Finding Your Spine

Higher Ed's Culture of Conformity

Dr. Chase Spears sits down with Dr. Herbert Riedel, former community college president and author of Silenced, to discuss the pressures of maintaining moral and intellectual integrity in today’s higher education environment. Riedel shares his experience leading institutions, confronting institutional conformity, and the personal and professional costs of resisting woke ideology. They explore how cultural Marxism influences campuses, accreditors, regulators, and professional associations, and why even red states are not immune. The conversation covers critical race theory compliance failures, gender ideology enforcement, and the challenges of reforming entrenched bureaucracies. Riedel also outlines his vision for Clymer College, a new institution grounded in classical education, true academic freedom, and whole-person development rooted in American founding principles. A candid look at institutional rot in education and paths toward renewal. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:15 – Career Path and Challenges 00:03:08 – Silenced Book Overview 00:05:59 – Vision for Clymer College 00:10:15 – Location and Timeline 00:14:11 – Classical Liberal Arts 00:18:21 – Community Colleges Role 00:22:49 – Northeast Iowa Experience 00:28:55 – Administrative Pushback 00:34:18 – Doing the Right Thing 00:41:22 – Advice for Educators You can find out more about Clymer College at https://www.clymercollege.org/ [https://www.clymercollege.org/] You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears [https://x.com/DrChaseSpears]. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com [https://herzogfoundation.com/]. Like and follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HerzogFoundation], X [https://twitter.com/HerzogEducation], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/herzog_foundation/], or sign up [https://herzogfoundation.com/resources/] to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

Rethinking Race Through Christ

Dr. Chase Spears welcomes Ron Freeman — former NFL player for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, All-American at Pittsburg State University, Chaplain for the Royals and Chiefs, and current football coach at Maranatha Christian Academy. Ron shares his powerful journey from a non-church background to a transforming encounter with Christ at age 25, including the moment God spoke to him about being adopted as a son. The conversation explores Ron’s book Rethinking Race, the spiritual roots of racial division, and why secular solutions fail where the gospel succeeds. They discuss fatherlessness in the black community, the impact of the Great Society programs, victimhood narratives, law enforcement encounters, and the call to unity in Christ that transcends ethnicity. Ron emphasizes loving God and neighbor as the true path to healing. This episode challenges listeners to view identity, justice, and culture through a biblical lens rather than worldly categories. A bold, hopeful discussion on faith, manhood, and national unity. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:12 – Faith Journey 00:05:00 – Rethinking Race Book 00:06:51 – Spiritual Problem 00:08:22 – Early Experiences 00:11:01 – Gospel Over Politics 00:15:12 – Law Enforcement Stories 00:24:41 – The Story of Crispus Attucks 00:30:57 – Black Leadership Critique 00:40:20 – Next Book Vision You can find Ron’s book "Rethinking Race" on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Race-Better-Than-Believe/dp/B0DN88MKFT [https://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Race-Better-Than-Believe/dp/B0DN88MKFT] You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears [https://x.com/DrChaseSpears]. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com [https://herzogfoundation.com/]. Like and follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HerzogFoundation], X [https://twitter.com/HerzogEducation], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/herzog_foundation/], or sign up [https://herzogfoundation.com/resources/] to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

Operating Under the Consent of the Governed

Dr. Chase Spears welcomes Josiah Lippincott back to Finding Your Spine for a candid follow-up discussion on how the two first connected. Lippincott recounts his viral 2021 Twitter exchange with a general over COVID policies and rising military suicides, which thrust him into the national spotlight. The conversation dives deep into institutional decay within the military — from “Mil Twitter” activism and ideological capture to senior leaders disconnected from the public they serve. They examine the founders’ skepticism of large standing armies, the bloat of endless briefings, and whether today’s institutions can be reformed or must be reset from core principles. Topics include accountability, the consent of the governed, parallel institutions, and what real national defense should look like in a republic. This episode offers sharp analysis on reclaiming military purpose, restoring constitutional focus, and why speaking truth remains essential even when facing institutional pushback. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:05 – The Viral Twitter Clash 00:03:37 – Going Viral and Fox News 00:06:50 – Mil Twitter and Institutional Rot 00:11:06 – Regime as a Choir 00:12:23 – What Happened to the Critics 00:15:20 – Burn It Down or Reform 00:19:06 – Founders and Standing Armies 00:23:46 – Resetting Institutions 00:26:11 – Pentagon as a Sovereign City 00:30:33 – Consent of the Governed You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears [https://x.com/DrChaseSpears]. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com [https://herzogfoundation.com/]. Like and follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HerzogFoundation], X [https://twitter.com/HerzogEducation], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/herzog_foundation/], or sign up [https://herzogfoundation.com/resources/] to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

