Episode 01 : The Reformed Libertarians Podcast Introduction
https://reformedlibertarians.com/001
A discussion of some basic ideas of what Reformed libertarianism means; what Reformed means, and what libertarian means with its connection to Reformed. The hosts introduce themselves, and say a word about who the podcast is for.
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Episode 02 : What Does Romans 13 Say About Civil Government?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/002
A discussion of the main points of Gregory Baus’ article on the historical, confessionally Reformed view of Romans 13 and a Reformed view of stateless civil governance. Also there’s elaboration on lex talionis and the non-aggression principle, the Old Mosaic Covenant theocracy, and establishmentarianism.
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Episode 03 : What Makes Civil Government Legitimate?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/003
A discussion of the main points of Kerry Baldwin’s article on law and order and the question of the legitimacy of civil governance. John Locke’s three requirements for legitimate civil governance are shown to be not reasons for a limited state, but rather reasons for stateless (non-monopolistic) civil governance.
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Episode 04 : How Should Christians View Culture and What Are Some Mistaken Views?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/004
A discussion of the first subsection of the Reformed Libertarianism statement about culture. Also discussed are the significance of the fall into sin, common curse, redemption, and eschatology in relation to culture; as well as subjective sanctification of Christians’ cultural activity, contrast of neocalvinist with scholastic and biblicist (or theonomic) views, and transformationalism.
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Episode 05 : Does Sin Make Civil Government Necessary?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/005
A discussion of the main points of Kerry Baldwin’s article on human sinfulness and the question of the state’s necessity for civil governance. The fact that people are sinners and there will always be crime is shown to be not a reason that states are necessary, but rather a reason for stateless (non-monopolistic) civil governance.
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Episode 06 : Why Is The Right Of Resistance Important?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/006
A summary of the doctrine of the Right of Political Resistance, with four reasons for its importance. Plus, a little about the life of John Chrysostom and his early church contribution to this important doctrine.
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Episode 07 : Can Libertarians Be Conservatives?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/007
A discussion of the article “Can Conservatives Be Libertarians?” by Gerard Casey. Several mischaracterizations of libertarianism are answered. How Reformed libertarians value tradition and liberty in contrast with progressive liberalism is clarified, with reference to an essay by Friedrich Hayek. Also mentioned is the relation between liberty and civil justice.
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Episode 08 : The Boetie Option: The Peaceful Underthrow Of The State
https://reformedlibertarians.com/008
A discussion of Murray Rothbard’s Introduction to Etienne de la Boetie’s “The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude”. The connection of La Boetie’s essay to the French Reformed is explained. Also highlighted is the main idea of the Discourse, that state tyranny relies on popular compliance, and when such compliance is withdrawn, the tyranny ends.
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Episode 09 : Does Social Hierarchy or Economics Make The State Inevitable?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/009
A discussion of the main points of Kerry Baldwin’s article on economics, social relations, and the question of the inevitability of the state in a properly-functioning society. Robert Nozick’s economic argument for the immaculate conception of the state, and Russel Kirk’s social argument for states are both answered. A non-monopolistic view of civil governance is placed in terms of “sphere sovereignty” and a non-individualistic and non-collectivistic view of society.
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Episode 10 : Climate Alarmism and the Cornwall Alliance, with Calvin Beisner
https://reformedlibertarians.com/010
An interview with Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, President of The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation about politically-concocted climate alarmism in contrast with climate realism, based on genuine scientific study. We also talk about destructive governmental emissions policy, and the environmental Kuznets curve.
[episode 10 bonus audio, more about Dr. Beisner and the founding of the Cornwall Alliance]
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Episode 11 : The Truth About The Great Depression, with Larry Reed
https://reformedlibertarians.com/011
An interview with Lawrence W. Reed, President emeritus of The Foundation for Economic Education, about his booklet Great Myths of the Great Depression. We talk about the Progressive Era as the context for the government policies that brought about the Great Depression, and discuss several commonly misunderstood elements that caused or perpetuated the Great Depression. We conclude with a note about personal character.
