Christ Over All

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Listen in as David Schrock is joined by special guest Kevin Briggins to interview Trent Hunter on his COA Longform Essay, "Socialism and the Twisted Legacy of Slavery: A Cautionary Tale from the 'Great Society'"

Resources to Click

• The Off Code Podcast
• “One Constitution, or Two? Reviewing The Age of Entitlement by Christopher Caldwell” – Brad Green
• “When Whites Just Don’t Get It (Part 4)” – Nicholas Kristof
• “A Legacy of Liberalism” – Thomas Sowell
• “Black Individuals Had Record Low Official Poverty Rate in 2022” – U.S. Census Bureau
• “Number of Black Married-Couple Families in the United States who live below the Poverty Level from 1990 to 2024 (in 1,000s)” – Statista
• “Address at Rice University on the Nation’s Space Effort” – John F. Kennedy
• “Professor’s ‘Big Intellectual Risk’ Grabs Eyeballs Years Later” – UCLA Newsroom
• “How We Can Make Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream of Ending Poverty a Reality” – Michael Tubbs
• “When King and Johnson Joined Forces to Fight the War on Poverty” – Andrew Small
• “Liberalism Versus Blacks” – Thomas Sowell
• “The Tragedy of American Compassion: Pilgrim Beginnings” – Hayden Ludwig
• “The Use of Knowledge in Society” – F.A. Hayek
• “The Quest for Cosmic Justice” – Thomas Sowell
• “Not So Great Society” Keynote Address – Amity Shlaes
• “Fifth Avenue, Uptown” – James Baldwin
• “We Just May Be On “The Wrong Side of History” If . . .” – Thaddeus Williams
• “Justice: Divine, Imputed, Imparted, Public, and Ultimate” – Andy Naselli
• Theme of the Month: Christ Over All Mixtape (2022–2026)
• Give to Support the Work

Books to Read

• Great Society: A New History – Amity Shlaes
• False Black Power? – Jason L. Riley
• Red, White, and Black: Rescuing American History from Revisionists and Race Hustlers – Robert L. Woodson Sr.
• Intellectuals and Race – Thomas Sowell
• Discrimination and Disparities – Thomas Sowell
• The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression – Amity Shlaes
• A Personal Odyssey – Thomas Sowell
• The Tragedy of American Compassion – Marvin Olasky
• Knowledge and Decisions – Thomas Sowell

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Listen in as David Schrock and Stephen Wellum interview Aaron Edwards on his testimony and COA Longform Essay "Soft Jihad: Multiculturalism, Islamic Conquest, and Christianity"

