City on a Hill

It's election day! Voting may seem like the most important thing you can do for your country or your community. If it feels like that, you put too much importance on the one day that rolls around every couple of years. You can add to the pressure you feel when you make your vote the only thing you think of when it comes to politics. You can exercise your citizenship by getting involved on any other day. Volunteer, get to know your public servants, serve on committees, write letters, the options are endless. We were asked for a voter's guide. We don't believe in voter's guides, but we spend a little time on what we might want to say if we were to make one. Then, we make the case for good citizenship year-round, not just on election day. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

Today, Scott offers two prayers for election season. One synthesizes some key verses we've repeatedly used on this podcast. The other attempts to address particular issues that concern us. Feel free to use them in your family or small group. Maybe they will help you with prayers of your own. The most important thing we can do today is to pray. NOTES: Prayer #1 -- Scripture Prayer Our Father in Heaven, We pray your name will be hallowed. Don't let your people hallow anyone on the ballot. Cause us to revere no one but you, look to no one for salvation but you, and have hope only in you. Don't let Christians profane your name by how they support a candidate. May your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We praise you for setting up kings and deposing princes. We praise you for the fact that the heart of a leader is like a stream of water in your hand, and you turn it wherever you will. So, we pray that your will will be done in this election and that you will use the collective will of the people to settle the course of our nation, our state, and our cities. We trust you to move people how you will. To that end, we pray for the welfare of our country. We long to live here as resident aliens who seek its good. We seek its good this week in our vote. We seek its good day in and day out by getting involved in the lives of our neighbors and in the community. We believe that our own welfare is wrapped up in this. We pray for all those in authority, those who will be put in authority in this election. I want to thank you for living in a place and time where we get involved in their selection. That is a privilege we can't take for granted. Thank you for those on the ballot who are there as ambassadors of your kingdom. Bring about a result in this election that will enable your church to lead peaceful and quiet lives. May the result of this election be the success of your church. Would you let your church be godly and dignified in the way they speak and the way they interact on social media this week? I really do pray for your church. It pleases you that people would be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Lord, use this election to create an environment in which that will happen best. Finally, Lord. You said that if we bring you things in prayer, you will help us not be anxious. So, please help us not be anxious. Let our hearts be so confident and content that no critical, sarcastic, or worried comment comes out of our mouths since, out of the abundance of our hearts, our mouths speak. Amen. Prayer #2 -- Prayer for Issues Heavenly Father, we are yours. You have adopted us. We live in a world of people who relate to you only as their creator. You made them in your image and they are important to you. Make them important to us. Make them important to us as we express our opinions and exercise our rights as we vote. Make them important to us all the time, too. May the way that we engage this election reflect the importance of our neighbors. May we do better than that. We want to vote and do everything such a way that we love you and our neighbors as ourselves. Would you protect our nation from polarization that would result in broken relationships or even in political violence. I pray, Lord, that politicians themselves would not inflame the polarization. That we would not invent or create enemies where they do not need to be. Protect families that are divided by strong opinions. May Christian families and churches find unity in their relationship with you to be far stronger than a flimsy political opinion strongly held. We commit the security of this election to you. You ask if it be your will, that the election itself would come off without a problem or violent backlash. Several things are especially concerning during this election. As always, we are concerned with the protection and preservation of human life. I pray that no matter who is elected that you would protect the vulnerable and the unborn. I pray that you would protect the elderly and the sick. Father, I pray for women who are find themselves in unthinkable circumstances and I ask that whether through political means or the kindness of neighbors that you would care for those women enable them to see if future includes unborn child. We pray, too, for the poor among us. Praying that they would flourish. I don't know what policy or even what politician will be of surest help to those who are hurting. But you do and I pray that you would work you're will for their good. So much is out of our control. Would you show your kindness to those who need it most. The issues surrounding immigration are far more complicated than I realize. Would you be pleased to show kindness to the alien and stranger regardless of the results of this election but use the election to that end. I pray due process would be upheld and that the people who are not like the majority would be welcome in our country. These things concern us more during this election. To the degree that political elections can further the flourishing of our neighbors and our community and our nation would you be pleased to make this election a good one? Would you do this for your glory and our good? We believe you can do this because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In his name, we pray, amen. RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Key Verses:  Matthew 6:9-13 Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;  he turns it wherever he will. Jeremiah 29:7. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.  1 Timothy 2:1-4. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Phiippians 4:6-7. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

