The Bad Roman: Christian Politics for Modern Times

Ancap Tim returns to discuss his new album, It’s Not Left vs. Right, and the story behind the song inspired by the phrase, “Sometimes being a good Christian means being a bad Roman.”
Drawing from his life as a musician, homesteader, homeschooling father, and Christian anarchist, Tim explains why allegiance to Jesus must come before allegiance to government, party, or nation.
This is not a call to become more anti-government. It is a call to become more like Christ.
 
They dig into:
The story behind “Sometimes Being a Good Christian Means Being a Bad Roman”
Why Matthew 20:25–28 challenges domination and political power
How love offers an alternative to coercion
Why Christian discipleship must remain voluntary
The difference between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world
How music, humor, homesteading, and ordinary faithfulness can become acts of resistance
Can Christians seek power over their neighbors while following a King who knelt to wash feet? Can love be commanded, enforced, or legislated? What does “Not so with you” mean in a church shaped by political fear and tribal loyalty? Let’s talk about it.
🤝Connect with Ancap Tim🤝
Website: ancaptim.crd.co
Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/artist/ancap-tim
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/0V00pFy29YAmmaKqSRKTRC
YouTube: youtube.com/@AncapTim
Instagram: instagram.com/ancaptim
X: x.com/ancaptim
Facebook: facebook.com/p/Ancap-Tim-61571241265825
Playing the Midwest Peace & Liberty Fest, Aug 6–9, Laingsburg, MI: mplfest.org
Previous episode: “Stateless Psalms: Songs for Liberty with Ancap Tim,” Episode 142
Starting Points and Key Moments:
(00:00) Ancap Tim returns with a new album
(11:42) The salsa table and the song that started it all
(17:18) The law of love versus the logic of coercion
(27:41) When party loyalty overrides Jesus
(35:33) “But I'm Extreme” — who decided what counts as extreme?
(40:16) An AI choir, Rothbard, and Scott Horton
(52:51) The Iran war, Hormuz, and a tragedy neither side can spin away
(1:02:19) The new album, the road, and where to find Tim
 
📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-165
 
Support the Show
💕 Feed the Feed 💕
You can donate to the project at thebadroman.com/donate. Every sized donation helps, and anything beyond production costs is given to charities in Memphis, Tennessee.
🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️ Want to an edible way to support the project? Try the Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar helps fund more No King but Christ conversations and keeps this work independent.
Want to support the project another way? Share this episode with someone untangling faith from politics!
 
🔗 How to Get Involved with the Project 🔗
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Explore the No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com

When did we start believing that someone has to be in charge?
Maybe it's one of the oldest stories we tell ourselves. If the right people hold power, everything will be okay. If the wrong people do, everything falls apart.
But what if Jesus was inviting us into a completely different way of living?
In this special bonus episode, Craig catches up with longtime friends of the show Larken Rose and Amanda Rose ahead of Approaching Humanity, an upcoming gathering in Sedona. What begins as a conversation about an event quickly becomes something much deeper. Together they explore why people from very different backgrounds keep arriving at the same uncomfortable questions about authority, conscience, and what it means to love our neighbors without trying to rule them.
This isn't a debate about politics. It's a conversation about becoming more fully human, and whether the Kingdom Jesus announced has been offering another way all along.
They dig into:
Why Jesus refused the crown everyone expected Him to take
A fresh look at "Render unto Caesar"
How political identities quietly shape our discipleship
Why people with different worldviews keep asking the same questions
What hope looks like when we stop trying to control one another
📖 For full show notes: https://thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-bonus
Connect with Larken & Amanda
The Rose Channel: therosechannel.com
Larken Rose's personal site: larkenrose.com
Candles in the Dark seminar: attendcandles.com
Larken on X: x.com/larken_rose
Larken on YouTube: youtube.com/user/LarkenRose
Approaching Humanity event tickets: therosechannel.com/humanity
Approaching Humanity pre-order the book: therosechannel.com/humanitybook
Also Mentioned in This Episode (Approaching Humanity Speakers)
Sheriff David Hathaway: Sheriff of Santa Cruz County, Arizona; previously featured on The Bad Roman Podcast, Episode 53, “Love at the Border with Sheriff David Hathaway”
Jason Bassler: co-founder of The Free Thought Project and founder of Police the Police
Patrick Smith: host of Disenthrall
Mark Maresca: host of The White Pillbox
Carey Wedler: voluntaryist content creator; former editor-in-chief of Anti-Media
Derrick Broze:  journalist, author, and founder of The Conscious Resistance Network
James Corbett: independent journalist, The Corbett Report, joining remotely from Japan
Rebecca Anzini: speaker on the hidden dangers inside “freedom-minded” intentional communities
Brittany: homeschooling mother, comedian, and past cast member of The Jones Plantation
Key Moments:
(00:00) Announcing Approaching Humanity
(02:02) Who Actually Shows Up
(05:27) Faith, Atheism, and Getting Shut Out
(09:24) The Core Challenge
(13:10) Renaming the Book
(15:30) Rereading “Give Unto Caesar”
(18:52) The God Nobody Names
(23:06) Candles in the Dark
(25:55) Why Approaching Humanity Brings Together So Many Beliefs
(33:22) Meet More of the Speakers
(36:30) Even More Speakers
(41:04) Why the Event Won't Hand the Ring Back
(48:45) Getting to Sedona
 