 Resources to Click

• “Soft Jihad: Multiculturalism, Islamic Conquest, and Christianity” – Aaron Edwards
• “Multiculturalism & Rootlessness” – Aaron Edwards
• “Multiculturalism, Nation, and Church” – Aaron Edwards
• “5 Reasons Christians Don’t Like to Oppose Immigration” – Aaron Edwards
• “When the Church Shrinks Back” – Aaron Edwards
• “In Defence of Christian Britain” – Aaron Edwards
• “Theocracy, Theonomy, and Civil Society” – Aaron Edwards
• “Culture and the Kingdom of God” – Aaron Edwards
• “Episode 10 – How to Be A Christian Dissident” – Pod of the Gaps
• “Christian Preacher Vindicated After Arrest, Prosecution and ‘Non-Crime Hate Incident’ Threat for Questioning Quran” – Christian Concern
• “People Crossing the English Channel in Small Boats” – The Migration Observatory
• “Mum Jailed over ‘Racist’ Migrant Hotel Tweet after Southport Stabbings Is Denied Temporary Release to See Ailing Husband” – James Tapsfield
• David Atherton Tweet
• “Record number of rape offences recorded as minister promises ‘urgent action’” – Holly Bancroft & Ian Jones
• “Sexual Offences in England and Wales Overview: Year Ending March 2025” – Office for National Statistics
• “Rupert Lowe’s 600k grooming gang inquiry hears shock claims of ‘Eid rapes’ and police cover-ups: ‘Barbarians!’” – Gabrielle Wilde
• “National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Expoitation and Abuse” – Baroness Louise Casey
• “’Imams promote grooming rings’, Muslim Leader Claims” – Hayley Dixon
• “The Rape Gang Inquiry Report” – Rupert Lowe
• “British Muslims in Numbers: Census Summary Report 2025” – Muslim Council of Britain
• “UK Mosque Statistics/Masjid Statistics” – MuslimBritain.org
• “Sharia Law or “One Law For All?” – Denis Mac Eoin
• “The Truth about Sharia Law in Britain” – Hannah Baldock
• “Parents are pulling children from RE lessons – so they don’t learn about Islam” – Paul Smalley
• “Watch: Boy Scout Refuses to Bow to Allah During Mosque Visit” – Doug Mainwaring
• “2021 Census: As UK Population Grows, So Do British Muslim Communities” – Muslim Council of Britain
• Bob (@shariakill) Tweet
• Ben Zeisloft Tweet
• “When Islam Was Called the ‘Religion of Peace’” – Times of India
• “Is Islam a Religion of Peace?” – Mark Durie
• “Misunderstanding Islam Is Basically a Slow- Motion Suicide – An Interview with Raymond Ibrahim” – The Hungarian Conservative
• Michael Foster Tweet
• Theme of the Month: Unmasking Islam
• Give to Support the Work

Books to Read

• Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents – Rod Dreher
• The Challenge of Islam: Understanding and Responding to Islam’s Increasing Influence in the UK – Tim Dieppe

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Listen in as David Schrock and Stephen Wellum interview Alex Kocman on his COA Longform Essay, "The Order of Love and a Defense of Biblical Patriotism"

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Understanding Ordered Love and Biblical Patriotism
• 04:58 – Exploring the Core of “Ordered to Love”
• 07:50 – Augustine to Aquinas: Ordered Love’s Legacy
• 10:17 – Navigating Abuse and Misconceptions of Patriotism
• 15:41 – Distinguishing Love for People from the State
• 26:50 – Reclaiming Natural Affections: Nation and State
• 37:33 – Eschatology and the Persistence of Nations
• 43:54 – Cultivating a Missionary Heart for the Nations
• 50:30 – Worship, Decor, an National Affections in the Church
• 59:59 – Final Thoughts and Further Reading

Resources to Click

• “The Order of Love and the Defense of Biblical Patriotism” – Alex Kocman
• “Patriot” – Etymonline
• “Pietas” – Britannica
• “They’re Coming! The Invasion Scares of 1803-05 &1940” – David Porter
• Theme of the Month: God (B)less America: The United States at 250
• Give to Support the Work

Books to Read

• Ordered to Love – Alex Kocman
• The Republic – Plato
• Nicomachean Ethics – Aristotle
• The Abolition of Man – C.S. Lewis
• The Screwtape Letters – C.S. Lewis
• Summa Theologiae – Thomas Aquinas
• “Christian Patriotism” in The Complete Works of the Rev. Andrew Fuller, vol. 1 – ed. Joseph Belcher
• Return of the Strong Gods – R.R. Reno

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Listen in as David Schrock and Trent Hunter interview Ryan Helfenbein on his COA Longform Essay, "Retrieving The Christianity of America's Founding"