We thought we should take our own recommendation and pray. We can wring our hands in worry, or we can fold our hands and pray. Here is a prayer you can use to pray during this election season. This liturgy for election day is from Every Moment Holy, Volume III by Doug McElvey. We highly recommend this series as a way of experiencing God's involvement in every day life. NOTES: Aeric prays a prayer from Every Moment Holy, Volume 3. Or, you can find it on the Rabbit Room. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

For three years, we've tried to encourage the church to break free from fear, from depending on politics, from making our neighbors into our enemies. Now, we are working against supposedly Christian magazine covers. Stoking fear, playing fast and loose with the Bible, telling only part of the story, and presenting Jesus as though he were partisan are only part of the frustrating fare in this issue of Decision Magazine. In this episode, we express our disappointment with this magazine and The Stand, also a Christian magazine. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

After the last presidential election, the results were called into question. Every state ratified its results a little over a month after the election. The time gap between the election and the final results provided an opportunity to cast doubt on the results. The delay is also reason to have confidence in the elections. We have extraordinary election security by any historical or worldwide standard. Aeric loves elections. He watches them like a football game (albeit a slow-moving football game). He talks a bit about the process of counting ballots and even what it meant to him as a candidate. We hope this helps you have confidence in the process...just in case it is questioned again this year. NOTES: Aeric discovers there is an ESTEP program for election security. What a great name! Federal Election Assistance Commission website. Election certification deadlines. Oregon Election Timeline for 2024 from Oregon Secretary of State RECAP/TAKEAWAYS The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. Proverbs 14:15 GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

Recently Kamala Harris has articulated some positions that Donald Trump claimed. Outrage ensued. People said she was flip-flopping. Rather than being upset, we wonder if the flip-flop might not be good! NOTES: Philippians 4:5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Since no party fully represents the Kingdom of Heaven, you might as well rejoice when someone changes for the better. Moderation may be better for the common good than an extreme position. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

In this episode, we discuss what the Republican shift away from a pro-life platform means. For most of our lives, especially if you were a one-issue voter, you had to vote Republican. The new Republican platform has changed significantly. Is that bad? Could it be good? NOTES: New republican party platform vs. 2016 Republican party platform RECAP/TAKEAWAYS This will force Christians to think more deeply about many issues as they vote. Issues that became "Biblical" because they were represented by the same party that was pro-life, we may have to re-examine. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

Here are a couple of resources that helped us: http://www.robertbellah.com/articles_5.htm#_edn8 American Gospel Music: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing Sorry, Comfort Fit, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Germany (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 DE), https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Comfort_Fit/Forget_And_Remember/03_Sorry

In this episode from the archives, we visit voting as stewardship. It should pair nicely with last week's episode. Aeric recommends David French's two-fold test (https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/how-then-should-christians-vote) recognizing that your vote is your endorsement. That means that voting for the “lesser of two evils” remains an endorsement of evil. Your vote is your personal commitment to the person you vote for, even if your vote doesn't make a difference in the election. (https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2020/10/19/voting-for-life/) The smaller the election the more clout your vote will hold and the more difference you can make. Apply the two-fold character and policy test to local candidates, too. You can actually reach out to them and meet them. Aeric did. Get out there and vote next week! Music: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing Sorry, Comfort Fit, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Germany (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 DE), https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Comfort_Fit/Forget_And_Remember/03_Sorry

