Foreign Policy ProvCast

Providence Managing Editor James Diddams is joined by James Baird, a pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Naples, Florida, to discuss Baird's new book, King of Kings: A Reformed Guide to Christian Government.

The central argument of King of Kings is built around a simple syllogism:

First Premise: Government must promote the public good.

Second Premise: As the only true religion, Christianity is part of the public good.

Conclusion: Government must promote Christianity as the only true religion.

Baird and Diddams explore the nuances of what it means for the government to promote the public good, as understood today and at the founding, and how Christianity informs our conception of the public good. What is the "postwar consensus" about religion and public life and how has it shaped the idea of a neutral public square? If it is true that the government should promote Christianity, and if so what does that look like? And what about the rights of religious minorities?

Jameses Baird and Diddams explore all of these questions and more on the latest Provcast.

Articles referenced:

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Abbotoy, Josh. "Is a Protestant Franco Inevitable?" First Things, October 6, 2023. https://firstthings.com/is-a-protestant-franco-inevitable/.

Crutchley, Jesse. "King David and the Magistrate's Role in Promoting True Religion." Providence, December 12, 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/12/king-david-and-the-magistrates-role-in-promoting-true-religion-1/

Diddams, James. "Bari Weiss or Protestant Franco: Which Way, Western Man?" First Things, September 23, 2025. https://firstthings.com/bari-weiss-or-protestant-franco-which-way-western-man/

In 2026, the phrase "integralism" as shorthand for Roman Catholics who do not believe in classical liberalism as understood through figures like John Locke, Adam Smith, and the American Founders is no longer a novelty. But over the last five or so years, another group of Christians, this time Protestants, have been expressing consternation over classical liberalism as well, instead arguing for a return to the political theology of early modern Protestant political theologians whose views, while certainly not "integralist" are also not exactly in-line with classical liberalism as commonly understood. Providence Managing Editor James Diddams and Editor-in-Chief Mark Tooley are joined by Hillsdale College history professor Daryl Hart to discuss the phenomenon of postliberal Protestantism in the USA.

Articles referenced:

Hart, Darryl. "Why Christian Nationalism, and Why Now?" Providence, February 3, 2026.

Hart, Darryl. "Catholics Are Debating Liberalism – Are Protestants Now Too?" Providence, January 9, 2023.

On April 12, Viktor Orbán, Hungary's prime minister since 2010, lost his bid for reelection. To many in the United States, Orbán had become known for corruption and his pro-Putin stance within the European Union, often complicating efforts to deliver unified support to Ukraine.

But beyond Hungary's role in European politics, a curious phenomenon unfolded over the past several years: the country came to be seen by some as a bastion of conservative thought in Europe, hosting American journalists and academics eager to study the "Hungarian model."

How did a small Central European state, with an economy roughly the size of Oklahoma's, come to symbolize a broader conservative movement in the West? And why did so many American conservatives make pilgrimages to a place most Americans could not locate on a map?

Providence Managing Editor James Diddams is joined by James Patterson, associate professor of public affairs at the Institute for American Civics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to discuss the rise and fall of Hungary as a model for the postliberal Christian right.

James Patterson. "The Grand Budapest Cartel." Providence Magazine, April 15, 2026.

"Is There a Catholic Plot to Overthrow the American Founding?" The Jeremy Boreing Show. April 10, 2026.

Providence Managing Editor James Diddams is joined by Japan Society President & CEO Joshua Walker to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent electoral victory and what it signals for Japan's emergence as a more proactive actor in international affairs.

While many Americans date U.S.-Japan relations to December 7, 1941, the relationship in fact stretches back to the 19th century, beginning with Commodore Matthew Perry's opening of Japan in 1853. Over nearly two centuries, the U.S.-Japan relationship has reflected the shifting forces of globalization, imperialism, liberalism, and democracy. As one of the most consequential bilateral relationships in the modern world, the evolution of U.S.-Japan bears examining as reflective of broader geopolitical trends heading into the middle of the 21st century.

Joshua Walker's new book: Japan, Beyond the Genkan - An Insider's Guide to the Soft Power, Strong Market, and Social Harmony of America's Asian Partner

Joshua Walker's newsletter: U.S.-Japan Perspectives - Exploring U.S.-Japan relations, geopolitics and culture

Why is it important for Christians to read—from the great classics to contemporary works? What does it mean to embrace a broad, liberal arts education from a Christian perspective? Providence Managing Editor James Diddams is joined by Nadya Williams—Contributing Editor at Providence, Books Editor at Mere Orthodoxy, and Interim Director of the MFA in Creative Writing at Ashland University—to explore these questions and to consider why, in an age of AI and increasingly dehumanizing technologies, reading texts that illuminate the human condition as a reflection of God may be more important than ever.

Articles referenced:

Nadya Williams. "A People Without Culture: What the End of Reading Truly Means." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, June 6, 2024. https://providencemag.com/2024/06/a-people-without-culture-what-the-end-of-reading-truly-means/.

Nadya Williams. "Christopher Lasch, Plain Writing, and Democracy." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, July 2, 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/07/christopher-lasch-plain-writing-and-democracy/.

Nadya Williams. "To Read Is Human." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, September 8, 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/09/to-read-is-human/.

Nadya Williams. "The Conservative Christian Literary Ecosystem." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, February 17, 2026. https://providencemag.com/2026/02/the-conservative-christian-literary-ecosystem/.

Nadya Williams. "'Like a Western Suit that Doesn't Fit': Shūsaku Endō, Christianity, and Japan." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, March 31, 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/03/like-a-western-suit-that-doesnt-fit-shusaku-endo-christianity-and-japan/.

