In this fourth edition of my annual Christmas series I discuss six of the most important books I read in 2025. The list includes:

FDR: A New Political Life by David Beito

The Struggle for Liberty by Ralph Raico, edited by Ryan McMaken

Interpreting Jesus by Dale Allison

The Fourth Synoptic Gospel by Mark Goodacre

The Place of The Past by Drew Holland

Jesus and the Law of Moses by Paul Sloan

I highly recommend all of them. Treat yourself to something nice this Christmas! Links and interviews below.

Media Referenced:

FDR: A New Political Life: https://a.co/d/2inp1Ty

Beito Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-229-the-real-fdr-with-david-beito/ 

The Struggle for Liberty: https://a.co/d/id17KtN 

Interpreting Jesus: https://a.co/d/69u7ZLN

Allison Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-201-interpreting-jesus-with-dale-allison/ 

The Fourth Synoptic Gospel: https://a.co/d/dClhNR5

Goodacre Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-224-johns-knowledge-of-matthew-mark-and-luke-with-mark-goodacre/ 

The Place of The Past: https://a.co/d/3lwgM3i

Holland Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-226-history-and-biblical-interpretation-with-drew-holland/

Jesus and the Law of Moses: https://a.co/d/6UwDMxe 

Six Books 24: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-171-six-essential-books-of-2024/ 

Six Books 23: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-97-six-essential-books-of-2023/

Six Books 22: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/six-books-that-shaped-my-political-thinking-and-theology/

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. 

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I reflect on the relationship between the ascension of Jesus, his status as king over all creation, and inaugurated eschatology. The resurrected Jesus was taken up into heaven during his ascension and currently sits at the right hand of God, ruling over all creation as king and presiding over the cosmic temple as priest. Because of this, the promised ‘final days’ have already arrived. God’s kingdom grows through the empowering Spirit which the ascended Jesus poured out upon his church to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth. The eschatological end has been inaugurated and will be completed upon the return of Jesus. I explore how passages like Acts 1:1-11, Matthew 28:18-20, Hebrews 1, and Psalm 110 attest to this reality, why we often ignore the dangerous political ramifications of the ascension, and the impact on Biblical studies and theology. 

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. Eric Schansberg, professor of economics at Indiana University (Southern) about his brand-new book Gen Men: What the Men of Genesis Can Teach Us Today. We discuss the crisis of masculinity in our culture today, the false caricatures about men promoted outside of the church, and why the church has failed to address this issue. We then explore how the men in Genesis reveal what it means to be truly masculine through both their successes and failures, and how men should take initiative, be responsible, serve others, and love God. We also talk about how the American culture is shaping men in very unhealthy ways and the need for authentic discipleship in the church, which is the only way we will ever be able to cultivate true Biblical masculinity. 

Media Referenced:

Gen Men: https://a.co/d/geryPb1

Getting Equipped Discipleship: https://gettingequipped.life/

Thoroughly Equipped Discipleship: https://thoroughlyequipped.org/

The Word Diet: https://thoroughlyequipped.org/the-word-diet/

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. Ross Hastings, Professor of Theology at Regent College, Vancouver, about his brand-new book “The Glory of the Ascension: Celebrating a Doctrine for the Life of the Church”, out now on IVP. Dr. Hastings explains the ascension, why it matters for everyone and everything, why it is often neglected by Christians, what it tells us about Jesus as king and priest, the Trinity, and the church. We also explore the political consequences of Jesus as the ascended king over all creation, the inauguration of the eschaton, and how the ascension should transform the way we worship God and serve others. 

Media Referenced:

The Glory of the Ascension: https://a.co/d/5YVqwUc

Dr. Hastings Bio: https://www.regent-college.edu/faculty/hastings-ross/

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In Genesis 3:5, the woman eats from the tree because the serpent promised she would be “like God”. This reveals the fundamental sin of humanity: trying to grasp for a power they weren’t intended to have. I discuss the historical and literary context of Genesis 1-11, the relationship between myth, history, and truth, and the purpose of these chapters. I then explain Genesis 1-3, showing how God created a good world, made humans in his image and gave them power to rule over creation (but not each other!), and how the human desire to become like God is the root of our problems. I reflect on how Genesis should shape our understanding of human power and why we should be skeptical of political systems. 

