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Podcast: Lots of Updates (and the new FAQ)

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In the world of literature on liberty, books fall into three distinct categories. First are the books for experts scholars, deeper works that address high level concepts, social or economic theory, and philosophical ideas. Next are the books for the informed reader, those that have a working knowledge of libertarian ideas and seek to improve one’s understanding of the philosophy of liberty. Finally, there are books for those just starting their journey in liberty, those who have little knowledge of economics or libertarian theory. Jason Rink’s Disciple of Liberty falls into the latter category, and it fills a particularly useful void in libertarian literature: an easily accessible explication of liberty to the Christian newcomer, from the Tea Party proponent to the disillusioned conservative or liberal.

Rink’s key point, made very early in the book, is that Christians do not need to wonder if it is appropriate or biblical to get involved in politics to defend liberty. On the contrary, it is good and right to become informed and take a stand for what is just, good, and right, we ought to get involved in some way. One cannot simply look at Romans 13 and say that “obeying the powers that be” is all we should do. For those “on the fence,” Rink says to get on board.

But Rink does not simply tell us “just do something, anything!” without a care for what we stand for. “Just get out and vote!” is not a compelling message at all. Rather, he takes the minarchist, constitutionalist position, and defends it wholeheartedly. Rink identifies seven priority areas to which Christians should pay special attention:

• Define the limits of authority – The government cannot, and should not, have unlimited power. Limits must be clear and precise.
• Demand fidelity to the Constitution – The limits of authority for the United States Federal Government are found in the Constitution, period. We should continually demand that representatives follow it.
• Defend liberty for all people – If we expect to have liberty, we need to defend liberty even for people with whom we disagree with their choices. This is a difficult, yet absolutely essential element part of our way of life. Rink quotes Thomas Paine:

“He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.”

• Despise debt – We know that individually we cannot spend more than we make; it is unsustainable and irresponsible. The same should be true of the government. No more can they be allowed to spend like a drunken sailor. And this isn’t even about welfare programs either, which account for a small fraction of total government spending. Rather, we must oppose spending on everything that is unconstitutional, from the FCC to the military-industrial complex.
• Demand honest money – The US Federal Reserve and it’s fiat monetary system is fraudulent, backed by nothing but empty promises. A return to the gold standard should be at the top of our priorities, for it is the ultimate check against runaway spending by the State.
• Desire peace with all nations – A Christian is called to love his enemies, not bomb them. We need to understand the history of our current wars in the Middle East and demand that the government cease interventionism.
• Disciple others in liberty – It is time to get involved in the fight for freedom, and we all can play an important role.

Disciple of Liberty has many commendable strengths. The book’s length, about 100 pages long plus reprints of the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, is very appropriate for a reader who is not ready to tackle a tome about libertarianism quite yet. It is fast paced and lively, yet gently brings the reader to see from a different point of view. The seven principles he outlines are really good, all are worth understanding in detail. Striking a balance between length and depth of material is quite a challenge. Overall, Jason Rink has put together an interesting and useful book that can help Christian newcomers to libertarian thinking grasp some fundamental ideas about liberty.

However, there are a few things in the book (or not in the book) that I don’t like. For one thing, the sources and bibliography are surprisingly short. A bit more along the lines of what to read next would have been nice. If I may be so bold, I’d recommend Rothbard’s For a New Liberty and Ron Paul’s Revolution: A Manifesto (which, I should note, was mentioned in the Bibliography).

Another minor point of contention I have with the book is its interpretation of Romans 13, but it is an admittedly debatable topic. Of course, Rink easily disproves the “you just have to obey the government” line that so many evangelicals take. He take’s Chuck Baldwin’s approach, which emphasizes that our contemporary “powers that be” are the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, whereas my own approach is quite a bit different. Detailed exegesis, though, is difficult to distill when you are trying to reign in the length of a book, so it is understandable. But following on this point, overall I have certain doubts about making Constitutionalism our prime directive. Personally, I see the Constitution as a bludgeon or mirror, something we can use to say the Federal Government is so terrible that it does not even follow its own rules and never has. We need to remind people that government is aggression, and that our “resistance” against aggression is to expose such truth without apology. Now, Jason does mention each of these things in the book, so this is just the hard-core anarcho-capitalist in me talking. In no way am I downplaying Jason’s work.