Good Christian's vote! There, I said it. Well, that's what I was led to believe as I came of age. Good Christians vote, better Christians vote for the right things! That's what we're talking about in this episode. I hope you find it helpful. NOTES: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all. (1Timothy 2:1-6 ESV) GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

In this episode, we're talking about memes. Pictures have become a short-cut for thinking. People can forward a meme faster than their good judgment can stop it. How do people make meaning with memes? NOTES: Def: Dictionary.com: an image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by internet users, often with slight variations.  "celebrity gossip and memes often originate on the site" The word “meme” comes from the Greek mimema, meaning something that has been “imitated.” According to Britannica, the word was first introduced by Richard Dawkins, a British biologist, in his book The Selfish Gene; his intention was for “meme” to sound similar to "gene.” RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Memes target emotions and are shared impulsively. Memes don't substitute for arguments. Forwarding a meme does not equate to knowing the truth or understanding an argument. Meme's fuel outrage, even over things that don't deserve outrage. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

The Olympics captivated us! We found ourselves pulling for the Red, White, and Blue...sometimes in spite of ourselves. It made us ask, is that okay? Can we be over-the-top fans, yelling at our TV, and still have our patriotism in its proper perspective? We had a good time with the Olympics and a good time talking about it in this episode. I hope it helps you think about profound things like politics, but pausing to think about something as fun and as distant as the Olympics. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

We received a letter from a listener who noticed that people sometimes equate voting for one political party with being a Christian, as though being a Christian is Jesus plus voting correctly. Sadly, voting for a certain political party can be seen as an issue that affects salvation. In this episode, we are talking about adding politics to the gospel. NOTES: Galatians 2:11-14 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” RECAP/TAKEAWAYS In our circles, this has been more of an issue for Republicans who also claim to be Christians. The new Republican platform no longer has many of the elements that have been described as Christian for the past 40 years. So maybe adding Republican to Christian will be less of a problem going forward. Get to love the gospel of Jesus. Period. Jesus Plus doesn't save. Only Jesus saves. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

We had an assassination attempt and the bowing out of a presumptive nominee within 8 days. What will happen next? With a title like this, you might expect we are talking about end times. But, God is king over all the nations, including ours and he is doing just what he said he would do. He fulfills his word, sometimes in the usual way, sometimes in extraordinary ways. We have watched it in real-time. NOTES: Daniel 2:20-22 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.  He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;  he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. Isaiah 40:22-24 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Don't read more into events than is there. You don't know for sure what God is doing until after the fact. Don't let historical events change your conduct. Unusual events do not call for panicked or un-Christian responses. Represent Jesus in your conduct. 1 Peter 1:14-19 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 1 Peter 2:11-12 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Avoid partisan passions.Do not interpret these events through the lens of your preferred outcomes. If the other team wins, it does not necessarily spell doomsday. Beware of a desire for more drama. The news can be addicting, especially when it is so unusual. Pray. Pray for President Biden and his family, Donald Trump, and Kamala Harris. Pray for the election results to be such that the church can live quiet and godly lives in Christ Jesus. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

Did God Spare Donald Trump? The short answer is "Yes." This episode discusses the implications of that answer. I hope it helps you think as a Christian about the events of July 13. NOTES: ABC News, July 18 Cohen, who specializes in the phenomenon of mass shooters, added that investigators may never determine a single or precise motive for the attack. Sources familiar with the investigation have told ABC News that a search of the suspect's phone history has revealed no indication of Crooks' (Crooks was the shooter) political views or his motive for the shooting. Investigators have also found no digital footprint from the suspect suggesting any affiliations with international or domestic terrorist groups. They have also been unable to identify any ideological nexus to Trump and/or Biden, according to sources. "Likely, it was a combination of mental health issues, ideological beliefs and a sense of personal grievance, the same combination of factors present in almost every school shooting and mass casualty attack over the past several years. As with those incidents, the warning signs were there, they were just not recognized," Cohen said. "The threat was real but people around him did not understand what they were witnessing or how it would play out last Saturday.” RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Pray First. Don't let social media drive your opinions, thoughts, or fears. Contrary to what you read on social media, the shooter's motives are unknown. At this time, they don't appear to be political. Get over the conspiracy theories. They are a fact of life. That does not make them true! God spared Donald Trump in the same way he spares any of us. Not a sparrow falls without his knowledge. (Matthew 10:28-29) God spared good kings and evil kings. Good and evil followed. This is not God's endorsement of former President Trump. Pray always. Be sure of this: Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.  (Dan 2:20-22 ESV) GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