3 Ways You Can Support the Show
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You can donate to the project at thebadroman.com/donate. Everything beyond production costs is sent to charities in Memphis, Tennessee.
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Or simply share the show for free!It helps people find us and starts more conversations.
 
🔗 How to Get Involved with the Project 🔗
Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog
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Want to dig deeper? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!)
Explore the No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com
Jesus over empire. Mercy over shame. No King but Christ.

What if the biggest political threat facing the church is not opposition, but formation?
Brian Drinkwine returns to The Bad Roman Podcast to discuss his new book, Kingdom Over Empire: Recovering the Gospel from Political Captivity.
Drawing from his own journey through conservative evangelical politics, Brian explains how empire shapes what Christians fear, whom they treat as enemies, and where they place their hope.
This is not a call to switch parties. It is a call to recover undivided allegiance to Jesus.
They dig into:
The six ways empire disciples us
Why enemy-love leaves no room for political loopholes
The social cost of leaving partisan identity
Constantine and the transformation of the cross into a symbol of conquest
Seven Mountains teaching, the Cyrus narrative, and the slow assimilation of the church into political power
Can Christians defend cruelty because their side gets results? Can the Kingdom of a crucified King be advanced through domination, fear, and coercion? Let's talk about it.
 
📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-164
 
🤝Connect with Brian🤝
Kingdom Over Empire: Recovering the Gospel from Political Captivity
Also available through Amazon and other book retailers
Email: brian@briandrinkwine.com
Website: https://briandrinkwine.com/
Linkedin
X
Facebook
Instagram 
Ministry at Breakthrough Church
Key Moments:
(00:00) Introducing Kingdom Over Empire
(05:30) A Crisis of Hope and Identity
(09:30) How Empire Disciples Us
(18:50) Enemy-Love and the Way of the Cross
(24:30) Winning, Certainty, and Control
(28:45) When Party Loyalty Overrides Jesus
(36:30) Remembering the Poor and the Marginalized
(43:49) The Cost of Leaving Political Identity
(49:30) Image-Bearers Over Political Categories
(53:25) Constantine and the Co-opted Cross
(57:45) When the Church Gains Power
(1:01:10) Seven Mountains, Cyrus, and Political Power
(1:05:25) Nebuchadnezzar and Assimilation into Babylon
(1:07:45) Assimilation and the Subtle Loss of Identity
(1:09:40) Finding and Sharing the Book
 
Support the Show
💕 Feed the Feed 💕
You can donate to the project at thebadroman.com/donate. Every sized donation helps, and anything beyond production costs is sent to charities in Memphis, Tennessee.
🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️ Want to an edible way to support the project? Try the Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar helps fund more No King but Christ conversations and keeps this work independent.
Want to support the project another way? Share this episode with someone untangling faith from politics or or pick up Brian’s book and start your own conversation.
 
🔗 How to Get Involved with the Project 🔗
Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog
Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links
Want to dig deeper? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!)
Explore the No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com
Jesus over empire. Mercy over shame. No King but Christ.
 