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introducing Ryan Helfenbein
• 04:33 – Ryan’s Path From Seminary to Liberty University
• 11:30 – Falwell’s Shift: From Ministers to Moral Majority
• 16:39 – Debating the Christian Nature of America’s Founding
• 19:03 – Reappraising Founders’ Faith: Beyond the Deist Label
• 23:19 – The First Amendment’s True Intent: No Denominational Establishment
• 28:01 – How Preachers Stirred Resistance to Tyranny
• 32:05 – From Christian Roots to Secular Education
• 37:40 – The Civil War and the Christian Nation Concept
• 40:06 – Wayne Grudem’s Framework for a Christian Nation
• 46:15 – Historical Christian Character and Moral Laws
• 48:34 – Tom Holland and Christian Origins of Modern Balues
• 51:32 – Modern Religious Freedom, Immigration, and the Church’s Civic Role
• 01:01:12 – Rebuilding America and Defending Our Christian Inheritance
• 01:03:30 – Trent’s Advice for Pastors on Civic Engagement
• 01:07:06 – Recommended Resources and Outro

Resources to Click

• “Retrieving The Christianity of America’s Founding” – Ryan Helfenbein
• “Competing Visions of America at 250: Politics, Religion, and American Identity” – PRRI
• “Mapping Christian Nationalism Across the 50 States: Insights from PRRI’s 2025 American Values Atlas” – PRRI
• “Speaker Johnson Leads Nation in Prayer of Rededication” – Mike Johnson
• “MS NOW’s Katy Tur Forgets the Declaration of Independence’s Most Famous Line in Botched Hit on Mike Johnson” – Isaac Schorr
• “‘Christian Nationalists’ like Speaker Mike Johnson are a bigger threat than al-Qaeda” – James Carville
• “Political Strategist’s Dire Warning About Mike Johnson” – Rachel Dobkin
• “Sorry, Politico: You Don’t Get to Rewrite the Declaration of Independence” – Rachel Del Guidice
• “The Right Way to Cover the Intersection of Religion and Politics” – Heidi Przybyla
• “North Carolina pastor rejects ‘Christian nation’ claims from GOP legislators” – Cardinal & Pine Staff
• “A Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to the Higher Powers” – Jonathan Mayhew
• “The Catechism of the Revolution” – David Kopel
• “Samuel Davies: Apostle of Dissent” – R. Isabela Morales
• “George Washington, letter to John Augustine Washington” – George Washington’s Mt. Vernon
• “The Federalist Papers: No. 37” – James Madison
• “The Federalist Papers: No. 2” – John Jay
• “The Relative Influence of European Writers on Late Eighteenth-Century American Political Thought” – Donald S. Lutz
• “Religious Tests and Oaths in State Constitutions, 1776-1784” – Center for the Study of the American Constitution, University of Wisconsin
• “Constitution of Delaware; 1776”
• “Constitution of Maryland, 1776”
• “Fighting the Good Fight of Faith: 250 Years of Sacred Service of the United States Army Chaplain Corps” – Chaplain (Capt.) Joseph Feaster
• “Under providence and liberty: George Washington and the sacred birth of the Army Chaplain Corps” – Stella Naulo
• Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States
• “America’s Christian Founding?” – Bradford Littlejohn
• “A Christian Manifesto” – Francis Schaeffer
• “Is America a Christian Nation?” – Apologetic Junkie
• “Seal of Approval” – Harvard Gazette
• “The Oldest Endowed Professorship” – Harvard Gazette
• “History of the United States” – Noah Webster
• “Of the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic” – Benjamin Rush
• “Horace Mann and the Irony of Secular Education” – Jeffrey Polet
• Everson v. Board of Education
• “Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists” – Thomas Jefferson

• Theme of the Month: God (B)less America: The United States at 250
• Give to Support the Work

 Books to Read

• On Rebellion – John Knox, ed. Roger A. Mason
• Did America Have a Christian Founding? – Mark David Hall
• Politics: According to the Bible: A Comprehensive Resource for Understanding Modern Political Issues in Light of Scripture – Wayne Grudem
• BLM: The Making of a New Marxist Revolution – Mike Gonzalez

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Americans have grown increasingly unfamiliar with their own founding documents, and as a result, our country has grown increasingly less Christian. What is the path forward?