We are so happy to have John Inazu on the podcast today. We planned to interview him about his new book, Learning to Disagree: the Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect. Once our conversation began, we moved on to many of the other very important things he participates in. Learning to Disagree is an accessible and gentle introduction to practices and priorities that will help you thrive in a time like this, where people are all too eager to disagree with you. He uses the structure of an academic year at the law school. I hope you will pick up a copy of your own. John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. His latest book is Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect (Zondervan, 2024). He is also the author of Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly (Yale University Press, 2012) and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference (University of Chicago Press, 2016), and co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference (Thomas Nelson, 2020). He is the founder of The Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship and a Senior Fellow at Interfaith America and the Trinity Forum. He holds a B.S.E. and J.D. from Duke University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You can find him on X at: https://twitter.com/JohnInazu I signed up for my first Substack to follow him. You can do that here: https://johninazu.substack.com/ Last but not least, you can find him at his personal website: https://www.jinazu.com/ We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

In this episode, we discuss the material we used in the final of our three-part series at church called Family Conversations about Politics. This topic is right at the heart of what Christians claim to believe, namely the gospel. In what ways do promises made in campaigns function as false gospels? We hope this helps the church think clearly about how politics competes with the gospel. NOTES: We are deeply indebted to David Koyzis and his book, Political Visions and Illusions, for helping us see this for the first time! RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Political promises and political saviors function in gospel categories. They have a start (creation), a problem (fall), a solution or person (redemption), and an ideal outcome (consummation). Line up ideas about liberty, or capitalism, or democracy, or nationalism, and they all imitate the melody of the gospel. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

This episode finds the intersection of the Bible and politics. What can we "claim" from the Bible for America? What must we do to have God bless us? How do Christians identify who is who? While it isn't exactly identity politics, the way that term is commonly used, but we do need to be clear on who is who. Is America especially blessed by God, and are we on the verge of losing that blessing? Can we be moral enough for God to bless our country? Scott spoke on another webinar for our association of churches. We are using the audio from that webinar for this podcast. Here is a link to the webinar series. He used material he did for our church during our "Family Conversations about Politics" dinners. I hope this helps. RECAP/TAKEAWAYS America is not Israel. Israel is not the Church. The Church is not America. America is most like Babylon. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cityonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

We are happy to introduce you to the six conversations. We used this material in a workshop we did at church. We wanted to help the church have better Thanksgiving dinners after the elections. The best way to do that is to start by having better conversations, period. I hope you enjoy this and pick up the book. NOTES: We based our workshop and this podcast on this book: The Six Conversations: Pathways to Connecting in an Age of Isolation and Incivility by Heather Holleman RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Foundation for a Good Conversation. Be Curious “It's hard to be mad and curious at the same time.” Believe the best Express concern Share your life Use strong verbs. Conversation Goals To be encouraging Help someone grow Provoke marveling or awe. Types of Conversations/Questions Physical: Body/Space/Sense Emotional: Feelings/Emotions Volitional: Will/Choice How did you come to make that choice? Cognitive: Knowledge/Thinking Social: Relationships/People Tell me the story about how… Spiritual: Biblical/Prayer GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

