What relationship should exist between the church and the civil magistrate?

Should the state remain “neutral” toward religion — or does Scripture teach that rulers have real duties concerning the true faith?

In this episode of The Magistrate, Josh Howard and James Baird explore the historic Protestant understanding of church and state, including the forgotten distinction between in sacra and circa sacra — categories that shaped Christian political theology for centuries.

- Can governments acknowledge Christ without controlling the church? 
- What authority belongs uniquely to the church? 
- And why have modern Christians largely abandoned the historic Reformed view of the civil magistrate? 

This episode examines:

- Church vs. state authority 
- Christian nationalism and religious neutrality 
- The role of civil rulers in Scripture
- Erastianism vs. radical separationism 
- Protestant political theology 
- The legacy of the Reformation 
- Whether governments have duties toward Christianity 

If you’ve ever wondered whether a “neutral” state is actually possible, this discussion is essential.


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