As a personal friend of Jason now, I can honestly say that I am very proud of what he’s done despite my reservations on a few points. This is a great book for liberals, conservatives, or Tea Party supporters, who are all in need of some perspective about what liberty should mean to us. I think that it would be great to give to your Christian parents, relatives, or friends who are fed up with the Federal Government and are looking for an alternative. I encourage you to use Disciple of Liberty to strengthen your own resolve and plant new seeds of liberty in Christian hearts.

Visit Jason Rink at www.jasonrink.com. Buy his book here.

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Disciple of Liberty by Jason Rink

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Tags: christian libertarian, Christianity, conservatism, constitution, liberalism, libertarianism, Tea Party, theology, war

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Q1: When Paul wrote Romans 13, the government was distasteful to our 21 century sensibilities for sure. Yet Paul commands believers to honor the rulers, even calling them "servants of God." Coupled with Peter’s instructions to honor them, pray for them, etc., this shows that God has a role for government. Is it possible to determine if Paul personally prefers a small or large government? If God has a purpose for government should Christians be advocating it’s disappearing?

A: The problem with saying that Romans 13 proves there is "a role for government" is that it is conflating government being within God’s plan with government being sanctioned and declared inherently moral by God. When one considers the numerous negative references to the State in the Bible, such as Matthew 4, 1 Samuel 7, Genesis 11, and the book of Revelation, one cannot but admit that the State is, at core, rooted in rebellion against God. So while it is impossible to speak directly for Paul, it seems to me that the State itself is the problem and not merely the size. In conclusions, a Christian can admit that the State is not outside of God’s plan, and yet still advocate for it’s abolition as the greatest oppressor of the innocent in history.

Q2: What in the Bible suggests that followers of Jesus should subscribe to the ideas of libertarianism?

It would be incorrect to say outright "God/Jesus is a libertarian," but what I find very compelling in Scripture is that Christian ethics and libertarian ethics end up being very similar. Other instances: (1) The Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12 is very similar to the non-aggression principle. (2) Scripture is consistently skeptical toward power concentrated into the hands of rulers (cf. 1 Samuel 7). (3) The "Kingdom of God" is never characterized with the aggression of the State. Can you think of any more?

But besides Scripture, libertarianism has more or less emerged from the Western tradition, which is tied very strongly to historical Christianity. It’s ideological predecessor, classical liberalism, was primarily promoted by Christians in its infancy. So, we have an interesting historical argument as well supporting libertarianism from a Christian perspective.

Q3. What in the Bible suggests that followers of Jesus should not subscribe to the ideas of statism?

Besides all the positive reasons that support libertarianism, one of the greatest rejoinders to statism I know of is Matthew 20:25-28, where Jesus says: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant… just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Q4. Where does LibertarianChristians.com make a distinction between resistance to unjust Government action and the directive to "submit himself to the governing authorities"? (Romans 13, NIV)

The position of LibertarianChristians.com is that Romans 13 is about prudence in action toward governmental intrusion in life. While civil disobedience is not immoral and certainly is great to do in certain cases, one must be very careful in executing such measures. For instance, my first responsibility is the caretaking of my family, and then serving the church. I will not do things that bring unreasonable risk upon them. Frequently enough there are better ways of making a difference. But most of all, LibertarianChristians.com does not and will never advocate violence as the answer to our problems.

Would you like to add anything to these answers? Comment below. Or if you like, ask your own question today!

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New FAQ Questions Added

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Tags: Blog News, christian libertarian, Christianity, government, history, libertarian christian, libertarianism, Romans 13, romans13, statism, The State, theology

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As you probably know already, FAQ is short for Frequently Asked Questions, and I intend to make this FAQ an easy way for any reader who may stumble across LCC to inquire about libertarianism or about Christianity as it relates to libertarianism. I started it off with a few questions, namely a basic question about the non-aggression principle and three questions spawning from the recent post about marriage and homosexuality. You can note that it is located in the navigation bar just below the header image, labeled FAQ just as you’d expect. Hover over it and you’ll see a little drop down menu where you can Ask a Question.

So how exactly do you ask a question? It’s really easy: just go to the Ask a Question page and fill out the amazingly simple form. All you need to do is write a question and provide your email address. When you submit, you will receive an email confirming your question was received, and when your question is answered you will receive another email with the response. Of course, I reserve the right to edit questions reasonably for clarity or to reject an inappropriate question.

