{"podcast":{"title":"The Bad Roman: Christian Politics for Modern Times","slug":"the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940","podcast_index_feed_id":1217940,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/thebadroman/feed.xml","website_url":"https://www.thebadroman.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/7566994/BR_podcast_logo.jpg","author":"Craig Harguess","episode_count":166,"summary":"Feeling caught in the crossfire of your Christian beliefs and the political turmoil around you? If the clash between your faith and the pressures of national loyalty has left you questioning where you stand, The Bad Roman is here to explore these very issues with you. Craig Harguess, once a neoconservative, now leads this engaging series, drawing from his own journey to understanding that being true to Christ often means challenging the expectations of the state. At the heart of ”The Bad Roman Project” is the provocative idea that ”sometimes to be a good Christian means to be a bad Roman.” This concept isn’t about defiance for its own sake (the mol tov cocktail version of anarchy) but emphasizes that our primary allegiance is to Christ’s teachings, which can sometimes put us at odds with worldly powers. It’s a call to prioritize our heavenly citizenship over earthly political ties, embodying the principle of ”No King but Christ.” This phrase underlines the choice to follow Jesus’s example of love, service, and justice, rather than aligning with the ambitions of worldly leaders within a state-bound system. This podcast offers a platform for those who feel the tension between their…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-09T20:22:21.694180+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940"},"episode":{"title":"Star-Spangled Jesus: Waking up From Christian Nationalism with April Ajoy","slug":"star-spangled-jesus-waking-up-from-christian-nationalism-with-april-ajoy","published_at":"2026-01-29T19:30:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940/star-spangled-jesus-waking-up-from-christian-nationalism-with-april-ajoy","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940","url":"https://thebadroman.podbean.com/e/star-spangled-jesus-waking-up-from-christian-nationalism/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/p3utceunszj5w5x3/BR153.mp3","summary":"Are we wrapping the cross in a flag? How far can party and country go before our Christianity must say “stop”? Craig sits down with April Ajoy, author of Star-Spangled Jesus and co-host of The Tim and April Show, to talk about growing up inside Christian nationalism and learning to follow Jesus instead of the party line. The point is not to chase outrage, but to measure all power by the words of Jesus. God first, always. They cover flags in church, fear-based politics, and the quiet shift from “this is my conviction” to “the state should enforce my conviction.” Craig urges us to stop outsourcing love to Caesar and get back to simple, neighbor-first faith that looks like the Sermon on the Mount. If you feel the tug between cross and country, this conversation gives language, laughter, and a clean path forward, to put Jesus over team, platform, and flag. Their conversation digs into: How “good Christians” get discipled by politics without noticing Flags in the sanctuary and what symbols preach Humor as healing: naming the “Jesus juke” Propaganda, fear, and why panic feels like faith Coercion vs. consent: the Kingdom’s way of love Threads vs. tables: why face-to-face changes hearts A simple test for allegiance: cross over party, Jesus over nation 🤝Connect with April Ajoy: Get the book: Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding A True Faith Listen to the Book on Spotify like Craig did! LinkTree Instagram: @aprilajoy Facebook: April Ajoy X (Twitter): @aprilajoyr TikTok: @aprilajoy Podcast: The Tim and April Show, YouTube, Instagram, Apple Podcast, Spotify Try This Week: an enemy by name; refuse to excuse violence because “it’s my side”; choose presence over outrage. 📖 For Full Show Notes:www.thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-153 Key Moments: (00:00) Wa…","meta_description":"Are we wrapping the cross in a flag? How far can party and country go before our Christianity must say “stop”? Craig sits down with April Ajoy, author of…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3140,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940/episodes/star-spangled-jesus-waking-up-from-christian-nationalism-with-april-ajoy/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940/star-spangled-jesus-waking-up-from-christian-nationalism-with-april-ajoy.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}