Ep. 17: David VanDrunen’s View Of Civil Government, with Taylor Drummond

An interview with Pastor Taylor Drummond about his article “Fool’s Gold?: A libertarian analysis of VanDrunen’s account of state legitimacy,” which appreciatively, but critically, examines arguments in the book Politics After Christendom by Dr. David VanDrunen. Pastor Drummond introduces himself and recounts how he became a confessional, Calvinistic Baptist, and a libertarian-anarchist. He speaks about how VanDrunen’s biblical arguments for the legitimacy of the state fail his own standard for justifying the state. Drummond also explains how VanDrunen’s theoretical argument is at odds with his own view of law, justice, and rights, and is in tension with many of his economic and theological insights.

https://reformedlibertarians.com/017

Main Points Of Discussion

00:00 Introduction

00:32 Episode description

01:50 About Pastor Drummond

06:54 VanDrunen’s brief biblical arguments and Drummond’s response

17:22 Monopoly, Noahic covenant, and negative natural rights

24:26 VanDrunen’s view of customary legal order

27:50 Drummond’s response on law and rights

34:44 Need for clearly distinguishing just and unjust coercion

38:56 Protectionism, sin, politicization, and inefficiency