But since this is the first announcement of the FAQ, I’ll include the submission form below. Tell your inquisitive friends, and ask away!

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Announcing the Christian Libertarian FAQ

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Libertarianism is founded on the belief that individuals have universal rights – specifically rights to life, liberty, and the possession of property. Despite fairly widespread recognition of these rights, their universal defense (that is, an explanation of why these rights apply at all times and in all places) can often be difficult to articulate. Three predominant sub-groups within libertarianism attempt such a defense, each with a unique approach. Consequentialist libertarians focus on utility, deontological libertarians look to nature, and Ayn Rand’s followers turn to what they term ethical egoism. At first glance, each of these seems to offer a reasonable defense of universal rights; but closer inspection reveals their flaws. Conscientious defenders of liberty realize that without a solid defense, protection and preservation of rights cannot be guaranteed. Fortunately, there is a firm defense to be found within the pages of God’s Word. In the Bible, God lays out laws and moral constraints, commanding humans to obey. In so doing, God establishes man’s basic human rights; these rights are based on morality and morality originates in God. Therefore, the origin and only solid defense of rights are found, not in utilitarian economics, nature, or egoism, but in the Word of God.

Consequentialist libertarians would disagree, believing they need only look as far as the utility of rights in order to find a suitable defense of them. They believe that rights of life, liberty, and property ownership should be protected because those rights lead to positive utilities, such as prosperity, efficiency, or happiness. The argument quickly falls apart, however, as soon as one realizes that there is no practical unit of measurement for utility. Neoclassical economists devised a unit called a utile, but this concept should be discarded as nonsense. The utility of rights is ultimately immeasurable because happiness, efficiency, and prosperity are impossible to quantify.  Even if one could measure a single individual’s happiness, prosperity, or efficiency, these things could not be aggregated across all people. The total utility of rights for a society is indeterminable, and therefore, the consequentialist defense must necessarily be discarded, at least insofar as using it as a solid defense of universal rights is concerned.

Deontological libertarianism’s argument is not quite so easily dismissed, though ultimately, it, too, is a flawed defense. Deontological libertarianism claims that rights are based on the moral principle of non-aggression: You leave me alone, and I’ll leave you alone; to do otherwise would be immoral. This principle is derived from the concept of self-ownership, meaning that a person ought to be the exclusive controller of his own body and life. Murray Rothbard argued that self-ownership is a natural law because it is what is naturally best for man. In his essay, “Justice and Property Rights,” Rothbard writes:

Since the nature of man is such that each individual must use his mind to learn about himself and the world, to select values, and to choose ends and means in order to survive and flourish, the right to self-ownership gives each man the right to perform these vital activities without being hampered and restricted by coercive molestation.

In Rothbard’s estimation, man’s end goal is “to survive and flourish,” and rights must be preserved and defended as a means to that end. If, however, there is a single case in which ignoring rights helps a man to survive and flourish, then logically, rights cannot be considered universal because they would no longer be applicable at all times and in all places or for all people. The unfortunate truth is that there are plenty of instances in which infringing upon another’s rights can secure one’s own survival. That is precisely how nature operates: survival of the fittest. If stealing or killing advances one’s position, then nature seems to encourage the decision to do so. Nature, then, can be deemed as neither the source of nor a defense of universal rights, as “rights” by nature’s standard are entirely situational. Because that which is situational cannot also be universal, it is necessary to conclude that situational rights are no rights at all.[i]

Ayn Rand’s view is even less helpful in the search for a defense of rights because her argument based on ethical egoism, like deontological libertarianism, actually contradicts the universality of rights. At first glance, Rand’s worship of life as mankind’s highest goal and value seemingly implies that rights are also to be valued. After all, life and happiness are relatively difficult to attain if one doesn’t first have the right to pursue them. However, an ethical egoist does not believe he is morally bound to respect the rights of others if doing so would end his own life or happiness. Thus, to the ethical egoist, rights are not universal, but situational. This is a frightening thought – it is impossible to expect one’s rights to be respected by others if there is no actual reason or motivation for others to do so. Without universal constraints on people’s interpersonal moral decisions, universal rights cannot be effectively defended.

