What happens when a theology of hierarchy, control, and male authority moves from the margins into the mainstream? In this episode, Margaret Bronson shares her firsthand experience growing up in a patriarchal Christian Nationalist movement that emphasized male dominance, rigid gender roles, homeschooling, and authoritarian leadership. Drawing on both personal story and historical analysis, Margaret explains how these ideas spread through churches, seminaries, and family systems, and why many Christians are encountering them with increasing frequency today. Together, we explore the difference between the gospel of Jesus and religious movements built on fear, control, and domination—and discuss how curiosity, compassion, and pastoral presence can help people find a healthier path forward.

Margaret Bronson is a writer, speaker, and advocate who helps people recover from spiritually abusive and authoritarian religious environments. Having grown up within a patriarchal Christian Nationalist movement, Margaret brings a unique insider perspective to conversations about power, theology, family systems, and faith. Through her work with Deconstruction Doulas, she helps individuals process religious trauma, reconnect with their own stories, and pursue healthier expressions of faith and community.

What happens when the symbols commonly associated with Christian Nationalism mean something entirely different to the people displaying them?

In this episode, Caleb sits down with Arizona State University professor, veteran, and pastor John Mark Sianghio to explore how Christian Nationalism is experienced and expressed within immigrant communities, particularly among Filipino-American churches. Drawing from his research, John Mark argues that while the dominant form of Christian Nationalism in America is deeply intertwined with white supremacy, immigrant communities often relate faith and nation in ways that challenge simple categories.

Together they discuss patriotic church services, American flags in sanctuaries, military memorials, civic nationalism, immigration, public theology, and the complicated role symbols play in shaping communal identity. The conversation invites listeners to move beyond assumptions, approach others with curiosity, and consider how immigrant communities may offer alternative ways of imagining faithfulness in public life.

About John Marc Sianghio John Marc is a scholar, pastor, veteran, and researcher at the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict at Arizona State University. His work explores Christian Nationalism, immigration, civic identity, and the ways faith communities navigate questions of nation, belonging, and public life.

For many Americans, conversations about refugees happen at the level of politics, policy, and headlines. In this episode, Clint Leavitt invites us into a different starting place: the stories of real people. Drawing from his friendship with a Congolese refugee and the research behind his book Cockroaches, God, Death and Mangos, Clint shares how personal relationships transformed his understanding of refugees, Scripture, and the church’s calling to welcome the stranger. Together, we explore how fear shapes our public imagination, what Christians miss when refugees are excluded from our communities, and practical ways ordinary people can love their refugee neighbors.

Clint Leavitt is a pastor at Midtown Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, Arizona, a writer, educator, and advocate for refugees and displaced people. He is the co-author of the book Cockroaches, God, Death and Mangos, which tells the story of a Congolese family displaced by war and resettled in the United States. Through his pastoral ministry, teaching, and writing, Clint helps Christians engage issues of justice, hospitality, and public life with compassion and theological depth.

In this insightful interview, Mary Kaech from Phoenix Refugee Connections shares the history, current challenges, and opportunities in refugee resettlement in the U.S., emphasizing the importance of community involvement, faith, and understanding. Discover how refugees contribute to local communities and how Christians can actively participate in welcoming and supporting their neighbors.

https://phxrc.org/

https://womenofwelcome.com/

00:00Understanding Phoenix Refugee Connections

03:23The State of Refugee Resettlement in America

06:15The Refugee Experience and Community Integration

09:26Economic and Social Contributions of Refugees

12:32The Role of Faith and Community in Refugee Lives

15:12How to Get Involved and Advocate for Refugees

18:21Addressing Fear and Misconceptions about Refugees

In this in-depth interview, Matthew Soerens discusses the global refugee crisis, U.S. immigration policies, and the biblical perspective on caring for refugees and immigrants. He highlights recent policy changes, the economic and moral implications, and offers practical ways for evangelicals and citizens to advocate for humane immigration reform.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding the Refugee Crisis

01:59 Current State of Refugee Resettlement

05:07 Impact of Immigration Enforcement

08:58 The Cost of Immigration Policies

12:39 Advocacy and Political Responsibility

19:14 Engaging with Congress

24:53 The Role of Evangelicals in Immigration

Seeking Refuge - https://amzn.to/4vc6xtF

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewsoerens/

Website - https://www.worldrelief.org/

Daniel Yang discusses the significance of Refugee Day, the history and current state of refugee resettlement in the U.S., and the role of the church in welcoming and supporting refugees. He shares personal stories, historical context, and practical ways for individuals and churches to engage compassionately.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Refugee Awareness and Its Importance

02:18 Personal Stories: The Refugee Experience

04:31 Shifts in Refugee Policies and Their Impact

07:37 Defining Refugees: Life on the Run

10:05 Current State of Refugee Programs

14:21 The Church's Role in Refugee Care

19:12 Refugees as Contributors to Society

24:23 Navigating Conversations About Refugees

resources

World Relief - https://www.worldrelief.org/

Refugee Day - https://www.un.org/en/observances/refugee-day

Advocacy Resources - https://worldrelief.org/advocate

This June, we will publish a special series of interviews related to World Refugee Awareness Month.

Please consider rating and reviewing the Disarming Leviathan podcast. It helps others find our work!

Who do you want to see on the pod?We are recording the next season of the Disarming Leviathan podcast! Let us know who you want to see on the pod in the comment section. Use the contact form at disarmingleviathan.com.

Calling all Pastors! Join us for the J29 Coalition Cohort, starting August 2026. Learn more at J29Coalition.com.

We are in between seasons of the Disarming Leviathan podcast (mainly so I can finish my Doctoral project at Fuller Seminary), but I wanted to post this episode I did with the Surge Network. My friend Aaron Dailey and I talk about a variety of things, including how we have seen pastoral ministry change in Phoenix over the last two decades. I share some of the lessons I’ve learned, the growing anxiety about affiliation among clergy, and why the hardest part of this job is the ghosts.

You can also find the video here.

In this episode of Disarming Leviathan, Caleb sits down with Pastor David Ruybalid Ruybalid to examine the growing narrative that a “revival” is underway—especially among young men returning to church. While acknowledging real shifts in generational engagement, David offers a careful theological and pastoral critique of revival language that prioritizes numbers, emotion, or cultural momentum over repentance, humility, unity, and Spirit-formed fruit. Drawing on historical examples like the Moravian Revival, David argues that genuine revival cannot be manufactured or controlled—and must be evaluated by its fruit, not its hype.

The conversation also explores why increased male participation in church has coincided with many women disengaging, highlighting the impact of institutional betrayal, abuse, unaddressed power dynamics, and the weaponization of Scripture.

About DavidDavid Ruybalid is a pastor, writer, and trauma-informed practitioner who works at the intersection of church leadership, abuse response, and spiritual formation. He is the co-founder of the Religious Trauma Network and teaches on abuse response through a course developed with Danielle Strickland’s organization. Drawing on years of pastoral ministry, worship leadership, and advocacy for survivors, David equips churches to recognize institutional betrayal, respond faithfully to abuse, and cultivate leadership rooted in humility, repentance, and the character of Christ.

Learn more about Disarming Leviathan at DisarmingLeviathan.com