Following Jesus in Iran's Most Notorious Prison (Marziyeh Amirizadeh)
Release Date: 04/03/2023
Lessons from October 7th
The Deep Map
In this Season Three recap, Robert and Dominique reflect on the podcast’s original trajectory and significant transition following 10/7. Season Three’s guests walked our listeners through topics addressing antisemitism in the U.S., Hamas’s ideology, and the generational gap in support for Israel. One of our biggest takeaways is that perhaps more than ever, the need for Christian advocacy is being realized. But where do we start galvanizing Christian engagement, education, and activism? Join Robert and Dominique to hear their personal takeaways and get a glimpse of...
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Is There Still Hope in the Holy Land? (Todd Morehead and Justin Kron)
The Deep Map
We produced a movie. A few years ago, Philos partnered with Todd Morehead and Justin Kron to discover the human experiences and stories caught in the tension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hope in the Holy Land follows Todd’s journey through Israel and Palestine, where he explores the biblical, religious, and historical narratives that shape the beliefs on both sides of the conflict. Along the way, he discovers the painful struggles of Jews, Muslims, and Christians. The result is an enlightening journey that exposes viewers to perspectives rarely seen in the media and a challenge to a...
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Christian Zionism in the 21st Century (Motti Inbari and Kirill Bumin)
The Deep Map
The strongest predictor of evangelicals' support for Israel in the U.S. is the age of the believer. After October 7, Harvard found that 45% of 18–24-year-olds side more with Hamas. Today, war views and attitudes towards Israel are defined by generations rather than religious beliefs or political parties. Motti Inbari and Kirill Bumin join Robert and Dominique to discuss their book, "Christian Zionism in the Twenty-First Century," and their findings on the growing generational divide supporting Israel. 18–29-year-olds are the first-generation post-information revolution, with...
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A Future for Protestantism (Mark Tooley)
The Deep Map
Mark Tooley is president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy and editor of IRD’s foreign policy and national security journal, Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy. Mark joins Robert and Dominique to discuss the division in the United Methodist Church and the challenges Protestantism faces in an age of radical secularism.
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40 years of terrorism, faith, and memory from Beirut to Gaza
The Deep Map
Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff joins Robert and Dominique to discuss his long naval career and eyewitness testimony of the October 23, 1983, Beirut attack. He tells of hope in the face of loss and the need to combat hate with compassion for all humanity. Rabbi Resnicoff reminds the audience that there is strength in diversity and encourages interfaith friendship to promote pluralism and respect for our neighbors and enemies. Rabbi Resnicoff is a retired U.S. Navy Chaplain who started his career in Vietnam. His report of the October 23 terror attack in Beirut and its aftermath, written at the...
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Music and Art in Preserving Culture (Nikos Michailidis)
The Deep Map
Dr. Nikos Michailidis is a social-cultural anthropologist; his work focuses on the history of the ancient Pontics and modern Greek culture. Nikos speaks with Robert and Dominique about the importance of art, literature, and language in preserving memory and transmitting culture. For the Pontic Greeks, music helped preserve their ethnic identity during Ottoman persecution and the brutality of Communism under Stalin. Nikos talks about the importance of music as a mechanism to preserve culture through the generations, speaking to the power of art in shaping civilizational identities.
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Covering U.S Protests and Marches after October 7th (Mary Margaret Olohan)
The Deep Map
Mary Margaret Olohan joins Robert and Dominique to reflect on the culture and analyze how recent protests and rallies following October 7th mirror the current political climate. Mary Margaret is a Senior Reporter at The Daily Signal where she covers the cultural and political stories of the moment through both video and print journalism.
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The Crisis of Christianity in the Middle East (Gia Chacón)
The Deep Map
Gia Chacón is the founder of For the Martyrs, a Christian non-profit seeking to raise awareness about the crisis of Christian persecution, advocate for religious freedom, and aid victims of persecution worldwide. Gia speaks with Robert and Dominique about her work with the persecuted church and the crisis of Western Christianity. Gia reminds the audience about Israel’s importance as a safe haven for Christians in the Middle East who face persecution and forced migration from their ancient homelands.
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9/11 to 10/7: American Intervention in the Middle East (Garrett Exner)
The Deep Map
Garrett Exner joins Robert and Dominique in analyzing the changing Middle Eastern landscape and Israel’s counter-offensive following the October 7th attack. Exner is the executive director of the Public Interest Fellowship in Washington, D.C. He previously served as a staffer to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), as a counterterrorism policy adviser in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and as a special operations officer in the Marine Corps with deployments to Iraq, North Africa, East Africa, and the South Pacific. His life exemplifies what strong Christian leadership should look like in the face...
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Witness to Hamas’ Terror (Emily Schrader)
The Deep Map
Israeli journalist Emily Schrader joins The Deep Map to share her eyewitness account of the aftermath of Hamas’ October 7th terror attack. Covering a wide range of topics, from the Iranian regime’s support of terrorism to what it’s like working in a bomb shelter when the air raid sirens blare, Schrader delivers a heartfelt and clear testimony as to why Israel won’t back down — and why the West should stand up and lend greater support.
info_outline“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief,” proclaims Article 18 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. But while the Islamic Republic of Iran is party to the UNDHR, religious freedom inside the country is elusive and only partial at best. Of special concern is Iran’s total restriction on the changing of one’s religious belief and its policy that abandoning Islam is not just apostasy but betrayal of the body politic.
With popular unrest still simmering in Iranian streets following the September 2022 murder of Mahsa Amini, Robert sits down with Marziyeh Amirizadeh, an Iranian convert to Christianity, to talk about her 2009 arrest for the crime of evangelism and her subsequent incarceration in the infamous Evin Prison, where she experienced months of intense interrogation and physical hardship until international lobbying efforts secured her release. In a heartfelt conversation, Robert and Marziyeh discuss the regime’s religious oppression, the underground church, and the importance of outside advocacy for religious minorities inside the country.
Marziyeh Amirizadeh is an Iranian immigrant born just a few months before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which toppled the Shah of Iran and brough a radical Islamic regime into power. Marziyeh grew up as a Muslim under this authoritarian regime, but converted to Christianity more than twenty years ago and began sharing her faith with fellow Iranians. After her release from prison, she immigrated to the United States where she earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in International Affairs from Georgia Tech University. Today, she is a speaker and author who continues to her testimony in order to shed light on the situation in Iran and to inspire faith in others. Her latest book, A Love Journey with God: From Pain to Love, Captivity to Freedom, Iran to the US, details how God can turn any situation into triumph.