What happens when the faith you inherited no longer looks like Jesus?
Josif Wright joins Craig to talk about leaving Christian nationalism, questioning the flag-and-cross mixture, and learning to trust Christ instead of political power. Josif is a teacher, coach, hospice chaplain, church speaker, and author of The War Within: My Story.
The conversation later turns toward his son Ryan’s decade-long struggle with addiction. Craig also shares memories of his brother TJ, whose battle with alcohol ended in 2020. Together, they ask what families and churches can do when control fails, shame makes things worse, and love is the only faithful path left.
They dig into:
Why Christians should question “God-and-country” teaching
Flags, pledges, voting, and divided allegiance
Loving people beyond national and political teams
Addiction from a parent’s point of view
Grace, identity, recovery, and harmful church labels
📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-163
 
🤝Connect with Josif🤝
Book: The War Within: My Story at Barnes & Noble, Amazon
Email: thewarwithinmystory@gmail.com
Instagram: @Josifwright 
X: @Josifwright 
Nostr/Damus: @j3
Josif also invites people who cannot afford a copy to email him. His stated goal is not sales, but helping families and people who are struggling.
 
Key Moments:
00:00 Leaving Christian nationalism
04:20 “Don’t trust the government and be kind”
08:30 God is pro-people
21:40 Flags, pastors, legalism, and fear
25:18 Can Christians pledge to two masters?
29:10 Voting and political identity
34:53 The War Within and Craig’s brother TJ
40:00 A family living on emotional life support
44:05 “Step back. Let God be God”
47:10 Recovery, grace, and new identity
53:40 Why people are more than their addiction
 
Support the Show
💕 Feed the Feed 💕
Support the show at thebadroman.com/donate. Every gift helps, and everything beyond production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, Tennessee.
🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️ Want to support the project in a tastier way? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar helps fund more No King but Christ conversations and keeps this work independent.
Want to support the project another way? Share this episode with a friend or make sure you're subscribed wherever you found this episode!
🔗 Stay Connected with the Project 🔗
Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog
Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links
Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!)
Explore the No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com
Jesus over empire. Mercy over shame. No King but Christ.

What does it mean to follow Jesus when governments demand your allegiance, your silence, or your fear?
In this episode of The Bad Roman Project, Craig sits down with Ara Torosian, an Iranian-born Armenian pastor who grew up under the Islamic Republic of Iran, served in the underground church, and now pastors Iranian Christians in Los Angeles.
Ara shares his journey from reading the Bible in Farsi as a teenager to smuggling Bibles, enduring house arrest, and witnessing the explosive growth of Christianity in Iran. He explains why many Western Christians misunderstand both Iran and the Iranian people, and why the underground church continues to thrive despite decades of persecution.
The conversation also turns to the present. Ara discusses Iranian Christian asylum seekers detained by ICE, the challenges facing refugees fleeing persecution, and the responsibility Christians have to speak for those who have no voice.
Along the way, Craig and Ara wrestle with difficult questions about war, government power, national loyalty, and what it means to follow Jesus when political solutions seem inadequate.
At the heart of the discussion is a reminder that the Christian's ultimate citizenship is not found in America, Iran, or any earthly nation, but in the Kingdom of God.
“I'm proud US citizen, but most important, I'm a heaven citizen.” — Ara Torosian
Whether discussing persecution abroad or immigration policy at home, this episode calls listeners back to a simple but challenging truth:
Jesus is King.
Highlights & Takeaways
The underground church in Iran continues to grow despite severe persecution.
Iranian people should not be confused with the Iranian regime.
Following Jesus often comes with a cost that Western Christians rarely consider.
Christians are called to show mercy before choosing political sides.
The church must resist the temptation to place political leaders above Christ.
Refugees and asylum seekers are people, not political talking points.
The Kingdom of God transcends every earthly nation and political movement.
No King but Christ.
📖 For Full Show Notes: http://thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-162
🤝Connect with Ara Torosian🤝
Instagram: Ara Torosian, @aratorosian (Instagram)
Facebook: Ara Torosian (Facebook)
Church connection: Cornerstone West Los Angeles / Farsi-speaking community; Ara has written publicly for the church about war, immigration struggle, and his congregation’s pain. (cornerstonewla.org)
Related reporting: Christianity Today covered one Iranian Christian connected to Ara’s church being freed after nine months in immigration detention. (Christianity Today)
Related reporting: Religion News Service covered Ara’s hunger strike and advocacy for detained Iranian Christians. (RNS)
Related reporting: Reuters covered immigration arrests of Iranian asylum seekers in Los Angeles and Ara’s response as pastor. (Reuters)
Key Moments:
(00:00) Government oppression and Iranian Christians
(00:37) Meeting Ara
(02:01) Ara’s background
(03:32) Discovering the Bible in Farsi
(04:06) Childhood under government propaganda
(07:00) Pressure on Christians in Iran
(10:17) Following Jesus when it costs
(11:28) Smuggling Bibles into Iran and house arrest
(12:43) The underground church grows
(15:03) People versus regimes
(17:10) War, freedom, and mixed Iranian views
(30:57) Craig presses the Jesus question
(33:32) Ara’s struggle with war and peace
(34:46) Presenting, not protesting
(35:37) Government worship in churches
(37:03) Politics inside the church
(48:38) ICE arrests and asylum seekers
(52:03) Masked agents and trauma
(54:00) Broken immigration system
(55:44) Children praying for their dad
(56:08) Speaking because he can
(58:00) What Christians should show
(59:36) Silence and complicity
(01:01:03) Life belongs to Jesus
(01:03:11) Bad Roman Salsa break
(01:03:54) How many Christians in Iran?
(01:05:30) Where to find Ara
(01:07:14) Lakers, Luka, and closing
 
