Join the LCI Team each week they explore, debate, and analyze the issues that are directly relevant to the intersection of Christianity and liberty. Always thoughtful, frequently controversial, and never boring (trust us), it is our hope and prayer that The Libertarian Christian Podcast serve as a valuable resource to the Church for years to come.
Special thanks to Matthew Bellis for being our Intro voice, and to Podsworth Media for editing and mastering the audio. They volunteered their time and talent to help us create a professional-sounding podcast, and we are grateful for their support! It should be noted that their support for the podcast is not to be construed as their endorsement of the ideas and beliefs we talk about on the podcast.
In today’s episode we talk to advertising guru and creator of the Tuttle Twins television show, Daniel Harmon. Daniel is one of the founders of the Harmon Brothers ad agency, which has been the brains behind multiple viral ad campaigns; such as the Squatty Potty, Poo-Pourri, Purple beds, and many more. We discuss how Daniel Harmon found
In this week’s episode Doug Stuart talks with Dr. C. Bradley Thompson; a professor at the University of Clemson, and author of America’s Revolutionary Mind, which happens to be the topic of this podcast episode. They discuss the “moral history” of the American Revolution, its pertinence to 2021 politics, and how
In this episode, LCI is joined by the liberty movement’s favorite podcaster — historian and entrepreneur Tom Woods — as we dive into constitutional history and try to answer the question, “Is the Constitution any good?” Has it actually been effective at limiting government? Is the government it creates even
Doug Stuart and Dr. Norman Horn joined Buck Johnson on his Counterflow Podcast to talk about Faith Seeking Freedom and field some tough, interesting questions from Buck. If you didn’t already catch this great episode on Buck’s podcast feed, then you’ll definitely want to listen to it now! Show Notes: Check out
Whether or not Christians give credence to evolutionary biology, cognitive scientist Justin Barrett – founder/president of Blueprint 1543 and co-author of Thriving with Stone Age Minds – believes that the sub-field of evolutionary psychology has a lot to offer us when it comes to understanding human thriving and flourishing. Justin
Today Jacob Daniel Winograd joins Doug to talk about the various approaches to politics within the libertarian movement, in particular the strategy of the Mises Caucus and why its emphases are likely to have better results for the sake of liberty. Show Notes: Check out the video version of this
How you respond when you know the mainstream media is selling you lies and deception? What is the appropriate amount of skepticism and rejection of the narrative for a libertarian Christian? Jason Rink joins us to talk about his experience and understanding of the way the corporate press has its
Kick off the Christmas season with a cheerful short book by Tom Mullen, author of An Anti-State Christmas. Not only will you learn why Tom Mullen believes Jesus was the greatest libertarian, you’ll get to read his hilarious poem about Christmas Eve during an era of government control during a
Crypto-currency expert Vijay Boyapati, who left his job with Google to support the Ron Paul 2008 presidential campaign, joins Dr. Norman Horn to discuss his excellent new book, The Bullish Case for Bitcoin, and field common questions and objections to crypto-currency in general and Bitcoin specifically. Show Notes: Check out the
How do you process and apply history? What do you really know about history in the first place? …just trivia, or deep understanding that impacts your beliefs and actions? What’s the purpose of government? …and how does your understanding of history impact how you answer that question? Historian Jeff Nichols,
Kerry Baldwin joins Doug Stuart to answer the Christian version of, “But who would build the roads?” Spoiler: No, the fact that God created and hence “owns” everything does not mean that we cannot also own ourselves. Join Kerry and Doug as they bury this old chestnut and discuss various
Chris Williams of Podsworth Media joins Doug Stuart to discuss how the actions of government, big tech, and the corporate press in the COVID era have impacted the liberty movement. They discuss the varying reactions to mask and vaccine mandates among different camps of libertarians, the red-pilled vs. blue-pilled paradigm,
Most libertarians defend their politics with a simple starting point: self-ownership and the non-aggression principle. Christians have often raised issues with the concept of self-ownership, since as the Creator of the universe, isn’t God really the owner of everything? Todd Lewis, a recent guest on the podcast, joins Doug and
Doug Stuart and Dick Clark joined Bob Murphy to talk about Faith Seeking Freedom, and Bob hurled some extra-tough questions their way. If you didn’t already catch this great episode on Bob’s podcast feed, then you’ll definitely want to listen to it now! Show Notes: Did you know you can
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 13: Christian Misconceptions of Libertarianism. Norman Horn joins Doug Stuart to discuss the book’s final chapter and more! Show Notes: Did you know you can read
David Forsyth recently welcomed Doug Stuart onto his Freedom Adventure podcast to discuss the Christian case for compassionate border policy. Show Notes: Listen to this episode of Freedom Adventure on Audible.com.
Jimmy Song recently welcomed Doug Stuart onto his podcast, Bitcoin Fixes This, for a wide-ranging conversation. Today, we are sharing that conversation with you. Show Notes: Make sure to check out Jimmy Song’s podcast, Bitcoin Fixes This. The Bob Murphy book Doug mentioned: The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism.
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 12: What About the Environment and Creation? Dick Clark joins Norman Horn to discuss how pollution control and stewardship of the earth and scarce natural resources would be
How are libertarians different from conservatives? What should I do about getting a vaccine? How do we deal with social media being hostile to free market ideals? In this episode, Doug and Norman tackle these questions and more from listeners. Show Notes: Did you know you can read Faith Seeking
Abolitionist Nathan Weisser joins Kerry Baldwin and Doug Stuart for a discussion of the different sub-sects of the pro-life movement, their differing strategies, where and why they disagree, and where all people who consider themselves pro-life should be able to come together. Special Bonus: You can watch the video of
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 11: What About Abortion? Kerry Baldwin joins Norman Horn to discuss what both pro-choicers and pro-lifers get wrong on this issue and the unique perspective on
Entrepreneur and author Luke Burgis joins us to talk about mimetic desire in everyday life. In this discussion, Luke talks about the importance of understanding mimetic desire, how Scripture demonstrates mimetic desire, and how we as humans can use this understanding of ourselves, others, and the culture to comprehend the
Doug Stuart joins the Steel on Steel podcast to discuss with conservative host John Loeffler what the Christian libertarian view on immigration should be. Doug advocates a more open borders policy, but as John points out, this is not without its concerns, and certainly not without its opponents. Listen to
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 10: What About Immigration? Dick Clark joins Doug Stuart to discuss God’s call for His people to take care of immigrants, how He punished nations who
This episode features LCI’s Libertarian Christian Roundtable, where you get a Libertarian Christian reaction and assessment of the latest news. In this episode, we welcome David Gay of Liberty Memes to discuss the latest incredible happenings in Cuba, and the misinformation coming from the Federal Government surrounding it as well.
