How political should Christians be? Preston Sprinkle discusses his new book, “Exiles”

Dr. Preston M. Sprinkle joined The Denison Forum Podcast to talk about his latest book, Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of the Empire. Along with host Dr. Mark Turman, they delve into biblical history as a guide for today’s Christians navigating the political arena. They warn against intertwining your religious and political identity, and they advocate for a stronger biblical lens when forming political perspectives. They also explore what “exile” and “empire” meant to the first-century church, providing a thought-provoking perspective on how Christians should engage with today’s contentious political atmosphere.

Topics

(00:21) The Role of Christians in Politics

(02:35) The Impact of Politics on Church Unity

(05:25) The Shift in News Consumption and its Impact on Politics

(11:15) The Role of Identity in Politics

(12:26) The Influence of Christianity on Politics

(16:01) The Dangers of Christians Seeking Political Power

(21:41) Historical Examples of Christian Influence in Politics

(26:15) Jesus as a Political Figure

(27:32) The Subversive Nature of Jesus's Teachings

(28:38) Understanding the Eternal Context

(29:15) Christianity and Slavery

(30:28) The Power of Sacrifice

(32:27) The Metaphor of Exile

(38:06) Political Involvement as Christians

(47:45) Practical Implications: Pledge of Allegiance

(51:36) Conclusion: Faith as the Primary Lens

Resources

Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire

Preston M. Sprinkle

Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender

🎧 “Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage?” A conversation with Preston Sprinkle

Podcast episode transcript

About Dr. Preston Sprinkle

New York Times bestselling author Dr. Preston M. Sprinkle has written more than a dozen books. He serves as the president of the Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender and the host of the Theology in the Raw podcast. His most recent book is Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire.

About Dr. Mark Turman

Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.