Does True Forgiveness Require Repentance ? It Seems Like the Answer is Yes -- So It's Not Unilateral

When Erika Kirk said at she forgave her husband's murderer, it seemed to imply a power to complete the forgiveness dynamic that was entirely unilateral. In other words, it seemed to imply a model of forgiveness that is foreign to Scripture. Scripture teaches that true forgiveness requires repentance on the part of the wrongdoer in cases of what Dr. Doug Geivett calls "asymmetrical harm." To help us with this topic, we're doing a fair use and transformative reading and discussion of Dr. R. Douglas Geivett's "Forgiveness" essay in his co-edited volume "Being Good: Christian Virtues for Everyday Life." The volume is made available by Eerdmans 2012. The co-editor of the volume is Michael W. Austin. It includes essays on a variety of topics related to Christian character formation. We'd like to thank my commonsense epistemology mentor Dr. Doug Geivett -- himself Ph.D. a mentee of the late great commonsense epistemology professor extraordinaire Dr. Dallas Willard of USC's Philosophy Dept -- for writing the essay. We'd like to thank Eerdmans for making it available and Michael W. Austin for co-editing it along with Dr. Geivett. Go out and get your physical copy today and follow along. Have it on your bookshelf. Support your brick and mortar book dealer. The Republican Professor is a pro-correckly-understanding-forgiveness podcast. Therefore, welcome Dr. R. Douglas Geivett back to the podcast through his careful writing on the subject. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D.

Part 5 in the Mr. Steak series, and Part 4 of the Mr. Steak's Competitive Edge series. This one is from May 1978 and is on the topic of "The Law" by Frederic Bastiat. This was one of Grandpa Mather's favorite books and one that I saw him handout on many an occasion to total strangers. The reading is done by Robert Hite with interjections by Grandpa for Scriptural commentary and discussion. This was probably recorded in April 1978 for the May 1978 Poster Tape discussion program that went out to the entire nationwide chain's associates, managers, and staff. Mr. Steak's Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO James A. Jim Mather, my Grandpa Mather, interviews people in an effort to increase what he called Mr. Steak's Competitive Edge by encouraging people to smile in order to help beautify America. This was in December 1976 for the benefit of Mr. Steak's nationwide staff in 285 restaurants. Grandpa interjects his thoughts along with Scripture. This seems to have been a monthly series called "Mr. Steak's Competitive Edge," each month with a new theme. Many thank to Kerri Marquadt, owner of 7 of the 286 Mr. Steak franchises including the Cheyenne Wyoming location, for the gift to me of these rare tapes of the Mr. Steak franchisor founder and motivational speaker, James A. Mather. Grandpa Mather was raised by a single mother in the Great Depression in El Dorado, Kansas. He went on to serve as a Navy F2F Hellcat fighter pilot during World War 2. He started the company in 1962. He and his first wife Dottie raised 3 kids in Colorado. He died last year in the presence of his second wife Linda peacefully in Camarillo, California at the ripe age of 102 years young. Funeral services were held at Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park and performed by Pastor Rob McCoy, whom Jim mentored in the Lord. The still photo is one of my copies of The Law by Frederic Bastiat given to my father by my Grandpa Jim Mather probably while I was in high school. It has markings and marginal notes in pencil in my father's handwriting. It was passed down from him to me when I was in the U.S.Navy after high school, although I believe I read this for the first time in high school at Chatfield I'm-so-high-screwel (as Rush Limbaugh used to call them), part of the Jefferson County Public School System in a little town called Littleton, Colorado, where I grew up. Enjoy. The Republican Professor is a pro-free-enterprise-system podcast. Therefore, welcome back Grandpa Jim James A. Mather. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D