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Episode 12 : Is Civil Governance Without The State Plausible?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/012
A discussion of the main points of Kerry Baldwin’s article on the plausibility of stateless civil governance and the common difficulty in imagining such a society. We talk about factors that may contribute to the failure of imagination such as the mere-exposure effect, the Overton window, and plausibility structures. Also mentioned are several examples of historically existing non-monopolistic civil governance. Spontaneous order is explained in terms of a consistent sphere sovereignty, and we provide resources on how civil governance can be practically and realistically provided without the state.
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Episode 13 : What Do We Mean By “Scripture Alone”?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/013
A reading of the essay “What Do We Mean By Sola Scriptura?” by W. Robert Godfrey, which focuses on explaining some key features of the Protestant principle or doctrine of Sola Scriptura (that is, Scripture Alone). Godfrey defines the principle, discusses several Bible passages that teach it, and answers 4 basic objections.
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Episode 14 : Does Political Representation Make Sense?, with Gerard Casey
https://reformedlibertarians.com/014
An interview with Dr. Gerard Casey about his article “The Indefensibility of Political Representation.” Dr. Casey introduces himself and recounts how he became a libertarian anarchist. He speaks about the idea of legitimate command and various options proposed to justify the state’s supposed authority. He summarizes some of his examination of political representation from his article. He also talks about what real democracy was like, and closes with a reflection on caring for the poor in a free society.
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Episode 15 : Can Christian Civil Government Be Theocratic?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/015
A discussion of whether a Reformed Christian view of civil governance is compatible with theocracy. We explain how the term “theocratic” has been used, and two key elements of a theocratic view (namely, the monopoly state and civil establishment of religion) that must be rejected in a genuinely Christian view of civil governance. We also touch on how some who support a theocratic view go wrong in their eschatology.
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Announcement
https://reformedlibertarians.com/bonusA
We’re taking a short break for summer, but listen for some other information (eg, about the website) and plans for the Reformed Libertarian podcast when we get back.
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Bonus Minisode : Should Christian Libertarians Reject Biblical Inerrancy?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/bonusB
A reading of Kerry Baldwin’s article on biblical inerrancy, which discusses a blog post by Pete Enns in which he says why he believes the Bible has errors, and no one is obligated to obey Romans 13. Resources for a better (non-biblicist) view of inerrancy and a better view of Romans 13 are recommended. The hosts also give an update about new episodes.
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Episode 16 : The Five Elements And Epochs Of The Kingdom Of God
https://reformedlibertarians.com/016
An introduction to a Reformed view of God’s Kingdom in its 5 elements and its 5 covenantally-administered epochs, culminating in the Kingdom’s definitive consummation, the New Creation. The relation between Christian cultural activity and the Kingdom of God is also clarified.
Transcript: https://reformedlibertarians.com/transcript-016
Episode 17 : David VanDrunen’s View Of Civil Government, with Taylor Drummond
https://reformedlibertarians.com/017
An interview with Pastor Taylor Drummond about his article “Fool’s Gold?: A libertarian analysis of VanDrunen’s account of state legitimacy,” which appreciatively, but critically, examines arguments in the book Politics After Christendom by Dr. David VanDrunen. Pastor Drummond introduces himself and recounts how he became a confessional, Calvinistic Baptist, and a libertarian-anarchist. He speaks about how VanDrunen’s biblical arguments for the legitimacy of the state fail his own standard for justifying the state. Drummond also explains how VanDrunen’s theoretical argument is at odds with his own view of law, justice, and rights, and is in tension with many of his economic and theological insights.
Transcript: https://reformedlibertarians.com/transcript-017
Episode 18 : Politics And The Church’s Mission: What Should The Church Teach About Civil Government?
https://reformedlibertarians.com/018
We discuss the teaching mission of the institutional church, its relation to the church’s statements of faith, and what the institutional church must and may not teach about politics on several important points. We talk about the Reformed confessional view of submission to civil governance, the recent failure of some churches in the face of unlawful state dictates, the error of theonomic views, and how a biblically Reformed covenantal hermeneutic informs a correct view of general equity.
Transcript: https://reformedlibertarians.com/transcript-018
Episode 19 : The Myth Of Religious Neutrality
https://reformedlibertarians.com/019
A reading of edited excerpts from the article “On The General Relation Of Religion, Metaphysics, and Science” by Dr Roy A. Clouser, presenting the Neo-Calvinist view of what has been called The Myth Of Religious Neutrality. The predominant Scholastic view of the general relation is summarized, followed by a summary of the Neo-Calvinist, or Reformational view. According to the Neo-Calvinist view, the way in which religious belief guides theories is then summarized, the view of religious belief is further explained, how religious belief within a given metaphysics affects science is further explained, and a prominent objection is answered.
