Doug and Norman answer questions submitted by YOU the listeners on topics ranging from the NAP, self-defense, and military defense to Marxism, the media, and the culture wars. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

On today's episode, Doug is joined by Lawrence Reed, president emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Education and the author of many fantastic books, to discuss his newest book, "Was Jesus a Socialist? Why this Question is being Asked Again, and Why the Answer is Almost always Wrong". Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Justin Tosi is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Texas Tech University. He works on moral, social, political, and legal philosophy. Brandon Warmke is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Bowling Green State University. He writes about ethics and politics. Today we discuss their book, "Grandstanding: The Use and Abuse of Moral Talk". Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

We pride ourselves at LCI on providing great "evergreen" content for Christian libertarians across the world. Nonetheless, addressing what is happening in the world right now is important as well, and to that end, we are starting up a new video series to do just that. We're calling it "Good News Bad News", and you'll be able to find it every few weeks on our Youtube channel. Each episode, our roundtable will talk frankly about 4 to 8 topics that we think are interesting, notable, and in some cases even fun in world events. To make it even more easily shareable, we’ll carve up shorter segments from the whole on single topics as well. We will rotate around with new people from time to time, and for this episode, we've got Doug Stuart, Kerry Baldwin, Matt Bellis, and me discussing cancel culture, a cashless society, Hamilton (the musical!), and civil disobedience – should Christians ever disobey their government? Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

The history of the rise of China did not begin decades ago, but millennia. Myths about China persist, but how do we assess what’s going on inside the country, and why? Podcaster Jason Szeftel joins us to introduce us to his podcast, China Unraveled, where he gives listeners a long history and introduction to China. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Listen to Doug give answers on the new Freedom Adventure Podcast to a variety of questions about politics, theology, and why he's a libertarian Christian! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

John Deangelo of AntiWarWarVet.com joins us to talk about his experience in the Marines in Afghanistan, and how he became a Christian and a libertarian. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

It's no secret the rich are hated, but why? Is it pure envy? Is it malice? Misunderstanding? Dr. Rainer Zitelmann did the research to know why people hold opinions of the rich, and he joins us to talk about his book, The Rich in Public Opinion. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

We welcome Michael Hardin for the first time to the podcast. Michael Hardin is an independent scholar residing in Pennsylvania. In our conversation, we talk about mimetic theory (or should we say, mimetic realism!) in the current context of COVID-19, protests, riots, and the upcoming election. We also get into some of the pertinent theological implications of mimetic theory and draw out some applications from them. The conversation proceeds in a lot of interesting directions, so stay alert! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Norman Horn discusses Ayn Rand's controversies and contributions to libertarianism with Stephen Rose of the AnarchoChristian Podcast. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Doug and Norman talk about the COVID-19 pandemic and critique the state response to it and the response of the general public, including libertarians. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Kerry Baldwin of MereLiberty.com joins us to announce her upcoming liberty courses! If you or a child you know needs to learn critical thinking, develop reasoning skills, and gain practice and guided experience in honing their argumentation skills, find out how Kerry is helping to make that happen! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Norman Horn joins the OurFoundations podcast to talk about politics and theology. In this second half of the interview, they get into political power shifts, the future of tech and State, other ties to Christianity, and more. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Norman Horn joins the OurFoundations podcast to talk about politics and theology. In this first half of the interview, they discuss most of the theology related topics and then begin to get into the political theory. This includes why some choose to believe in God, how different people interpret political theory from the Bible, some effects of the Reformation, the concept of distributed knowledge, the dangers and issues with centralization in both religion and in government, and much more. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Do kids belong to their parents or the government? Who should have the say where kids go to school? Why is “government schools” more accurate than calling them “public schools”? Corey DeAngelis of the Cato Institute and Reason Foundation joins us to answer these questions, and many more, demolishing the anti-choice arguments often made against charter schools, vouchers, educational savings accounts, and homeschooling. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Joy Buchanan from Samford University’s Brock School of Business joins us to talk about why capitalism benefits everyone, how wealth creation through free trade isn’t obvious, and some biblical support for free market capitalism. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Most libertarians would claim to be ready for a new society, but that sounds like fantasy to most of us. Joe McKinney from the Startup Societies Foundation shares with us how we can begin to create new societies that overlap existing ones. A one-size-fits-all approach is not the goal, and McKinney's new book is a step-by-step guide for entrepreneurs and social innovators to accomplish their visions. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Mike Maharrey, author of "Constitution Owner's Manual", joins us to clean up some sloppy thinking most people, including libertarians, have about the Constitution. In this second part of our two-week series, Mike talks about the Bill of Rights, what people get wrong about it, and how libertarians go astray when they misuse what the purpose and scope of the constitution is. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Mike Maharrey, author of "Constitution Owner's Manual", joins us to clean up some sloppy thinking most people, including libertarians, have about the Constitution. In this part of a two-week series, Mike talks about the constitutional convention and the debates and controversies surrounding it, tackling some myths about the federalists and antifederalists. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Reason's Editor-in-Chief joins us to discuss how to do journalism from a libertarian perspective, some of the unique advantages of that bias in reporting, and why it's important to be properly informed. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

