We are coming to the close of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. At first glance it looks like he is simply closing with a series of unrelated admonitions and instructions for the church in Thessalonica.Di Rick Wenneborg

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Does Bashar al-Assad’s removal offer a renewed chance for peace in Syria, or is his fall the start of a new phase of conflict in the Middle East? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator, former BBC Persia journalist Rana Rahimpour and Haid Haid, a senior consulting fellow for our Middle East and North …

If you drove home for Christmas with your kids, you probably heard, “Are we there yet?” And if their phones died, you no doubt heard an anguished, “How much further?” That might give you some idea how Paul must have felt when the Thessalonians started quizzing him about the second coming.Di Rick Wenneborg

Paul touches on some of the basic concerns the Thessalonians had about those who sleep in Jesus. He doesn’t answer all possible questions about those who have gone on before us, but he does tell us what we need to know and explains it in a way that can help us understand.Di Rick Wenneborg

The love of God was shown to us through the sending of His Son and we celebrate that expression of His love every Christmas. But the world doesn’t fully comprehend God’s love until it sees it expressed between brothers. That’s why we’ve been commanded to love each other and why we need to fully understand brotherly love.…

Chatham House's Environment and Society Centre reassembles to discuss the outcomes of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, what this means for climate finance and multilateralism, and how Ben’s Christmas jumper sums up the interconnected challenges developed countries face in balancing global resilience with domestic obligations. With Chris Aylett, Richard K…

Five months in, has Sir Keir Starmer's foreign policy been a success? The UK-EU relationship remains a major challenge for 2025, as does the prospect of a new US president. How will Starmer respond, and will the recent Chagos Islands deal impact the UK's international standing? is joined the BBC’s diplomatic editor , Professor , the director of UK …

Matthew begins his gospel with the genealogy of Jesus, and after seventeen verses that most of us pretty much skip over, he jumps right into the birth of Jesus. But he’s the only one who tells us something very important about Joseph...Di Rick Wenneborg

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Europe is contending with a stagnating economy, political dysfunction in Germany and France, and Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine, all while it looks to the return of Donald Trump. Will the continent’s democracies hold together in the face of such challenges? Bronwen Maddox is joined by journalist and historian Timothy Garton Ash, Mujtaba Rah…

Paul told the Thessalonians how he felt about them, and we need to do the same to those we love and care about.Di Rick Wenneborg

As the world moves closer to crossing the 1.5 degree threshold, Bronwen Maddox is joined by former BBC journalist Roger Harrabin and Maria Netto, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Society in Brazil. Also with them from COP29 in Baku is Ruth Townend, senior research fellow with our Environment and Society Centre.…

In this episode, Professor Carlos Lopes discusses what the African Union’s G20 membership means for Africa’s economic and geopolitical influence on the global stage.Di Chatham House

Some of the Thessalonians were so sure that God was speaking through Paul that they accepted what he had to say. They received his word as the very word of God.Di Rick Wenneborg

The re-election of Donald Trump has major consequences for America’s relations with China. The panel discuss how the US-China relationship might change under the next president. Guest host Ben Bland is joined by historian and political scientist Professor Rana Mitter, the FT’s US-China correspondent, Demetri Sevastopulo and Dr Yu Jie, a senior rese…

As COP29 kicks off in Baku, Chatham House's Environment and Society Centre assembles on the airwaves. The team talk Azerbaijan's climate leadership, World Leader vibes, prospects for the conference, and why working on climate change makes you a terrible dinner party guest. Special guest hosted by Climate Briefing Alumnus, Ben Horton.…

So what do we look for in a leader... and how do you know if you’ve found one?Di Rick Wenneborg

Donald Trump has decisively defeated Kamala Harris in the US presidential election. What does his return to the White House mean for America and the world? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Edward Luce, the FT’s North America editor, Gerald Seib, the former Washington bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal and Leslie Vinjamuri, the head of our US and Am…

In this episode, Khalid Omer Yousif discusses how Sudan’s broadest anti-war, pro-democracy coalition, Tagadom, aims to bring civilian voices to the fore in a war dictated by military powers, and their plans to the end of Sudan’s war despite mounting atrocities engulfing the country.Di Chatham House

No one wants their witness for Christ to be in vain... I don’t, you don’t, and the Apostle Paul didn’t.Di Rick Wenneborg

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North Korea is sending troops to Russia, but what is Kim Jong Un hoping to get from Vladmir Putin for military assistance against Ukraine? The panel also discuss the role military conscription plays in Israel, South Korea and Ukraine.Bronwen Maddox is joined by Edward Howell, the Korea Foundation fellow at Chatham House, Orysia Lutsevych, the head …

The hope of Christ’s return should be the primary motivator in every Christian’s life. And if it were we too would be known for our work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope.Di Rick Wenneborg

