Reimagining Political Faithfulness: Paul, the Pharisees, and a Better Way

Voxology

Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 15 October 2020

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How can Christians engage in politics without becoming partisans? In this double-feature episode—an encore from two years ago—Mike Erre revisits the roots of faith, power, and politics with new context for our current cultural moment. Drawing from Tim Gombis, Michael Goheen, and N.T. Wright, Mike reframes Paul's theology as inherently political, uncovering how early church teachings speak directly into the chaos of today's polarized political climate.

This is the first two parts of the Faith and Politics Series—republished to provide grounding and clarity during a fraught election season. Mike explores Paul's journey from Saul the Pharisee to Apostle of Jesus, highlighting a dramatic political reorientation—one from coercion and judgment to service, humility, and subversive citizenship in the Kingdom of God.

Key Takeaways:
• Understanding “Politics” Biblically – Redefining politics not as partisanship, but as the communal ordering of social life under the reign of Jesus.
• Paul’s Political Imagination – How Saul’s pre-conversion zeal mirrored today's political idolatry, and how Jesus radically reshaped his political posture.
• The Gospel as Political Announcement – Why preaching is inherently political and how churches should function as alternative communities ("polis") embodying justice, mercy, and humility.
• Lessons for Today’s Church – What modern Christians can learn from the tension between faith and nationalism, power and witness, and how we move forward with redemptive engagement.

Resources Mentioned:
• Michael Goheen – Writings on missional theology
• N.T. Wright – Gospel and Empire themes
• Tim Gombis – Scholarly work on Paul and political theology
• Book of Acts – The transformation of Saul to Paul
• Old Testament texts – Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, Isaiah (New Exodus themes)
• Hebrew Bible themes – Shalom, exile, holiness, and priesthood

Join the conversation as we unpack how Paul’s political transformation can help us navigate our own divisive landscape with gospel-centered wisdom. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow Voxology on social media to stay informed and inspired.

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Follow Mike on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford – https://www.timothyjohnstafford.com
Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey folks, just in case you're new to the podcast, welcome.
0:05.2	This is a bonus episode.
0:07.5	This is a series that Mike did about two years ago on faith and politics that a lot of folks found helpful.
0:14.6	So we thought in this crazy election season that we would bring these back.
0:22.3	This is actually episode one and two because Mike's recorder died halfway through his first
0:30.2	episode.
0:31.6	So you get a one-two punch.
0:34.1	Also, you'll hear Mike reference a new scholar that he had been reading by the name
0:40.1	of Tim Gombus or Gombus, as he says here. Um, most of you who are regular listeners will
0:47.1	recognize Mr. Gombus because he is a big part of our Vox family now. So, um, again, these are older episodes from two years ago, but hey.
1:00.2	So here we go.
1:01.5	Faith and Politics, part one.
1:16.4	Today, I want to start a conversation about politics.
1:24.3	Now, we did a whole bunch on politics right around the election and immediately after it.
1:29.9	But I want to, I'm inspired by the work of some scholars, a guy named Michael Gohien, I think that's how you pronounce it, the ever incredible NT-Rite, and then a very
1:38.1	underrated Pauline scholar named Tim Gombus.
1:42.4	I think that's how you, Gombus, Gombis, GOMBIS, really, really love his stuff.
1:50.5	And he had a blog that, you know, back in the day, I remember, you know, benefiting greatly
1:58.2	from stuff he'd written on it, but he's got a couple of books about the Apostle Paul. Paul, for me, has always been a bit of a mystery. Jesus, love Jesus, fan of Jesus,
2:09.9	understand, you know, as best I can, Jesus in his Jewish culture. Paul's been, been hard for me
2:16.5	just because I react very strongly against the ways that
2:21.6	oftentimes Christians sort of read modern categories back into Paul, and it make it seem like
	...

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