Contra Mundum

We revisit Calvin Coolidge’s immigration essay and apply it to the modern crisis. From cultural cohesion to policy failure, this episode explores why his framework still holds and what it means for America now.

A conversation with C.Jay Engel and Glenn Arbery on the Southern critics, what they opposed, what they defended, and how their arguments challenge the modern American order.

This episode looks at how the rise of the United States helped unravel the Westphalian system built after the Peace of Westphalia. While the system began to weaken after World War I and World War II, it was the U.S. that reshaped it.

Wide-ranging conversation with C.Jay Engel and Lee Cogdon unpacking the life and legacy of George Kennan the architect of Soviet containment. We explore Kennan’s role in shaping early Cold War strategy, the intellectual foundations of containment, and how his ideas were interpreted (and often misapplied) by U.S. policymakers.

In this episode, CJay sits down with historian Sean McMeekin to discuss Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Union, and the true dynamics behind World War II.

In this episode, C.Jay sits down with Allan Carlson to discuss his intellectual journey, his concept of the “Natural Family,” and the decline of the traditional family in modern America. We explore the rise of neoconservatism, the distortions of radical individualism, the economic and cultural forces that have weakened family life, and whether the West has any real path toward renewal.Support the show: https://www.contramundumpod.com/

In this special AMA episode, CJ and Andrew answer questions from their listeners and Gary.Support the show: https://www.contramundumpod.com/

In this episode, C.Jay sits down with Josiah Lippincott to discuss his college dissertation, where he makes the case that Franklin D. Roosevelt was among the worst presidents in American history.Support the show: https://www.contramundumpod.com/Follow Josiah Lippincott on Twitter: https://x.com/jlippincott_?s=21

In this episode, C.Jay and Andrew examine how America’s history of slavery is frequently described as a uniquely western phenomenon and used as an excuse to destroy our way of life.Support the show: https://www.contramundumpod.com/

C.Jay Engel and Will Tanner sit down to discuss the history of Rhodesia and the competing narratives that still surround Rhodesia today.Support the show: https://www.contramundumpod.com/You can find Will on X @Will_Tanner_1

In this episode, we dive into Sam Francis’s essay “Equality” and unpack his critique of modern egalitarianism.Support the show: https://www.contramundumpod.com/

In this episode of the new Contra Mundum: Discussions With C. Jay Engel series, C. Jay talks with David Edgington, author of the new book, White Knights and Reviling Wives. Get White Knights and Reviling Wives: https://www.newchristendompress.com/store/p/white-knights-and-reviling-wives Visit David Edgington online, and get information about his books and counseling, at his website: https://compassionatecounselors.com/ Find C. Jay on X: https://x.com/contramordor

In this first episode of the new Contra Mundum: Conversations With C. Jay Engel series, C. Jay talks with Timon Cline, author of two new books on political theory and practice to be released this year, and of the essay, “The Protestant Solution: Party, Sect, and Machiavelli’s Transpolitical Problem” in American Reformer.Read Timon Cline’s essay: https://americanreformer.org/2026/01/the-protestant-solution/Find C. Jay on X: https://x.com/contramordor

Today on Contra Mundum: headlines on the Epstein files—is it all a nothing burger? What does it mean? And we discuss the final chapter of Peter Leithart’s Against Christianity. He’s made the case at length about what he is against, but what should we be for?

Minnesota has relented and begun cooperating with ICE, sending the State Patrol and local police to disperse agitators and protect their operations. Tom Homan has been sent in to conduct negotiations with Walz, Frey, and other leaders to honor immigration detainers. Trump unequivocally won this exchange. Leftist freaks are in shambles. Ilhan Omar is doing Jussie Smollett stuff. Protestors are storming Walz's office. This is a disaster for them. If you listen to much of the online right, unfortunately, they are certain that Trump has betrayed us, we've lost, Gavin Newsom is already president, we're all being put into camps, and our kidneys will be sold to buy missiles for Israel. But this is not so. The border is totally closed. After the BBB, ICE is nearly at full strength, mass deportations are finally happening, H1bs have been halved via bureaucratic scrutiny, the foreign student population is plummeting, and now a sanctuary state has been brought to heel. Where do things go from here? This, plus a discussion on Constantine from Leithart's Against Christianity.

Trump's DOJ has begun to make arrests in the leftwing disruption of the worship of Cities Church in Minnesota. Why did it take so long? Will Don Lemon be arrested? Will anyone get convicted? This plus further discussion of Against Ethics.

The Battle of Minneapolis rages in the week after an incident where a leftwing agitator lost her life while obstructing federal law enforcement operations. Will the administration have the resolve to see this out? Will the left be broken by this? Plus, we continue our journey through Leithart's Against Christianity.

Contra Mundum

The massive daycare and autism fraud in Minnesota has captured national attention. Will there be any significant arrests? Will there be mass denaturalizations and deportations? That and much, much more.

Today we do a quick livestream before Christmas. We'll take questions from the chat. MERRY CHRISTMAS!