Does Romans 13 mean that we, as Christians, should just submit to the state? Or is there perhaps a better, more nuanced way to understand Romans 13, and therefore what a Christian’s relationship to the state should be? Join Doug and guest Matt Bellis (who is also the narrator for
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 9: What About Social Justice? Dick Clark joins Doug Stuart to discuss how we should think of the concept of social justice, why private charity is
Todd Lewis joins us to discuss pacifism and why libertarian Christians should especially be interested in understanding this position further. Show Notes: Hear more of what Todd Lewis has to say at his twitter, youtube, and blog!
What is the connection between worship on Sunday and work on Monday? Why do ministers and worship leaders struggle to connect what they do on Sunday service with the lives of workers in the pews? Join Doug and guest host, Kerry Baldwin, as they interview Matthew Kaemingk on his book, Work
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 8: What About Nationalism, the Nation State, & Patriotism? Dr. Norman Horn and Doug Stuart discuss the dangers of nationalism, how it is possible to be
Lee C. Camp is professor of Theology & Ethics at Lipscomb University in Nashville. He is the author of “Mere Discipleship: Radical Christianity in a Rebellious World” and “Scandalous Witness” and is co-author of “Resisting Babel“. He is also the host of the Tokens Show, the world’s only long-running theological
Dr. Michael Lewis joins us to talk about the Christian’s duty to non-resistance to the state. Not only did Jesus want his followers to be non-violent as part of our witness, but also the Bible and the early church testify to this ethic. Show Notes: Learn more about this topic
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 7: What About Public Goods and Services? Dick Clark joins Norman Horn to discuss “Who Would Build the Roads?” and how other common government functions would be performed
Jimmy Song, co-author of Thank God for Bitcoin, joins us to discuss the importance of sound money, and why bitcoin is an ideal money that exceeds even gold in its ability to thwart against tyranny, stabilize an economy, and become a foundation for humans to live more moral lives. Show
Is tipping a pastime that should be abandoned? Why do waiters and waitresses prefer a tipping economy to a fixed wage economy? Anthony Gill, who has become world renown for his research on gratuities, joins us to discuss why tipping solves a handful of economic problems, and also serves as
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 6: What About Christian Morals and Ethics? Kerry Baldwin joins Doug to discuss why non-libertarians don’t have to fear a life in a free society. Show
When we live in a culture of fear, how should Christians follow Jesus in such a way that lives in hope and trust in God’s providence? Scott Bader-Saye, author of Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear, joins us to discuss the topic of fear in society. Show Notes We encourage
Kerry Baldwin is back on the show to discuss what critical thinking really is, why it’s important, how to do it properly, why so many people seem to lack the ability to think critically, and how to conduct conversations with people using the Socratic method, in order to help them
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 5: Is Capitalism Problematic? Kerry Baldwin joins Doug to discuss why non-libertarians don’t have to fear a life in a free society. Show Notes Buy Faith
Mike Maharrey of the Godarchy Podcast & the 10th Amendment Center joins Doug for an unscripted discussion on what’s on their minds lately, from Bitcoin and sound money, to the deleterious effects of fiat currency on society, to free speech and the right to bear arms, and more! Show Notes
James Whitford of TrueCharity.us joins us to discuss his passion for serving the poor without the state and how Christians can join the efforts of others to love those in need by offering them a way out of poverty. Show Notes Want to learn more about the principles of
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 4: Does A Free Society Have Limits? Show Notes Buy Faith Seeking Freedom
Doug Stuart and Dr. Norman Horn discuss two of the biggest issues non-libertarian Christians should repent and embrace a libertarian view on: the drug war and free movement of people. Libertarians have long been on the right side of the divide, and Doug and Norman believe that the church is
The humanity of Jesus is an important doctrine to Christians, and recognizing its importance has real significance to our daily lives. Kurt Willems joins us to talk about his new book, Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems Our Pain, which is a theologically rich yet deeply personal manifesto
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 3: What is Government? Show Notes Buy Faith Seeking Freedom Today
While the future is uncertain, there are trends that point toward potential threats to our financial future and well-being. Chuck Bentley of Crown Financial Ministries has identified seven potential threats to our economic well-being in his new book, Seven Gray Swans. He joins us to talk about a few of
How did Donald Trump and the Republican Party become the default party of rural America? How does small town politics relate to the polarization at the national level? Ross Benes, author of Rural Rebellion: How Nebraska Became a Republican Stronghold, joins us to discuss his insightful memoir/analysis of Nebraskan politics,
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 2: The Libertarian Basics. Show Notes Buy Faith Seeking Freedom Today
Recently, Doug and Norman joined Josh Murtagh on his podcast, The Two Things You Shouldn’t Talk About, and talked about religion and politics, in particular, what a libertarian Christian perspective on social life is. Show Notes The Two Things Website Buy Faith Seeking Freedom Today
Recently all four authors of Faith Seeking Freedom joined Chris Arnzen on Iron Sharpens Iron Radio to discuss the intersection between faith and politics. They also took listener questions sent in while they were on the air. Enjoy this extended episode! Show Notes Buy Faith Seeking Freedom Today
Join the co-authors of Faith Seeking Freedom to get a “behind the scenes” look at the the book’s creation and the content of Chapter 1: Why Should I Care About Politics? Show Notes Buy Faith Seeking Freedom Today
Kurt Willems of the Theology Curator podcast joins us to talk about why Jesus was political, how Jesus did politics, and how the church today can follow in the footsteps of Jesus when living publicly. Kurt also gives us his feedback on LCI’s latest book, Faith Seeking Freedom. Show Notes
The Libertarian Christian Roundtable, featuring Jason Rink who was at the Stop the Steal rally in Washington, D.C., discusses the experience of the January 6 protest/riot/insurrection/kerfuffle (nobody knows what to call it!), as well as the mindset behind those at the rally, and the truth about what really happened.