The topic of today's encore episode: How did the Great Awakening affect the Revolutionary War? How is something so religious, that appeared other-worldly, stoke the fire of the American Revolution? What if religion was the engine for the rebellion against Britain? We are delighted to have Dr. Todd Miles on the Podcast with us this week. Dr. Miles teaches theology and church history at Western Seminary. He co-hosts a podcast for the seminary called Food Trucks in Babylon. He is on Twitter at @TL_Miles. And, he is the author of a couple of books, Cannabis and the Christian and Superheroes Can't Save You. Dr. Miles recommended a couple of books that you may want to take a look at: Liberty for All by Andrew Walker God of LIberty by Thomas Kidd Please leave a rating or review wherever you listen to this podcast. And please share the City on a Hill on social media or with a friend. Thank you! Music: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing Sorry, Comfort Fit, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Germany (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 DE), https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Comfort_Fit/Forget_And_Remember/03_Sorry

We are so excited to have Dr. David Koyzis, author of Political Visions and Illusions, with us on the podcast today! This is an encore presentation of one of our favorite conversations! We did a book report on the Political Visions book in the past several episodes and invited Dr. Koyzis to bring the conclusion to the book. I think you will enjoy his perspective on how the ideologies in the book mimic the true gospel. He gives good advice to the church about how to think about our relationship with political entities. Dr. David Koyzis is an experienced theologian who taught for 30 years at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario, and is currently a Global Scholar with Global Scholars Canada. He has attained a Ph.D. in Government and International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, a Master's in Political Theory at Toronto's Institute for Christian Studies, and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Koyzis has authored We Answer to Another: Authority, Office, and the Image of God and Political Visions and Illusions: A Survey and Christian Critique of Contemporary Ideologies. Dr. Koyzis blogs at http://byzantinecalvinist.blogspot.com. He records music (!) at https://genevanpsalter.blogspot.com Please leave a rating or review wherever you listen to this podcast. Spotify recently opened up ratings, so if you are a Spotify listener, please share some love! And please share the City on a Hill on social media or with a friend. Thank you! Send Comments or Questions to: podcast@newlifenw.com Music: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing Sorry, Comfort Fit, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Germany (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 DE), https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Comfort_Fit/Forget_And_Remember/03_Sorry

It is so ridiculous, I think, to say the last Superbowl was Mahomes vs. Purdy. However, it was commonly billed that way. They are the quarterbacks, sure, but they are not even on the field at the same time. They are technically never in a position where they are actually playing against one another. It is similarly ridiculous to conceive of our government somehow being Trump vs. Biden. We place an inordinate burden on a presidential election because we cannot see beyond an individual contest. We love to oversimplify. We need to reduce the complexity. In this episode, we address this way of thinking, which I hope will relieve some pressure on your presidential ballot. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

In this episode, we reflect further on the question of whether morality equates to receiving God's blessing. We need to acknowledge that humans flourish when they live according to God's design. We need to acknowledge, as well, that a holy, sovereign God does have moral standards for human beings. Those moral standards spring from the Noahic Covenant in Genesis 9:1-6. We look at the book of Amos to see how God holds nations accountable for justice and righteousness. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

In this episode, we consider the question of whether morality equates to receiving God's blessing. This is, of course, a question that people wrestle with in their own lives. If I am good, will God bless me? If you extend that to groups or nations, what is the connection between good morals and God's blessing? Then, do you reflect on all the good that we have enjoyed in America and infer that it is because we have been blessed by God because we were moral? This is some of the Christian motivation for political involvement. If we can get our politicians and our policies to be more moral, God will restore his blessing. This assumes that America has a relationship with God that it does not have. NOTES: It is too easy for our moral hot spots to hide moral blind spots. -- Christopher Wright, Destroyer of Gods Good morals may make good governments, but good governments will never make good morals. -- James P. Byrd, A Holy Baptism of Fire and Blood GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

We've all felt the pressure. How does God want me to vote? Who would a Christian vote for? These and more questions circulate around election time. In fact, you'll find no shortage of people trying to articulate a "Christian position" on an issue. In this episode, we bring this pressure to light in the hope that each person will feel free to vote their conscience. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

