https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-85n78-1b7d43e
Saying “Jesus is Lord” can sound like a harmless phrase, but in the Roman Empire, where Caesar was Lord, it was a radical claim. Today, the claim still has rivals, and political and cultural tribes all want our allegiance.
Dennis talks with Presbyterian pastor Landon Whitsitt about his book Divided Allegiance. Landon is the pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City and a former vice moderator of the 219th General Assembly of the PC(USA). He is also the author of Make-Believe, Zombie Jesus, The Descending God, Afraid of Everything, Open Source Church, and Theology of Art.
The conversation looks at why we keep dividing our loyalty between God and other powers, and what faithfulness looks like when every side wants to claim Jesus. Landon pairs the prophet Micah with the Barmen Declaration, the confession written against the Nazi regime. His point is that this struggle is not new to our moment. It is what the people of God have always faced.
In this episode:
- The biblical context of Micah and its relevance today
- The significance of the Barman Declaration in Christian ethics
- The challenge of divided loyalties in contemporary faith
- The role of confession and repentance in spiritual integrity
- The influence of Reformed theology on understanding God’s sovereignty
- The church’s prophetic role in social justice and injustice
- The impact of Christian nationalism on faith and allegiance
- Practical steps for pastors and congregations to remain faithful
Resources:
- Landon’s Substack: landonwhitsitt.substack.com/
- Landon’s website: LandonWhitsitt.com
- Westminster Presbyterian Church, Oklahoma City (sermons): wpcokc.org
- Divided Allegiance by Landon Whitsitt
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