Kerry Baldwin & Dick Clark recently appeared on the Decentralized Revolution podcast of the Libertarian Party Mises Caucus to discuss LCI’s new book, “Faith Seeking Freedom: Libertarian Christian Answers to Tough Questions”. In this interview, they get into a lot of interesting details and nuances not discussed in other interviews
Doug welcomes to the show Mike Maharrey of the Tenth Amendment Center and his friend Colby to discuss the topic of Federalism: What is it ideally? How is it supposed to work? How does it work in reality? How does the US model compare to other representative governments? How should
In the final episode of 2020, Norman, Matthew, and Kerry join Doug for an extended episode with a heartfelt discussion about 2020. They reflect on their own experience with the pandemic, how it affected their church and families, as well as what pleasant surprises came about during the year. And
In this episode, Doug and Norman talk Church history with Prof. John Mark Hicks of Lipscomb University. Dr. Hicks’s recent book Resisting Babel discusses the life and thought of David Lipscomb, an important historical figure in the American Churches of Christ in the 19th century. Living in Tennessee through the
Ronald Bailey from Reason.com joins us to talk about his new book (co-authored with Marian Tupy), Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know. We discuss why people are unaware of the global trends, why some data doesn’t tell the whole story, and what humanity can do to keep the
Austin Rogers joins us to talk about his new book, The Third Temptation: Rethinking the Role of the Church in Politics. Austin believes that many in the church today have succumbed to the temptation to make political power their authority rather than Jesus Christ, and that there’s a better way
In this episode, Doug Stuart and Kerry Baldwin are interviewed by Mike Maharrey of the GodArchy Podcast and the Tenth Amendment Center about LCI’s new book, Faith Seeking Freedom: Libertarian Christian Answers to Tough Questions, a Q&A book designed to help libertarian Christians answer common objections to libertarianism from a
Learning history can be boring and tedious, and not knowing how to connect events, characters, and movements can be frustrating. Jeff Nichols joins us to discuss how to do history and to share with us how he approaches history on his new podcast, History Comes Alive.
Fr. Robert Sirico, president of the Acton Institute, joins us today to discuss his journey from Marxist to free marketeer, and how he makes the moral case for a free economy. He also discusses why he is not fond of the term “libertarian” or “capitalism,” as well as how his
Kevin Vallier is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Bowling Green State University. He works primarily in political philosophy, ethics, Political Economy, and the philosophy of religion. He is the author of over forty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, four edited volumes, and three book, including Must Politics Be War? Restoring
LCI announces a new book called Faith Seeking Freedom: Libertarian Christian Answers to Tough Questions, a Q&A book designed to help libertarian Christians answer common objections to libertarianism from a Christian perspective. Join the authors for a discussion on the book’s development, why we wrote it, and how you can
In this episode, Dr. Norman Horn is interviewed by Mike Maharrey of the GodArchy Podcast and the Tenth Amendment Center. They discuss how libertarian philosophy meshes with Christian theology, as well as Norman’s spiritual/political journey and the work of LCI.
Our very own Dr. Norman Horn talks about how Christians and non-Christians alike abuse science. Whether through sloppy thinking or simply being mistaken about the origins of the scientific method, Dr. Horn elucidates how Christians and libertarians should think about science public policy, and our faith.
Beth Silvers from the Pantsuits Politics podcast joins us to talk about her book, I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations, where we discuss how to have healthy conflict in political discussions, why a sports metaphor doesn’t work for politics, and whether or not
In this episode of the LCI Roundtable, we discuss the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and whether she deserves all the attention she’s getting from both sides of the aisle. What were her contributions? Is she at all responsible for legal abortion in America? To evaluate this, we discuss several
Why should Christians, conservatives, and libertarians reject the death penalty? Hannah Cox from Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty joins us to talk about why she believes those who believe in limited government and justice should advocate for ending the death penalty. Show Notes Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty
Jared Byas of the popular podcast The Bible for Normal People joins us to talk about his new book, Love Matters More: How Fighting to be Right Keeps us from Loving like Jesus. Jared and Doug discuss the nature of truth and the relationship between truth and love. Show Notes
Can a Christian parent use libertarian principles? Does property rights help us disciple our children better? Does spanking violate the non-aggression principle? In this episode, Doug is joined by Matthew Bellis and Kerry Baldwin to discuss the intersection of libertarianism and Christian parenting. Show Notes
Author Gen LaGreca joins us to discuss her new political thriller, Just the Truth, where a journalist doggedly pursues the truth in a scandal to cover up election fraud at the highest levels of government. Show Notes Just the Truth
Curious about bitcoin? Join a conversation with our friends Brian Harrington and Josh Humphrey as we discuss what bitcoin is (and isn’t) and why it is important to the future of liberty. Brian Harrington is a marketing consultant, freedom fighter, and Bitcoiner from Anaheim, CA. He graduated from Azusa Pacific
Jason Szeftel is author and podcaster with a background in international development, law, and economics. He’s spent considerable time in China and was recently on to talk about China’s influence in the world. He’s back to talk about the history of Christianity in China. Show Notes China Unraveled 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. Show Notes
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. Show Notes
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”. Show Notes
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
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
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
Listen to Doug give answers on the new Freedom Adventure Podcast to a variety of questions about politics, theology, and the reason he’s a libertarian Christian! Show Notes Your Freedom Adventure
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. Show Notes AntiWarWarVet.com
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. Show Notes Buy on
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
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. Show Notes AnarchoChristian.com
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. Show Notes LCI COVID Conversations on YouTube
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! Show Notes
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. Show Notes
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
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
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. Show Notes Joy’s Website National Fever Tracker
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
Mike Maharrey, author of Constitution Owner’s Manual, joins us to clean up some sloppy thinking most people, including libertarians, have about the Constitution. Show Notes Constitution Owner’s Manual
Mike Maharrey, author of Constitution Owner’s Manual, joins us to clean up some sloppy thinking most people, including libertarians, have about the Constitution. Show Notes
Reason 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. Show Notes
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
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
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
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. Show Notes anthonygflood.com
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
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,
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. Show Notes Econisforlovers.com
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
What if you just stayed home on voting day? Why would this be a better moral choice? Is there anything lost personally or societally 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
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. Show Notes AnarchoChristian.com
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,
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.
