In this episode, I got to talk with WORLD Magazine Correspondent, Jill Nelson. Jill has focused a large portion of her reporting of the past several years on the Ukraine/Russia war and the Israel/Hamas war in the Middle East. Our conversation covers the history of these conflicts, the reason for the war, and how Christians should think through these sorts of geopolitical issues. 

UKRAINE/RUSSIA

March 10, 2022: “Far From Family”

Interviews: Cyndee Knight, Ambassador of Father’s House Luis Ruiz, and adoptive parents Jennifer Russ and Phil Graves

https://wng.org/articles/far-from-family-1646881083

“Ukrainians seek justice for war crimes” (3-26-22)

https://wng.org/roundups/ukrainians-seek-justice-for-war-crimes-1648315482

Interviews: Serhiy Perebyinis (wife killed in Irpin) and Tatyana Kobzar (nephew killed in same attack) 
 

***“Russia’s Rapid Decline” (May 5, 2022)

https://wng.org/articles/russias-rapid-decline-1651633867

(Interviews: Pastor Andre Furmanov, Pastor Andrew Berdishev, Baptist Pastor Yuri Sipko, Bishop Albert Ratkin, David Satter)  
 

***“Quest for Justice” (Sept. 10, 2022)

https://wng.org/articles/quest-for-justice-1661313430

Interviews: Ludmyla Savchenko, Oleksandra Matviichuk (Nobel Peace Prize 2022), Sergey Rakhuba (Mission Eurasia)

***“Encountering Tribulation” (Dec. 8, 2022)

https://wng.org/articles/encountering-tribulation-1670453390

Interview: Mikhail Britsyn

Pastoral perspectives: “United in Faith, Divided by War” (4-12-22)
 

https://wng.org/podcasts/united-in-faith-divided-by-war-1649734795

Andre Furmanov, Oleg Magdych, Oleg Vasilevsky

War Crimes: “Cracking Down on the Kremlin” (5-23-22)

https://wng.org/podcasts/school-choice-in-maine-1655960967?fbclid=IwAR3N5raQZdKgyzvLtnxaJRQd6WpfXxqsf8UfNSXBeFXPw4NxJYpotj9pfM8

Ludmyla Savchanko and Rachel Kerr (law professor at King’s College London and co-director of the War Crimes Research Group)

***A 2014 story that unpacks why some Christians support Putin

https://wng.org/articles/putins-playbook-1617325335
 

First invasion:
 

***https://wng.org/articles/cold-realities-1617329918

https://wng.org/articles/winter-at-the-barricades-1618235450

ISRAEL

December Reporting trip: 

***“Seed of Hope” (Israel Trip) (1-25-24)

Interviews: David Pileggi (Rector of Christ Church in Old City), Pastor Michael Beener, Ran Ferdman, Israel Iluz

https://wng.org/articles/seeds-of-hope-1705899552

***I really enjoyed talking with David: “Christians in the Holy Land” (Q&A with David Pileggi-Christ Church Jerusalem) (1-26-24)

https://wng.org/articles/christians-and-the-holy-land-1706119688

“Remembering their faces” (Hostages Square in Tel Aviv) (1-23-24)

Interviews: Michael Levy, Liad Gross, and others)

https://wng.org/podcasts/remembering-their-faces-1705961515

“Daily Bread in a War Zone” (feeding troops fighting Hezbollah) (1-25-24)

Interview: Pastor Israel Iluz

https://wng.org/podcasts/daily-bread-in-a-war-zone-1706130658

***“Neighbors at War” (Settler violence in the West Bank) (2-7-24)

Interviews: Mustafa Al Kabeyta, "Joshua Pex"

https://wng.org/podcasts/neighbors-at-war-1707243200

Myths and Miracles about Israel on its 70th anniversary 

https://wng.org/articles/miracles-and-myths-1620595714

“A history of violence: Hamas’ attack on Israel is only the latest in a 75-year war” (Timeline) (10-19-23)

https://wng.org/articles/a-history-of-violence-1697674996?_gl=1*i505qe*_ga*MTc4NzMzMTg4OS4xNjYzMzY0Mjgx*_ga_QH42Y1N34C*MTcwNTQ1MTU5NS42My4xLjE3MDU0NTMyOTAuNjAuMC4w

“Mass murder gambit: Hamas has the world’s attention. But Can it reignite Arab sympathies?”

(12-21-23)

Interviews: Pastor Israel Pochtar (WhatsApp), Daniel Pipes, and Haisam Hassanein (FDD)

https://wng.org/articles/mass-murder-gambit-1702953880?_gl=1*1jypt5a*_ga*MTc4NzMzMTg4OS4xNjYzMzY0Mjgx*_ga_QH42Y1N34C*MTcwNTQ1MTU5NS42My4xLjE3MDU0NTM0NjEuMTQuMC4w

***An older story about pro-Hamas elements on U.S. campuses (2009)

https://wng.org/articles/pro-palestinian-junta-1620659027
 

ISOLATIONISM
 

“Exit Stage Right: American conservatives are urging Uncle Sam to bow out of world affairs” (1-11-23)

Interviews: AEI’s Matthew Continetti. Sen. John Thune, and Oleg Magdych)

https://wng.org/articles/exit-stage-right-1704860393
 

ISLAM and ISLAMISM

***https://wng.org/podcasts/fighting-radicalization-in-the-west-1618322328
 

https://wng.org/articles/too-cozy-for-comfort-1617303645
 

***https://wng.org/articles/northern-migration-1617305085
 

And I'm including this one because it seems as Christians, we have to also be careful not to shun our Muslim neighbors. God is at work: 
 

***Muslim Background Believers “Seeking a Savior” (3-9-23) 
 

Interviews: Georges Houssney (Horizons International), Fouad Masri (Crescent Project), Farah Marvil Saada (Hope for Ishmael), Hamid Hatami (MEHR Ministries), Mike Westerfield (convert) , Abdu Murray (Embrace the Truth) 

https://wng.org/articles/seeking-a-savior-1678156456

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Music: "nesting" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)