James Diddams. "The Real Problem at Wheaton College." First Things, November 30, 2022. https://firstthings.com/the-real-problem-at-wheaton-college/

Providence editors Marc LiVecche, Mark Tooley, and Robert Nicholson are joined by Redeemer Universitry's Robert Joustra to discuss the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, nearly three weeks since the start of Operation Epic Fury on February 28th. While there may be just cause in striking Iran, is this a prudent usage of American political capital for President Trump and for future American leaders? If the U.S. fails at regime change or significantly weakening Iran for years to come, will the U.S-Israeli campaign be counted as a failure a generation from now? Mark, Marc, Robert, and Robert discuss.

When Christians attempt to derive political principles from the New Testament absent the context of the Old Testament, the result is sloppy political theology. But why is that?

Providence Magazine Managing Editor James Diddams is joined by Tim Milosch, lecturer in politics at Biola University and Providence Contributing Editor, to discuss how the moral framework of the Old Testament can help Christians better understand the teachings of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament.

In particular, Milosch and Diddams examine three major excesses in contemporary evangelical political theology: propheticism, pacifism, and cosmopolitanism. Each represents a legitimate category of political reflection that can serve an important role, but which can also become distorted when detached from the interpretive lens of the Old Testament. Milosch and Diddams also discuss how the Vietnam War contributed to a significant shift in how the Bible's message was interpreted.

Articles referenced:

Milosch, Tim. "Our Political Theology Shouldn't Start at Romans 13." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, November 2023. https://providencemag.com/2023/11/our-political-theology-shouldnt-start-at-romans-13/

Milosch, Tim. "'Jesus Christ: Refugee' and Other Fallacies in the Immigration Debate." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, February 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/02/jesus-christ-refugeetm-and-other-fallacies-in-the-immigration-debate/

Milosch, Tim. "Solomon: The Archetype of a Just Ruler." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, May 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/05/solomon-the-archetype-of-a-just-ruler-1/

On April 12, Viktor Orbán, Hungary's prime minister since 2010, lost his bid for reelection. To many in the United States, Orbán had become known for corruption and his pro-Putin stance within the European Union, often complicating efforts to deliver unified support to Ukraine.

But beyond Hungary's role in European politics, a curious phenomenon unfolded over the past several years: the country came to be seen by some as a bastion of conservative thought in Europe, hosting American journalists and academics eager to study the "Hungarian model."

How did a small Central European state, with an economy roughly the size of Oklahoma's, come to symbolize a broader conservative movement in the West? And why did so many American conservatives make pilgrimages to a place most Americans could not locate on a map?

Providence Managing Editor James Diddams is joined by James Patterson, associate professor of public affairs at the Institute for American Civics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to discuss the rise and fall of Hungary as a model for the postliberal Christian right.

James Patterson. "The Grand Budapest Cartel." Providence Magazine, April 15, 2026.

"Is There a Catholic Plot to Overthrow the American Founding?" The Jeremy Boreing Show. April 10, 2026.

When Christians attempt to derive political principles from the New Testament absent the context of the Old Testament, the result is sloppy political theology. But why is that?

Providence Magazine Managing Editor James Diddams is joined by Tim Milosch, lecturer in politics at Biola University and Providence Contributing Editor, to discuss how the moral framework of the Old Testament can help Christians better understand the teachings of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament.

In particular, Milosch and Diddams examine three major excesses in contemporary evangelical political theology: propheticism, pacifism, and cosmopolitanism. Each represents a legitimate category of political reflection that can serve an important role, but which can also become distorted when detached from the interpretive lens of the Old Testament. Milosch and Diddams also discuss how the Vietnam War contributed to a significant shift in how the Bible's message was interpreted.

Articles referenced:

Milosch, Tim. "Our Political Theology Shouldn't Start at Romans 13." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, November 2023. https://providencemag.com/2023/11/our-political-theology-shouldnt-start-at-romans-13/

Milosch, Tim. "'Jesus Christ: Refugee' and Other Fallacies in the Immigration Debate." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, February 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/02/jesus-christ-refugeetm-and-other-fallacies-in-the-immigration-debate/

Milosch, Tim. "Solomon: The Archetype of a Just Ruler." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, May 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/05/solomon-the-archetype-of-a-just-ruler-1/

Providence Managing Editor James Diddams and Executive Editor Marc LiVecche are joined by Redeemer University Professor of Politics and International Robert Joustra to discuss Operation EPIC FURY in its ethical and strategic dimensions.

Can we expect to see a flowering of democracy in Iran soon as a result of President Trump's attacks on Iran's theocratic regime? Are these attacks in accordance with the tenets of Just War Theory? How will Trump cast the results of the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, both in the best and worst case scenarios?

Articles referenced:

Joustra, Robert. "Which Is More Durable: Iran's Regime or Trump's Commitment to Regime Change?" Providence. March 2, 2026. https://providencemag.com/2026/03/which-is-more-durable-irans-regime-or-trumps-commitment-to-regime-change/.

Kosc, Jozef Andrew. "Iran's Enduring Apocalyptic Political Mythology." Providence. September 17, 2024. https://providencemag.com/2024/09/irans-enduring-apocalyptic-political-mythology/.

Kosc, Jozef Andrew. "Thousands of Paper Cuts, Then a Nuclear Bomb: Georges Sorel, French Anarchism, and Iran's Revolutionary Warfighting Doctrine." Providence. October 21, 2024. https://providencemag.com/2024/10/thousands-of-paper-cuts-then-a-nuclear-bomb-georges-sorel-french-anarchism-and-irans-revolutionary-warfighting-doctrine/.

Diddams, James. "Striking Iran Will Not Change the Long-term Strategic Picture—America Should Still Do It." Providence. June 19, 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/06/striking-iran-will-not-change-the-long-term-strategic-picture-america-should-still-do-it/.