That is where Scripture comes in. Scripture provides the moral constraints necessary to establish the existence of and the defense of universal rights. Three examples of interpersonal moral constraints laid out by God in the Bible are “thou shalt not kill,” “thou shalt not steal,” and “love thy neighbor as thyself.” The first two laws[ii] establish individuals’ rights to life and to the possession of property. The third provides the moral constraint that allows men to expect their rights to be recognized by others. When a man loves his neighbor as he loves himself, he understands that any action that would be detrimental to himself should never be taken against others. No one wants to be harmed, therefore no one should initiate harm on another. The moral constraints against killing, stealing, and so forth, are primary ethical norms. They are, to coin a term, “non-rights.” Man does not have the right to kill or to steal. From these Biblical maxims, one can logically derive the universal rights of life, liberty, and property.

Whenever it is said that one ought or ought not to perform some action, there must be a reason or motivation to abide by such a statement. The motive to restrain oneself from infringing upon the recognized rights of others is simple and entirely self-serving. Simply put, abiding by ethical laws is in alignment with man’s most basic ethical goal: his own best interests. Generally speaking, a man will seek what is best for himself. Perhaps this means seeking utilities such as happiness and prosperity. Perhaps it means “to survive and flourish.” It stands to reason that as man’s creator, God is also aware of that which is best for man. Scripture declares that a right relationship with God should be man’s highest goal. A relationship with his Creator endows a man with fulfillment, wholeness, and happiness. A relationship with God sets man up to survive and flourish eternally. While mankind’s eternal salvation has been secured by the death and resurrection of Christ, man is still responsible for living out his life on earth in a way that is God-pleasing (man does this not to earn salvation, but in response to that which has been done on his behalf). The deepest kind of satisfaction can be attained in both this life and the life to come, but only if one has a right relationship with God. Recognizing and respecting the moral constraints God established is part of that.[iii] If a man is motivated to achieve his goal of happiness and satisfaction, then logically, he should seek to remain in a right relationship with the One who can provide that desired end result, both now and in eternity.

A person whose only goal is his own self-interest in this earthly life could easily believe that rules, ethics, and rights can all be violated for his own sake. Any system, then, that sets a goal solely applicable in this life necessarily excludes acknowledging rights. If man’s goal is “goodness” or “happiness” only in this life, then he need only acknowledge the rights of others when it is in his own best interest, and never otherwise. In that case, rights are no longer universally applicable rules to follow and are therefore no longer rights. If life ends at death, then it makes perfect sense that one should do whatever he can to make himself happy during his lifetime, even if that means causing harm to others. However, Scripture reveals that there is more to life than the years spent on Earth. Life extends into eternity and man does not have to sacrifice his acknowledgement of rights in his earthly life in order to reach his goal of happiness and fulfillment in eternal life. A person whose goal is his own self-interest in this earthly life AND in eternal life will recognize that the means to this end goal involve the recognition and defense of rules, ethics, and rights – not as way of earning eternal life, but as a way of enjoying completeness with the Creator, Savior God.

Scripture, then, acts as revelation to Christians. It reveals man’s universal rights and identifies God as their source. It provides awareness of the possibility of eternal life and of the beauty of a relationship with God. With that knowledge comes a motivation for respecting the rights of others. The origin of and motivation for respecting the rights of mankind combine to form a solid basis for the universal defense of the rights Libertarians hold so dear.

So ultimately, rights are not something that should be defended simply by observing their utility within a society. Nor are rights something that can be defended solely by saying they come from nature, for nature would more often have men violate each other’s rights in an effort to survive. Rights are instead established by God Himself and preserved for posterity in the Bible. Scripture provides the origin of rights and the defense of their universality. Rights do not have to be ignored in certain cases in order to reach the end goal of happiness or fulfillment because life does not end with death, and happiness and fulfillment are found in a right relationship with God. And a right relationship with God is attained through Spirit-inspired faith and obedience to God’s Word. Libertarians who desire to know and discuss the source of their inalienable rights should therefore look not to worldly philosophical arguments, but to the Bible and its author, our author, God the Creator.

[i] Another problem inherent in Rothbard’s view is that it doesn’t give self-ownership to those who by nature can’t “choose ends and means in order to survive and flourish.” Therefore, in his view, a person in a coma has no rights, nor does a fetus, nor an infant. Only the Christian view is consistent, giving all humans rights at all times and in all conditions.

