The Gospel vs. Political Christianity: Rediscovering Jesus Beyond Partisan Faith with Brian Drinkwine

What if the biggest political threat facing the church is not opposition, but formation?

Brian Drinkwine returns to The Bad Roman Podcast to discuss his new book, Kingdom Over Empire: Recovering the Gospel from Political Captivity.

Drawing from his own journey through conservative evangelical politics, Brian explains how empire shapes what Christians fear, whom they treat as enemies, and where they place their hope.

This is not a call to switch parties. It is a call to recover undivided allegiance to Jesus.

They dig into:

• The six ways empire disciples us
• Why enemy-love leaves no room for political loopholes
• The social cost of leaving partisan identity
• Constantine and the transformation of the cross into a symbol of conquest
• Seven Mountains teaching, the Cyrus narrative, and the slow assimilation of the church into political power

Can Christians defend cruelty because their side gets results? Can the Kingdom of a crucified King be advanced through domination, fear, and coercion? Let's talk about it.

📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-164

🤝Connect with Brian🤝

• Kingdom Over Empire: Recovering the Gospel from Political Captivity

  • Also available through Amazon and other book retailers

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: https://briandrinkwine.com/

• Linkedin

• X

• Facebook

• Instagram 

• Ministry at Breakthrough Church

Key Moments:

(00:00) Introducing Kingdom Over Empire

(05:30) A Crisis of Hope and Identity

(09:30) How Empire Disciples Us

(18:50) Enemy-Love and the Way of the Cross

(24:30) Winning, Certainty, and Control

(28:45) When Party Loyalty Overrides Jesus

(36:30) Remembering the Poor and the Marginalized

(43:49) The Cost of Leaving Political Identity

(49:30) Image-Bearers Over Political Categories

(53:25) Constantine and the Co-opted Cross

(57:45) When the Church Gains Power

(1:01:10) Seven Mountains, Cyrus, and Political Power

(1:05:25) Nebuchadnezzar and Assimilation into Babylon

(1:07:45) Assimilation and the Subtle Loss of Identity

(1:09:40) Finding and Sharing the Book

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Jesus over empire. Mercy over shame. No King but Christ.