🔗 Ways to Get Involved in the Project 🔗
Blog submissions:https://www.thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog
Connect with us on social:https://www.thebadroman.com/social-links
Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!)
Explore the No King but Christ Network:https://www.nokingbutchristnetwork.com/

Should Christians care about privacy? The surveillance state does not need your worship; it just needs your fear.
In this episode, Craig talks with Jon Padfield of Business Reform about Flock cameras, license plate readers, data brokers, and why Christians should question any system that treats neighbors like suspects and calls it safety.
Jon brings experience as an engineer, former Indiana state representative, professor, and Christian privacy advocate. Together, he and Craig unpack the old line, “If you have nothing to hide, why worry?” and ask the better question: who gave Caesar the right to decide what counts as wrong?
This is not just about cameras on poles. It is about fear, consent, courage, and the way surveillance trains people to obey before anyone even gives an order.
Can Christians simply shrug and say, “I have nothing to hide”? Jesus did not call us to outsource our courage to Caesar or trade neighbor-love for state-managed safety.
They dig into:
Why the “nothing to hide” argument fails
How Flock cameras expand beyond stolen-car searches
Data brokers, insurance companies, and digital profiling
Public records, local pushback, and privacy laws
Christian resistance in a watched world
📖 For Full Show Notes: http://thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-161
🤝Connect with Jon Padfield🤝
YouTube: Business Reform
Patreon
Buy Me Coffee
Tour: Brush Fires of Freedom Tour
Privacy tool mentioned: DeFlock Me
LinkedIn
X: @Dr_Jon_Padfield
TikTok: businessreform
Listen & Reflect:
Listen
Listen for the way Jon connects technology, public policy, business, and faith. Ask yourself where surveillance has already become normal in your own town.
Reflect
Where have you accepted “safety” language without asking who gains power from it? Have you ever used the phrase “nothing to hide” without thinking about who gets to define guilt?
Read
Read Matthew 10:16–31 and Psalm 146. Sit with Jesus’ call to be wise, fearless, and loyal to God above rulers.
Practice
Look up whether your city or county uses Flock cameras. Talk with one neighbor about privacy, consent, and what it means to love people without treating them like suspects.
Key Moments:
(00:00) Should Christians care about privacy?
Flock cameras and public unease
(01:23) Meet Jon Padfield
Business Reform YouTube channel
(03:00) Surveillance changes behavior
You Already Have a Reputation Score
(05:25) The “nothing to hide” fallacy
(06:00) What Flock cameras are
Deflock mapping tool
(09:30) Beyond license plates
(12:00) Daycare camera concerns
Audit logs from Dunwoody daycare
(17:54) Who decides what is wrong?
(20:37) Local, state, and federal use
(22:30) Who owns the data?
Flock’s perpetual license
Data retention concerns
(24:20) “Investigation” as a search reason
(27:08) Pushback and privacy laws
Ring  Superbowl backlash
(28:15) Local wins against Flock
(31:00) Federal privacy law concerns
(34:21) Data brokers and insurance companies
(41:30) How cameras appear without debate
(45:56) Consent and government power
(49:30) The four boxes
(52:32) Christian resistance and voting
(55:00) Jon’s case for engagement
(1:02:54) Brothers, not enemies
(1:04:00) Pragmatic limits on surveillance
(1:07:00) Safety arguments
(1:28:00) Where to find Jon
(1:29:13) Closing and support
 
