On this episode of the Jim Wallis Podcast, Jim Wallis speaks with David Cortright, Visiting Scholar at Cornell’s Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, about the current crisis with Iran, the fallout from Trump’s decision to torpedo the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and why war is not the answer. 

They discuss how the 2015 agreement under the Obama Administration worked, why withdrawal accelerated danger, and why the rhetoric of “just war” collapses when politics, escalation, and civilian suffering take over. Cortright also argues that in the nuclear age, diplomacy is not weakness but the strongest and most moral path forward.

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On this episode of the Jim Wallis Podcast, Jim Wallis talks with Kim Daniels and Christopher White of Georgetown about 

• Pope Leo’s forceful response to Donald Trump, 
• Trump’s own social media image that portrayed him in Christ-like terms, and 
• what Catholics are making of this moment. 

They discuss why 

• the Pope’s “I have no fear of the Trump administration” remarks matter, 
• why Christians are calling the image blasphemous, and 
• how the Vatican is trying to keep the focus on peace, war, and the suffering of real people. 

They also reflect on the upsurge in Catholic converts, especially among younger people, and what that suggests about the hunger for truth, beauty, mystery, and a more serious faith.

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On this episode of the Jim Wallis Podcast, Cathleen Kaveny joins Jim Wallis to explore how Catholic Social Teaching speaks to democracy under pressure. They discuss 

• the Trump administration’s treatment of immigrants; 
• the rule of law, voting rights, institutional trust; and 
• why the Church must resist cruelty, manipulation, and political tribalism. 

Kaveny argues that democracy depends on treating people as “co-rulers and co-subjects,” and that Catholics must hold together human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the common good in both public policy and church witness.

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On this episode of the Jim Wallis Podcast, Jim Wallis talks with Diana Butler Bass about what she calls “quiet Christianity” waking up in response to authoritarianism, Christian nationalism, and the Trump administration’s policies. 

They explore how mainline Protestant churches, especially in places like Minnesota, are moving from inward debate to public courage through accompaniment, immigration advocacy, and solidarity with vulnerable neighbors. 

Bass argues that democracy is sustained not only by elections and institutions but by local acts of love, truth-telling, and moral witness rooted in the Gospel.

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Veteran journalist and former public television host Ray Suarez joins Jim Wallis to unpack how decades of deregulation and consolidation brought us to a media landscape dominated by a handful of billionaires and hedge funds.

Suarez traces the shift from the days when “most adults in America saw at least part of a network newscast every day” and “we knew the same things” to a fractured ecosystem where the Ellison family, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and other moguls increasingly shape what the public knows. 

He warns that public broadcasting is being “weaponized” through zeroed‑out funding and that “the truth isn’t free… reporters need to be paid,” urging more activist media consumers and new subscription‑style models to sustain independent journalism. 

Wallis connects this to a shared vocation of truth‑telling in journalism and the church, insisting that for people of faith, defending a free and independent press is a core democracy and discipleship issue.

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Haitian Bridge Alliance co‑founder Guerline Jozef joins Jim Wallis to explain why Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti is literally a matter of life and death for hundreds of thousands of families. Speaking after their protest at the Supreme Court, she warns, “Haiti cannot receive half a million people… Haiti cannot receive two people. Haiti cannot receive anyone right now because the conditions on the ground make it impossible.” 

Rooted in her calling as a Haitian American Christian, Jozef insists, “We reject the idea that our communities must constantly justify their right to live, to work, to be safe,” and calls U.S. churches to be “the light and the salt right now” by standing with Haitian TPS holders in prayer, policy, and concrete support.​

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Scholar Matthew D. Taylor joins Jim Wallis to unpack the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)—self‑styled apostles/prophets whose “spiritual warfare” and Seven Mountains dominionism sacralize Trump and fuel war enthusiasm.

Taylor reveals how NAR sees Iran as ruled by demonic "territorial spirits" like the biblical "Prince of Persia." NAR also teaches that Christians must seize control of society's seven key areas:

1) Education,

2) Religion,

3) Family,

4) Business,

5) Government/Military,

6) Arts/Entertainment, and

7) Media.

In response, Taylor urges Jesus‑shaped resistance: "The Gospel of Jesus Christ… is not a gospel of empire."

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Palestinian Christian lawyer and Friends of Sabeel North America director Jonathan Kuttab joins Jim Wallis to unpack more than two years of "devastating war in Gaza," the new Iran conflict, and U.S. policy tangled with Kushner–Witkoff–Trump business interests.

Kuttab warns Israel's actions in Gaza shattered 70 years of international law: "Gaza broke all these rules," opening doors to global impunity.

Amid empire's open embrace of power over humanity, he urges churches to reject violence and choose costly nonviolence: "Nonviolence requires resources, discipline, training, organization, and sacrifices."​

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Leadership expert and former Medtronic CEO Bill George joins Jim Wallis to talk about what he calls “the most difficult time to be a leader” in his lifetime, as Minneapolis faces an “invasion… of 3,000 ICE agents.” He describes children being taken off the streets, small businesses forced to close, and thousands of neighbors peacefully stepping up to protect one another. Although the Trump administration now touts a ‘smaller, more focused’ presence in Minnesota, federal judges have documented hundreds of violations of court‑ordered releases, migrants in active legal proceedings are still being detained and stripped of their documents, and DHS’s quiet tactical tweaks have done little to change a system that remains lawless, unaccountable, and brutal in practice.

Jim and Bill explore what “true north” leadership looks like in this crisis, why “the test of any leader is what you do in a crisis,” and how ordinary people are being called to lead with “purpose, values, and courage” in the face of fear and intimidation.

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In this episode, we pause the usual programming to ask a deeper question: what does it really mean for believers to answer God’s call in this cultural moment? We’ll introduce The Call for Christians, share why it matters, and invite you to consider how your faith can shape your public life in tangible, hopeful ways.

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