In this conversation on the Smashing Idols podcast, host Jake Doberenz interviews theologian and author Cody Cook about the historical entanglement of Christianity and state power, and how the Anabaptist tradition challenges this fusion. Cook critiques the idol of coercive faith and argues for voluntary allegiance to Christ rooted in nonviolence and community. He outlines the radical commitments of the early Anabaptists—particularly their rejection of infant baptism, state-enforced religion, and Christian participation in violence—and connects their legacy to contemporary issues like political tribalism, Christian nationalism, and individualism. Cook makes a case for a faith that is both personal and communal, grounded in persuasion rather than force.
Listen here: https://jakedoberenz.substack.com/p/a-voluntary-faith-cody-cook