🔗 Ways to Get Involved in the Project 🔗
Blog submissions:https://www.thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog
Connect with us on social:https://www.thebadroman.com/social-links
Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!)
Explore the No King but Christ Network:https://www.nokingbutchristnetwork.com/

What happens when Christians stop looking to government to do what only Christ can do? Brandon Kroll returns to explore Christian anarchism, Revelation 18, Ephesians 6, the love of money, and the spiritual powers at work behind the systems we trust too easily.
What begins with the merchants of Babylon becomes a deeper reflection on empire, deception, money, and whether followers of Jesus should keep trying to fix the world through the kingdoms of this age.
This episode traces the tension between earthly power and heavenly citizenship, asking where our loyalty really belongs when Christ calls us out of fear, control, and allegiance to Caesar.
They Explore:
Christian anarchism and allegiance to Christ
Revelation 18, merchants, and deception
Ephesians 6 and spiritual warfare
The love of money as a loyalty issue
Merchant power and America’s roots
Digital control, dependence, and fear
Christian nationalism and the lure of power
citizenship in heaven and what belongs to Caesar
📖 For Full Show Notes: http://thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-160
🤝Connect with Brandon Kroll🤝
Previous Bad Roman Episodes
EP 123 Patriot or Saint with Brandon Kroll
Mana Daily Podcast on YouTube
Mana Daily Podcast on Spotify
Mana Daily Podcast on Rumble
Mana Daily Podcast Patreon
Listen & Reflect
Listen: Listen for the way Brandon and Craig connect money, empire, and spiritual warfare, not as abstract ideas, but as real pressures that shape how we live and who we trust.
Reflect: Where have we asked government, wealth, or political order to give us the peace and security that belong to Christ alone? Where have fear and comfort made us slow to question empire?
Read: Revelation 18:23, Ephesians 6:10–20, 1 Timothy 6:6–10, and Philippians 3:20. Pay attention to what Scripture says about merchants, rulers, money, spiritual powers, and the citizenship that belongs to heaven.
Practice: This week, name one system you trust for safety, comfort, or control, and ask whether that trust has taken a place in your heart that belongs to Jesus.
 
Key Moments:
(0:00) Is Christian anarchism a good place to be as empire grows?
(3:20) Revelation 18, merchants, and deception
(4:44) America founded by merchants
(6:58) Articles of Confederation and federal control
(7:33) Property, money, and public voice
(24:18) Saints, rulers, and the governments of this world
(35:03) Technology, feeds, and programmed belief
(36:53) Ephesians 6 and the real battle
(37:20) Government, demons, or both?
(49:14) Rome, Charlie Kirk and Christian nationalist imagination
(50:40) Restrictions, surveillance, and forced “Christian” order
(59:23) Fear, compliance, and getting back to normal
(1:00:00) Voting, agency, and what we hand to government
(1:02:41) Caesar, land and sea, and citizenship in heaven
 
Consider Supporting the Show
💕 Help us keep the lights on! 💕
Support the show at http://thebadroman.com/donate. Every gift helps, and everything beyond production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, Tennessee.
🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️Want to support the project in a tastier way? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at https://badromansalsa.com. Every jar helps fund more No King but Christ conversations and keeps this work independent.
Want to support the project another way?Share this episode with a friend and ask: Have I trusted the systems of this world to do what only Christ can do?
 
🔗 Ways to Get Involved in the Project 🔗
Blog submissions:https://www.thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog
Connect with us on social:https://www.thebadroman.com/social-links
Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!)
Explore the No King but Christ Network:https://www.nokingbutchristnetwork.com/

What if the gospel is not just about being declared right, but about being rescued from a world that keeps trying to enslave us? Cody Cook returns to the show for a conversation about Galatians, law, union with Christ, the present evil age, and the spiritual powers Jesus came to defeat.
What begins as a discussion of Cody’s book Delivered from the Evil Age of the Present becomes something deeper: a reflection on how we read Paul, what Galatians 4 is really saying, and why the gospel is bigger than being declared right.
This episode traces the movement from law, slavery, and the “elementary principles of the world” toward rescue, adoption, new creation, and the kind of allegiance that belongs to Christ alone.
They Explore:
Galatians and the question of law or Christ
old, new, and apocalyptic readings of Paul
union with Christ, adoption, and being made new
the “present evil age” and rescue through Jesus
stoicheia and the “elementary principles of the world”
spiritual powers, slavery, and the scope of salvation
ordo amoris, J.D. Vance, and nation-first love
why Christian nationalism distorts our loves
📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-159
🤝Connect with Cody Cook🤝
Book: Delivered from the Evil Age of the Present: How Jesus Brought About a New Creation by Subverting the Powers Behind Nationalism and Ethnic Identitarianism
Explore Cody’s Books: The Anarchist Anabaptist, The Pocket Anabaptist, Fight the Powers, What Belongs to Caesar?
Podcast and writing: Cantus Firmus
Libertarian Christian Institute author page
X: @CantusFirmusCC
Podcast: Cantus Firmus
Website: cantus-firmus.com
Bad Roman Episodes with Cody Cook:
EP 89 God's Country or Jesus’s Kingdom? Navigating the Nexus of Nationalism and Faith in America
EP 99 Navigating Revivals in Christianity with Cody Cook
EP 128 The Anabaptist Way: Rediscovering Radical Christianity with Cody Cook
 
