Across the Divide Podcast

In episode 3 of our series on Christian Zionism, Daniel Bannoura has a conversation with Daniel Hummel about the history of dispensationalism, its waning influence over Christian Zionism, and the general contours of theological developments and political activism of Christian Zionism since 1948 and until today.  For our Patreon supporters they have an extended conversation about the absence of Palestinians and Palestinian Christians in the thinking and activism of Christian Zionists.To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider supporting us on Patreon.  Daniel G. Hummel is the director of The Lumen Center in Madison, WI and a research fellow in the History Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of two books Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli Relations and most recently The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation. Learn more about Dan here. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide  Follow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠

Who shall we vote for at the upcoming US elections? Trump, Harris, or a third party candidate? How can one vote for the Democratic party while it has been the main sponsor for the war on Gaza? Tyler Huckabee is a Christian writer who cares deeply about Palestine and about peace and justice in the region, and has decided to vote for Kamala Harris. He’s written an article titled Why I’m a Christian for Kamala but not a ‘Christian for Kamala’. Here in this conversation Daniel and Tyler discuss his article and why Tyler decided to vote for Kamala Harris while he has been very critical of the Democratic party. To access the extended cut of this conversation and others, consider ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠. Tyler Huckabee is a writer living in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife and dogs. Read more of his writing at his Substack and every thought that comes into his head on Twitter. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide Follow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠Show Notes:Tyler’s SubstackWhy I’m a Christian for Kamala but not a ‘Christian for Kamala’Other articles by Tyler on Palestine/Israel and Christianity Today:Kamala Harris Is Failing Her First Big TestThis Is What We Asked For - by Tyler Huckabee - clusterhuckHow Long Will 'Christianity Today' Defend Palestinian Deaths?Mike Cosper, David French and War CrimesThe Gospel Coalition Confronts "Queers for Palestine"

In the second episode of our series on Christian Zionism, Daniel Bannoura has a conversation with Rev. Stephen Sizer about the history of dispensationalism and the rise of Christian Zionism in England in the 19th and 20th century and the role they played in shaping British and American attitudes toward the Jewish people and Israel. Stephen also shares some theological insights about the ways Zionist Christians misappropriate the biblical text about the land and people to support their Zionist interpretations. In their extended conversation for our Patreon supporters, Daniel and Stephen try to explain how Christian Zionism is a main driving force for the Christian support for Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza. To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider supporting us on Patreon.  Rev. Dr. Stephen Sizer is the founder and director of Peacemaker Trust, a charity dedicated to peacemaking, especially where minorities are persecuted, justice is denied, human rights are suppressed, or reconciliation is needed. He served for 35 years as an Anglican priest, and is coordinator for the 2024 Sabeel International Conference on Religious Extremism, and is also a member of the Kairos for Global Justice Theology Group.  He is the author of three books, In the Footsteps of Jesus and the Apostles, Christian Zionism: Roadmap to Armageddon and Zion’s Christian Soldiers: The Bible, Israel and the Church. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide Follow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠ Show Notes: Here’s the ⁠4-page handout⁠ that Stephen referenced in the interview

In this episode, co-host Abeer engages in a powerful conversation with Alice Kisiya, a Palestinian Christian journalist and fitness trainer. Alice shares her deeply personal journey, focusing on her family’s ongoing battle to reclaim their land in Al-Makhrour, near Bethlehem, after it was seized by Israeli settlers with the support of Israeli forces.This episode offers a meaningful perspective on activism, as Alice reflects on the emotional and legal challenges her family has faced. We also explore her efforts to foster solidarity across religious and cultural divides, and how her Christian faith continues to inspire her activism in the face of immense adversity.Join us for an inspiring discussion about resilience, resistance, and the power of peaceful activism as Alice shares her unique perspective on the struggle for justice in Palestine.If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivideFollow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠Show Notes:For more resources on Al-Makhrour land case, please feel free to visit the following links:Al Makhrour Toolkit: https://ugc.production.linktr.ee/ce1c264f-e09d-4383-a2fa-192a4336e5c9_Save-Al-Makhrour-ToolKit--English-.pdfSave Al-Makhrour Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savealmakhrour/Alice’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kisiyaalice?igsh=MTE2MTRwY3IwMjZ5cg==LinkTree with more resources: https://linktr.ee/savealmakhrour

In the inaugural episode of our series on Christian Zionism, Daniel Bannoura has a conversation with Robert O. Smith about the roots of Christian Zionism. Robert traces it back to the Reformation in the 16th century and explores its expansion throughout Europe, Britain, and the United States.  In their extended conversation for our Patreon supporters, Daniel and Robert explore the relevance of this history of Christian Zionism to us today and how much that history repeats itself today. To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider supporting us on Patreon.  Robert O. Smith is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and assistant professor of history at the University of North Texas, and an advisor on Jerusalem affairs to the Royal Court of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He is also the author of the book More Desired than Our Owne Salvation: The Roots of Christian Zionism. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide  Follow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠ Show Notes: More Desired than Our Owne Salvation: The Roots of Christian Zionism, Robert O. Smith Toward a Jewish Theology of Liberation, Marc Ellis