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! Show Notes
Why would a politician change 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
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? Show Notes Experimental Theology Trains, Jesus, & Murder: the Gospel
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?
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. Show Notes Do you
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? Show Notes Do you Hate the State?
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
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,
How do you unmake violence in parts of the world 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
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
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. Show
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
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
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. Show Notes
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,
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. Show Notes
If you had to let the state do one thing only, what would it be? Roads? Libraries? Primary Schooling? Why or why not? In this episode, Doug and Norman answer this question, as well as discuss the ways in which we can expand our imaginations and offer legit alternatives to
Do Christians need to be pacifists? What would that even mean or look like? Is it wrong to use a gun in self-defense? Ted Grimsrud, Senior Professor of Peace Theology at EMU, joins us to talk about the biblical roots of pacifism. Show Notes thinkingpacifism.net peacetheology.net
Does capitalism encourage excessive consumption and greed? Why do anti-capitalists seem to have a zero-sum view of global economic resources? Should we be wary of advertising because it causes us to lose our true freedom to choose? Edd Noell, professor of Economics and Business at Westmont College and President of
Doug and Norman discuss the issue of social justice. What is social justice? Why do many people have different notions of it? Is there a “libertarian Christian” way to conceive of social justice? Is there such a thing as a “social gospel”? And can the state rightly participate in enabling
With the death of the VW Beetle and the arrival of the self-checkout, the world is coming to an end. Or is it? Art Carden, an economist to his core, joins us to alleviate our fears about the end of the world as we know it. After it, you’ll feel
This episode was originally recorded for the Bob Murphy show, where Bob and Norman Horn have a provocative conversation that will enlighten both believers and skeptics alike. They critically analyze the tendency of American Christians to support war, in its domestic and foreign applications. Norman gives Bob the best, succinct
NT Wright answers our questions about how the Church is to relate to the state and how Christians are to be followers of Jesus in our time and place. What does Church-State politics look like in the United States or in Great Britain? Are they the same? Wright answers our
Do religious people in the United States need to be on alert for violations of their religious freedom? What recent issues have taken place that threaten our individual liberty? Daniel Ortner joins us to talk about the Pacific Legal Foundation and how individual and religious liberty are key fights in
Troy Frasier and Joel Bourdess join us to talk about how sermons preached before the advent of audio recording can now be heard in modern language through their podcast. They share stories about the preachers, their research on the sermons, and the context in which these sermons were preached. Show
If talking about politics is tough for you, our guest Hunter Baker has some helpful advice and insights about how best to approach the topics of freedom, liberty, justice, and peace. Show Notes Hunter Baker’s Website
Isaac Morehouse is more interested in creating freedom for himself and enabling others to get over obstacles to their own freedom and human flourishing, and it is always worth hearing what he has to say about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Show Notes Crash.co
Daniel Griswold of the Mercatus Center joins us to talk about how Christians can make the case for free trade by employing moral, economic, and historical arguments. How does free trade enable us to “love thy neighbor” or raise the costs of war or improve the livelihood of the destitute?
We don’t usually publish two episodes in a row on the same topic, but when we do, you can be sure it’s really important! This week’s episode features a unique audio documentary created a few years ago by our audio engineer for this podcast, Chris Williams. He succinctly presents a
Much of what is being said on the news and social media about abortion by both pro-choice and pro-life activists is just wrong. In this episode, three pro-life libertarian women “take the mic” to discuss some of the most common myths about abortion and to present a new way of
Jamin Andreas Hübner joins us to analyze the claims of democratic socialism and whether or not libertarians should take them seriously. Show Notes A Sit Down with the Nanny State, Part I A Sit Down with the Nanny State, Part II A Sit Down with the Nanny State, Part III
Doug Stuart was a guest on Larry Reed’s “Reed Hour” on the Loving Liberty radio network, and joined Larry to discuss his journey to Christian libertarianism, what LCI is all about, and why democratic socialists are wrong about how to get what they want out of society. Show Notes
In this episode, Norman is joined by Dr. RC Sproul Jr to discuss his new book Growing Up With RC. Dr. Sproul’s father, RC Sr., was an acclaimed theologian who passed away in late 2017. RC Jr.’s book honors his faithful gospel legacy, and in the show we pass on
Cody Cook is a theology graduate student and film buff living in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife and family. He’s the host of the Cantus Firmus podcast and is the author of Fight the Powers: What the Bible Says about the Relationship between Spiritual Forces and Human Governments. Show Notes
Alison Morrow of GoodSchooling.net joins us to talk about homeschooling – her own journey, myths people believe about homeschooling, and how her business exists to serve homeschooling parents to achieve the educational goals for their children. Show Notes GoodSchooling.net
Jacqueline Isaacs, co-author of the book, Called to Freedom: Why You Can Be Christian and Libertarian, joins us to announce a forthcoming audiobook edition of the book. Jacque shares the story behind the book, the audiobook, and some behind-the-scenes stories about their creation. Show Notes Called to Freedom Audiobook landing
Alex Salter joins us to talk about his co-authored piece in the Christian Libertarian Review on Distributism. Show Notes Christian Libertarian Review
Hunter Hastings of the Center for Individualism joins us to talk about his book, The Interconnected Individual, and why we should look forward to the exciting new economic realities of the future. Show Notes Center for Individualism
Capitalism has gotten a bad rap, and has many undeserved criticisms of it. Doug and Norman discuss what capitalism really is, down to its fundamentals, and answer some critical questions many have about it.
Gene Epstein of The Soho Forum joins us to equip free market proponents with information on how to combat against misunderstandings about wealth, inequality, and other talking points the anti-capitalists are espousing.
Randy England joins us to talk about his book, Free is Beautiful, a tremendous work on the foundations of libertarianism from a biblical and Church history perspective.
If you were approached on the street and asked what libertarians believe, what would you say? Would it be succinct? Or would it take a few minutes? Doug and Norman discuss some of the basics of libertarianism, providing both succinct and elaborate answers to common questions about the non-aggression principle,
In this joint episode with Godarchy host Mike Maharrey, we discuss a recent article from Sojourners on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s so-called biblical values of democratic socialism. The author supports the idea that AOC’s politics could be derived from the Bible. Mike and Doug discuss the article in-depth using humor, sarcasm, and
Sean Malone, Director of Media at FEE, joins us to talk about media bias, misinformation, and manipulation, as well as how to promote liberty with media in an oversaturated market for attention.
