The Reformed Libertarians Podcast

A discussion of whether a Reformed Christian view of civil governance is compatible with theocracy. We explain how the term "theocratic" has been used, and two key elements of a theocratic view (namely, the monopoly state and civil establishment of religion) that must be rejected in a genuinely Christian view of civil governance. We also touch on how some who support a theocratic view go wrong in their eschatology.
https://reformedlibertarians.com/015/
00:00 Start
00:32 Episode description
01:27 About the history of the term https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/political-science-and-government/political-science-terms-and-concepts/theocracy
02:22 All of life, and so all politics, is ultimately guided by central religious commitments
04:45 The objectionable sense of "theocratic" is not entailed by the universality of central religious commitments and their ultimate guidance of all of life
05:28 Two key elements of theocracy are "a monopoly state" and "civil establishment of religion"; Monopoly explained
07:41 Just and unjust uses of coercion; The obligation of non-aggression; The illegitimacy of all states
12:13 A simple analogy
15:12 Establishmentarianism explained https://reformedlibertarians.com/against-civil-establishment-of-religion/
16:46 The unique, symbolic, and temporary (now obsolete) old Mosaic covenant theocracy involved suspension of the common grace order; It was a temporary symbolic-intrusion of final judgment and the kingdom of God, now inaugurated in the new covenant institutional church, and yet to be consummated in the New Heavens and Earth
19:59 While the old covenant was in effect, it was not a violation of non-aggression  https://reformedlibertarians.com/002 ; Now, in the new covenant era, the normal operation of the common grace order has resumed; This entails prohibition of establishmentarianism and monopoly, enacting either is antichrist
22:03 Genuinely limited governance, required by God's ultimate sovereignty, according to a consistent Christian view, entails non-monopoly and non-establishment
24:17 Recap
25:10 The under-realization of inaugurated eschatology in the new covenant by postmillennialism and so-called optimism that often accompanies a theocratic view
Additional Resources
More about the temporary suspension of the normal operation of common grace and the eschatological-intrusion within the old covenant theocracy : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3KFqcQlPuA
More about sphere sovereignty : Episode 09 - https://reformedlibertarians.com/009 Episode 12 - https://reformedlibertarians.com/012
More about the underrealization of inaugurated eschatology in the new covenant as held by a postmil view (Gaffin refers to postmil's de-eschatologizing) : https://www.newhopefairfax.org/files/Gaffin%20Theonomy%20and%20Eschatology.pdf
 The Reformed Libertarians Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute: https://libertarianchristians.com/ and a member of the Christians for Liberty Network: https://christiansforliberty.net
Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com 
 

What is The Reformed Libertarians Podcast?

The Reformed Libertarians Podcast aims to educate and inspire listeners to intelligently embrace and passionately promote a view of libertarianism as grounded in the Reformed Faith, and informed by a Reformed worldview.

Exploring free society from a Reformed perspective, hosts Kerry Baldwin and Gregory Baus discuss culture, society, politics, economics, theology, philosophy, worldview, and more. Follow the show at reformedlibertarians.com and discover how to think about liberty and human flourishing based in the Reformed Faith.