[ii] Not all of the laws in the Bible establish rights, only those that deal with interpersonal action. The law to remember the Sabbath and the law against worshipping idols are personal, not interpersonal. Although breaking these laws may indirectly affect other people, the laws themselves are not direct moral constraints on interpersonal interaction. Therefore, it must be noted that Biblical Law goes beyond interpersonal actions and addresses personal concerns as well. In this sense, libertarian rights are established from only a subset of the laws of God.

[iii] To preemptively address a potential issue, it may be important to note that rights only exist as they apply to relationships among men, as morality only applies to men. Rights don’t constrain God, nor do they constrain nature. To say that man has a right to life means that all other people ought not to kill man; it does not mean that God ought not to kill man nor that an animal or a volcano ought not to kill man.

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The Proper Origin of Rights

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Tags: Ayn Rand, Bible, christian libertarian, ethics, libertarianism, Objectivism, philosophy, rights, theology, theonomy, utilitarianism

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If a patron saint for the libertarian movement were to be chosen, at the top of the list would be Rev. Edmund A. Opitz, minister and theologian for liberty. He was a good friend of Murray Rothbard and many others in the freedom movement—he was present from the beginning and knew almost everyone. From the 1950s through the 1990s, Opitz called the church to an integrated understanding of religion, economics, and individual liberty. He passed away in 2006, creating a void yet to be filled but leaving this world much better than he had found it.Opitz trained for Christian ministry at Andover Seminary and initially ministered in the Unitarian Church. But during his early years of ministry Unitarianism became more and more influenced by liberal Protestantism and the social gospel, whereas Opitz consistently grew more theologically conservative. He eventually left the Unitarian Church for the Congregationalist denomination and continued to promote conservative values and a thoroughly free market outlook upon social life.

Religion, Opitz would say, is far more than an academic exercise in one subject among many others; rather it is the fundamental way one approaches, understands, and evaluates all subjects. One’s religion, or worldview, makes all the difference in how one interacts with the world. Opitz’s Christian faith led him to the realization that liberty was the only reasonable organizing principle for society. Liberty and faith are not merely compatible – they are inseparable. “Liberty rests upon the belief that all proper authority for man’s relationships with his fellow men comes from a source higher than man — from the Creator… Each person has a relation to his Maker with which no other person, not even the ruler, has any right to interfere.” Reciprocally, Opitz believed a philosophy of liberty presupposed a background of Christian philosophy. Whether or not one accepts this notion, certainly Western civilization is indebted to Christendom for the understanding that natural law provides an absolute rather than relative standard—that there is something higher than the whims of men.

Opitz understood this philosophy of liberty as the true meaning of individualism. He repeatedly emphasized the importance of individual liberty in religious conviction: “Men must be free in society because each person has a destiny beyond society which he can work out only under the conditions of liberty.” The concept of individualism is often lost in the modern church. One frequently hears in religious circles that “individualism has no place in the life of the church,” but this constitutes a misunderstanding of the word itself. At its core, individualism means the individual is responsible for his own actions, in particular before God, and thus individual liberty is necessary for living out the dictates of conscience. Opitz would agree that one cannot be in Christ (Galatians 3:28) without the body of Christ—the church—but many Christians take this much too far and find themselves promoting collectivism rather than community. Individualism is not social atomism: “We have no inclination to be hermits; we are social creatures, and we achieve our full humanity only in association, in mutuality, and in community.” Voluntary action is the very essence of community, and thus the collectivist is actually acting against the spirit of community he seeks to promote.

The natural outgrowth of holding a consistent philosophy of political liberty is supporting a free market economy. Opitz understood that the free market was absolutely essential to maintaining a free society. “Economic freedom is to be cherished for itself, just as we cherish every one of our liberties. But economic freedom is doubly important because it sustains all the rest [of our liberties]… Economic freedom represents our livelihood, and whoever controls our livelihood has acquired critical leverage over every other aspect of our lives as well.” In this insight, Opitz recognized that Christianity, which mandates a free society where individuals can peacefully fulfill their responsibilities before God, and capitalism, which supports and maintains the free society, are not enemies in the least. Rather, they are critical allies, the best of friends. Opitz elaborates upon this topic at length in his appropriately titled book, Religion and Capitalism: Allies, Not Enemies.