Ahead of a crucial budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the UK’s national debt is at almost 100 per cent of GDP - and it's not alone. Many G7 economies face massive debt levels, restricting ambitions when it comes to foreign policy and global engagement. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Patrick Wintour, the Guardian’s Diplomatic Editor and Ranil Dissanay…

Make sure this letter gets read to all the brothers and sisters. Don’t leave anyone out.Di Rick Wenneborg

France is facing political turmoil. The survival of Michel Barnier’s new government rests on whether he can pass a controversial budget intended to rescue the country from its huge fiscal deficit. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Sophie Pedder, the Paris Bureau Chief of The Economist, Shahin Vallée, a former advisor to Emmanuel Macron and Armida van Rij…

All that remains is for John to bring the Revelation to a close, and he does so by affirming the truthfulness and the relevance of all we’ve seen.Di Rick Wenneborg

Sanctions regimes are intended to be preferable to military force as a tool of foreign policy, but do they work to change behaviour or end up hurting ordinary people? With Bronwen Maddox is Daniel W Drezner, Professor of International Politics at Tufts University, Allie Renison, Associate Director at SEC Newgate, and Chris Sabatini, Senior Research…

Last week we were given a glimpse of the holy city, as John shared with us his vision of the new heaven and earth. Today that city comes clearly into view.Di Rick Wenneborg

On the first anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attacks, we discuss the possible pathways for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Daniel Levy, the president of the US/Middle East Project. With them are Sanam Vakil, director of our Middle East and North Africa Programme (MENAP), and Amjad Iraqi, a MENAP associate fel…

In this episode, Abdihakim Yusuf Ali Ainte and Maram Ahmed discuss ways to turn Somalia’s climate vulnerability to climate resilience – from identifying the environmental and socio-political challenges brought by devastating climate events to exploring innovative climate financing methods for improved climate adaptation.…

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I don’t think we’re remiss in thinking of heaven, our eternal home, as a restoration of the original home God created for us.Di Rick Wenneborg

With the Israeli military launching sustained attacks across Lebanon against Hezbollah, we explore why Israel has decided to ramp up strikes on Hezbollah now, as the war in Gaza rages on and tensions continue to rise in the West Bank. Bronwen Maddox is joined by The Economist’s Middle East correspondent, Gregg Carlstrom. With them are Lina Khatib a…

How do you picture the final judgment? Does your picture frighten you?...the final judgment doesn’t have to be a frightening picture at all. At least not for those of us who are in Christ.Di Rick Wenneborg

As Ukraine waits to hear if it can use Western missiles to strike deep into Russia, we explore the current state of the Kursk offensive and the front lines in Donbas, and ask what if any strategy might change the course of the war into 2025. Guest host James Nixey is joined by the FT’s Christopher Miller and military analyst Michael Kofman. With th…

This morning we come to the most controversial passage in the most controversial book of the Bible. We come to Revelation twenty and the millennium.Di Rick Wenneborg

Tuesday’s debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump brought fierce exchanges over immigration, abortion and foreign policy, and showed that America's global role matters in this election. is joined by from Semafor and from the New Yorker to discuss what we learned and what to watch in the rest of the race. With them is , associate fellow of our…

This morning we come to Armageddon!Di Rick Wenneborg

To kick off the third series of the podcast, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Applebaum joins Bronwen Maddox to discuss the network of autocracies that now challenge liberal democracies and the world order they once relied on. They explore how China, Russia, Iran and others cooperate, their attacks on liberal democracies – and what the rest o…

Don’t let the wedding feast begin before you’re ready for it. Don’t make the king cast you into outer darkness because you failed to dress for the wedding.Di Rick Wenneborg

Visit the Growing Chatham Newsletter to access the links, articles, and videos that are mentioned in the podcast.Di NC State Extension

We’ve all heard of Beauty and the Beast... Well guess what, we’ve got a beauty and beast story in the book of Revelation as well.Di Rick Wenneborg

Justice demands that God act in the face of sin... and act He does.Di Rick Wenneborg

They were already facing such monstrous forces of evil in the form of the Roman government. But to have their foes painted so vividly before their eyes must have been unsettling even for them.So what did they need to hear in the fourteenth chapter? How about the assurance of victory?Di Rick Wenneborg

Coming fresh from a discussion of how private finance might close the climate finance gap, is joined by , Director of the Resilient Planet Finance Lab at Oxford University, and , professor of finance and economics at Imperial College London. In the run up to COP29, we explore how public international finance might be deployed to most effectively mo…

God is loving and merciful and gracious combined with infinite power. That's the Holy Spirit living inside of us.Di Mark Huber

Venezuelans are protesting against Nicolás Maduro’s claim to have won the presidential election. Bronwen Maddox is joined from Caracas by journalist turned opposition politician Paola Bautista de Aleman and the FT’s Latin America editor Michael Stott. With them is Chris Sabatini, our Senior Research Fellow for Latin America.…

Check out the August 2024 Growing Chatham newsletter to access the links, articles and videos that are mentioned this month's podcast.Di NC State Extension