Alex BernardoEvery podcast appearance, updated as new ones drop

What does the Christian Bible really say about politics? Alex wrote a book about it. https://libertarianchristians.com/store/politics-economics-and-new-testament-interpretation/ Church and State is brought to you by, YOU! Visit us at: https://churchandstate.media where you can support us by donating directly and find links to shop with our affiliates. Get our merch at https://standupnowapparel.com/partner-church-and-state/ Support Church and State today by shopping at www.MyPillow.com using our coupon code: “CHURCHANDSTATE”. Our links are on link tree: https://linktr.ee/churchandstate Subscribe to our Locals Community (churchandstate1.locals.com) <br...

What does the Christian Bible really say about politics? Alex wrote a book about it. https://libertarianchristians.com/store/politics-economics-and-new-testament-interpretation/

Alex Bernardo stops by the LCI Greenroom to talk about his new book Politics, Economics, and New Testament Interpretation--which is available September 15th! Alex's book introduces New Testament studies while also clarifying what it means to read the New Testament with clear eyes rather than modern, leftist assumptions. Chapters: 0:00:22 Book Launch and Methodology 0:01:54 Why the Book Matters 0:03:38 Libertarian Ethics and Christianity 0:06:14 Three-Part Framework 0:06:51 Why Background Matters 0:10:02 Scholarship and Community 0:12:47 History as Guardrails 0:15:13 When History Becomes Necessary 0:20:09 Marxist Misreadings 0:24:25 Misusing Political Categories 0:28:14 Conference and New Project 0:29:55 Romans 13 Revisited 0:34:44 Reading Paul in Context 0:36:49 The Empire Question 0:38:22 Paul and Anti-Imperialism 0:43:20 Jesus as King 0:47:15 Witness Over Revolution 0:53:11 Losing for Christ 0:58:02 Rights and Pacifism 1:01:54 New Insights from the Text 1:04:57 Default Nonviolence 1:11:25 Closing Plugs and Release Info Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI! Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Bethany Bernardo guest hosts the show to interview me about my new book Politics, Economics, and New Testament Interpretation , which is now available for purchase on all major platforms! In this book I make an extended argument that the New Testament does not endorse authoritarian socialism. In biblical scholarship and theology, political and economic categories are imprecisely defined, which enables scholars to impose the modern popular paradigm of authoritarian socialism on the text, distorting both the interpretation of the New Testament and the ways in which the church applies the Bible to contemporary questions. I argue that the Austrian school of economics provides the only consistent, universally applicable, and irreducible definitions of socialism and capitalism, while the libertarian commitment to the nonaggression principle reframes our political categories as well. I discuss how these definitions should be employed in contextual, historically plausible readings of Scripture and explain why interpretive assumptions often obscure texts in the New Testament which relate to political and economic arrangements. I also discuss many of the passages I address in my book, explain how I conducted research, my motivations for producing such a large volume, and the impact I hope it has on Christian scholarship and discipleship. This episode I just a small taste of the much larger book, so please order a copy today! Media Referenced: Politics, Economics, and New Testament Interpretation on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0d8VdNwQ Order through LCI: https://libertarianchristians.com/store/politics-economics-and-new-testament-interpretation/ Sign up for LCI’s 2026 Conference in Cincinnati, OH on Saturday, October 17! Many LCI content creators, including myself, will be speaking at the event, and it will be an excellent opportunity to connect with likeminded, liberty-loving Christians. Check out the event and sign up here: https://libertarianchristians.com/conference/ 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 theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com . 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!