Media Referenced:

John Walton Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-109-understanding-old-testament-prophecy-with-john-walton/

Carmen Joy Imes Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-69-being-gods-image-with-carmen-joy-imes/

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. Carmen Joy Imes about her brand-new book Becoming God’s Family: Why the Church Still Matters. We discuss the rich theology of God’s family in both the Old and New Testaments, particularly the significance of all people being created in the image of God, the calling of Abraham’s family to rescue the world, the failures of Israel, and the restoration of God’s family through Jesus. We then discuss how the modern church has become divided over theology, politics, and culture, and why understanding our identity as members of God’s family can help us overcome the divides which plague the church. Dr. Imes also discusses how people have been hurt by the church and gives advice to those who want to walk away. This is a theologically rich and extremely relevant conversation which proves that the church will always matter. 

Media Referenced:

Becoming God’s Family: https://a.co/d/bxoUHEq

Dr. Imes on YouTube: @CarmenJoyImesPhD

Dr. Imes on Substack: https://substack.com/@carmenjoyimes

Dr. Imes on X: @carmenjoyimes

Interview for Being God’s Image: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-69-being-gods-image-with-carmen-joy-imes/

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I welcome back Dr. James McGrath. We talk about his contribution to the book Judeophobia and the New Testament, where he discusses contemporary negative attitudes towards Jews and Judaism. We discuss the problem of Judeophobia, how Jews are often marginalized in Christian theology, and how the Jewish Jesus movement lead to rampant anti-Judaism during the Middle Ages. McGrath explains the supposed division between the Old and New Testaments, how scholarship has clarified the relationship between Christianity and Judaism, how to better understand the New Testament in its Jewish context, and, very importantly, how debates about the modern state of Israel have contributed to Judeophobia. We also talk about the social problems which inevitably result from unclear thinking about Judaism and how we can avoid them. 

Media Referenced:

Judeophobia and the New Testament: https://a.co/d/idwmt3Y

James McGrath Blog: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionprof/

James on Twitter: @ReligionProf

James McGrath Eerdmans Page: https://www.eerdmans.com/author/james-f-mcgrath/

McGrath on John the Baptist: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-134-john-the-baptist-with-james-mcgrath/

McGrath on the New Testament: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-104-what-biblical-scholars-want-everyone-to-know-about-the-new-testament-with-james-mcgrath/

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. David Beito about his brand-new book FDR: A New Political Life, which is a critical biography of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We discuss his influences and upbringing, how he was shaped by Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and the Progressive Era, and his path to the presidency. We explore the New Deal, FDR’s signature domestic policy legacy, and how it not only failed to solve the economic problems caused by the Great Depression but fundamentally expanded the scope of the Executive Branch. Beito explains how FDR leveraged New Deal policies to win elections and how the New Deal destroyed free markets. We also discuss FDR’s abhorrent treatment of minorities, opposition to free speech, and political intrigue. Beito also examines FDR’s foreign policy record, challenging the consensus view that FDR was the hero of WWII. We then reflect on FDR’s legacy and how he is responsible for much of America’s political dysfunction today.

Media Referenced:

FDR: A New Political Life: https://a.co/d/7RhTMca

David Beito on X: @davidtbeito

New Deal episode: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-118-the-new-deals-war-on-the-bill-of-rights-with-david-beito/

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. Jennifer Houston McNeel about her brand-new book Under Her Wings: Mothers and Motherhood in the New Testament, out now on Eerdmans, where she explores mothers and maternal imagery in the New Testament. We discuss the role of mothers in the Jewish and Greco-Roman worlds, how they are portrayed in the gospels, Acts, and the rest of the New Testament, the legacy of Mary, Revelation’s complex maternal imagery, and more. Moms are very important in the Bible! 

Media Referenced:

Under Her Wings: https://a.co/d/iUHcXIT

Dr. McNeel’s Website: https://thetextincontext.com/

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

This episode gets a little personal. I talk about my own struggles with anger and hatred, why I have such animosity towards people in power, how it can damage relationships and compromise our Christian witness, and how God is helping me be a better person. I then examine the teachings of Jesus in Luke 10 and Matthew 5 where he explains how love for both neighbor and enemy is a moral imperative. I challenge my audience to check their motives and not allow hatred to consume them. Enjoy!

Media Referenced:

Episode on Love in the NT: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/what-does-the-word-love-mean-anyway/

Interview with Leftist Phil Christman: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-222-why-christians-should-be-leftists-with-phil-christman/

The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!