Welcome back to Curious and Grounded — the podcast where we try to stay awake to the culture we live in, and stay rooted in the faith that makes sense of it all. Today's episode I look at Jacinda Ardern's leadership at the helm of NZ govt. I invite reflection on faith formation, anger, forgiveness, and letting go.

#CuriousGroundedResources:

Show Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sPj5t3dDxGKNa-flwyg6F6ZNy0yAP5kn/view?usp=sharing

NZ Covid Strategy Saved Lives: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sPj5t3dDxGKNa-flwyg6F6ZNy0yAP5kn/view?usp=sharing

Scorched Earth Approach - https://www.pastortheologians.com/articles/2020/10/7/politics-at-twilight-faithful-political-engagement-in-an-age-of-ideology

Volf, Tutu and Ilibagiza - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CdJoQ3QGdAvVhVdaTiOB1gX388YKyfKZ/view?usp=sharingSean McDowell on Faith and LGBTQIA+:

1. Dialogue with Preston Sprinkle: https://youtu.be/mGuxjNtHW5A?si=8zAm4NlNkKC55yc0

2. Interview Premiere Unbelievable UK: https://youtu.be/DOC84WiddQQ?si=Byh8yuddWxn3z7yu

3. Queer Pastor Vs Sean: https://youtu.be/YXnEb04zXCw?si=_fG3U8A0Ue56Miqu

4. Conference Teaching: https://youtu.be/O_aCWlvISzA?si=XK7T0Mrgm42bS9kQ

Other Links

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prime_minister_2025

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/02/prime-minister-review-portrait-of-jacinda-ardern-shows-a-fully-human-being-in-charge-for-oncehttps://grantduncanphd.substack.com/p/prime-minister-a-movie-review

https://www.nzreviewofbooks.com/a-different-kind-of-power-by-jacinda-ardern/

https://cristinasanders.me/2025/06/19/a-different-kind-of-power-book-review/

https://youtu.be/dt4hZh2jgus?si=gc8N0ELcBhID0Wyxhttps://centrist.nz/was-jacinda-ardern-naive-or-machiavellian-david-cohen-on-the-question-dividing-new-zealand/

https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/02/david-cohens-biography-of-jacinda-ardern-reviewed/

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2019013071/cutting-through-spin-david-cohen-on-his-unauthorised-biography-of-jacinda-ardern

https://youtu.be/y7jTS6ZznG4?si=ZEh50OCylp14enGi

https://youtu.be/auvqMokRqUk?si=cZfPzHpjOq8JMm38

https://youtu.be/8j3xM-GdS3E?si=HCE6Gf4QxLEXDlyF

https://youtu.be/Kz2m7O3tfWo?si=s-SJMdVwk_S6RxAY

https://bbc.com/audio/play/w3ct7x0p

Stephen A. Smith admitted he never married because he couldn't be faithful. Megan Thee Stallion called fidelity "non-negotiable" — even as her music celebrated the opposite. And somewhere between those two headlines, millions of people are quietly wondering whether faithful, enduring love is even possible anymore.

In this episode of Curious and Grounded, we sit with the mess. We look honestly at the cultural forces working against marriage, the hidden wounds of infidelity on children and spouses, and the shame that doesn't go away just because you moved on. Then we turn to the most honest diagnosis ever written — Romans 7 — and explore why willpower alone was never going to be enough.

This episode is for the married and the struggling. For the hurt and the guilty. For the cynical and the hopeful. And for anyone who needs to hear that the God of Romans 8 hasn't given up on the covenant idea — even if the culture has.

Relatable. Honest. Hope-giving.

References: Stephen A. Smith, Megan Thee Stallion & Klay Thompson, Steph & Ayesha Curry, Romans 7:15–25, Romans 8:1

Welcome to Curious and Grounded. This Episode we look at the advancement of AI Artificial Intelligence with Dr. Stephen Garner. Jump right in and let's learn, let's give our faith and AI a fresh look.Robots in Japan: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wdzyyglq5oElon Musk on Humanoid Robots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgifEgm1-e0Al Jazeera on AI alarm Bells: https://youtu.be/Y7W9Sbu1lYQ?si=fTLR1Xln7peqBAErKaren Hao Investigates Development of AI (Exploitation in Kenya): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd8ZTI2Ft0wStephen Garner Bios: University of Auckland: https://profiles.auckland.ac.nz/stephen-garner/publications Laidlaw College: https://www.laidlaw.ac.nz/staff/stephen-garner/ Eva Burrows College: https://evaburrowscollege.edu.au/about-us/our-people/stephen-garner/#CuriousGroundedLike, subscribe and comment. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Welcome to Curious and Grounded. This Episode I look at the Manosphere doco by Loius Theroux and ask 'What does Jesus have to offer men and boys caught up in it?' Jump right in! Show Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-2YbDxsvxWz6f3qoi-97uAU2xf8VUKD3/view?usp=sharing

Does Gender Equality Benefit Everyone?: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pQoEMLZchiYBLbXz-Of6T0sza3PSbiI8/view?usp=sharing

Like, subscribe and comment. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Welcome to Curious and Grounded. This Episode we look at Africa's positioning in Artificial Intelligence development across the continent. MASSIVE investment is happening at the moment. I make a theological case and quasi manifesto to foster commitment. Jump right in and let's learn and enjoy.

Episode 2: A.I. as a layered cake: https://youtu.be/Y_qPmGzT5QU

Show Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12tEFvP4KJFXR_NqYJOfpN-fuVAu54jAL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110356249316073359854&rtpof=true&sd=true

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#CuriousGrounded

Welcome to Curious and Grounded. This Episode we look at Jensen Huang's Cake illustration of stacked framework of Artificial Intelligence.

Jump right in and let's learn, let's see give our faith a fresh look.

Show notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sK9HnCXhaLjhn_g5CS4eLk9ErrqktDq01_IATL5PKNU/edit?usp=sharing

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Looking forward to hearing from you.

Welcome to Curious and Grounded. This is a special episode looking at the conflict in Iran. How can the Christian faith help in processing the unfolding situation?

Show notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PICzFhKm-Pv0k8l5IBwwLh3MArqHa2pE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110356249316073359854&rtpof=true&sd=true

Follow, Like, subscribe and comment. Looking forward to hearing from you.

#CuriousGrounded

Today on Curious&Grounded I am setting the foundation on Curiosity, the kind that this podcast will seek to nurture in dialogue with you the listener and watcher. I am stoked you've chosen to be part of the curious and grounded experience.

Find the show notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HNidmqHsUb0tskwrlx1uzbKSHIHeIwYk59c20uojZOA/edit?usp=sharing

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#CuriousGrounded

Welcome to Curious and Grounded. I’m your host Mark Ambundo. In a world that’s changing faster than we can keep up with, how do we stay informed without losing our footing? On this show, we take a humble but honest look at the cultural trends shaping our lives, using the Gospel as our bedrock. We’re here to be curious about the world, but deeply grounded in our faith. #CuriousGrounded