But how can individual freedom be protected from tyranny? The solution, according to Opitz, lies in returning to classical-liberal political ideals. “There is a place for government in the affairs of men, and our Declaration of Independence tells us precisely what that place is. The role of government is to protect individuals in their God-given individual rights. Freedom is the natural birthright of man, but all that government can do in behalf of freedom is to let the individual alone, and it should secure him in his rights by making others let him alone.” Thus, if government is to have any purpose at all, it is only to secure the rights of individuals in their persons and property. Anything else is nothing short of criminal, for the standard of morality does not change when one dons a government uniform. Opitz saw the American governmental system as a unique solution in the history of man that had yet to be matched. To him, minimal government was the best way to restrain tyranny.

With these principles in mind, it is no surprise that Opitz was patently opposed to the so-called “social gospel” that was popular in the church for much of the 20th century. The central tenet of the social gospel was that the chief function of the church was to provide for the physical needs of the destitute by all possible means. Though charity is indeed a great part of the Christian way of life, social-gospel activists in effect renounced charity and condoned the use of force to achieve their meta-goals of social and economic equality through government programs and wealth transfer. Opitz’s keen outlook history and philosophy led him to write scathing critiques of the actions of social-gospel proponents, and in many respects he single-handedly turned much of the tide against this deviant theological point of view. (See his book The Libertarian Theology of Freedom for an excellent history of the social gospel.)

Opitz’s strong belief in freedom was coupled with action. Early in his career, he helped form and manage a group called Spiritual Mobilization, which disseminated newsletters promoting free-market ideas to over 20,000 ministers nationwide. Following the dissolution of Spiritual Mobilization, Opitz joined the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) as a senior staff member (and resident theologian). While at FEE, he founded the Nockian Society, which helped keep Albert Jay Nock’s writings in print, and “the Remnant,” a small fellowship of conservative and libertarian ministers named after the theme of Nock’s essay “Isaiah’s Job.” He spent 37 years at FEE, retiring in 1992.

He made a great impact upon the libertarian movement through his writing. The paper trail of his thoughts is voluminous. While a part of Spiritual Mobilization, Opitz was a frequent contributor to the magazine Faith and Freedom. He left an indelible mark upon FEE’s publication, The Freeman, with his numerous book reviews and articles. Religion and Capitalism is considered a classic text in both economics and theology. His manner of writing matched his manner of person—gentlemanly, persuasive, and humble—worthy traits that all libertarians should emulate.

Opitz could see the ramifications of the war of ideas that has been fought for centuries between liberty and tyranny. He saw the trajectories of the prominent ideas of his day—social gospel, collectivism, socialistic economic policy—and he used his abilities to promote what was good and right. “With how little wisdom do we organize our lives, especially in the areas of government and the economy. We’ve been going by dead reckoning for too long, and our dumb luck has just about run out,” he wrote in the August 1992 Freeman. Libertarian Christians should remember that Opitz helped pave the way for us to make a difference. Let us honor his legacy by telling Christians in America the answer to the problems society faces is not the State, but rather liberty and faith.

If you agree with the mission of YAL and other organizations teaching students about the virtues of liberty, please consider donating to the cause today!

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Edmund Opitz – Minister to Liberty

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Tags: christian libertarian, Christianity, Edmund Opitz, individualism, libertarian christian, philosophy, theology, YAL

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• Summer Reading – Top 10 books that you should drop everything to read now… (1)

