The Gospel of Matthew (Trewhella) & The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates, with Phoebe Petrovic

In this episode, Will Wright interviews Phoebe Petrovic, an investigative reporter with ProPublica's Local Reporting Network. The discussion centers around her latest story on Pastor Matthew Trewhella. Trewhella, who was once an extremist anti-abortion activist, has gained influence within certain GOP circles through his book "The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates." This doctrine, rooted in 16th-century Protestant resistance theory, advocates for local officials to defy laws they deem unjust based on their interpretation of God's law.

Phoebe explains Trewhella's transformation from a militant activist to a thought leader embraced by some mainstream Republicans. She highlights how his ideas have permeated various political and social arenas, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, where his doctrine provided a framework for resisting government mandates. The episode delves into Trewhella's influence on Second Amendment sanctuaries, local governance, and his broader impact on the far-right movement.

Read Phoebe's Report

Guest Bio:

Phoebe is a radio journalist whose work has aired on “Reveal,” NPR’s “Morning Edition” and “Here & Now.” In the past year, she served as a general assignment reporter at Wisconsin Public Radio through the Lee Ester News Fellowship and editorial radio intern at “Reveal,” where she helped cover family separation and other immigration stories. She earned her B.A. from Yale University, where she founded and led audio projects including Herald Audio, the first-ever audio section of an undergraduate publication, and “Small-Great Objects,” the first-ever podcast series installed at Yale University Art Gallery.

Phoebe covers criminal justice, in particular, the issues revolving around prosecutorial misconduct and unethical conduct in Wisconsin. Her first major project is a podcast and multimedia exploration of the myriad obstacles facing defendants when the prosecution is tainted by misconduct — and how that system could be improved.