Law, Liberty & Power - The Chalcedon Podcast - Ep. 17
For fallen man, the political battle is always one of power vs liberty. Some men seek for liberty while the remaining seek for power. To seek power is to emphasize the “one,” while to seek liberty is to emphasize the “many.”
- Mark R. Rushdoony ,
- Martin G. Selbrede ,
- Andrea Schwartz
“Both liberties and powers are alike limited, under God, and hence under law. Liberty is limited and power is limited because the temporal order is under God.” (The One & The Many, p. 20)
For fallen man, the political battle is always one of power vs liberty. Some men seek for liberty while the remaining seek for power. For example, anarchists and libertarians desire liberty while socialists, technocrats, politicians, and oligarchs seek for power.
To seek power is to emphasize the “one,” while to seek liberty is to emphasize the “many.”
This is an unresolvable conflict without God as the determining factor for both power and liberty, which is resolved in the law of God and the kingship of Christ.
Therefore, both power and liberty are limited by law—God’s law.
Part of the educational mission of Chalcedon is to restore this presupposition and further the development of its implications, and that’s the subject of this episode of The Chalcedon Podcast.
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- Mark R. Rushdoony
Mark R. Rushdoony graduated from Los Angeles Baptist College (now The Master’s College) with a B.A. in history in 1975 and was ordained to the ministry in 1995.
He taught junior and senior high classes in history, Bible, civics and economics at a Christian school in Virginia for three years before joining the staff of Chalcedon in 1978. He was the Director of Chalcedon Christian School for 14 years while teaching full time. He also helped tutor all of his children through high school.
In 1998, he became the President of Chalcedon and Ross House Books, and, more recently another publishing arm, Storehouse Press. Chalcedon and its subsidiaries publish many titles plus CDs, mp3s, and an extensive online archive at www.chalcedon.edu. His biography of his father will be published later this year (2024).
He has written scores of articles for Chalcedon’s publications, both the Chalcedon Report and Faith for all of Life. He was a contributing author to The Great Christian Revolution (1991). He has spoken at numerous conferences and churches in the U.S. and abroad.
Mark Rushdoony has lived in Vallecito, California, since 1978. His wife, Darlene, and he have been married since 1976. His youngest son still resides with him. He has three married children and nine grandchildren.
- Martin G. Selbrede
Martin is the senior researcher for Chalcedon’s ongoing work of Christian scholarship, along with being the senior editor for Chalcedon’s publications, Arise & Build and The Chalcedon Report. He is considered a foremost expert in the thinking of R.J. Rushdoony. A sought-after speaker, Martin travels extensively and lectures on behalf of Christian Reconstruction and the Chalcedon Foundation. He is also an accomplished musician and composer.
- Andrea Schwartz
Andrea carries out a number of administrative duties at Chalcedon, putting much attention on promoting Chalcedon through social media and conferences. A main focus includes her direction of the Chalcedon Teacher Training Institute (ctti.org) -- online classes in Biblical law for women. She began working for Chalcedon as a volunteer in 1987 and has been on staff since 1992.