The Perspectivalist

Uriesou Brito

The Perspectivalist is a podcast that seeks to interpret the culture, cantus, and cultus from a Biblical perspective. Join us each week for commentary and interviews.

  1. Season 7, Episode 3: Bitcoin, Ethics, and the Theology of Money with Jordan Bush

    MAR 2

    Season 7, Episode 3: Bitcoin, Ethics, and the Theology of Money with Jordan Bush

    In this episode of The Perspectivalist, Uri Brito sits down with Jordan Bush to explore a deeper question behind today’s financial debates: What should money be? This conversation moves beyond investing strategy and into theology, ethics, and anthropology. Money, they argue, is not neutral. It shapes trust, power, authority, and social structures. Throughout Scripture, honest scales, just weights, and protection of the vulnerable reveal that how a society structures its money affects how it treats its people. Jordan shares how his time ministering in Uruguay among Venezuelan immigrants exposed him to the devastating effects of currency collapse and hyperinflation. Churches, families, and businesses saw years of savings erased through monetary debasement. That experience led him to study the ethics of money production and eventually Bitcoin. The discussion traces the history of money—from gold and silver to fiat currency—and considers Bitcoin as a digital form of scarcity designed to resist inflation and centralized control. Gold and silver historically functioned as stable money because of their durability, scarcity, and trustworthiness. Fiat currency, by contrast, can be expanded at will, often benefiting governments and financial elites at the expense of ordinary people. Bitcoin attempts to combine the scarcity of precious metals with the portability and digital nature of modern currency. With a fixed supply of 21 million coins, it operates outside direct governmental control, raising important questions for Christians about limits, authority, stewardship, and economic justice. The episode also addresses Bitcoin’s volatility. Jordan explains that price swings are normal in emerging technologies and compares Bitcoin’s market cycles to seasons in agriculture or stages of human maturity. For long-term holders, volatility is not necessarily a sign of failure but part of a developing monetary network. The episode concludes with a brief discussion of Jordan’s children’s book, The Orange Umbrella—a story that introduces the themes behind Bitcoin without ever mentioning it directly. This is not merely a conversation about cryptocurrency. It is a theological reflection on money, trust, power, and the kind of economic systems that best reflect biblical principles.

    31 min
  2. Season 6, Episode 11: When Vanilla Christianity Offends Everyone with Jeff Mercer

    12/23/2025

    Season 6, Episode 11: When Vanilla Christianity Offends Everyone with Jeff Mercer

    In this episode of The Perspectivalist, we examine a viral controversy that exposed a growing fracture within American Christianity. When Buddhist monks walked through central Louisiana promoting a “walk for peace,” many Christians applauded the gesture. Christ Fellowship pastor Jeff Mercer did not. In a brief, two-minute video, he stated a basic Christian claim: true peace comes not through mindfulness or meditation, but through Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. The response was swift and severe. Accusations of intolerance followed, but most strikingly, the sharpest opposition came not from secular critics, but from fellow Christians. Within days, the United Methodist facility where Mercer’s church had met for nearly a decade revoked their access—explicitly citing his public statements. In this conversation, Jeff Mercer joins us to discuss the video, the fallout, and what this episode reveals about contemporary Christianity’s discomfort with exclusivity, its accommodation to Eastern mysticism, and its fear of speaking plainly in the public square. We explore how ideas of peace have been redefined, why “vanilla” gospel claims now provoke outrage, and what it means to confess Christ openly in a culture—and church—that increasingly prefers silence over clarity. This is a sobering but hopeful conversation about courage, faithfulness, and the cost of public Christianity in our time.

    14 min
  3. Season 6, Episode 9: Canon, Clarity, and Claims of Certainty: Protestantism vs. Orthodoxy

    11/07/2025

    Season 6, Episode 9: Canon, Clarity, and Claims of Certainty: Protestantism vs. Orthodoxy