Part 7 of a series on the history of Israel based on a fair use and transformative reading of "Israel and the Nations: From the Exodus to the Fall of the Second Temple" (Eerdmans, 1963) by FF Bruce. Prof. Bruce describes the purpose of his work on pages 11 and 12. Referring to the historical source material, he says, "For much of the period covered in this work, our most important primary sources are the books of the Hebrew Bible, which Christians call the Old Testament. In these books the story of Israel is told as 'sacred history.' That is to say, the narrators' interest was not so much in political developments as in the dealings of the God of Israel with His people. They retain their religious value to this day both for the Jewish people and for the Christian church. "Yet," continues Prof. Bruce on the bottom of p. 11, "while these books have come down to us as Holy Scripture, they are historical source-documents of first-rate worth. The chapters (top of p. 12 now) which follow are not concerned with them as canonical writings, but as material for constructing a political narrative." Don't forget that introduction to the book. The book is about politics, too, its intersection, in history, with theology. This episode includes continued interaction with the famous historical characters of Isaiah and Hosea (along with the political authorities involved at the time) in his chapter VII entitled "Decline and Fall of the Northern Kingdom 745 to 721 BC" by the Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis, FF Bruce, my intellectual and spiritual grandfather because he mentored my professor Bruce Demarest who himself studied under FF Bruce at the University of Manchester for his Ph.D. We're going to do a fair use and make a transformative reading of this material. We'd like to thank Eerdmans for making it available and thank FF Bruce for writing it. The Republican Professor is a pro-biblical-literacy, pro-Christmas, pro-quality-mentoring, pro-understanding-the-history-of-Israel podcast. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D.

Part 3. We're continuing our discussion of The Trivium today in conversation with Sister Miriam Joseph, Ph.D., who joins us through her writing teaching ministry in "The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric" originally published in 1937. We're discussing the first section of her second chapter. That chapter is called The Nature and Function of Language. We start our discussion on the top of p. 15 where we left off 25 Feb 2026, and we end bottom of p. 18 today. We'd like to thank Sister Miriam Joseph for writing this and we'd like to thank Paul Dry Books 2002 for making this particular edition available to readers (edited by Marguerite McGlinn). We're doing a fair use and transformative reading, and would encourage you to go out and get yourself a physical copy of this book. Whether used or new, or even a different edition, if you can find it, get the book, a physical copy you can hold in your hand, and follow along with the discussion. The Republican Professor is a pro-Trivium-done-right podcast. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D.

We're talking about the Bible's Influence on America's Legal Tradition. Happy 250th Anniversary of 'Murica. You're in for a treat . This is part 4 of 4 (but it's Part 8 of the discussion of this book begun Fall 2025) on the Second Chapter "The English and American Public Culture." This is episode 8 of the series on the book. This episode broaches the debate among the Founders on the use of the Bible in schools, for example in the election of 1800 of Thomas Jefferson, discussing pp. 42 through to the end of the chapter on p. 48. "The American Founders read the Bible," Oxford University Rhodes Scholar Daniel Dreisbach says in his first sentence of his Oxford University Press book. "They knew the Bible from cover to cover." "Its ideas shaped their habits of mind." "The Bible left its mark on the political culture of the era." Dreisbach's first sentence in his chapter 2 is: Ready ? "Anglo-Americans are people of the Book, and that Book is the Bible." WOW ! We had the author, Dr. Daniel L. Dreisbach, D.Phil. (Oxford), JD (University of Virginia Law School) on the podcast for Thanksgiving, Fall 2022. We're going to make a fair use, do a transformative reading of the book. We'd like to thank Dr. Dreisbach for writing this, and thank Oxford University Press for making it available. Support publishers when they make something worth reading. Support the publisher and throw some bidness their way. Support your brick and mortar book dealer. The Republican Professor is a pro-correctly-and-adequately-articulating-the-Bible's-appropriate-influence-on-American-politics podcast. Therefore, welcome again, through his writing, Dr. Daniel L. Dreisbach, D.Phil., J.D. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D. Warmly, Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D. The Republican Professor Podcast The Republican Professor Newsletter on Substack https://therepublicanprofessor.substack.com/ https://www.therepublicanprofessor.com/podcast/ https://www.therepublicanprofessor.com/articles/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRepublicanProfessor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRepublicanProfessor Twitter: @RepublicanProf Instagram: @the_republican_professor