Most people who want to know how to study the Bible are looking for a system. A plan to finish in a year, the "right" translation, a highlighting method that finally sticks. Alex Bernardo, host of the Protestant Libertarian Podcast and a trained biblical studies student, spent this episode dismantling that instinct. There is no single correct method. There is only the daily habit of putting yourself in front of the text and refusing to leave until it has done something to you. Doug Stuart noticed Alex's heavily marked-up Bible over breakfast at Acton University and wanted to know the man behind the exegesis. What came out is a working philosophy of Bible study that treats intellectual growth and discipleship as the same project, not competing ones. You cannot grow as a disciple without growing in understanding, and understanding that never touches your life is just trivia. This is a practical guide to how to study the Bible over a lifetime: how to build the habit, which translations reward close reading, when to bring in commentaries, what to mark, and which popular practices are worth abandoning. Chapters: 0:22 Welcome and Bible Reading Habits 2:53 Early Bible Memories 4:39 Faith Through the Gospels 6:06 Daily Reading Routine 8:36 Reading Without a Plan 10:26 Lectionary Life 12:05 Choosing the NASB 16:00 Paragraphs and Verse Marks 18:09 Reading as Narrative 22:22 Finding the Right Translation 28:30 Using Study Tools 33:07 Memory and Bible Flow 35:23 Marking Key Passages 41:30 What Didn’t Work Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI! Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★

In this wayback episode from 2023 that has never been shared on the Libertarian Christian Podcast, Cody Cook interviews Alex Bernardo about medieval Christianity’s integration of church and state, how liberalism paved the way for freedom of religion, and why right and left wing extremists are now questioning whether freedom was such a good idea. This is a great discussion on its own, or as a companion to episode 434 with Gary Chartier: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-434-is-embracing-diversity-the-secret-ingredient-to-creating-a-libertarian-society-with-gary-chartier/ Alex Bernardo is a history teacher and host of CFLN show The Protestant Libertarian Podcast. He’s also on X as @prolibertypod Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI! Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode features a debate I had with Cody Cook on LCI’s Greenroom, moderated by Jacob Winograd, where Cody and I debate whether libertarianism is compatible a right-wing or left-wing phenomenon. I take the position that modern libertarianism should rightly be classified as right-wing while Cody argues it is more compatible with left-wing ideology. Enjoy the friendly debate! 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 theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com . 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!

Doug Stuart welcomes Alex Bernardo—host of The Protestant Libertarian Podcast —to unpack his book-in-progress on politics, economics, and New Testament interpretation. Alex argues that modern readers (and many New Testament scholars) import post-Enlightenment categories—“politics,” capitalism, socialism—into the first century and then draw conclusions the biblical writers never intended. His remedy starts before exegesis: nail down stable definitions and widen “politics” beyond elections to how humans relate, wield authority, and organize life together. They zero in on Luke–Acts. From Caesar’s census pushing Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem to Paul proclaiming the kingdom “unhindered” in Rome, Luke traces the reign of the crucified, risen, and ascended Son of David. In that frame, the Gospel is unavoidably political—not because it tells you how to vote, but because Jesus already reigns. The early church engages authorities without revolutionary violence, trusting the Spirit’s power while keeping allegiance to Christ above every rival. Bernardo outlines his method-first opening: concrete definitions of capitalism and socialism; a spectrum framed by liberty versus authority and violence versus nonviolence; and the needed context of Greco-Roman and Second Temple Jewish history. He previews work-by-work studies—Acts 2 and 4 on sharing, the rich young ruler, the widow’s mites, Romans 13, and 1 Peter 2—and explains why academic readings often lean left: institutional incentives, limited engagement with primary economic sources, and reliance on secondhand caricatures of economists and traditions (e.g., Hayek, the Austrians). The conversation ranges into theology too: recovering Jesus’s concrete Davidic kingship, refusing to sever messianic identity from divine ontology, and practicing interpretive humility that lets the text correct us. Expect a big, careful book (roughly 450–500 pages) that raises the bar for Christians who care about Scripture, history, economics, and real-world power—and a discussion that resists anachronism while inviting principled, peaceable political discipleship today. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI! Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★