Resources to Click

• “Providence, Protestantism, and the Classroom: The Christianity of America’s Founding and Only Future” – Ryan Helfenbein
• “Competing Visions of America at 250: Politics, Religion, and American Identity” – PRRI
• “Mapping Christian Nationalism Across the 50 States: Insights from PRRI’s 2025 American Values Atlas” – PRRI
• “Speaker Johnson Leads Nation in Prayer of Rededication” – Mike Johnson
• “MS NOW’s Katy Tur Forgets the Declaration of Independence’s Most Famous Line in Botched Hit on Mike Johnson” – Isaac Schorr
• “‘Christian Nationalists’ like Speaker Mike Johnson are a bigger threat than al-Qaeda” – James Carville
• “Political Strategist’s Dire Warning About Mike Johnson” – Rachel Dobkin
• “Sorry, Politico: You Don’t Get to Rewrite the Declaration of Independence” – Rachel Del Guidice
• “The Right Way to Cover the Intersection of Religion and Politics” – Heidi Przybyla
• “North Carolina pastor rejects ‘Christian nation’ claims from GOP legislators” – Cardinal & Pine Staff
• “A Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to the Higher Powers” – Jonathan Mayhew
• “The Catechism of the Revolution” – David Kopel
• “Samuel Davies: Apostle of Dissent” – R. Isabela Morales
• “George Washington, letter to John Augustine Washington” – George Washington’s Mt. Vernon
• “The Federalist Papers: No. 37” – James Madison
• “The Federalist Papers: No. 2” – John Jay
• “The Relative Influence of European Writers on Late Eighteenth-Century American Political Thought” – Donald S. Lutz
• “Religious Tests and Oaths in State Constitutions, 1776-1784” – Center for the Study of the American Constitution, University of Wisconsin
• “Constitution of Delaware; 1776”
• “Constitution of Maryland, 1776”
• “Fighting the Good Fight of Faith: 250 Years of Sacred Service of the United States Army Chaplain Corps” – Chaplain (Capt.) Joseph Feaster
• “Under providence and liberty: George Washington and the sacred birth of the Army Chaplain Corps” – Stella Naulo
• Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States
• “America’s Christian Founding?” – Bradford Littlejohn
• “A Christian Manifesto” – Francis Schaeffer
• “Is America a Christian Nation?” – Apologetic Junkie
• “Seal of Approval” – Harvard Gazette
• “The Oldest Endowed Professorship” – Harvard Gazette
• “History of the United States” – Noah Webster
• “Of the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic” – Benjamin Rush
• “Horace Mann and the Irony of Secular Education” – Jeffrey Polet
• Everson v. Board of Education
• “Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists” – Thomas Jefferson
• “Federal Appeals Court Upholds Texas Ten Commandments Law” – NY Times
• “Bluebonnet Learning” – Texas Education Agency
• “State Board of Education Approves Bible-infused Curriculum” – Jaen Edison
• “Long march through the institutions” – Wikipedia
• “Sanford Alters Western Culture Course” – Lee A. Daniels
• “The Politics of Official Knowledge: Does a National Curriculum Make Sense?” – Michael W. Apple
• “New Poll: Nearly Half of Americans Don’t Know What America’s 250th is Celebrating” – Emily Ekins
• “PBS News Poll 2026” – PBS on Facebook
• “Suicide Prevention” – CDC
• “Loneliness in America 2025” – The Cigna Group
• “Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media Per Day” – Jonathan Rothwell
• “Education Scorecard” – Stanford Educational Opportunity Project
• “Why U.S. Testscores are in a Generational Decline” – NY Times

• Theme of the Month: God (B)less America: The United States at 250
• Give to Support the Work

 Books to Read

• On Rebellion – John Knox, ed. Roger A. Mason
• Did America Have a Christian Founding? – Mark David Hall
• Politics: According to the Bible: A Comprehensive Resource for Understanding Modern Political Issues in Light of Scripture – Wayne Grudem
• BLM: The Making of a New Marxist Revolution – Mike Gonzalez

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Our republic is not the same as it was at its founding. Though the Constitution remains unchanged, the way it is interpreted has not. Understanding that distinction is essential.