Listen & Reflect
Listen: For the way Cody widens the frame of Galatians, not into a narrow debate about law and grace alone, but into a deeper conversation about rescue, slavery, the powers, and new creation.
Reflect: Where have we reduced the gospel to being declared right while resisting the deeper change Christ brings? Where have nationalism, tribe, or political identity competed with our belonging to Jesus?
Read: Galatians 1:3–4, Galatians 4:1–11, Luke 10:25–37, and Philippians 3:20. Pay attention to what Scripture says about rescue, adoption, spiritual slavery, neighbor-love, and the citizenship that belongs to heaven.
Practice: This week, take one identity you hold tightly—political, national, tribal, or religious—and ask whether it has been shaped more by the present age than by the Kingdom of Christ.
Key Moments:
(0:00) Can law make us right, or only Christ?
(1:26) Why Cody wrote this book
(4:13) Different ways people read Paul
(9:27) Courtroom, table, and battle
(15:08)“We wanna be declared right”
(20:23)Why Galatians 4 matters
(34:13) Ordo amoris, J.D. Vance, and nation-first love
(57:48)Athanasius, incarnation, and the defeat of evil
(1:01:23) Christians, weapons, and the words of Jesus
(1:06:16) Where to learn more
 
Consider Supporting the Show
💕 Want more episodes that keep our loyalty with Jesus, not power? 💕
Support the show at thebadroman.com/donate. Every gift helps, and everything beyond production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, Tennessee.
🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️Want to support the project in a tastier way? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar helps fund more No King but Christ conversations and keeps this work independent.
Want to support the project another way?Share this episode with a friend and ask: Have I reduced the gospel to being right, instead of letting Jesus make me new?
 
🔗 Ways to Get Involved in the Project 🔗
Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog
Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links
Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!)
Explore the No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com

Jordan Grant joins Craig for a conversation about conservative Christianity, political deconstruction, Christian nationalism, and the long process of questioning power. What begins as a story about talk radio, Republican politics, and growing up inside a conservative Christian world becomes something deeper: a reflection on authority, coercion, medical culture, and what happens when the teachings of Jesus start pulling us away from the systems we once trusted. This episode traces Jordan’s shift from political certainty to a more honest struggle with faith, power, and the kind of allegiance that belongs to Christ alone.
They Explore:
conservative Christianity and political identity
political deconstruction and questioning authority
Christian nationalism and the pull of power
talk radio, media formation, and partisan loyalty
medicine, expertise, and institutional trust
why coercion conflicts with the way of Jesus
following Christ beyond left-right politics
📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-157
 
Listen & Reflect
Listen: Listen for the way Jordan describes his political awakening, not as a trend or rebrand, but as a slow unraveling of conservative politics, Christian nationalism, and trust in authority.
Reflect: Where have our political beliefs been shaped more by media, fear, or tribal loyalty than by the teachings of Jesus? Where have we confused conservative Christianity with faithful discipleship?
Read: Matthew 20:25–28, 1 Samuel 8, Psalm 146, and Romans 12. Pay attention to what Scripture says about rulers, power, coercion, and the way God’s people are called to live.
Practice: This week, take one belief you hold about politics, government, or authority and test it with a simple question: Does this reflect the way of Jesus, or does it rely on the kind of power He warned us not to trust?
Key Moments:
(0:00) Jordan Grant joins the show
(4:35) Jordan’s background: Texas, finance, medicine, and faith
(8:38) 9/11, Bush-era politics, and the conservative script
(10:46) Talk radio formation and becoming a “cage-stage conservative”
(13:25) Younger people, military disillusionment, and questioning authority
(17:53) Medicine, the state, and forced trust
(18:28) Medical school and the authoritarian mindset
(19:30) Authoritarian systems inside modern medicine
(26:43) COVID, church shutdowns, and Christian compliance
(28:37) Reformed theology, Romans 13, and civil magistrate thinking
(40:14) Ron Paul, conviction, and the church’s blind spots
(57:47) Wrestling with Scripture, certainty, and honest questions
(1:04:48) “Not so among you”
(1:05:48) Practical advice for fence-sitters
(1:08:20) Christians should be thinkers
 