Today’s episode is part two of my conversation with Alex Bernardo, host of the Protestant Libertarian Podcast. In this episode, I’ve asked Alex about three specific things libertarians believe: 1) Libertarians say things like “Taxation is theft.” How is it theft? Aren’t taxes the price we pay for living in a civilized society? 2) Drugs hurt people, so why do libertarians want drugs to be legal? 3) Bad people do bad things in other parts of the world. Why shouldn’t the US intervene? I also asked Alex about some entry-level resources for anyone interested to hear more about this political and economic philosophy. He mentioned: Alex’s Protestant Libertarian Podcast: https://libertarianchristians.com/shows/protestant-libertarian-podcast/ The Libertarian Christian Institute has an extensive collection of articles, podcasts, and other resources to peruse: https://libertarianchristians.com/ Alex also mentioned Reason Magazine, the Mises Institute, and AntiWar.com as other places for gaining a variety of libertarian perspectives on different issues.

Today on the podcast I interview Alex Bernardo, host of the Protestant Libertarian Podcast. In this first of a two-part conversation, Alex and I talk about how he became a libertarian (it might have something to do with him being a public school teacher), what is libertarianism, and does libertarianism have any biblical basis. We talked candidly and honestly, and I hope you come away from our conversation feeling inspired to dig more deeply into your own beliefs about politics. Alex mentioned a few resources in our discussion. Alex’s Protestant Libertarian Podcast: https://libertarianchristians.com/shows/protestant-libertarian-podcast/ The Libertarian Christian Institute has an extensive collection of articles, podcasts, and other resources to peruse: https://libertarianchristians.com/ Alex also mentioned Reason Magazine, the Mises Institute, and AntiWar.com as other places for gaining a variety of libertarian perspectives on different issues.