    🎙️ The Perspectivalist Podcast Episode Title: Canon, Clarity, and Claims of Certainty: Protestantism vs. Orthodoxy Summary: In this episode, Austin and Uri continue their series on the psychology of conversion, diving deeper into the claims of Eastern Orthodoxy—particularly on canonical authority and private judgment—as well as the nature of biblical interpretation within the wider Christian tradition. Key Points Covered: Orthodox Claim on Canonical Authority Eastern Orthodoxy asserts that the Bible is recognized through the Church’s “faithful memory” or holy tradition, rather than being self-authenticating. Protestants argue instead for the clarity and authority of Scripture itself, upheld by the Spirit working through the Church. Private Judgment Debate Orthodoxy criticizes Protestants for reliance on private interpretation, pointing to "20,000 denominations" as evidence. But we challenge this narrative by noting that inescapable diversity and interpretive variance exist within Orthodoxy as well. Impressionism in Orthodoxy Drawing from Joshua Schuping’s Disillusion [Book Link], the episode explores both “high” and “low” impressionistic styles of interpretation in Orthodox circles—proving the charge of individualism cannot be laid solely at Protestant feet. Inescapability of Human Judgment Whether Protestant, Orthodox, or Catholic, all believers must wrestle with history, authority, and interpretation. We quote Robin Phillips’s excellent critique of Orthodox epistemology in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Lure of Epistemological Romanticism [Article Link], which highlights this unavoidable human condition. Challenges for Orthodox Unity Today Uri highlights practical and moral divergences among Orthodox jurisdictions (e.g. Ukrainian vs. Russian churches), raising questions about the practicality of universal conciliar authority in modernity. Biblical Witness to Clarity and Sufficiency The episode closes by grounding the Protestant view of Scripture in key biblical texts such as Luke 1:1–4, John 10:27, and 2 Peter 3:15–16. “The quest for certainty is deeply human—but when we seek it beyond the sacred Scriptures, we multiply complexities. Sola scriptura is not isolationist: it’s an invitation to submit to the voice of God, amidst the counsels of the faithful.” – Uri Brito Disillusion: A Pilgrimage through Orthodoxy, Catholicism & Evangelicalism by Joshua Schuping – [Amazon Link] Eastern Orthodoxy and the Lure of Epistemological Romanticism by Robin Phillips – [Article Link] 1 John 1:1–4, Luke 1:1–4, 2 Peter 3:15–16 – [Bible Gateway] 🔗 Resources Mentioned:

    34 min
  4. Season 6, Episode 8: The Mirage of the Ancient: Eastern Orthodoxy and Tradition with Austin Brown

    10/01/2025

    Season 6, Episode 8: The Mirage of the Ancient: Eastern Orthodoxy and Tradition with Austin Brown

    Welcome back to The Perspectivalist. I’m your host, Uri Brito, joined again by my good friend Austin Brown. Our goal is simple: to think more clearly as Christians with Scripture as our starting point. In today’s episode, we continue our series on the psychology of conversion, turning our focus to Eastern Orthodoxy. We’ll discuss the challenges of tradition, liturgy, and continuity, and interact with Pastor Josh Shooping’s book Disillusioned. Along the way, we’ll raise some key questions: What does it really mean for a church to claim apostolic tradition? How do we discern between authentic continuity and the “mirage of the ancient”? And what can the early church fathers teach us about these debates? Let’s dive in. Resources: Book: Disillusioned by Josh Schooping Part 1: In this episode, Pastor Uri Brito welcomes Austin Brown for a thoughtful conversation on the psychology of conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy in the age of social media. They explore the rise of “Twitter conversions,” where personality-driven online voices attract seekers who are weary of shallow evangelicalism and searching for depth, antiquity, or beauty. Together, they wrestle with the despair and uncertainty that often accompany these journeys, the overwhelming complexity of historical debates, and the temptation to trade truth for aesthetics or novelty. They reflect on the clarity and sufficiency of Scripture, the importance of local church community, and the need for patience and discernment in exploring different traditions. The discussion offers both pastoral counsel and personal testimony, reminding listeners that truth, not taste, must remain central; that beauty and antiquity are valuable but secondary; and that faith should be nurtured in community, prayer, and Scripture before making life-shaping decisions. Whether you’ve felt the pull of Rome or the East, or you’re walking alongside friends who are, this episode provides clarity, caution, and encouragement to walk slowly, faithfully, and wisely.

    32 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

The Perspectivalist is a podcast that seeks to interpret the culture, cantus, and cultus from a Biblical perspective. Join us each week for commentary and interviews.

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