Part 4 in the Mr. Steak series, and Part 3 of the Mr. Steak's Competitive Edge series. This one is from June 1976 and is on the topic of "Nobody Loves and Absentee." On the topic of Absenteeism, which apparently was a chronic condition for the managers and staff to work through at the time. Mr. Steak's Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO James A. Jim Mather, my Grandpa Mather, interviews people in an effort to increase what he called Mr. Steak's Competitive Edge by encouraging people to smile in order to help beautify America. This was in December 1976 for the benefit of Mr. Steak's nationwide staff in 285 restaurants. Grandpa interjects his thoughts along with Scripture. This seems to have been a monthly series called "Mr. Steak's Competitive Edge," each month with a new theme. Many thank to Kerri Marquadt, owner of 7 of the 286 Mr. Steak franchises including the Cheyenne Wyoming location, for the gift to me of these rare tapes of the Mr. Steak franchisor founder and motivational speaker, James A. Mather. Grandpa Mather was raised by a single mother in the Great Depression in El Dorado, Kansas. He went on to serve as a Navy F2F Hellcat fighter pilot during World War 2. He started the company in 1962. He and his first wife Dottie raised 3 kids in Colorado. He died last year in the presence of his second wife Linda peacefully in Camarillo, California at the ripe age of 102 years young. Funeral services were held at Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park and performed by Pastor Rob McCoy, whom Jim mentored in the Lord. The still photo is Grandpa Mather with Michigan Mr. Steak franchisee associates, managers, staff. Enjoy. The Republican Professor is a pro-free-enterprise-system podcast. Therefore, welcome back Grandpa Jim James A. Mather. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D

250th Anniversary of the USA Ep.9: Dr. Charles C. Thach, Ph.D. on The Creation of The Presidency VIII Episode 9 in the series marking the 250th Anniversary of the USA in this year 2026. It's part 8 of our discussion of this book. We're still in ch. 4 which is called the Presidency in the Federal Convention starting on the top of p.69 through to middle of p. 78. When the Founders signed their names onto the Declaration of Independence, they were committing a capital crime, and they were signing their own death warrants if they were caught. They took themselves not to be looking for a fight, but rather, refusing any longer to duck the fight that in fact had come to them. And they sought to ground their cause, their reaction, to right reason in the natural law, consistent with Revelation and the Scriptures. They sought to articulate such an argument for their cause in such a way that would be rightly persuasive to any future reader and any of the nations which may inquire as to the source of their actions. Of course, their cause was initially, in large measure, a reaction against abuse of Executive Power. But such a war required itself strong Executive Power. Therein lies the rub: how can Executive Power be strong yet consistent with the principles of Liberty ? We're making a fair use, doing a transformative reading and discussion of Charles C. Thach's doctoral dissertation at Johns Hopkins in 1922 called "The Creation of the Presidency, 1775-1789," made available by Liberty Fund INC in Indianapolis, Indiana in 2007. Go out and get your physical copy today. Follow along. We'd like to thank Liberty Fund for making this material available, and we'd like to thank Charles C. Thach for writing it. This material was required reading in my Ph.D. program in Public Law and American Politics at The Claremont Colleges. It was used on the 6 hour comprehensive exams (6 hours each) and in a course called The Presidency and the Constitution taught by Joseph M. Bessette, who also served on my dissertation committee many years later. The Republican Professor is a pro-correctly-understanding-the-American-Presidency, anti-grade-inflation-plantation podcast. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D