Elijah Thompson of Dank Pro-Life Memes and TheFetalPosition.comjoins us to talk about elevating the conversation about abortion and help bolster the arguments pro-life advocates make.
Brent Waters, author of Just Capitalism, joins us to discuss globalization, its effects on poverty, the good of affluence, and how Christians should consider capitalism in an ever-growing economy.
Roger McKinney, author of God is a Capitalist: Markets from Moses to Marx, joins us to talk about his book, and we dive into the topic of envy and why Christianity’s emphasis on the individual enabled society to think about the world differently, suppressing envy of those around us, and
Jamin Andreas Hübner joins us to discuss how libertarian Christians can deal with the problem of being misrepresented by conservatives, progressives, or just about anybody.
Judge Andrew Napolitano joins us for a quick discussion on why he’s a Christian AND a libertarian, what threatens our liberties in America today, and his “report card” for the Trump presidency so far.
The Cato Institute’s Michael Tanner joins me to discuss his book, The Inclusive Economy, and what Americans need to consider if we want to seriously make the world a better place for the poor instead of just throwing money at the problem. Show Notes: The Inclusive Economy
Mike Munger from Duke University joins me to talk about the Third Economic Revolution that is currently underway. Most people think of it as the sharing economy, but it’s far more than that, and Munger’s analysis on it helps us think better as economists and libertarians. We also briefly discuss
On Monday, January 7, LCI hosted its first live episode online, where he and Dr. Norman Horn discussed the origins of LCC, Norman’s success at converting his family to be libertarians, our superfast incorporation story, and the journey starting as a blog about faith and liberty to an institute dedicated
John Schneider, author of the book The Good of Affluence, joins us to talk about a biblical theology of wealth. How can we know that God wants us to flourish and be prosperous in a truly biblical sense? John rejects the label “prosperity gospel” because there is no guarantees of
Musician Zama Rripa joins us to talk about becoming a musician, writing libertarian songs, and some of his favorite topics around liberty such as honest money, problems with the Federal Reserve, and more! We also feature some of Zama Rripa’s music, including titles like “Live and Let Live” and “Blowback.”
Jason Rink talks to Max Borders about his book, The Social Singularity, where they discuss the promise of a decentralized world.
Is there a “Christian” view of economics? How does economic understanding relate to how we approach ethics, sociology, and policy, particularly through a Christian lens? In this episode, economics professor Shawn Ritenour joins us to discuss these questions and more, while also providing insights from his personal journey as both
Libertarians are known for their advocacy of free choice, free association, and free movement. But are there boundaries or limits to this openness? Dr. Jason Brennan of Georgetown University joins us to talk what it means to advocate for global justice, and why it means being open borders and free
TOMORROW (Nov 27, 2018) is Giving Tuesday, and Facebook is matching donations up to $7 million, and as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, LCI qualifies to receive the matched donation. Doug and Norman talk about this important development, as well as why our LCI Facebook group is a great place to join.
LCI’s Norman Horn and Doug Stuart discuss over a few drinks everything form hymns, church denominations, and the recent election.
On the day of the 2018 midterm elections, Dr. Art Carden joins Doug Stuart to talk about the elections, how to improve the world after the election (no matter who won), and how to be a better proponent of economics and liberty.
The popularity of the Christian Left has grown in the past decade, and its message is attracting many Christians far and wide. But many are not familiar with some of the origins of those who have led the movement from its inception in the 1970s and earlier. Bill Anderson joins
What explains the wealth of the modern age? Was it capital? Institutions? Slave-holding? Why do some countries seem to have an economic advantage over others? Are the fears of progressives about wealth inequality worth paying attention to? Economist, historian, and prolific author Deirdre McCloskey joins us to talk about the
Does a libertopia exist? Is such an idea even possible? What would happen if thousands (or tens of thousands) of freedom lovers all move to the same place? Varrin Swearingen from the Free State Project, joins us to talk about his experience of moving to a place with so many
Jeremy Jackson, associate professor at North Dakota State University, joins us to talk about happiness research and social capital. He also tells us what got allured him about economics. Show Notes Jeremy’s website The Center for the Study of Public Choice and Private Enterprise
Whether it comes from Pope Francis or another person who wants to virtue signal about the kind of society they advocate, the “caring society” sounds like a great idea. But what does it actually mean? Can we even achieve such a thing, and would capitalism be a part of it?
In the summer of 2018 Jason Rink participated in a panel discussion at the Texas Marijuana Policy Conference in Austin, TX. Jason joins us to discuss the conference and share further thoughts on how Christians can think about the issue of cannabis use. Show Notes Faith and Cannabis Conference Audio
Lawrence W. Reed is president of the Foundation for Economic Education, and has a long history of promoting liberty in the classroom and in think tanks. In this episode he tells us how he became a libertarian, how he has worked in and for the liberty movement over the decades,
Nullification is the idea that, in these United States, the individual states have the power the supercede and “make null” federal law that goes beyond the powers given to the federal government by the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison are two of the Founding Fathers most associated with these
In this “Extended Edition” of our podcast, we talk with Armond Boudreaux and Corey Latta, authors of the book Titans: How Superheroes Can Help us Make Sense of a Polarized World!about the real-world insights that superhero stories give us. More than mere entertainment, the genre of superhero comics and movies
If libertarianism is neither of the left nor the right, then why do libertarians still get cornered as “conservative” or “right-wing” on a regular basis? Furthermore, for Christians especially the conflation of politicalconservatism with theologicalconservatism is confusing at best, grossly problematic at worst. Many Christian libertarians start off as conservatives,
Dr. Eric Larson is an anesthesiologist in private practice in Grand Rapids, MI, and host of the podcast Paradocs. He joins us to talk about his experience with immigration, and he also shares some helpful information on what non-physicians need to know about the medical industry. Relevant Links The Paradocs
Trump told his supporters that they would get tired of all the winning America would be doing if he were president. Now Trump has worked tirelessly to impose tariffs, which cause a lot of economic woes upon many in the United States. Dr. Art Carden of Samford University joins us
Futurists warn humans that our ability to stay competitive will be dramatically reduced because robots and artificial intelligence will make our work obsolete. While Jay Richards does not believe A.I. poses a threat the way some do, he does believe that humans working in a new economy will demand the
Join us for our second episode where we answer questions you have submitted, as well as popular topics from our Facebook group. We talk about pacifism, pledging allegiance, prayer in public schools, what would happen if Adam and Eve never sinned, and more!
