50 - Graham Shearer on the Limits of the State, Christian Liberty, and Baptist Political Theology

Graham is a PhD student at Union Theological College in Belfast. Before entering PhD studies, he was Associate Minister at East London Tabernacle Baptist Church, having studied at Oak Hill Theological College in London. Before that he worked for six years with UCCF.

Graham and I discuss three of his articles in this interview. First, we cover an article he wrote in the Fall of 2020 which articulated his understanding of how the state had over-reached and over-realized its ability to control a disease based on faulty assumptions regarding humanity and God. Next, we discuss the concept of resisting the state in the mind of Calvin. We explore the next generation of Reformed perspectives on resisting tyranny and how that informed a variety of viewpoints related to the relationship of church and state. Finally, we discuss the idea of being a magisterial baptist. 

Do baptists have a place within the magisterial reformed tradition? What limits are placed upon government in the Christian tradition? Did the reformation ruin government accountability? 

Join my Pateron - https://www.patreon.com/chasedavis

Graham Shearer’s Website - https://gjshearer.wordpress.com/

Graham Shearer Twitter - https://twitter.com/GJShearer

Covid and State - https://gjshearer.wordpress.com/2020/10/26/a-very-modern-plague-part-i/

Calvin and Liberty - https://mereorthodoxy.com/calvinism-and-liberty/

Response to Russell Moore - https://adfontesjournal.com/web-exclusives/marginal-baptists-a-brief-response-to-russell-moore/

Baptist Political Tradition - https://adfontesjournal.com/church-history/must-baptists-reject-a-christian-state-2/

Support the show

Sign up for the Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/chasedavis

Follow Full Proof Theology on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fullprooftheology/

Follow Full Proof Theology on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fullprooftheology/