Questioning Wars of Choice

Dr. Chase Spears welcomes Marine veteran and scholar Josiah Lippincott to discuss courage, intellectual independence, and the need to challenge institutional orthodoxies. Lippincott shares his journey from questioning U.S. presence in Okinawa to pursuing a PhD at Hillsdale College while openly critiquing leftist dominance in academia and moralistic foreign policy. The conversation explores the progressive shift in American warfare from defensive necessity to crusading interventions, the true costs of endless conflicts, and why the last genuine existential foreign threat was the War of 1812. They examine trade-offs in foreign policy, the domestic price of overseas engagements, the failures in Afghanistan, and the importance of prioritizing threats at home over nation-building abroad. Lippincott emphasizes connecting scholarship to real life, the value of popular writing, and maintaining principled consistency over partisan loyalty. This episode offers thoughtful reflections on military service, legitimate authority in war, and reorienting national focus toward American prosperity and security. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:00:39 – Standing Against the Tide 00:01:58 – Courage in Academia 00:05:06 – Okinawa Questions 00:06:47 – Popular Writing Discipline 00:12:03 – Folly in the Pacific 00:16:49 – Existential Threats 00:18:30 – Costs of Crusading Wars 00:24:58 – Afghanistan Reflections 00:31:14 – Domestic Priorities First 00:38:23 – Reclaiming Sovereignty You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears [https://x.com/DrChaseSpears]. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com [https://herzogfoundation.com/]. Like and follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HerzogFoundation], X [https://twitter.com/HerzogEducation], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/herzog_foundation/], or sign up [https://herzogfoundation.com/resources/] to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen

Navy Chaplain Forced into Homelessness?

Dr. Chase Spears sits down with Navy Chaplain Jonathan Shour to discuss his courageous stand against the military’s COVID vaccine mandate. Shour shares the intense pressure he faced during chaplain training, the personal toll on his family—including months of technical homelessness while his wife was pregnant—and the moral challenges within the Chaplain Corps. They explore the film Duty to Disobey, in which Shour appears, and what it reveals about institutional failures, unlawful orders, and the duty to resist when conscience and constitutional rights are at stake. The conversation covers religious accommodations, the role of chaplains under pressure, the balance between faith and military duty, and the lasting impact on trust in institutions. Shour also discusses the Alvarado v. Austin lawsuit filed by dozens of chaplains and reflects on legitimate versus illegitimate authority. This episode highlights stories of moral courage, the importance of medical freedom in the military, and why chaplains must prioritize their calling to support service members’ constitutional rights. Viewers will gain insight into a pivotal chapter in recent military history and the personal costs of standing firm. 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:00:33 – Standing Against the Mandate 00:02:03 – Duty to Disobey Trailer 00:03:12 – Seeing Himself in the Film 00:04:19 – Jonathan’s Military Background 00:05:37 – Children’s Health Defense Role 00:07:46 – Moral Failure in the Military 00:13:53 – Pressure on Chaplains 00:18:07 – Religious Accommodation Concerns 00:24:35 – Family Homelessness Experience 00:35:34 – Alvarado v Austin Lawsuit 00:39:53 – Legitimate vs Illegitimate Authority You can follow Chase Spears on X @DrChaseSpears [https://x.com/DrChaseSpears]. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your favorite episodes to keep the conversation going. To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com [https://herzogfoundation.com/]. Like and follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/HerzogFoundation], X [https://twitter.com/HerzogEducation], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/herzog_foundation/], or sign up [https://herzogfoundation.com/resources/] to receive monthly email updates. #Faith #ChristianLiving #Military #Discipline #Morality #Politics #BiblicalMasculinity #Masculinity #ChristianPodcast #American #America #Army #Navy #AirForce #Marines #CoastGuard #SpaceForce #NationalGuard #ChristianMen