Join us for our third episode where we answer questions you have submitted, as well as popular topics from our Facebook group. Nationalism, idolatry, voting, and how would the rights of the unborn be protected in a stateless society.
Christians know about Jesus from the Bible, but can we really know Jesuswithout it? What is the difference between “the Word of God” and “the word of God”? Where does the Bible fit into Christian discipleship and habits of spiritual formation? We discuss all this and more with the author
Libertarianism is the political philosophy of compassion, says Mary Ruwart, longtime libertarian and author of Healing Our World.Mary joins us to talk about a variety of issues that every libertarian has to defend or confront, including regulation, welfare, and the health industry. Mary’s website
Doug Bandow of the Cato Institute joins us to talk about foreign policy from the standpoint of a Christian libertarian. We talk about North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and of course, Israel. Doug Bandow at Cato Institute
In this episode, LCI is joined by the liberty movement’s favorite podcaster — historian and entrepreneur Tom Woods — as we dive into constitutional history and try to answer the question, “Is the Constitution any good?” Has it actually been effective at limiting government? Is the government it creates even
LCI recently released our Mission, Vision and Core Values statement: a concise, systematic presentation of what we stand for as an organization. This document will provide a framework for LCI going forward, and also serve for branding purposes as a broad explanation of what we believe about the intersection of
LCI recently released our Mission, Vision and Core Values statement: a concise, systematic presentation of what we stand for as an organization. This document will provide a framework for LCI going forward, and also serve for branding purposes as a broad explanation of what we believe about the intersection of
LCI recently released our Mission, Vision and Core Values statement: a concise, systematic presentation of what we stand for as an organization. This document will provide a framework for LCI going forward, and also serve for branding purposes as a broad explanation of what we believe about the intersection of
LCI recently released our Mission, Vision and Core Values statement: a concise, systematic presentation of what we stand for as an organization. This document will provide a framework for LCI going forward, and also serve for branding purposes as a broad explanation of what we believe about the intersection of
This episode is second in a series covering our Mission, Vision, and Core Values statement: a concise, systematic presentation of what we stand for as an organization. This episode focuses on why Christian political philosophy should be informed by a holistic view of Scripture, reason, and historical theology. Mission, Vision,
LCI recently released our Mission, Vision and Core Values statement: a concise, systematic presentation of what we stand for as an organization. This document will provide a framework for LCI going forward, and also serve for branding purposes as a broad explanation of what we believe about the intersection of
Intellectual property affects us daily, but is hardly understood by the average individual. Is it something libertarians need to be concerned about? Is it legitimate “property” in the first place? Stephan Kinsella joins us to discuss the important of IP. Stephan Kinsella’s website
Capitalism has gotten a bad rap, unfortunately because most people are unaware of what it truly means. Marxism beliefs are creeping into the public’s view of economics, causing people to question the morality of a free market. Even Christians are unwittingly accepting Marxist dogma as economic fact. Dr. Jay Richards
The issue of abortion is of great concern to pro-lifers, yet even libertarians debate the political issues with as much disagreement as the left and the right. Is there a Christian libertarian view? How would it differ from the typical pro-life position? What does it mean to say one is
Is there a Christian view of economics? If so, what makes The Economic Way of Thinking different for the Christian? Why do people easily believe economic fallacies? Today Dr. Victor Claar joins us to talk about a Christian economic perspective. Economics in Christian Perspective Fair Trade? Its Prospects as a
The left frequently criticizes free market capitalism with inaccurate caricatures and economic fallacies. However, in recent years, many business leaders and academics have been revisiting the philosophical foundations of capitalism and asking: “Is there more to this than just making a profit?” LCI board member and CEO of Conscious Capitalism,
Connor Boyack is president of Libertas Institute, a free market think tank in Utah. He is the author of the popular libertarian book series for children, The Tuttle Twins, as well as over a dozen books on politics, education, and culture. He is also president The Association for Teaching Kids
Tired of hearing bad arguments about why the state is good, but need a better way to respond? Author Zack Rofer (pseudonym) has you covered with his free e-book, Busting Myths About the State. His concise, well-argued book counters some common myths raised in defense of big government. In this
Regardless of your denomination, many American Christians have the sense that something is wrong in the Church today. Have we forgotten our mission and values, and if so, what can we do about it? Joining us to discuss these questions is entertainment industry professional and Christian media expert Jonathan Bock,
Chris Horst is the vice president of development at HOPE International, where he employs his passion for advancing initiatives at the intersection of faith and work. Chris also serves on the boards of the Denver Institute for Faith & Work. He is co-author (with Peter Greer) of Mission Drift and
The gun control debate in the United States has raged on for decades, and in many ways has escalated in recent years. Every time there is a mass shooting, calls for more gun control as the “obvious solution” engulf social media and public policy discussions. Furthermore, faulty statistics and bad
Join us for our second episode where we answer questions you have submitted, as well as popular topics from our Facebook group. We talk about cannabis, whether libertarianism can become an idol, why it’s difficult to get people to see taxation as aggression, who our favorite theologians are, and much
Concern for social justice has become one of the most effective ways for Christians to signal that they care about the world’s poor, yet below the surface of this virtue signaling are some important issues about justice itself – of social well-being – and understanding how to be a Christian
What distinguishes Christian libertarianism from secular (or other) forms of libertarianism? Is it mostly a question of motivation, or are there also differences in policy application? Do Christian libertarians sometimes even disagree with one another on policy? In this round table discussion, we explore these and other questions pertaining to
LCI recommends a lot of books for libertarians. Many of our regular readers or listeners may already be familiar with some of the most influential books amongst libertarian Christians, but in this episode, we’re going to discuss some other, perhaps lesser-known books (as well as some of the obvious ones),
It’s not the Old Testament that a Christian often goes to for their theological defense of non-violence. Our guest, Matthew Curtis Fleischer, believes that the Old Testament not only sets the stage for a non-violent Jesus, but also believes Christians will find in its pages the foundations for an ethic
You don’t have to become a radical Christian to begin changing the world. Our guest, psychologist Richard Beck, has written Stranger God to deal directly with what a Christian is to do when they know they should reach out to strangers – those on the margins. In an effort to
