In the Middle: A Podcast on Christianity in the Middle East

Richard sits down with Bishop Gregory Mansour of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron in Brooklyn, NY, and Ambassador Edward Gabriel, President of the American Task Force on Lebanon. They discussed Lebanon's Christian character, its unique "message" bridging East and West, and the challenges it has faced historically, and continues to face.

Richard and William sit down with Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America, and member of the In Defense of Christians Board of Advisors. They discussed the history and trials of the Armenian people, church and nation.

Just days after our conversation, in December 2022, Azerbaijan imposed an illegal blockade on the Lachin Corridor, a critical lifeline which sustains the Armenian Christians in the Republic of Artsakh (also known as Nagorno-Karabakh). As of the date of this recording, the blockade has been in place upwards of three months, and counting…and continues to inflict untold suffering on over 120,000 native Armenian Christians in Artsakh.

Richard sits down with Gia Chacón, founder of "For the Martyrs" and the woman behind the annual "March for the Martyrs." For the Martyrs is a national movement of Christians to bring awareness to the worldwide plight of Christians.

Richard sits down with Bishop Gregory Mansour of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron in Brooklyn, NY, and Professor Gene-Nicole Saint-Laurent, a professor of Syriac Studies and Early Christianity at Marquette University. They discussed the Early Church, the unique characteristics of Syriac Christianity, and the contributions and legacies of the early Church Fathers.

In the course of this conversation, Richard and his guests shared the hope to, one day, witness the cooperation and unification of the Syriac family of Churches. On Dec 16, 2022, one day after the recording of this conversation, Patriarch Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church hosted the patriarchs of the Syriac Catholic Church, the Syriac Maronite Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Chaldean Catholic Church in a historic meeting of the Patriarchs. This "Pan-Syriac conference" was the first meeting of its kind in over 1500 years. Following the meeting, the patriarchs issued a joint statement reflecting a shared purpose and commitment to the Syriac heritage and language.

Richard sits down with former NBA star Enes Freedom. Enes is a former NBA basketball star, whose decade-long NBA career was spent with such teams as the Utah Jazz, New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics (just to name a few). But in addition to playing basketball, Enes is also an outspoken advocate for human rights. But, as you'll find out, his advocacy didn't come cheap.

The Middle East is the birthplace of Christianity. The ancient Christian communities native to the Middle East have played a central role in shaping and enriching world civilization, but are persecuted and being pushed to the brink of extinction.

Who are these Christians? What can be done to interrupt this destructive historical course? And how can their rich legacy be preserved, invigorated, and shared with the world?

We'll tackle these questions, and more, on "In the Middle: A Podcast on Christianity in the Middle East." Join us as we tackle the tough questions and engage in candid, thought-provoking discussions with a roster full of interesting and engaging experts and activists.

In the Middle can be found on all major podcast platforms, and on YouTube, with new episodes dropping monthly. We look forward to having you join us In the Middle.