Resources to Click

• “The Five Republics of the United States” – Auron MacIntyre
• The Auron MacIntyre Show – Blaze Media
• The Total State – Auron MacIntyre’s Substack
• “The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival” Sir John Glubb
• “The Iron Polygon: Power in the United States” – Mencius Moldbug (Curtis Yarvin)
• “One Constitution or Two? Reviewing The Age of Entitlement by Christopher Caldwell” – Brad Green
• Theme of the Month: God (B)less America: The United States at 250
• Give to Support the Work

Books to Read

• The Total State: How Liberal Democracies Become Tyrannies – Auron MacIntyre
• The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties – Christopher Caldwell

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Listen in as Trent Hunter and Stephen Wellum interview Brad Green on his COA Longform "What Kind of Conservative Are You?: A Comparison"

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Introducing "God (B)less America" and Our Guests
• 01:54 - The Genesis of COA
• 05:22 - A Friend's Perspective on U.S. Politics
• 10:07 - Applying Theology and Brad's Personal History
• 13:08 - Understanding and Critiquing Neo-Conservatism
• 22:08 - Emphasizing Organic Culture and Historical Tradition
• 29:26 - Decentralization and the NatCon Movement
• 37:42 - Revival Over Centralized Power
• 45:13 - Exploring Classical Freedom and Libertarian Ideals
• 49:43 - Conservatism's Need for a Christian Worldview
• 56:31 - Outro

Resources to Click

• “What Kind of Conservative Are You?: A Comparison” – Brad Green
• “Russell Kirk on John C. Calhoun” – Brad Green
• “One Constitution, or Two? Reviewing The Age of Entitlement by Christopher Caldwell” – Brad Green
• “Unpatriotic Conservatives” – David Frum
• “’The Situation witih Tucker Carlson’ for June 29”– NBC News
• Theme of the Month: God (B)less America: The United States at 250
• Give to Support the Work

Books to Read

• Against the Barbarians and Other Reflections on Familiar Themes – M.E. Bradford
• The Reactionary Imperative: Essays Literary and Political – M.E. Bradford
• A Better Guide Than Reason: Studies in the American Revolution – M.E. Bradford
• The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties – Christopher Caldwell

ABOUT THE EPISODE

On America’s 250th anniversary, the questions Christians keep asking about flags and fireworks all reduce to an older one: where does love of country belong in the order of our loves?

Resources to Click

• “The Order of Love and the Defense of Biblical Patriotism” – Alex Kocman
• “Patriot” – Etymonline
• “Pietas” – Britannica
• “They’re Coming! The Invasion Scares of 1803-05 &1940” – David Porter
• Theme of the Month: God (B)less America: The United States at 250
• Give to Support the Work

Books to Read

• Ordered to Love – Alex Kocman
• The Republic – Plato
• Nicomachean Ethics – Aristotle
• The Abolition of Man – C.S. Lewis
• The Screwtape Letters – C.S. Lewis
• Summa Theologiae – Thomas Aquinas
• “Christian Patriotism” in The Complete Works of the Rev. Andrew Fuller, vol. 1 – ed. Joseph Belcher
• Return of the Strong Gods – R.R. Reno

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Conservatism is no longer a simple catch-all term but a movement fractured into competing streams. This fragmentation demands an answer. Ultimately, there is only one sufficient foundation for renewal: Christ.

