The Stephen Mansfield Podcast

Last Friday night, for the first time in my life, I attended a Jewish Shabbat service at the invitation of Rabbi Daniel Lapin. It was a wonderful experience and lovely to learn about some of the traditions and requirements that come from the root of my own Christian faith. Of course, the very next morning, a man who claims to be a Christian entered a different synagogue a few hundred miles away and murdered 11 people. My friends, to be a Christian is to actively engage and love all people – people from different walks of life, ethnicities, and religions. There is certainly no sanction for antisemitism or the denigration of any people groups. I hope you’ll join me in a desire to live larger than our times, beyond narrow politics and narrow viewpoints. The world needs this now more than ever.

You’ve certainly heard of Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist who entered the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Istanbul and never came out. The Saudi Arabian government initially denied the death, then said Khashoggi died in a fistfight in the embassy. Others say he was dismembered inside. Whatever happened, it’s clearly been a colossal political failure (not to mention a moral one, of course). It’s especially a shame as there’s a new, innovative generation on the rise in Saudi Arabia – one that’s advancing solar technology, liberating women, and democratizing the nation. So, how do we hold these two opposing narratives: one of corruption and one of progressivism?

We are constantly being bombarded with negative news. It’s easy to become disillusioned, our beliefs about ourselves, our people, and our country suffering along the way. In this podcast, Stephen offers a solution through recommending a few books and videos. May these restore your peace, hone your vision, and ennoble your soul.

Patriotic Grace: What It Is and Why We Need It Now by Peggy Noonan

What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism by Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner

Listen to David McCullough on YouTube (you pick the video!)

This episode was originally published on December 13, 2017.

Commenting on the Kavanaugh/Ford controversy, Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, said on Fox News, “This is not a battle between Republicans and Democrats. It’s a battle between good and evil — between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.” Sadly, many Americans think in these types of dichotomies. In this episode, Stephen argues that we need moderation now more than ever. When we speak in these polarizing terms, we do damage.

"Robert Jeffress speaking at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, DC on October 7, 2011." by “Gage Skidmore“ Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC-BY2.0). Accessed 09 October 2018. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Jeffress.jpg

The Kavanaugh hearings highlight a trend in our nation toward the politics of personal destruction. What we see often now is that when a group can’t win by virtue of a vote, they will use other tactics to get their way. Of course we want the truth to be known, but Stephen argues in this episode that Kavanaugh’s opposition chose to handle the accusations against him in a way that would cause a national scandal rather than following the rules of the Senate.

A Russian plane was shot down in the Middle East by Syrian aircraft missiles, and the Russians spun out by accusing Israel. What could these rising tensions mean for the future? In this episode, Stephen urges listeners: keep your eye on significant world events and don’t be distracted by window dressing and short-term political issues in the United States.

The first time Stephen met Pastor Joel Hunter, it wasn’t pleasant! However, this man is a hero. His story and his example both have a great deal to offer to our generation, particularly to religious people in America. The former spiritual advisor to President Barack Obama, Dr. Hunter has now retired from his Senior Pastor role at Northland Church and is giving himself to the cause of homelessness. Learn more about his remarkable story in this episode.

Northland church Pastor Joel Hunter trades pulpit for nonprofit to aid homeless

Many of the problems in our government today come from the fact that the House and the Senate are not fulfilling their obligations. As Sen. Ben Sasse says, “We’ve accepted a new theory about how our three branches of government should work – and, in particular, how the judiciary should work.” Today on the Stephen Mansfield Podcast, we’re airing Sen. Sasse’s brilliant opening remarks from a recent Congressional Committee Hearing.

We need serious leadership in science and technology. For example, why is Donald Trump championing the coal industry? We can applaud coal’s past contributions, but it’s clearly not our future. Why can’t we embrace a transition? From energy to transportation, we need change in a wide range of industries. We need trademarking and licensing to happen quickly. We need to remove unnecessary government restrictions. We need economic incentives. Old patterns and stubborn leadership are holding us back in the United States. Let’s learn. Let’s grow. It’s time we see the benefits we’ve experienced in a digital revolution take place in arenas like transportation and energy.

There’s a story not often told about John McCain’s life. We all know he spent years in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp. But the hidden side of that story, which touches and inspires Stephen the most, reveals how McCain’s boyhood training as an Episcopal acolyte came into play. The POW’s ability to recall prayers, creeds, hymns, and Scriptures throughout those five-and-a-half harrowing years has largely inspired Stephen’s own life. Listen in as Stephen pays tribute to three of The Maverick’s noble characteristics.

Related: Great Words that Inspire (text) and The McCains (podcast)