American exceptionalism isn’t a patriotic value; it’s a theological problem.

In this episode of The Disrupters, Jonathan Walton, executive director of the Center for Beauty and Resistance, joins Caleb Campbell for a challenging conversation about stewarding power, nationalism, and the idols hiding in plain sight.

Together, they explore why American exceptionalism remains so compelling, how the American Dream can become a counterfeit version of “life to the full,” and why Christians are often tempted to pursue power through dominance, control, and self-preservation rather than sacrificial love.

Drawing from Scripture, history, and years of walking alongside people learning to steward the power God has entrusted to them, Walton argues that the way of Jesus stands in stark contrast to the logic of empire. He invites listeners to reexamine assumptions about nation, identity, success, and faithfulness, asking what happens when allegiance to God's kingdom comes into conflict with the stories our culture tells us about greatness.

The American Dream offers a counterfeit kingdom. Jesus offers the real thing. The difference changes everything about how we understand power.

This episode highlights the following themes:

• The power, privilege, and stewardship of a Christian life
• The dangers and illusions of American exceptionalism
• Jesus’s disruptive approach to power and empire
• How confession, humility, and justice reshape the way we use power

Links from the episode:

• Learn more about Jonathan Walton
• Support the work of A Rocha USA and the Center for Beauty and Resistance here
• Check out Jonathan Walton’s Substack
• Read Beauty and Resistance and Twelve Lies That Hold America Captive by Jonathan Walton
• Get more information on the NYU Faith, Innovation and Social Impact Course. Applications are due on November 15. NYU, the Christian Community Development Association, Innofaith and the Center for Beauty and Resistance are collaborating for this unique opportunity!
• Read The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper
• Learn more about The Disrupters
• Learn more about Caleb Campbell
• Read Caleb Campbell's book, Disarming Leviathan
• Read the transcript here

Credits:

✅ Special offer: Visit ivpress.com and use the code IVPDISRUPT40 for 40% off and free US shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode.

✅ Producers: Jack Reece, Helen Lee, and Travis Albritton

✅ Assistant Producer: Christine Pelliccio Melo

✅ Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts

✅ Social Media Manager: Makayla Payne

✅ Podcast Art: Kate Lillard

✅ Theme Song: "Sneakerhead" by Ghost Beatz

Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

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