Resources to Click

• “What Kind of Conservative Are You?: A Comparison” – Brad Green
• “Russell Kirk on John C. Calhoun” – Brad Green
• “One Constitution, or Two? Reviewing The Age of Entitlement by Christopher Caldwell” – Brad Green
• “Unpatriotic Conservatives” – David Frum
• “’The Situation witih Tucker Carlson’ for June 29”– NBC News
• Theme of the Month: God (B)less America: The United States at 250
• Give to Support the Work

Books to Read

• Against the Barbarians and Other Reflections on Familiar Themes – M.E. Bradford
• The Reactionary Imperative: Essays Literary and Political – M.E. Bradford
• A Better Guide Than Reason: Studies in the American Revolution – M.E. Bradford
• The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties – Christopher Caldwell

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Are Islam and Christianity separated brothers, mortal enemies, or something in between? History tells the story

Sponsor

This month, we’re talking about how Christians engage with Islam, a conversation Southern Seminary has taken seriously for a long time. As President Al Mohler has put it, you can’t prepare a minister for today’s world without reckoning with Islam. That conviction is why Southern now offers a PhD in Islamic Studies, and why it’s home to the Jenkins Center, a team devoted to helping pastors, missionaries, and everyday believers reach their Muslim neighbors with the gospel. To find resources and learn more about degrees, visit sbts.edu/islamicstudies. And be sure to listen to our interview with Dr Ayman Ibrahim, who is the head of the Jenkins Center.

Timestamps

• 00:41 - Intro
• 03:20 - Examining Muhammad's Role and Christian Rejection
• 09:32 - Analyzing the Quran's Gnostic Connections and Distorted Narratives
• 18:13 - Unpacking th Quran's Variants and Historical Inaccuracies
• 26:33 - Understanding Abrogation and Muslim Migration to the West
• 31:17 - Navigating Ministry Challenges with Muslim Migrants
• 37:19 - Defining Terms and Learning about Islam for Gospel Outreach
• 44:36 - Responding to Islam's Political Aims and Sharia Law
• 56:27 - Asking the Crucial Question: Do You Have Assurance?

Resources to Click

• “Islam and Christianity: A Brief History” – Tony Costa
• “Does the Bible Predict the Coming of Muhammad?” – Tony Costa
• “Jesus in Islam” – Tony Costa
• “Does the Qur’an Really Deny That Jesus was Crucified an Died on the Cross? Answer May Surprise You” – Tony Costa
• “Religious Diversity in France: Intergenerational Transmissions and Practices by Origins” – Lucas Drouhot
• “How Religious Groups’ Sizes Changed in Europe, 2010-2020” – Conrad Hackett, et al.
• Sefaria Library Search Results for “Gabriel”
• Theme of the Month: Unmasking Islam
• Give to Support the Work

Books to Read

• Early Christian Creeds & Hymns – Tony Costa
• The Life of Muhammad – Muhammad Ibn Ishāq
• The History of Al-Tabari, Vol. 6: Muhammad at Mecca – W. Montgomery Watt & M.V. McDonald
• Textual Criticism and Qur’an Manuscripts – Keith E. Small
• Qur’ans: Books of Divine Encounter – Keith E. Small
• Corrections in Early Qur’an Manuscripts: Twenty Examples – Daniel Allen Brubaker
• Quran: The Final Testament: Authorized English Version
• The Sources of Islamic Law: The Islamic Theories of Abrogation – John Burton
• The Meaning of the Glorious Koran – Marmaduke Pickthall
• The Holy Quran: Translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali – Abdullah Yusuf Ali
• Muhammad is Not the Father of Any of Your Men: The Meaning of the Last Prophet – David S. Powers
• Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross – Norman L. Geisler and Abdul Saleeb
• The Integrity of the Bible according to the Qur’an and the Hadith – Ghiyathuddin Adelphi and Ernest Hahn
• The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam: From Jihad to Dhimmitude: Seventh – Twentieth Century – Bat Ye’or
• Bell’s Introduction to the Qur’an – W. Montgomery and Richard Bell
• The Crucifixion and the Qur’an: A Study in the History of Muslim Thought – Todd Lawson
• The End of the Journey: An Islamic Perspective on Death and the Afterlife – Abdullah Muhammad Khouj
• Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making – James D.G. Dunn
• The Qur’an: Arabic Text and English Translation – M.H. Shakir