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)