Part 3 in the Mr. Steak series, and Part 2 of the Mr. Steak's Competitive Edge series. This one is from December (recorded in November, though) 1976 and is on the topic of something very basic: the importance of the genuinely warm smile in human relations. The idea is that you're not just serving people your product alone, but rather the real need you're meeting is much deeper, a sense of community and connection which is so important to our flourishing as special creatures in the image of God. The folks Grandpa Jim Mather interviews have quite a bit to share on the subject. Mr. Steak's Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO James A. Jim Mather, my Grandpa Mather, interviews people in an effort to increase what he called Mr. Steak's Competitive Edge by encouraging people to smile in order to help beautify America. This was in December 1976 for the benefit of Mr. Steak's nationwide staff in 285 restaurants. Grandpa interjects his thoughts along with Scripture. This seems to have been a monthly series called "Mr. Steak's Competitive Edge," each month with a new theme. Many thank to Kerri Marquadt, owner of 7 of the 286 Mr. Steak franchises including the Cheyenne Wyoming location, for the gift to me of these rare tapes of the Mr. Steak franchisor founder and motivational speaker, James A. Mather. Grandpa Mather was raised by a single mother in the Great Depression in El Dorado, Kansas. He went on to serve as a Navy F2F Hellcat fighter pilot during World War 2. He started the company in 1962. He and his first wife Dottie raised 3 kids in Colorado. He died last year in the presence of his second wife Linda peacefully in Camarillo, California at the ripe age of 102 years young. Funeral services were held at Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park and performed by Pastor Rob McCoy, whom Jim mentored in the Lord. The still photo is Grandpa Mather with Dr. Jim James Dobson, president of Focus on the Family, probably in Colorado Springs in the early 1980s. They are about to each lunch together in Dobson's office, looks like hamburgers. Grandpa was a multiple time guest on Focus on the Family radio program. When I went to Summit Ministries for the first time courtesy of Grandpa in 1989, the first person I met was Ryan Dobson, who had highly recommended it to Grandpa. Enjoy. The Republican Professor is a pro-free-enterprise-system podcast. Therefore, welcome back Grandpa Jim James A. Mather. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D

This is part 9 in the series. (Part 8 was the episode on 14 May 2026). We're beginning our discussion of the chapter called "War." Chapter 4. We discuss sub-chapters starting at p. 74 of chapter 4, hitting the following: "The Vietnam War generation and class" and "the counterculture." We stop at the top of p. 82. This is a continuation of a transformative reading and fair use of Chris Caldwell's "The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties" published by Simon and Schuster in 2020. We'd like to thank Chris Caldwell for writing it, Simon and Schuster for making it available, and encourage you to purchase your own physical copy of the book so that you can follow along. Please support brick and mortar book dealers, you local book dealers. I'd like to thank my former political philosophy student Matt Stone (Phil M03: Social and Political Philosophy at Moorpark College, Spring 2008) for purchasing my copy of the book for me and supporting TRP podcast. Let's foster a culture that values good authors and good books, physical books, and honors and rewards publishers for making those books available for us to read and to think about. Please support this author and this publisher. Also, support your local brick and mortar book dealer, dealers in physical books. This episode was filmed Thursday 13 August 2026 years after Jesus in the backyard of my long-time (nearly a quarter of a century) Epistemology mentor Dr. Doug Geivett (PhD, USC under Dallas Willard), a student himself of the famous late-great Republican professor, the late-great Dallas Willard of USC's Philosophy Department. The Republican Professor is a pro-political-phenomeonology-done-right podcast. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D.

Part 4 of 5, this one focused on as-applied versus facial challenge of the penal code in California. The Ninth Circuit defends open carry in California, Part 4 of 5 (Part 4 was 17 April 2026, Part 2 was 19 Feb 2026 and Part 1 was 15 Jan 2026) of our study of open carry in America's Constitutional tradition by spending more time today with Baird v. Bonta (2 Jan 2026, 9th Circuit) from the top of page 37 (Roman Numeral II) through to the top of page 49 at VII. The pro-Second-Amendment opinions, both of them that we take a look at, were written by Republican appointees (Trump, with a Republican US Senate). We will pick up at page 49 and Roman Numeral VII. https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2026/01/02/24-565.pdf Here's a link to the article I wrote 9 April 2020 for San Diego County Gun Owners, published on Gun Owner's Radio, that I entitled : "Two Types of Self-Defense" here. https://gunownersradio.com/two-types-of-self-defense/ This episode and this series is dedicated to the memory of my closest first cousin, Little Dan Mountain Jr, closest in age by just a couple of weeks, who died earlier this year in January. I picked a topic that would bring a smile to his face and that would honor the bright spots in our childhood together in Colorado. The Republican Professor is a pro-Second-Amendment-in-California podcast. The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D.