The case against the drug war is pretty strong for libertarians, but many conservatives are just waking up to the harm drug prohibition and criminalization have brought onto millions of lives. Christina Dent joins us to share her story from being a Christian political conservative against drug legalization to a Christian political conservative in favor of drug legalization. Her organization, End It For Good, is an education and advocacy organization working to end our criminal approach to drugs and shift to a health-centered one. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

How important is equality for democracy, for social well-being, and for human flourishing? How do we evaluate the economic misinformation spread around regarding labor, billionaires, and economic growth? Antony Davies joins us to discuss the economics and morality we must consider when we attempt to “fix” a problem that might not be a real problem. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

How does the Economic Way of Thinking affect view of human flourishing? Can we really understand what it means for ourselves and our world by only thinking about economics? Russ Roberts joins us to talk about the ways in which economics can and cannot aide in our ability to pursue and achieve human flourishing. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Anthony Flood joins us to talk about his polemic against Christopher Ferrara, a prominent anti-libertarian Catholic social thinker. Flood also talks about Doug about human flourishing and whether or not we should be optimistic about the future of human progress. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Do ordinary libertarians have something to learn from Christian social teaching? Are all of the Popes wrong about economics? Why is conservative nationalism on the rise? Stephanie Slade from Reason joins us to talk about how Christians can be enlightening libertarians on the importance of culture, not just the role of the regulatory state. She also discusses a concerning phenomenon within conservatism that libertarians should pay attention to. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Joshua Longbrook of the Our Foundations Podcast joins Doug to talk about his podcast, why it's extremely relevant to listener's of the Libertarian Christian Podcast, the sort of topics they cover, how he became a libertarian, his influences (including fantasy and sci-fi), the interplay between church and state, blockchain technology, and more! Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Can love be expressed through economics? Sarah Estelle from econisforlovers.com joins us to talk about the Economic Way of Loving and how being equipped with economic knowledge will help us avoid harming our neighbors as well as how to love them better. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

If open immigration would vastly improve the lot of most of the world, why would anybody oppose it? What objections might a libertarian have against open borders? To answer that, Bryan Caplan, author of Open Borders, joins us to discuss what open border means and answers some of the more prominent objections to it, including why Friedman was wrong and why cultural fears are understandable but unfounded. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

What if you just stayed home on voting day? Why would this be a better moral choice? Is there anything lost personally or socially if you choose not to vote? Chris Freiman joins us to talk about why it’s okay to not engage in politics, and why it might be the right moral choice. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Doug welcomes to the show Stephen of the AnarchoChristian Podcast to discuss how he became an anarcho-capitalist, the evolution of his ideas, and how to walk the line between supporting imperfect solutions that somewhat slow the advance of tyranny and acting consistently with an-cap and Christian principles. Audio Production by Podsworth Media ★ Support this podcast ★

Why do people think the world is getting worse, when the opposite is true? Marian Tupy of HumanProgress.org joins us to talk about global data and why we need to spread the good news. While not all indicators of human progress are excellent, as a species we are getting better, and we need to celebrate this. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

Should libertarian Christians only be known for what we are against? Why not be known for what we promote? Doug Stuart makes the argument that advocating for human flourishing is the best way to resonate with those we hope to convince. Audio Production by Podsworth Media. ★ Support this podcast ★

What should be done about doxxing? How does libertarianism differ between various beliefs in human free will? Should we elect Tulsi Gabbard in 2020? All these and more are answered by Doug and Norman in this end-of-2019 Q&R! Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Why would a politician change his or her position on a policy? How do we account for views that "shift" in one direction or another, especially when it appears to be out of political expediency? Eric Schansberg joins us to talk about this, as well as his book, "Turn Neither to the Right Nor to the Left", a must-read book for Christian Libertarians! Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Richard Beck joins us again to discuss his new book on Johnny Cash. Why was Johnny Cash so popular? How did he bring together gospel and murder songs? Was he an American patriot and how was he a subversive activist? Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