1. Ron Paul, The Revolution: A Manifesto – If you haven’t read this yet, you should. Become a part of the R3VOLUTION!
2. Murray Rothbard, For a New Liberty – This is a great way to delve into libertarian thought. It’s freely available online as a PDF, HTML, or MP3 audiobook. (BONUS: A cheaper alternative if you want a paperback would be Linda and Morris Tannehill’s The Market for Liberty. It’s shorter than Rothbard, and slightly randian-sounding, but awesome.)
3. Tom Woods, Meltdown – The best quick way to understand the current economic crisis, its causes/solutions, and a bunch of Austrian econ.
4. Frederic Bastiat, The Law – Essential classic reading in the classical liberal tradition.
5. John Cobin, Christian Theology of Public Policy – There isn’t much out there better than this when it comes to Christian libertarian stuff. (BONUS: Cobin’s Bible and Government is less expensive and covers a lot of the same.)
6. Boldrin and Levine, Against Intellectual Monopoly – This is the book I am currently reading, and boy am I excited about it. B&L just thrash the notion that intellectual property is necessary for innovation to be maintained in an economy, and in fact history shows exactly the opposite! IP is an invention of the state to give legalized monopolies, nothing more. Abolish it! (BONUS: Make sure to read Stephan Kinsella’s awesome Against Intellectual Property, a paper from the Journal of Libertarian Studies, in conjunction with B&L.)
7. Ramit Sethi, I Will Teach You To Be Rich – Ramit is great on personal finance, and I highly recommend his book and his blog. Highly informative and fun to read. You *will* learn a lot. I pride myself on being a very good money manager and yet I’m learning tons of useful things!
8. Robert Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress – A fun, fun book about revolution on the moon by the master of science-fiction. Incidentally, this book is where we get the acronym/phrase “TANSTAAFL”, which means, “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” Heheh.
9. David Allen, Getting Things Done – This book revolutionized the way I work. GTD is all about getting things out of your head and into an organizational system you can trust and review regularly in order to operate at maximum productivity as much as possible. For all you busy professionals out there, you MUST check this book out and see what you can learn and apply in your work.
10. Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death – I reviewed this book on LCC a short time ago, so check that article out for more information. It is enough to say that Postman has delivered an excellent cultural critique that should pique the interest of anyone in pursuit of truth.

So, what are you reading this summer, and what have you already finished? Let everybody know in the comments. All books welcome, libertarian and otherwise! Don’t be shy!

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Summer Reading – Top 10 books that you should drop everything to read now…

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Tags: christian libertarian, history, philosophy, recommended books, theology

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Only recently have I learned of Edmund Opitz, ordained Congregational minister and one of the great spokesmen of the liberty movement in the 20th century. Opitz was the resident theologian for the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), and a long-time senior staff member there. He helped found The “Nockian Society,” which helped keep Albert Jay Nock’s writings in print, and “the Remnant,” a small organization named for the subject of Nock’s essay entitled Isaiah’s Job. He was a good friend of Murray Rothbard and many, many others in the liberty movement. He joined his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in glory in 2006, leaving this world much better than he found it.

The Libertarian Theology of Freedom is a compilation of seven essays from Opitz’s other books: The Powers That Be, The Kingdom Without God, and Religion: Foundation of a Free Society. (He has another highly regarded book not represented here: Religion and Capitalism: Allies, Not Enemies.) For essentially a collection of republished essays, the quotes that line the covers indicate how highly regarded Opitz was – and still is:

“A must read to better comprehend the important linkage between religious principles and individual liberty.” – Ron Paul

“A wonderful book – each sentence a testament to Reverend Opitz’s cool head and warm heart.” – Thomas Szasz, M.D. Professor of Psychiatry

Much of the book addresses the so-called “social gospel,” a major theme of Opitz’s work throughout his life. Opitz exposes how the social gospel is built on a faulty view of Scripture and human nature, and of course a deficient understanding of economics (chapters 3 & 4). What is more, he has traced the history of thought that led to the social gospel movement in the early 20th century (chapter 5). This is something I have never seen presented before, not even in my class on Christianity in America. Insights such as these are critical as we combat the resurgence of social gospel advocates like Jim Wallis and his “Sojourners” crowd of state-loving neo-liberal Christians. The social gospel is socialism with a Christian veneer.

Opitz is a serious and vigorous defender of economic freedom and private property (or do I repeat myself?). He shows himself a respectful debater in his exchange of letters with Rev. John Bennett of Union Theological Seminary in chapter 1. It is almost embarrassing to see the opposing side smashed so readily. Opitz demonstrates clearly the compatibility of Christian faith with libertarian thought, and that with sharp wit. He calls Bennett out for having two standards of morality – one for individuals and one for those in power. In doing so he challenges the very notion of the State itself, for what is the State but a group of people who make certain actions illegal for others but legal for themselves to do?

“Power ministers to human pride and results in spiritual disaster.” – Edmund Opitz

Opitz understands the meaning of individualism, a concept that is often lost in the modern church. We frequently hear that “there is no place for individualism in the church,” but this constitutes a misunderstanding of individualism. What those people mean is, “You cannot be in Christ without the body of Christ – his church,” and this is absolutely true. However, this is taken much too far and has resulted in fuzzy philosophy and theology – promoting collectivism rather than community. At its core, individualism means the individual is responsible for his own actions, in particular before God, and thus individual liberty is important for living out the dictates of conscience. Individualism is not atomism: “We have no inclination to be hermits; we are social creatures, and we achieve our full humanity only in association, in mutuality, and in community.” Voluntary action is the very essence of community, and thus the collectivist is actually acting against the true community he seeks to promote.