It is easy to wash your hands of politics and disengage. It is also easy to overreact and make politics ultimate. How, and more importantly, why does a Christian engage politics faithfully? Ultimately, it comes down to a different vision for human flourishing. Christians seek to live under God's rule because that is the surest way to flourish. In this episode, we make a case for political involvement with a Christian view of human flourishing. NOTES: Scott mentioned that he listened to A Letter to the American Church by Eric Metaxas. (Normally, we make a link, but we don't want you to go buy this one!). RECAP/TAKEAWAYS On many public issues, God gives us his will on how humans will flourish. We engage in politics because we love our neighbors and seek their flourishing. We seek the welfare of the city, and, truly believing God's will is best, we advocate for a life lived that way. We can't abdicate our involvement in public because we love our neighbors. Because people disconnected from God won't submit to his will just because "God says so," we need to find arguments explaining why God's way is best that they will hear. We cannot advocate for God's "what" without being governed by His "how." We must manifest the fruit of the Spirit as we engage publically, or we undermine our message. The manner of our engagement must match the message itself. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

The other Biblical author who has much to say about politics is the Apostle John. Today, we will look at a passage from 1 John and then at Revelation, which is full of figurative political statements. While Revelation is more than a veiled polemic against Rome, it is not less. Just like the Bible starts out with a dichotomy between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. In Revelation, you have the tale of two cities, Jerusalem and Babylon. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-

This episode adds to Paul's thoughts on politics. You can't get the whole story about Paul and Politics without thinking about what he says about principalities and powers. In this episode, we discuss the connection between spiritual authorities and political authorities. NOTES: Here are some verses that speak to the thin veil between spiritual authorities and political authorities. Eph. 3:7 -- 7 aOf this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. Titus 3:1 -- Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. Ephesians 6:10-12 -- 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Colossians. 1:15-20 - He is the image of jthe invisible God, kthe firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.  Col 2:11-15 -- 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.  1 Peter 3:21-22 -- 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. RECAP/TAKEAWAYS DO NOT use spiritual warfare as a way of labeling someone who disagrees with you as demonic. Please treat them as human beings made in the image of God. Daniel 10 includes a similar mash of spiritual and human authorities. It looks as thought physical powers and authorities are animated by spiritual ones. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-

We are still looking at what the New Testament says about politics. In this episode, we discuss how the Apostle Paul related to authorities and what he taught about politics. NOTES: Here are some key passage from Paul's experience and writing that we discussed. Acts 17:6-7 “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” Acts 22: 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips,4 Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for she is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, tan avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. 1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-

Peter learned his politics from Jesus. He also had personal experience with authorities who would quiet his preaching of the resurrection. So, Peter had a lot to say about how Christians relate to authority. That is what this episode is about. NOTES: Here are a couple Biblical references in which Peter speaks about politics and authority. Acts 4:19-21. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, da people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,2 whether it be to the emperor3 as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. uLove the brotherhood. fear God. Honor the emperor. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-

Jesus was political. He said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's but to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:17-21) He was crucified as "King of the Jews." In this episode, we explore how Jesus was more political than we sometimes recognize. NOTES: The birth of Jesus was political. Both Matthew and Luke set the birth of Jesus in terms of the political rulers of the day. Jesus began preaching the kingdom of heaven. The Sermon on the Mount tells us about its character, and his parables describe it. "The kingdom of heaven is like..." John 19:10-15 describes his trial before Pontius Pilate which sets his kingship against the Roman Empire. RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Jesus was more political than we expected. Jesus relates politics or government in a way that we can imitate. Political leaders neither understand nor submit to Jesus' authority. Jesus' political vision and authority are the grounds of our ultimate hope. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

