Cody Cook's Blog, page 2
June 18, 2025
The Pocket Anabaptist in Shalom!
I was pleasantly surprised to see a review of my new book The Pocket Anabaptist in the latest issue of Shalom! There were also other positive comments about it in a separate article. Aside from references to my own work, there were a number of excellent featured pieces. You can read them all here: https://bicus.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/shalom-spring2025.pdf
May 27, 2025
Exploring Anabaptism (Theopologetics)
Chris is joined by his friend Cody Cook to discuss anabaptism and Cody’s new book, The Pocket Anabaptist: A Concise Systematic Theology of the Radical Reformation.
May 25, 2025
The Pocket Anabaptist (Libertarian Christian Podcast)
Doug Stuart and Cody Cook talk about Cody’s new book, The Pocket Anabaptist, an introductory work about the theology, history, and unique characteristics of the Anabaptist tradition.
Cody shares what inspired him to write The Pocket Anabaptist, a concise and approachable systematic theology exploring the radical Reformation’s legacy. Doug and Cody discuss the book’s origins, the Anabaptist reputation for prioritizing ethics over systematic dogma, and the surprising depth and organization in early Anabaptist thought. The conversation delves into core topics like the relationship between anarchism and Anabaptism, the importance of the church-state separation, Anabaptist views on creeds, and how they interpret the Bible—especially in terms of Christ-centered hermeneutics and the difference between Old and New Covenants.
They also tackle how Anabaptists approach missions, their global impact, and address common questions: Are Anabaptists Protestants? How do they relate to broader Christian traditions? What role does eschatology play, especially in light of the tumultuous events at Munster, and how do Anabaptists understand ruling alongside God?
If you’re curious about the intersections of liberty, systematic theology, and practical Christian living, or if you’d like a fresh take on how the Sermon on the Mount can be lived in the here and now, this episode is a must-listen.
Download the MP3 here: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-407-the-pocket-anabaptist-with-cody-cook/
May 16, 2025
A Voluntary Faith (Smashing Idols Podcast)
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
May 15, 2025
Are Libertarians “Woke” (or is James Lindsay)? (LCI)
Anti-woke provocateur James Lindsay has set his sights on libertarians.
The Cynical Theories co-author had previously earned comments and retweets when he turned on some of his conservative supporters by accusing a portion of the movement of being the “woke right.” This sparked a lively debate about “woke” really is, and whether a right wing version of it can exist. For Lindsay, wokeness includes a lean into authoritarian ideology and any kind of positive use or appreciation for the views or methods of those who influenced critical theory (such as Herbert Marcuse or Karl Marx)…
Read more: https://libertarianchristians.com/2025/05/07/woke-james-lindsay/
April 3, 2025
Only ‘Selfish’ Capitalism Creates Prosperity for All (FEE)
“Everyone wants a revolution. No one wants to do the dishes.”
This saying is often attributed to the activist Dorothy Day, and even though it’s unclear if she really said it, it would be fitting if she had. Day co-founded the Catholic Worker movement, opened her home to the forgotten and unwanted, and practiced civil disobedience in her advocacy against war and for the poor. But in these tireless efforts, she found that the high ideals of her compatriots didn’t always translate into the hard work that was needed to make a serious difference in the lives of those forgotten people who flocked to her doors. They wanted a revolution, to be sure, but few of them wanted to do the dishes…
Read my latest for FEE here.