This is the final episode in our Christ at the Checkpoint. It it, co-hosts Daniel and Jen discuss their highlights from the series and answer listener questions. They share more about their journeys as they relate to Christ at the Checkpoint, and they dig into important topics related to Christian Zionism, biblical interpretation, the witness of Palestinian Christians, education in pro-Israel churches, and how we do the work of calling the church to act in response to genocide in Gaza with love. Despite the heavy topics they cover, Jen & Daniel have a lot of fun with this conversation. It's one you don't want to miss! We also provide an extended cut from this conversation for our Patreon supporters. To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide  Follow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠ Show Notes: Daniel's Christ at the Checkpoint talk A dossier on Israeli Apartheid: A Pressing Call to Churches Around the World Tent of Nations Mennonite Action Christians for a Free Palestine Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages Telos Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East Daniel's Palestine-Israel Resource doc

This episode in our Christ at the Checkpoint Series features Shireen Awwad Hilal, Palestinian Christian community developer and peace activist. At CATC she gave a presentation titled “Witness for Justice in Action [in Genocide]." In this episode, clips from her presentation are interwoven with her conversation with Abeer about the challenges of confronting historical truths and how these truths are often contested, even within the global faith community. Shireen shares deeply personal stories from Gaza, reflecting on how witnessing these events has further shaped her advocacy. We also provide an extended cut from this conversation for our Patreon supporters. To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠. Shireen Awwad Hilal is the Director of community and Development at the Bethlehem Bible College and also an instructor at the College. Shireen is also a peace activist, a woman group leader and consultant for many years. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide  Follow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠ Show Notes: Shepherd Society Bethlehem Bible College Shireen's reflection on meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis

This episode in our Christ at the Checkpoint Series features Anton Deik, a Palestinian biblical scholar from Bethlehem. At CATC he gave a presentation titled “Missiology After Gaza: Christian Zionism, God’s Image, and the Gospel." In this episode, clips from his presentation are interwoven with his conversation with Daniel about Christian Zionist support for Israel and how it negatively harms the witness and mission of the church. We also provide an extended interview from this conversation for our Patreon supporters. To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠. Anton Deik is a Palestinian Christian from Bethlehem, and is a member of the networking team and board of directors of the International Fellowship for Mission as Transformation, lecturer in Biblical Studies with Bethlehem Bible College, and research associate with the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence in the United Kingdom. He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Aberdeen where he researches biblical and Graeco-Roman conceptions of justice. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide  Follow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠ Show Notes: Previous Across the Divide episode with Anton: "Social Justice and Evangelism" "A Call for Repentance" Daniel Bannoura's Christ at the Checkpoint talk "American Christians Should Stand with Israel Under Attack," Russell Moore

This episode in our Christ at the Checkpoint Series features René August, South African priest, leader, and activist. At CATC she gave a presentation titled “Decolonizing the Ways We Read the Bible." In this episode, clips from her presentation are interwoven with her conversation with Jen about God's movement of power in Scripture and tools for reading the Bible with a decolonizing hermeneutic. They also explore liberative ways of reading the Bible in relation to justice work in Palestine. Reverend René August is strategist, thought leader, disciple maker, speaker, author, co-conspirator, trainer, reconciler and friend. She grew up in Cape Town “under apartheid, in a Christian family, with brown skin”. She’s spent her life developing a love of scripture, exploring power and privilege, learning from others, and wrestling with the questions that arise along the way. In a world crammed with diverse perspectives, where certain voices are amplified and others silenced, René extends a gracious invitation to consider the lenses through which we’re looking at scripture – and each other. We also provide an extended cut from this conversation for our Patreon supporters. To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide  Follow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠

This episode in our Christ at the Checkpoint series features Lamma Mansour, Palestinian Christian scholar. At CATC she gave a presentation titled “Still, Hope." In this episode, clips from her presentation are interwoven with her conversation with Abeer about the role of faith and hope in times of oppression. They also explore the role of the church's prophetic voice in confronting injustices and the commitment required for Christian discipleship. Dr. Lamma Mansour is a Palestinian Christian from Nazareth. She received her doctorate in Social Policy and Intervention from the University of Oxford. Her doctoral research focused on the experiences of Arab Palestinian undergraduate students in Israeli higher education. Lamma has also been involved in research projects focusing on other groups within Palestinian Arab society in Israel (e.g., young women, and social workers). We also provide an extended cut from this conversation for our Patreon supporters. To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a Patreon monthly supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide  Follow Across the Divide on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