In this episode, we go back to the beginning, to Genesis, and establish some of the history and theology of government. The legitimacy of government rests on its connection with God's authority. We try to make that connection in this conversation. NOTES: The Biblical texts we cited include: Genesis 1:26-28 -- Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 9:1-7 -- And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. 7 And you, be fruitful and multiply, teem on the earth and multiply in it." Deuteronomy 16:18-20 -- 18 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. 20 Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 2 Samuel 7:16 -- And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.'" 1 Chronicles 29:11-13 -- Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. Daniel 2:20-23 -- 20 Daniel answered and said:  “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. 21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22 he reveals deep and hidden things;  he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 23 To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter.”  Romans 13:1-7 -- Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this, you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.  RECAP/TAKEAWAYS God Rules God delegates rule to various systems and people. Our system of government is not in the Bible but accounts for theological ideas from the Bible, namely depravity and the dignity of the individual. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

In this episode, we take a look at some of the verses that mention the United States in them...yes, you are right. The United States isn't in the Bible. But, it is among the nations, and the nations are in the Bible. Listen to what the Bible says about our God and his relationship to the nations. See if it doesn't help you not to fear. The simple takeaway is this: Do Not Fear! NOTES: Psalm 2 -- Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3 "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill." 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Psalm 9:19-20 -- Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! 20 Put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah Psalm 10:16 -- The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. Psalm 22:27-28 -- All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations. Psalm 33:10 -- The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. Psalm 46:6-10 -- The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 47:7-9 -- For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! 8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. 9 The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted! Psalm 59:7-8 -- There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips-- for "Who," they think, "will hear us?" 8 But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you hold all the nations in derision. Psalm 66:6-7 -- There did we rejoice in him, 7 who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations-- let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah Psalm 82:8 -- Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! Psalm 86:8-10 -- There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Psalm 113:3-6 -- From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! 4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! 5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, 6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? Psalm 115:2-3 -- Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" 3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Isaiah 40:15-17 -- Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. 16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. Isaiah 42:1-3, 5-9 -- Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. 9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isaiah 52:13-15 -- Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. 14 As many were astonished at you-- his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind-- 15 so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. Daniel 7:13-14 -- "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. Malachi 1:11 -- For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. (All verses in ESV version). RECAP/TAKEAWAYS A Christian who believes in the God of the Bible has no reason to fear. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

In this episode, we attempt to learn from Jesus about how to have a political conversation. Jesus raises the stakes and plays chess while his opponents play checkers. Is there a way that we can use the same board and play a different game? NOTES: The episode comes from Scott's recent sermon on Matthew 22:15-22: Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" 21 They said, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away. RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Shrug -- Patrick Schreiner, in his book Political Gospel, describes Jesus' response to the Pharisees as a "shrug." We thought that was a good way to think of your political response. "In the shadow of Rome, their most subversive act was not to oppose Rome but to deny its principal significance...Jesus didn't seek to unseat Caesar; he willingly went to a Roman cross...Jesus was asked the most politically charged question of the day: whether Jews should be complicit to Rome by paying taxes to Ceasar. He didn't respond by flying off the rail at their abuse of power. He also didn't speak in a soft and hushed voice, fearing their authority. Instead, he subverted their power -- not by calling for a boycott, but by shrugging: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God." We need to learn from this tactic. We are partially complicit in granting too much power to the current governmental systems by our feverish responses. By manically and incessantly speaking of them, we hand them the scepter." (p.208) Shrugging takes practice. Here are some differences between chess and checkers moves: Checkers is a move that can be described as partisan. Checkers starts by playing for America. If you play the game so America wins, even if you bring in Religion, then you are playing checkers. Chess starts by playing for the kingdom. Jesus invites you to play the same game whether you are playing in Brazil or China or America. His game has to do with his Kingdom. Checkers is complaining. Checkers is played in the news cycle. Chess emphasizes the kingdom. Chess strives to love your neighbor when the checkers game would label them an enemy. Chess seeks the city's welfare even if you are losing the culture war. Many of your chess moves are not in the realm of politics. Chess is proclaiming King Jesus and paying your taxes. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