Constitutions are a divisive topic even amongst libertarians, with the debate often centered on the anarchism v. minarchism issue. But as stateless projects like the Seasteading Institute and others gain more traction, even anarchists and voluntaryists are asking: is there a place for “constitutions” in a fully privatized society? Joining
About a year and a half in the making, the Libertarian Christian Institute is now blessed to present our inaugural volume of Christian Libertarian Review: our new scholarly journal dedicated to the intersection of Christianity and libertarian thought. On this episode, General Editor Jamin Hübner and Assistant Editor Ruth Ryder
Most people, including most libertarians, have a very negative perception of lobbyists, often because lobbyists seem to represent those who loot the rest of us on behalf of special interests. While this is often the case, there are also some lobbyists who represent liberty. How does someone go about lobbying
One year ago, it was widely acknowledged and discussed that for good or bad, 2016 had been truly extraordinary. As we now reflect on 2017, what are we to make of it? In this episode, LCI contributor and Mimetic Theory expert David Gornoski returns to give a Girardian take on
As we celebrate the Advent, economist and friend of LCI Bob Murphy returns to the show to tell us about his Christian testimony. Once a staunch atheist who planned to write (in his words) “the definitive refutation of Christianity,” Bob was converted to Christ in the early 2000’s and has
Doug and Norman talk about the birth stories of Christ and how Matthew and Luke both use language and employ storytelling techniques that provide a clear anti-Roman and anti-empire story. This is good news for all because the message of liberation is not only about our personal liberation from the
Parabolic interpretation has been seen through many lenses throughout Christian history. While the deepest theological meaning of the parables carry the greatest importance, there are also important lessons which can be gleaned from the historical context in which the parables occur. In this episode, Jeffrey Tucker returns to discuss principles
Jared Byas does theology and business, and he integrates the two in this episode about what it means to do business with a kingdom perspective. Jared has experience with launching businesses as well as organizational planning and family business consulting. He is also the co-host of The Bible for Normal
God created a world in which our work matters. Often we fall into the mindset of compartmentalizing our lives into sacred or secular categories, but in the Christian life, everything is sacred and eternally valuable (including our work). In this episode, we are joined by pastor, author and ministry leader
It seems that people are no longer able to have a decent conversation with each other about politics or other controversial topics. Social media exacerbates our tribal tendencies and often we get entrenched in our own beliefs. It often takes the wisdom of one who has had years of experience
No matter where we are in the world, Silicon Valley plays a big role in most of our lives. Much of the technology that we have come to rely on for daily use is either designed in, managed from, or otherwise largely affected by the engineers, developers, programmers and executives
The popular perception of libertarianism is often skewed. While those on the left tend to think of libertarians as greedy and self-absorbed with no concern for the poor, those on the right — and particularly the Christian right — often conflate libertarianism with libertinism. What’s worse, many libertarians have contributed
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,
Mass shootings, gun control Protest with a football North Korea, South Korea, Rajoy as Franco No, it’s not a new Billy Joel song; it’s a discussion of some very important current events in culture, domestic and foreign policy, and international news which have happened during the last couple of months.
The Diocese of South Carolina, once part of the Episcopal Church, seceded from the denomination in 2012 after a complex dispute, and in 2017 joined another Anglican denomination, the Anglican Church in North America. However, the Episcopal Church claims ownership of the diocese’s real estate, as well as certain trademarks
The War on Drugs is one of the most frequently-cited policy issues in modern politics, and it also serves as a clear foil of libertarianism. Whether or not one supports inflicting legislative violence to stop non-violent activity, as happens routinely in the Drug War, is perhaps the most important litmus
Sociology, psychology and anthropology can bring us many important insights into our theology, and 20th century scholar René Girard is a testament to that fact. Diving deep into the root causes of sin and social conflict, Girard helps us to see that much of human strife occurs because of our
The subject of theonomy (rule by the Old Testament law) and Christian Reconstructionism (rebuilding society with the Old Testament as a blueprint) is sometimes raised in discussions of Christian political theology, particularly from those in the Reformed tradition. Most Reformed Christians would not identify as theonomists, yet interestingly, many who
The Libertarian Christian Institute was a big supporter of the book Called to Freedom, released in February of this year and featuring a foreword written by our own Norman Horn. Doug and Nick were joined at the Young Americans for Liberty National Convention (YALCON) in July by two of the
Today is the sixteenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Over the last couple of months, we’ve interviewed three leading foreign policy experts about what has transpired in U.S. foreign policy since that fateful day, what lessons were learned (or not learned), current issues in U.S. foreign policy, and the
In July, Doug Stuart and Nick Gausling attended the Young Americans for Liberty 2017 National Convention on behalf of LCI. This episode is our talk from the LCI breakout session, plus some additional Q&A recorded at the LCI booth. We cover some key points in how to engage and reach
Nearly every libertarian has heard the classic objection, “But who would build the roads?” This question is so common that it has become a point of ridicule by libertarians to mock weak arguments for why libertarianism supposedly can’t work in practice (as if the state’s nearly-endless track record of failures
As part of our summer lineup, we’re revisiting several of the most popular and informative talks given at Christians for Liberty conferences in previous years. Though instead of just reposting those talks, we’ve filled them with some extensive supplemental commentary, so even listeners who have heard the original talks with
Theologians have struggled for almost the entire history of the Church to analyze and explain the violence attributed to God in the Bible, particularly the Old Testament. As libertarian Christians, this issue is often raised regarding the compatibility of libertarianism and Christianity. Some ancient theologians resolved the conundrum using allegorical
As part of our summer lineup, we’re revisiting several of the most popular and informative talks given at Christians for Liberty conferences in previous years. Though instead of just reposting those talks, we’ve filled them with some extensive supplemental commentary, so even listeners who have heard the original talks with get all new material. This
Brian Zahnd is a pastor from Saint Joseph, Missouri, whose own thought journey mirrors that of many libertarian Christians: away from neoconservatism and nationalism, and towards skepticism of empire and the pursuit of peace. Though he doesn’t self-identify as a libertarian and we have some differences, Zahnd’s work does have
