The George Buchanan Forum

by The George Buchanan Forum

We want to see Christians well-equipped to live their lives according to truth, and that truth should extend to every nook and cranny of life. When it comes to discussing politics, and the issues surrounding politics, we see Christians plagued by inconsistent thought. We need more intellecutal maturity in the integration of theology, Natural Law, and history. The George Buchanan Forum was created to provide and provoke this sor ...   ...  Read more
Politics
Christianity
Philosophy

Podcast episodes

  • Jordan Dorney: Xenophon and Socratic Libertarianism

    Jordan Dorney: Xenophon and Socratic Libertarianism

    E29
    33:26

    Why does it seem so difficult for people to acquire, exercise, and establish political rule over others? Why can't human rulers get their human "herds" to obey them willingly like shepherds can with sheep? Why is everyone always revolting against the regime? Xenophon's Education of Cyrus begins with reflection on these questions apparently connected to the anthropological case for libertarianism. For Xenophon, the figure of Cyrus the Great would seem to resolve them decisively in favor of absolute tyranny: Cyrus makes it look so easy to conquer nations and subjugate individuals that not only does the regime itself seem natural but the tyrannical one most of all. Man looks made to be dominated, until even the greatest of kings proves inadequate to the task. Should we look for an even greater king with an even better art of kingship, or is this proof that man is born free and for freedom? This presentation introduces the political writings of the greatest student of Socrates not named Plato and attempts to provide a defense of natural liberty and a skeptical perspective toward attempts to subsume that liberty in or under political life.George Buchanan was a late 16th-century Scottish Reformed thinker who used Scripture, history, and the natural law to argue for the restraint of civil rulers, the resistance to tyranny, and the freedom of Christian citizens. Like its namesake, the George Buchanan Forum is a community of liberty-minded Christians seeking to integrate theology, political theory, economics, and history. Learn more at... https://www.tgbf.orghttps://www.facebook.com/TheGeorgeBuchananForum

  • Jonathan McIntosh: More Mere Than Mere Christendom

    Jonathan McIntosh: More Mere Than Mere Christendom

    E28
    25:42

    For over a decade Pr. Douglas Wilson has been introducing the highly suggestive term Mere Christendom into contemporary Christian discourse as a way of describing what it is that Christians ought to be striving for politically. With the recent publication of his book by the same title, this is as opportune a time as any to ask: Just what is “Mere Christendom”? What appear to be its essential affirmations, denials, and insights? What have been some of the notable criticisms of it so far, and in what ways might these criticisms miss the mark? On the other hand, from a natural law libertarian point of view, what are some of its apparent ambiguities, tensions, and (as-yet) unanswered questions? This talk will address these questions and more.George Buchanan was a late 16th-century Scottish Reformed thinker who used Scripture, history, and the natural law to argue for the restraint of civil rulers, the resistance to tyranny, and the freedom of Christian citizens. Like its namesake, the George Buchanan Forum is a community of liberty-minded Christians seeking to integrate theology, political theory, economics, and history. Learn more at... https://www.tgbf.org https://www.facebook.com/TheGeorgeBuchananForum

  • George Harrell: A Conservative Rethinking of the French Revolution, Part 2

    George Harrell: A Conservative Rethinking of the French Revolution, Part 2

    E27
    30:36

    The French Revolution has entered the popular imagination as a class conflict arising from Rousseau’s Enlightenment philosophy. However, if we analyze the French revolutions of 1789 and 1792 with a proper historical approach that appreciates the true nature of human action, we discover that the motivations behind these events were far more complex, and even conservative, than have been popularly portrayed. Understanding this affects how we compare and contrast the French Revolution with the American Revolution, and how we understand the broader role of ideology in social movements.George Buchanan was a late 16th-century Scottish Reformed thinker who used Scripture, history, and the natural law to argue for the restraint of civil rulers, the resistance to tyranny, and the freedom of Christian citizens. Like its namesake, the George Buchanan Forum is a community of liberty-minded Christians seeking to integrate theology, political theory, economics, and history. Learn more at... https://www.tgbf.org https://www.facebook.com/TheGeorgeBuchananForum

  • Brian Points: The Quibbling Rabble: The History and Future of US Housing Policy

    Brian Points: The Quibbling Rabble: The History and Future of US Housing Policy

    E26
    32:13

    Believe it or not, land use policy and its array of offshoots form one of the most hotly contested political issues in the USA today. Topics such as comprehensive plans, conditional use permits, re-zoning, and variances are keeping some of your neighbors up at night. With materials and development costs skyrocketing, state and local elected officials are desperately looking for answers that can pull some of the authority away from the rabble that dispute development at every turn. The deep irony here is that the "local control" that Conservatives so deeply desire has led to policy resulting from a small group of citizens' narrowly defined self-interests. So, how should we change our collective thinking about land use? Should the federal government play a more active role to reinforce our fundamental rights? And, how can other lessons of economics provide us some guidance? George Buchanan was a late 16th-century Scottish Reformed thinker who used Scripture, history, and the natural law to argue for the restraint of civil rulers, the resistance to tyranny, and the freedom of Christian citizens. Like its namesake, the George Buchanan Forum is a community of liberty-minded Christians seeking to integrate theology, political theory, economics, and history. Learn more at... https://www.tgbf.orghttps://www.facebook.com/TheGeorgeBuchananForum

  • George Harrell: A Conservative Rethinking of the French Revolution

    George Harrell: A Conservative Rethinking of the French Revolution

    E25
    31:04

    The French Revolution has entered the popular imagination as a class conflict arising from Rousseau’s Enlightenment philosophy. However, if we analyze the French revolutions of 1789 and 1792 with a proper historical approach that appreciates the true nature of human action, we discover that the motivations behind these events were far more complex, and even conservative, than have been popularly portrayed. Understanding this affects how we compare and contrast the French Revolution with the American Revolution, and how we understand the broader role of ideology in social movements. George Buchanan was a late 16th-century Scottish Reformed thinker who used Scripture, history, and the natural law to argue for the restraint of civil rulers, the resistance to tyranny, and the freedom of Christian citizens. Like its namesake, the George Buchanan Forum is a community of liberty-minded Christians seeking to integrate theology, political theory, economics, and history. Learn more at https://www.tgbf.org/