Support the Show
💕 Want more episodes that keep our loyalty with Jesus, not power? 💕
Support the show at thebadroman.com/donate. Every gift helps, and everything beyond production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, Tennessee.
🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️Want to support the project in a tastier way? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar helps fund more No King but Christ conversations and keeps this work independent.
Want to support the project another way?Share this episode with a friend and ask: Have my politics shaped the way I read Jesus more than Jesus has shaped the way I see politics?
 
🔗 Ways to Get Involved in the Project 🔗
Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog
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Not everything that competes with Jesus looks dark at first. Sometimes it looks polished, powerful, and close enough to the truth that people stop asking questions. In this episode, Craig and Scipio Eruditus explore Freemasonry, Christianity, and government, tracing both the bigger history and Scipio’s personal path from Afghanistan war veteran to active critic of the powers he once believed were worth defending. What unfolds is a conversation about secrecy, loyalty, and whether followers of Jesus are being formed by Christ or by a world that teaches us to trust what happens behind closed doors. 
They Explore:
government and spiritual formation
Freemasonry: secrecy, symbols, and hidden loyalty
why power feels safer than trust
the Christian pull toward influence
truth in the open vs control in the dark
allegiance to Jesus above every system
📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-157
🤝Connect with Scipio:
Substack: Dispatches from Reality 
YouTube: Dispatches From Reality @ScipioEruditus
Podcast: Dispatches from Reality - Narrated (Spotify and Apple Podcasts)
Listen & Reflect
Listen: Listen for how early the episode contrasts the way of Jesus with systems built on secrecy, influence, and protected power. That contrast carries the whole conversation.
Reflect: Where have we learned to trust what feels strong, connected, and in control more than what is honest, open, and faithful? Where have hidden loyalties shaped us without our noticing?
Read: Read John 3:19–21, Matthew 5:14–16, Matthew 23:27–28, and 2 Corinthians 4:2. Sit with the difference between what lives in the light and what depends on the dark.
Practice: This week, before defending any leader, movement, institution, or system, ask one question: Is this teaching me to walk in the light with Jesus, or to trust the kind of power that protects itself behind closed doors?
 
Key Moments:
(0:00) Opening the question: Freemasonry, Christianity, and the state
(1:15) Meeting Scipio Eruditus
(2:12) War, patriotism, and the breaking of trust
(5:16) Fraternities as a gateway into deeper questions
(6:43) The initiation experience that shook him
(8:28) Freemasonry and the making of the modern world
(9:24) Patriotism losing its innocence
(10:14) The “mystery” question
(11:05) Secret societies and conspiracy against church and state
(12:26) Ancient religion, Babylon, and Egypt
(13:32) The unfinished pyramid and “the great work”
(14:25) The oldest heresy returns Genesis 3 
(18:04) Lower ranks, hidden knowledge, and the shield of charity
(29:01) Why such a small group carries so much influence
(30:30) The Morgan Affair
(31:46) Political dominion and suppression of scandal
(49:09) Symbols on the currency
(50:39) Allegiance, Lucifer, and false light
(53:17) “Further light in masonry”
(58:58) Is Freemasonry still driving government today?
(59:17) Can Christians make government righteous?
(1:12:20) Where to find Scipio’s work
 
Support the Show
💕 Want more episodes that keep our loyalty with Jesus, not power? 💕
Support the show at thebadroman.com/donate. Every gift helps, and everything beyond production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, Tennessee.
🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️ Want to support the project in a tastier way? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar helps fund more No King but Christ conversations and keeps this work independent.
Want to support the project another way? Share this episode with a friend and ask: Am I trusting the open way of Jesus, or am I still drawn to the kind of power that hides behind closed doors?
 
🔗 Stay Connected with the Project 🔗
Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog
Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links
Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!)
Explore the No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com