As part of our summer lineup, we’re revisiting several of the most popular and informative talks given at Christians for Liberty conferences in previous years. Though instead of just reposting those talks, we’ve filled them with some extensive supplemental commentary, so even listeners who have heard the original talks with
One of the most common questions asked to libertarian Christians is what we think about LGBTQ, gay marriage, and other related issues. Libertarian political philosophy only addresses the matter up to the point of state involvement: because these things constitute voluntary actions, they should not be regulated by law. In
C.S. Lewis is undoubtedly one of the most influential Christian thinkers of the past 100 years, and despite his death being more than a half century ago, his work contains many insights which apply to contemporary trends in philosophy, politics and society just as much as they did in his
It’s Independence Day once again, when hundreds of millions of Americans will celebrate a history most of them know very little about. One of the high holy days of what has become American civic religion, it’s very probable that the Founding Fathers would greatly lament what it has become. However,
One of the most common issues raised by non-libertarian Christians about libertarian thought is marriage licensing. Because the family unit is essential to social order, the argument goes, Christians should allegedly support state regulation of what constitutes ‘marriage’ and who is allowed to ‘marry.’ But state power is a sharp
Today we are joined by Shane Claiborne, an internationally-recognized author, speaker, and activist, and perhaps the leading western Christian voice for the New Monastic movement. While Shane does not identify as a libertarian, there are many aspects of his thinking which overlap with libertarianism. In this episode, we discuss capital
In our first ever debate on the Libertarian Christian Podcast, author Keith Giles returns to debate author/activist Mark van Steenwyk on Two Kingdoms theology and Christian involvement in formal politics. As he explained in our earlier interview, Giles holds that formal politics is not a proper task of the Christian
Isaac Morehouse is longtime contributor to and friend of the Libertarian Christian Institute, and today he joins us to discuss his organization, Praxis. As its very Misean name suggests, Praxis is about action; specifically, it’s about helping people to gain practical experience and skills which matter in real world business
On today’s episode, we are joined by libertarian Christian economist Art Carden to tackle one of the most pressing and divisive issues in contemporary American politics: immigration. President Trump’s stance on this issue was one of the key factors that propelled his victory in last November’s election, but since then
On this episode, the always insightful (and frequently controversial) biblical scholar Dr. Peter Enns joins the show to talk to us about the journey of faith, trusting God, how to disagree with other Christians, pitfalls in biblical interpretation, and much more. Those familiar with Enns’ work typically have a strong
Several weeks ago, Pope Francis escalated his political and economic rhetoric with a direct attack on libertarianism. Jeffrey Tucker, one of the liberty movement’s most influential thought leaders and himself a Roman Catholic, was told by his publisher that it seems as if the Pope’s comments were aimed at his
In this episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast, Norman, Doug and Nick venture into the metaphorical woods with a discussion of things we’ve been thinking about lately relevant to faith and freedom. We start off with aritificial intelligence and robotics, jump over to Russiaphobia and the New McCarthyism, round the
It’s obvious that throughout history, books have been one of the primary methods for communicating ideas. However, certain books stand out above the rest in terms of their perennial relevance and impact across hundreds or even thousands of years; these have come to be known as the Great Books. In
God & Country: for generations, it has been the refrain of ‘respectable’ Christianity for many Americans, but is it really a Christian concept? What about the majority of the world’s Christians who live outside the United States, many of them under oppressive regimes? What about the earliest Christians living under
In this week’s episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast, we are joined by author and pastor Keith Giles, whose new book Jesus Untangled is making waves with its thesis that the Church must separate itself from the state. Doug and Nick discuss with Giles how he reached his conclusions and
In last week’s episode, Nick and Doug interviewed communications expert Robin Koerner on how to effectively reach people with the libertarian message. In this episode — recorded independently of the previous interview — Norman and Jason discuss their take on the subject, including a corollary issue which is sometimes raised
We libertarians tend to be a philosophical bunch, and many of us can spend countless hours arguing over the finer points of economics, or trying to explain how Rothbardian political economy applies to environmental issues. But the reality is that the vast majority of the population does not reach political
As Christians, we understand that the evils we see in the world are really just manifestations of the deeper spiritual struggle between the Kingdom of God and the the kingdom of darkness. As libertarians, we also know that in the aggregate, nobody causes more evil and mayhem in the world
On this episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast, we respond to questions from you: the listener. Does a Christian’s view of libertarianism differ from that of a secular libertarian, or from the philosophy of Ayn Rand? What should we think about ever-recurring issues such as abortion and gay marriage? And how
On this episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast, we dive into yet another contentious topic. Libertarians (particularly of the anarchist variety) are very much divided on the issue of whether or not it is ethically acceptable to vote in government elections, while the resounding consensus amongst Christians seems to be
On today’s episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast, we welcome our first guest: Dr. Jamin Hübner. Jamin is a professional theologian from South Dakota, where he currently serves as founding Chair of Christian Studies at John Witherspoon College. No stranger to controversy, he is quickly becoming one of the leading
Welcome to the third episode of The Libertarian Christian Podcast. Today, we explore another volatile topic: violence, self-defense, and pacifism. The overwhelming majority of both Christians (at least in the West) and libertarians are not pacifists, and would at minimum favor a right of retaliatory or defensive force against aggressors.
Welcome to the second episode of The Libertarian Christian Podcast, and the first episode in which we’ll start to dive into some serious analysis. The mainline marketing gurus advise to ease into things without rocking the boat, so we thought it would be good to jump in with a non-controversial
Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Libertarian Christian Podcast! We at LCI are very enthusiastic about this project. Not only have our supporters been asking for it; it’s also a blast for us to record. But most importantly, we hope and expect it to be a valuable resource for
In this week’s podcast we get to hear from Laurence Vance on Religion and Libertarianism, the subject of his talk at the Austrian Scholars Conference 2011. This is a great talk to help you solidify how to present libertarianism to Christians, and even how to talk about Christianity to libertarian
At long last, I have my act together and am ready for new podcasts! Here is my talk at the Austrian Scholars Conference from March on New Testament Theology of the State. Download the podcast directly by clicking here.
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