What a privilege to talk with Kaitlyn Schiess in the studio today! She was in town and made time for us. We are honored to talk with her about her new book, The Ballot and the Bible: How the Bible has been used and abused in American politics and where we go from here. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

We have had some conversations recently that have made us ask, "How can I know something is true?" This is especially true when someone claims to know the "real story" about a news event. What separates real news from false news? In this episode we discuss how you can know something is true. Some people call it epistemology. NOTES: We mentioned a website for kids that helps them discern what is true. Find it here. It asks three questions: Who said it? What is the evidence? Do you want to believe it? (If so, go back and ask the first two again). We also talked about Plato's Allegory of the Cave. RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Christians care about truth because Jesus is the truth: John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. We are encouraged to think about true things: Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Then, we talked about the CRAAP Test: Currency: The timeliness of the information. Relevance: The importance and applicability of the information to your needs. Authority: The source's credibility and the qualifications of the author. Accuracy: The reliability and truthfulness of the information. Purpose: The author's intentions and potential biases in presenting the information. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

During last week's webinar, one-quarter of the questions could be summarized with this question, "When do I not need to obey? This is a question about Civil Disobedience. Civil Disobedience is a last resort. NOTES: We are indebted to David Innes and his book Christ and the Kingdoms of Men for help with this topic. You can listen to our interview with Dr. Innes here. We also found some helpful articles: https://knowingscripture.com/articles/romans-13-civil-disobedience-to-unconstitutional-unjust-laws#1 http://www.ethos.org.au/online-resources/blog/christians-and-principles-of-civil-disobedience https://www.gty.org/library/articles/A120/can-christians-participate-in-civil-disobedience (Note: John MacArthur seems to have changed his position on this. At least during the COVID -19 crisis he did not follow this article.) RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Can the democratic process resolve the issue? Christians should bend over backward to submit. And, submit until you can't. Is obeying this law breaking the law of God? Direct disobedience disobeys the law in question. Indirect disobedience disobeys a different law to draw attention to the injustice of the law in question. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

Scott was privileged to lead the first webinar for CV Northwest on the topic of The Church and Politics. They gave us permission to publish the audio here, too. You can watch the video version of the webinar here. Scott asserts that the church needs to be political disciples of Jesus. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

We realized we rushed last week and didn't apply the lessons from history. So in this episode we try to pull some lessons from the flyover of history we did in the last episode. RECAP/TAKEAWAYS Here are the lessons we pulled out of our conversation last week. Be humble. We're all men of our times. Political machinery can't solve soul problems. History is shaped by religion and belief. History/politics is more complex than we realize. We all have baggage that we don't recognize. The lines have not been clear enough between God's kingdom and the kingdoms of the earth. The church is not in service to the government. The point of religion is not to make men moral. Civil religion is not Christianity.  The church is not a voting bloc. And it cannot become that.  This is not the worst time in American History. Yes, the scripture is the answer, but it is not flexible in service of my viewpoint.  Our temptations are not different than they have been before. The short-term temptation of power is always present.  GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

This week we take a quick look at 2000 years of church/state relations. Our goal is not to give the definitive answer on any one period, but to highlight the fact that there has always been challenges between the church and the state. It should provide a big dose of humility. GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

In this episode, we go back to talking about words again. We talk about church and state, and then the separation of church and state. NOTES: Thomas Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptist Association GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

We recap 2023 in this episode and look forward to 2024. We trust the new year will be a one in which the church stands firm in the face of high political winds of the coming election. ***We will take a couple weeks off over the holidays and return on January 8.*** NOTES: Aeric enjoyed Inventing Freedom: How the English-Speaking People Made the Modern World by Daniel Hannan. Scott is doing a webinar for Venture Church Network and CV Northwest on January 3, 2024 at 12:00 Noon PST. Anyone can jump on, I believe. Here is the link. Here is a link to the Western Seminary class Scott is teaching (Scroll down to ML570) . GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email or question at comment@cithonahillpodcast.com. MUSIC: Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing