Ep 38: The Bible’s Portrayal of the State (with Jason Hughey)

What is the biblical portrayal of the state? The Libertarian Christian Institute frequently discusses this question; it has very important ramifications for how we think about political philosophy. In this episode, we continue our interview series with the authors of Called to Freedom as we are joined by Jason Hughey, author of the chapter on the Bible and government.

Jason walks us through the narrative portrayal of the state in the Bible and helps us to see that state officials are sinful people just like the rest of us. As such, they should not be viewed as a special class with some intrinsic ability or right to rule, nor are they exempted from the ethical constraints that bind everyone else. In contrast to political power, the power of Christ is found in the gospel. We also cover some helpful guidelines for thinking about political power and the Bible, some pragmatic considerations, and of course, we get Jason’s take on Romans 13.

Show Notes

“Toward a More Augustinian View of Government” (excerpt from Jason’s chapter in Called to Freedom)
Called to Freedom book
Christian Theology of Public Policy Course (by John Cobin)
“The Biblical Foundations of Christian Libertarianism” (talk by Norman Horn)

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The Christians for Liberty Network is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute consisting of shows and hosts offering various perspectives on the intersection of Christianity and libertarianism. Views expressed by hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the view of the organization, its staff, board members, donors, or any other affiliates (including other hosts or guests on the network). Guest appearances or interviews of any incumbents, officials, or candidates for any political, party, or government office should not be construed as endorsements. The Libertarian Christian Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and does not endorse any political party or candidate for any political, government, or party office. For information about the Libertarian Christian Institute’s core values, please visit this page.

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