The Libertarian Christian Podcast

Christian resistance to government power did not begin with modern libertarianism. Throughout church history, believers have challenged emperors, kings, dictators, and political systems whenever those systems demanded loyalty that belongs to Christ alone. From the early church to the twentieth century, faithful Christians have insisted that God's kingdom stands above every earthly authority.Whether confronting Roman emperors, medieval rulers, totalitarian regimes, or modern warfare states, these anti-statist saints demonstrated that allegiance to Jesus frequently places believers at odds with the ambitions of governments.The figures discussed in this episode come from Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Anabaptist, and Quaker traditions. They differ in theology and historical context, but they share a common conviction: political authority is limited, while Christ's authority is absolute. A fuller account of what these believers did will require you to watch the episode, but here's a brief sketch of the twelve chosen by Mike Maharrey, Alex Bernardo, and Cody Cook.Chapters:0:00 Intro0:22 All Saints and the Communion of Saints5:19 Why Christians Need Their History7:28 Basil the Blessed: A Holy Fool11:09 Tertullian’s Allegiance to Christ14:31 Revelation’s Anti-Imperial Vision17:55 Mary of Paris Resists the Nazis23:10 Peter Chelčický and the Church-State Divide27:10 John Wesley’s Grassroots Transformation32:15 Demetrius: Christian Resistance from Within34:49 Michael Sattler and Anabaptist Pacifism38:22 Henry Cadbury’s Witness for Peace41:40 William Stringfellow: The State and Death47:10 Dorothy Day and Tolkien on Power53:41 Where to Find the HostsAudio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI!Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing:https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, we speak with Jerom Sidwell, a former Hollywood visual effects producer who now creates immersive history experiences. We discuss his work in film, motion capture, digital doubles, and the way AI is affecting visual effects, especially consistency across shots.We also talk about how he moved from business studies to Los Angeles and New Zealand before building Immersive History, including virtual reality recreations of ancient Jerusalem, the tabernacle, and other biblical settings. He explains the Immersive Bible Experience and his 1776 app, which use guided tours, puzzles, and interactive elements to help children and students learn history through active participation.Chapters:0:00 Intro0:22 Hollywood to Immersive History3:02 AI Reshapes Visual Effects3:28 Finding His Creative Calling6:06 From Films to First Ideas7:28 Pulling Viewers Into Story9:10 Building Ancient Jerusalem12:15 VR Experiences for Everyone15:07 1776 Enters the App Store18:17 Designing the Founding Experience20:42 Why Screens Can Teach23:37 Liberty, Principles, and Upbringing26:54 Classrooms Using the App28:52 Churches and Study Guides30:58 Building the Next Timeline32:09 Where to Find Immersive HistoryAudio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI!Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing:https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★

Jeremy Todd joined host Cody Cook at this past weekend's Christians for Liberty Conference to discuss his Libertarian campaign for the Kentucky U.S. House seat, currently held by Thomas Massie until this coming January, describing how party members quickly gathered signatures after Massie lost the Republican primary. He attributed Massie’s defeat to attack advertising and Donald Trump’s criticism, and said he hoped to attract Massie supporters and independent voters.Todd discussed how his Christian faith informs his libertarian views, including his opposition to imposing beliefs through political power, and criticized some evangelical support for Israel. He also addressed divisions and coalition-building in the Libertarian Party, concerns about affordability and political disengagement, and his campaign’s focus on money creation, foreign wars, lobbying, and government surveillance.Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI!Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing:https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★

Eastern Christianity is rarely associated with classical liberalism — but should it be? In this conversation with Dr. Dylan Pahman, author of The Kingdom of God and the Common Good and co‑editor of The Christian Roots of American Liberty, we explore the overlooked intellectual resources within the Eastern Orthodox tradition that support freedom, rule of law, spontaneous order, private property, and even free markets.From sobornost (conciliar togetherness) to sophia (wisdom) to the liturgical worldview that shapes Orthodox social ethics, Dr. Pahman uncovers historical examples, forgotten thinkers, and surprising theological insights that challenge the stereotype of Eastern Orthodoxy as inherently statist or “caesaropapist.”If you’ve ever wondered whether Orthodoxy has its own path to liberty — or how Eastern Christian thought can enrich the broader Christian conversation on freedom — this episode is for you.Links:- The Kingdom of God and the Common Good by Dylan Pahman- The Christian Roots of American Liberty by Dylan Pahman and John C. Pinheiro- https://cabasilasinstitute.org/- https://x.com/DylanPahmanChapters:0:00 Intro0:22 Orthodox Liberty Roots1:06 What This Book Is3:59 East, West, And Liberty7:22 Frank And Spontaneous Order13:05 Three Orthodox Contributions21:41 Sabornost And Social Order23:04 Trade, Fathers, And Providence26:30 Monks, Property, And Commerce31:14 Kabasilis And Monastic Freedom34:16 Usury And Medieval Critiques43:04 Basil On Wealth48:33 Misreadings Of Caesaro-Papism56:36 Orthodoxy Under Revolution1:00:03 Orthodoxy And Islam1:04:38 Christian Roots Of LibertyAudio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI!Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing:https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★

Life before the Industrial Revolution was not simpler, slower, or more humane. It was short, violent, filthy, and saturated with grief, and almost nobody alive today can picture it accurately. That gap is not harmless. It shapes how people respond to economic growth, to AI, and to every technology that promises to change how we live.Chelsea Follett, research fellow at the Cato Institute and the mind behind HumanProgress.org, returns to the show with a new book, The Grim Old Days: An Introduction to the Preindustrial Past. The argument is blunt: we have not only solved many of the problems our ancestors faced, we have erased the memory of them. Nostalgia fills the vacuum, and nostalgia is a terrible guide to policy. What follows takes the romantic version of the past apart and argues that gratitude for what we have is the first step toward keeping it.Chapters:0:22 Introduction to the Grim Old Days1:56 Why Progress Matters5:40 Why We Romanticize the Past8:45 Harsh Realities of Family Life13:54 Child Labor and Daily Work16:24 Violence and Social Progress20:55 Defining the Pre-Industrial Era25:12 Fragile Paths to Progress29:06 Sources and Historical Skepticism32:13 The Darkest Anecdotes34:07 Child Loss and Modern Medicine38:27 Debunking Medieval Myths40:46 Why the Past Still Matters Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI!Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing:https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★