Alex Bernardo joins Doug again to discuss the books they've got in hand and on the shelf! Alex's book list includes a book by Lori Calhoun, known for her thought-provoking writing on the military industrial complex and the philosophy of war. They explore her book War and Delusion and her newest release, Questioning the COVID Company Line , which challenges the government and mainstream media's narrative surrounding the pandemic. Doug has been diving into biblical studies a bit more, particularly the works of Scott McKnight and N.T. Wright on situating the language of the gospel in the first century. They explore how Paul utilizes the term "evangelion" in his letters and discuss the importance of understanding Paul's use of language for faithful scriptural interpretation. Alex then discusses Brian Rosner's book Paul and the Law , which tackles the intriguing relationship between Paul and the Jewish law. Along with a window into Alex's reading routine, they also share some exciting book recommendations covering a range of topics, from politics and economics to medieval history and philosophy of science. Near the end, they discuss Carol Roth's new book, You Will Own Nothing , exposing the importance of ownership for wealth and freedom, and how various forces are aiming to undermine this fundamental concept. Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Though the Libertarian Christian Podcast may have a slight bias towards podcasts, we also love a good book. In this episode, host Doug Stuart and Alex Bernardo of the Protestant Libertarian Podcast sit down to talk about their reading habits and the books they've been enjoying recently, ranging from works of fiction like Harry Potter all the way to historical narratives about the Soviet Union. Whether you're looking for some quality book recommendations or just want to know more about the hosts and their approaches to reading, this is a delightful and laid-back episode you're not going to want to miss. Alex Bernardo is part of the Christians for Liberty Network and is the host of the Protestant Libertarian Podcast. There, he explores the intersection between protestant Biblical studies and libertarian philosophy, addressing topics related to theology, history, culture, economics, philosophy, and current events from both protestant and libertarian perspectives. More about Alex as well as links to all the books discussed in this episode can be found in the additional resources section below. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 01:45 Kindle, physical copies, & audiobooks 07:24 Highlighters or pens? 11:51 Doug and Alex's reading goals 19:25 Fiction books 32:24 Books that impacted Alex 38:40 What's Alex reading next? 40:14 Books that impacted Doug 44:11 What's Doug reading next? Additional Resources: - The Protestant Libertarian Podcast: libertarianchristians.com/shows/protestant-libertarian-podcast/ - Follow Alex Bernardo on Twitter: @ProLibertyPod - Fiction books: The Chronicles of Narnia series, by C.S. Lewis The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling Amon's Adventure, by Arnold Ytreeide The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, by Nathaniel Ian Miller Space: A Novel, by James A. Michener - Impactful books The Peril of Modernizing Jesus, by Henry J. Cadbury The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior, by Paul Strathern The White Pill, by Michael Malice - Next up: The Case Against the Fed, by Murray Rothbard Ideology and Insanity, by Thomas S. Szasz The Individualists, by Matt Zwolinski and John Tomasi Fossil Future, by Alex Epstein The Viking Heart, by Arthur Herman Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul, by John M. Barry Biblical Critical Theory, by Christopher Watkin - Other: Human Action, by Ludwig Von Mises Surprised by Scripture, by N.T. Wright Revelation for the Rest of Us, Scot McKnight Paul and the Faithfulness of God, by N.T. Wright The Crucifixion of the Warrior God, by Gregory A. Boyd Cross Vision, by Gregory A. Boyd The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, by The Free Press The Quest of the Historical Jesus, by Albert Schweitzer Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Like everyone else, we here at LCI enjoy a good crossover episode. Tune in to this installment of the Libertarian Christian Podcast to hear Doug Stuart talk with Protestant Libertarian Podcast host Alex Bernardo about Christianity, libertarianism, and the relationship between the two. Doug and Alex speak to the fundamental compatibility between Christianity and libertarianism, explaining how they came to be libertarian Christians and what kind of impact that's had on their lives. The two move on to contemporary strategies on how to sell libertarianism to Christians, as well as how to effectively evangelize to libertarians. Whether you're interested in these strategies or want to know more about Doug, critical theory, or the behind-the-scenes of this podcast, tune in today! Alex Bernardo is part of the Christians for Liberty Network and is the host of the Protestant Libertarian Podcast. There, he explores the intersection between protestant Biblical studies and libertarian philosophy, addressing topics related to theology, history, culture, economics, philosophy, and current events from both protestant and libertarian perspectives. More information can be found in the additional resources section below. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 07:10 Doug's spiritual journey 14:10 The influence of academia 19:16 Doug's libertarian journey 22:18 Joining LCI 24:05 How to name your podcast 25:40 What's the process for picking guests? 32:04 What is the relationship between Christianity and libertarianism? 38:44 Strategies for explaining libertarianism to Christians 40:35 Strategies for evangelizing to libertarians 42:46 Christians for Liberty Network plug 43:35 Freedom Fest and Christianity 47:46 Influential libertarians 50:18 Critical theory (in a nutshell) 57:43 Cultural implications of critical theory Additional Resources: - The Protestant Libertarian Podcast - Follow Alex Bernardo on Twitter: @prolibertypod - Turn Neither to the Right Nor to the Left , by Eric Schansberg - Missional Theology , by John Franke - The Third Temptation , by Austin Rogers Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Doug Stuart talks to Alex Bernardo of the Protestant Libertarian podcast about the knowledge problem in theology and philosophy. The Protestant Libertarian Podcast explores the intersection between protestant Biblical studies and libertarian philosophy, discussing the Bible, history, culture, economics, philosophy, and current events from both protestant and libertarian perspectives. Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction - About Alex Bernardo 07:34 What kind of Protestant are you? 10:20 How do you tie together being libertarian and Protestant? 12:20 Favorite topics covered 15:39 Biggest influences theologically and politically 20:51 How do you approach interpretation of Scripture? How is it authoritative? 26:22 How do we decide to apply the Old Testament? 31:28 What about the Ascension? 33:50 How do you decide what's important to get right? 45:04 Why don't you speak disfavorably of postmodernism? What is knowledge? 56:20 How woke culture leverages postmodernism and language? 59:11 Current reading list 1:07:25 Closing Remarks Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★