The Libertarian Theology of Freedom is an important book for the libertarian Christian to have on his bookshelf. It accomplishes its goal of introducing a new reader to Edmund Opitz and his work, even though one can find each of these essays in other books as well. I highly recommend it for any thinking Christian.

As I mentioned, the work of Edmund Opitz is a new discovery for me. I had no idea that he existed mere months ago. Once again, I am thrilled to find out that great men of faith have been paving the way for liberty, and it shows that we have a superb intellectual tradition within the body of Christ to assist our efforts now. I plan to get my hands on whatever I can find from Opitz and help spread his work to others. I hope you also will pick up his books and gain as much as I have from them.

“In today’s world, the term ‘libertarian Christian’ seems to many people to be an oxymoron. It is not. It exemplifies nothing less than the true meaning of the teachings of Jesus.” – Charles Hallberg, from the Foreward to The Libertarian Theology of Freedom.

——

UPDATE: It can be somewhat difficult to find Opitz’s books on Amazon, but make sure to check out the Amazon Marketplace sellers and you can save yourself some cash. For instance, there are right now 13 copies of The Libertarian Theology of Freedom available on Amazon Marketplace for less than $5 plus shipping.

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The Libertarian Theology of Freedom

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Tags: christian libertarian, individualism, philosophy, recommended books, social gospel, theology

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You will note that this list exists in two places on LCC: right here as a blog post, and also as a separate WordPress Page. There are two reasons for this. First, I want to feature the page prominently at the top of LibertarianChristians.com so that everyone can see it. Second, I want you to have a convenient way of commenting so that you can recommend other sites that should be on this list, and since I have comments on pages disabled that necessitates a post. I cannot claim that this is a complete list, or even that it’s my Top 100, but I want it to be constantly expanding and increasing in usefulness for everyone.

So, please take a look and feel free to comment, maybe you’ll find a site you’ve never heard of before now or an interesting classic article to read. And tell your friends to check it out, too.

At this time, the Resources Page is organized into these categories:

• Libertarian Websites – the sites all libertarians should know
• Libertarian Christian Blogs – Selected blogs for Christians of libertarian persuasion
• General Libertarian Blogs – Selected blogs of general libertarian interest
• Social Networking – Connect with other libertarians
• Article Links – Significant and timely articles
• Biblical Studies – Various ways of obtaining biblical/historical knowledge online

(I’m still working on HTML anchors for the headings, be patient!)

Without further ado, the list!

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The Humongous Page of Libertarian Resources

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Tags: christian libertarian, economics, ethics, General Libertarian Blogs, philosophy, theology

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• LewRockwell.com Blog: Temple Prostitution.
• Free Advice: Awkward Thoughts on Memorial Day.

A conservative talk show host agrees to undergo waterboarding. Seven seconds later he says it really is torture.

Hat-tip to Kelse Moen at YAL for posting this Chesterton poem: “The English Graves.”

Were I a wandering citizen whose city is the world,

I would not weep for all that fell before the flags were furled;

I would not let one murmur mar the trumpets volleying forth

How God grew weary of the kings, and the cold hell in the north.

But we whose hearts are homing birds have heavier thoughts of home,

Though the great eagles burn with gold on Paris or on Rome,

Who stand beside our dead and stare, like seers at an eclipse,

At the riddle of the island tale and the twilight of the ships.

For these were simple men that loved with hands and feet and eyes,

Whose souls were humbled to the hills and narrowed to the skies,

The hundred little lands within one little land that lie,

Where Severn seeks the sunset isles or Sussex scales the sky.

And what is theirs, though banners blow on Warsaw risen again,

Or ancient laughter walks in gold through the vineyards of Lorraine,

Their dead are marked on English stones, their loves on English trees,

How little is the prize they win, how mean a coin for these –

How small a shrivelled laurel-leaf lies crumpled here and curled:

They died to save their country and they only saved the world.

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Links for this Memorial Day

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Tags: christian libertarian, poems, theology, war

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