One of the most common questions we get at LCI is “how do I find a church community where I can belong as a libertarian?” Chuck Gutenson joins us to talk about the values, characteristics, and qualities every Christ follower should look for in a church. How important is doctrine? Does right practice rule over right doctrine? What about “church shopping”? How important is it to be in a diverse church? And of course, what do you do if you’re a libertarian and disagree strongly with somebody else in your church? Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

If you're not a button-pusher (to end the state tomorrow), then what smaller "buttons" would you push, and in what order, to end the tyranny of the state? Doug and Norman discuss their list of priorities if they were in charge of dismantling the state. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Should anarchists make a minarchist argument to win statists over? Does being a minarchist make you unlibertarian? WHat would disqualify you from not being a libertarian? And would you push the button to end the state tomorrow? Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Did Jesus really say that his followers could never use violence? Are there circumstances whereby a person should reluctantly use violence because the situation permits it? If a Christian decides to be completely nonviolent, what options do they have to fight against injustice? Ron Sider joins us to talk about these questions, which he addresses in his book, "If Jesus is Lord: Loving Our Enemies in an Age of Violence". Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Brian Zahnd joins us again to discuss the themes in his book, "Postcards from Babylon". The American Church is trending toward idolatry, and the Scriptures have a lot to say about what it means to live as exiles in empire rather than embracing the beast itself. With passion and eloquence, Zahnd helps us understand how Christians ought to live in the world but not be "of the world". Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

How do you unmake violence in parts of the world that are at war? How do you see those in need as friends and not just part of some aggregate situation? What does it look like to love anyway, despite the appearance, beliefs, or history of those in need? Jeremy Courtney, founder and CEO of Preemptive Love, joins us to talk about his new book, "Love Anyway", and the work his organization is doing to imagine the more beautiful world. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Should libertarians make concessions in the political arena in order to advance a better liberty? How the current American political atmosphere made us more trusting of each other? Is a liberal political order amenable to Christianity, and is such an order even possible? Philosopher Kevin Vallier joins us to discuss these things and the contents of his newest book, Must Politics Be War? Restoring Our Trust in the Open Society. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Justin Brierley joins us to talk about his experience bringing atheists and Christian apologists together on his show, as well as his book, "Unbelievable?" where he makes the case for believing in God, and how the Christian story makes the best sense out of life, the universe, and everything. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Economists like competition because competitive markets create what the economist Tim Harford calls "a world of truth": we produce, as he puts it, the right things the right way and in the right proportions, with prices guiding them into the hands of the right people. This "world of truth" makes no assumptions about people's preferences, however, and it is entirely possible that people buy and sell things that corrupt their souls--that they exchange the truth of God for a lie, as it were. But this does not mean forsaking competition will make things better. In this episode, Art Carden explores the unintended consequences of government intervention to prevent or promote competition as well as implications of the Imago Dei for exchange and the institutions thereof. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Religious liberty is sometimes described as "America's first freedom," but it was only achieved after more than a century of painful experience and with the development of careful arguments in colonial and early republican America. To many people then, the free exercise of one’s religion was not a self-evident right or something that was desirable for any social purpose. Today the rights of conscience are again coming under attack, and Christians need to recover the intellectual framework that makes arguments for religious freedom compelling. This episode examines foundational documents that early Americans relied on and produced to win the battle for religious liberty. It also provides resources for Christian libertarians who want to engage in the renewed battle for this precious freedom we dare not take for granted. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

David Gornoski uses mimetic theory to explain how the Gospel is the antidote to the problems that ail our world, including the myths that prevail in our politically correct climate. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Many Christians believe that the Bible establishes human political authority as a means of ensuring social order. Passages such as Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:17, and Christ's statement to "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" are commonly referred to in the Christian argument for legitimizing human political authority. However, there is good reason to be highly skeptical of human political authority and its perceived legitimacy on biblical grounds. Jason Hughey takes us on a deeper dive into the context of these passages (and more) to discover that they may not be as convincing when used for the purposes of divinely legitimizing human political authority or demanding our allegiance to such authority. ★ Support this podcast ★

Norman discusses the fundamentals of Christian libertarianism in the context of LCI’s recently released mission, vision, and core values, with an additional emphasis on the kind of character we should build to be effective “truth-tellers” to our communities today. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★