Transcript: https://reformedlibertarians.com/transcript-019
Bonus Episode: Replies From David VanDrunen On State Illegitimacy
https://reformedlibertarians.com/bonusC
An interview Dr. David VanDrunen. He replies to several points from Pastor Taylor Drummond’s critical article that we discuss in episode 17. VanDrunen expresses his appreciation for Drummond’s article and our episode discussing it, raises questions concerning immoral complicity if the state is taken to be illegitimate, offers some clarification about his (up to this point) not having differentiated monopoly states from non-monopolistic civil governance in his writing, raises questions concerning what sort of consent is normative for the customary legal order’s own legitimacy and its authorizing function, raises the question of when abuse or injustice might categorically disqualify one from rightfully possessing authoritative office and its relation to political resistance, and, at the end, responds to our proposal how a fuller, non-aggressionist view of proportionality in the lex talionis of the Noahic Covenant entails a conclusive argument in favor of the exclusively “protectionist” purpose of civil governance law.
Transcript: https://reformedlibertarians.com/transcript-bonusC
Episode 20: A Review Of Highlights
https://reformedlibertarians.com/020
In a series of highlights from earlier episodes, Kerry and Gregory explain what the Reformed Libertarians Podcast is about, their confessionally Reformed view of Romans 13, what their practical strategy is, how the goal they are working towards is entirely realistic, and how they address a prominent objection raised by most people.
Episode 21: Two Kingdoms And Christian Cultural Activity
https://reformedlibertarians.com/021
A discussion of a Reformed Two Kingdoms view, and the possibility of a distinctively Christian view of the believer’s cultural activity according to an orthodox Neo-Calvinism, in contrast with a Scholastic view. Key points from episodes 4 and 19 are summarized, and the Two Kingdoms view being addressed is described. The use of the term Scholasticism is explained against an objection. And a key difference between Neo-Calvinism and a Scholasticized view is variously illustrated.
Transcript: https://reformedlibertarians.com/transcript-021
Episode 22: The Cultural Context Of Politics
https://reformedlibertarians.com/022
A discussion of “What Is Culture?,” Part 1 of the Reformed Libertarianism Statement. Other episodes are mentioned in which some points from episode 4 are elaborated, and the meaning of subjective sanctification of culture is reiterated. The definition of culture, and why it’s addressed is further explained. The model of reciprocally influencing layers of culture is elaborated, illustrated, and related to the study of historical process. And the promotion of so-called “cultural Christianity” is considered.
Transcript: https://reformedlibertarians.com/transcript-022
Episode 23: Calvin, Thomism, and Natural Law Libertarianism, with Jonathan McIntosh
https://reformedlibertarians.com/023
An interview with Dr. Jonathan McIntosh on several of his presentations at The George Buchanan Forum. We discuss errors in Calvin’s view of civil government, and we mention the God-ordained check on abuse and tyranny. We then discuss McIntosh’s outline of a classical or Thomistic natural law tradition approach to libertarianism, and his critique of the Aristotelian-Thomist view of politics. We also discuss the neglected figurative or typological character of old covenant civil law by scholastic thinkers. We conclude with information about The George Buchanan Forum and other articles from McIntosh.
Transcript: https://reformedlibertarians.com/transcript-023
Episode 24: Why Non-Christian Libertarians Should (And How They Can) Become Christians
https://reformedlibertarians.com/024
We explain what becoming and being a Reformed Christian and a Reformed libertarian is and means in basic terms. We say why one should, and how one can, become a Reformed Christian and a Reformed libertarian. We explain what libertarianism is, and why every libertarian is already a religious libertarian. We mention the ultimate purpose in becoming a Christian, and part of how Reformed Christianity grounds our view of libertarianism. We briefly explain how the Reformed view of Romans 13 is compatible with libertarianism. And we conclude with three general things a non-Christian can do to facilitate their discovering that Christianity is true.
Transcript: https://reformedlibertarians.com/transcript-024