Compassion and Complexity: Evangelicals on Government and Humanitarian Aid
Release Date: 06/13/2025
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Compassion and Complexity: Evangelicals on Government and Humanitarian Aid
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What happens when churches, governments, and communities work together across differences in opinion for the common good? In this episode, Dr. Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals, joins us to talk about how different parts of the evangelical church are responding to shifts in humanitarian aid and funding, and why these varied responses matter.
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info_outlineWhat happens when churches, governments, and communities work together across differences in opinion for the common good? In this episode, Dr. Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals, joins us to talk about how different parts of the evangelical church are responding to shifts in humanitarian aid and funding, and why these varied responses matter.
We dig into the Biblical precedent for and history of public-private partnerships, the importance of government support, and how different Christian views of society and culture impact how churches engage with humanitarian work. Dr. Kim brings biblical insight, historical context, and practical wisdom for how the Church can stay grounded in compassion while navigating complexity.
Read more from Walter Kim and the NAE:
National Association of Evangelicals Calls for Renewed Commitment to Stewardship, Global Compassion
Compassion for a World in Need
Podcast: Difficult Conversations
Bio: Walter Kim
Walter Kim is President of the National Association of Evangelicals. He earned his PhD at Harvard, was a chaplain at Yale, and has served in diverse pastoral ministries. He is on the board of World Relief, Christianity Today, and The Salvation Army, USA. He is often sought out for his theological and cultural commentary on issues facing the church and society.
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The Better Samaritan podcast is produced by the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, which offers an M.A. in Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership and a Trauma Certificate. To learn more and apply, visit our website.
Jamie Aten, Ph.D., and Kent Annan, M.Div., co-direct the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College and are the Co-Founders of Spiritual First Aid.
This episode was produced by WildfireCreative
Theme Song: “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance
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(Note to the listener: In this podcast, sometimes we'll host Evangelicals, and sometimes we won't. Learning how to “do good, better” involves listening to many perspectives with different insights and understanding. Sometimes, it will make us uncomfortable; sometimes, we'll agree, and sometimes, we won't. We think that's good. We want to listen for correction–especially in our blind spots.)
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