Scholar and author Scot McKnight joins us to discuss how scripture can help us discern the differences between the power of empire and the power of Jesus.More About ScotScot McKnight is professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary and a recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. He is the author of more than ninety books, including the award-winning The Jesus Creed as well as A Church Called Tov, The King Jesus Gospel, A Fellowship of Differents, The Blue Parakeet, and Kingdom Conspiracy. He maintains an active Substack newsletter at https://scotmcknight.substack.com.

Russell Moore joins us for a conversation about the state of American Evangelicalism and its drift into a movement of tribalism, combativeness, and culture wars.About RussellRussell Moore is Editor in Chief of Christianity Today and is the author of Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America (Penguin Random House).

The Wall Street Journal has called Moore “vigorous, cheerful, and fiercely articulate.” He was named in 2017 to Politico Magazine’s list of top fifty influence-makers in Washington, and has been profiled by such publications as the New York Times, the Washington Post, TIME Magazine, and the New Yorker.

Mike Bird joins us for a discussion about the early church’s understanding of and interaction with empire.

More About MikeMichael grew up in Brisbane before joining the Army and serving as a paratrooper, intelligence operator, and then chaplain’s assistant. It was during his time in the military that he came to faith from a non-Christian background, and soon after felt a call to ministry. He graduated with a BMin from Malyon College (2001) and Honours and PhD from the University of Queensland (2002, 2005). Michael taught New Testament at the Highland Theological College in Scotland (2005-9) before joining Brisbane School of Theology as lecturer in Theology (2010-12). He joined the faculty at Ridley as lecturer in Theology in 2013 and served as Academic Dean before taking on the Deputy Principal: Academic role in July 2023.

Michael describes himself as a “biblical theologian” who endeavours to bring together biblical studies and systematic theology. He believes that the purpose of the church is to “gospelize,” that is to preach, promote, and practise the Gospel-story of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the author of over 30 books, including the award winning volumes The Gospel of Lord: How the Early Church Wrote the Story of Jesus, Evangelical Theology, and with N.T. Wright, The New Testament in its World.

Skye Jethani joins us for a discussion about how the teachings an example of Jesus can shape our understanding of justice today.

About SkyeAn award-winning author, speaker, and co-host of the Holy Post Podcast, Skye has written more than a dozen books and served as an editor and executive at Christianity Today for more than a decade. Raised in a religiously and ethnically diverse family, his curiosity about faith led him to study comparative religion before entering seminary and pastoral ministry. With a unique ability to connect Christian thought and contemporary culture, his voice has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, and The Washington Post, and he’s spoken to audiences throughout the world as diverse as the U.S. Naval Academy, The Chautauqua Institution, and the Lausanne Movement.

Learn more at withgoddaily.com

Katherine Stewart joins us to discuss how purveyors of American Christian Nationalism leverage money, lies, and faith to attract, deceive, and manipulate their audience.

About Katherine Katherine Stewart is an award-winning journalist and author known for her deep investigative work on the intersection of religion, politics, and democracy. She has extensively covered the rise of religious nationalism, the erosion of church-state separation, and the global push against liberal democracy. Her books include The Good News Club: The Christian Right's Stealth Assault on America's Children, The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism—which inspired the 2024 documentary God & Country—and her latest, Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy. Katherine’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The New Republic, and other leading publications, making her a sought-after voice in conversations about faith, power, and politics.

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Pastor Meghan Good joins us for a conversation about how following the way of Jesus is key to engaging those committed to American Christian Nationalism.More about MeghanMeghan Larissa Good is the lead pastor of Trinity Mennonite Church (Phoenix, Arizona) and author of Divine Gravity: Sparking a Movement to Recover a Better Christian Story, which explores contemporary distortions in how the Christian story is told that have left many people adrift or deconstructing their faith and suggests how a recentering of theology on Jesus can revitalize the Christian movement for generations to come.

Meghan has a B.A. from Gordon College, an MDiv from Duke Divinity, and a DMin from Portland Seminary, where she was the first recipient of the Frederick Buechner Award for Excellence in Preaching.

In addition to her work for the local church, Meghan serves as theology chair for Jesus Collective, an organization working to unite, equip, and amplify a movement toward a more hopeful Jesus-centered Christianity. Meghan is also Faculty of Record for Teaching Leadership in the Doctor of Ministry program at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary.

Learn more at https://meghanlarissagood.com/

Learn more about Disarming Leviathan Ministries at DisarmingLeviathan.com.

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About DrewDrew J. Strait is a pastor-theologian specializing in political idolatry, peacemaking, and how congregations can challenge violent extremism. Strait regularly teaches on Christian nationalism and offers a short course for the public called “Resisting Christian Nationalism with the Gospel of Peace.” He teaches at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and resides in South Bend, Indiana.

Author Amy Hawk joins us to share her experience moving from leading ministry in Christian Nationalist circles to publicly condemning this movement for betraying Jesus.

Learn more about our ministry at DisarmingLeviathan.com

About Amy

Amy Hawk is a writer and speaker based in Oregon. She co-authored Six Years in the Hanoi Hilton: An Extraordinary Story of Courage and Survival in Vietnam, a military biography detailing her father’s harrowing experience as a prisoner of war, with a foreword by Senator John McCain.

In addition to her work on military history, Amy writes and speaks on the intersection of Christianity and politics. Her latest book, The Judas Effect: How Evangelicals Betrayed Jesus for Power, examines how much of white evangelicalism in America has aligned with corrupt leadership in pursuit of political dominance. She is a passionate voice against the rise of Christian Nationalism and the damaging influence of MAGA Christianity on the American church.

Learn more at www.amyhawk.com.

Carmen LaBerge shares Jesus-centered methods and postures we can use when engaging loved ones who have given themselves over to political polarization.About CarmenCarmen LaBerge is an author, speaker, and host of The Reconnect with Carmen LaBerge. Her book, Speak the Truth: Bring God back into the Conversation, is available in print and audio editions. Her work has also been featured on ChristianityToday.com, the Christian Post, and other outlets.

Learn more about Disarming Leviathan Ministries at DisarmingLeviathan.com.

Amanda Tyler joins Caleb for a conversation about American Values, justice, pluralism, and Christian Nationalism.

00:00 Introduction to Amanda's Advocacy

00:46 Christian Nationalism Threats and Responses

03:23 Understanding Pluralism and Church-State Separation

08:58 Defining Christian Nationalism and Its Implications

18:01 Historical Lessons on Religion and Government

25:02 Role of Public Schools in Promoting Democracy and Freedom

37:50 Christian Response to Nationalism and Resources

About AmandaAmanda Tyler is executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), leading the organization as it upholds the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty: defending the free exercise of religion and protecting against its establishment by government. She is the lead organizer of BJC’s Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign and co-host of BJC’s Respecting Religion podcast.

Tyler is the author of How to End Christian Nationalism, published by Broadleaf Books on October 22, 2024.

Learn more about Disarming Leviathan at disarmingleviathan.com.