Foreign Policy ProvCast

Providence Magazine
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Providence is a journal of Christianity and American foreign policy equipping the American mind to engage the real world.

  1. 19H AGO

    Ep. 104 | Political Theology Needs the Old Testament

    When Christians attempt to derive political principles from the New Testament absent the context of the Old Testament, the result is sloppy political theology. But why is that? Providence Magazine Managing Editor James Diddams is joined by Tim Milosch, lecturer in politics at Biola University and Providence Contributing Editor, to discuss how the moral framework of the Old Testament can help Christians better understand the teachings of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament. In particular, Milosch and Diddams examine three major excesses in contemporary evangelical political theology: propheticism, pacifism, and cosmopolitanism. Each represents a legitimate category of political reflection that can serve an important role, but which can also become distorted when detached from the interpretive lens of the Old Testament. Milosch and Diddams also discuss how the Vietnam War contributed to a significant shift in how the Bible's message was interpreted. Articles referenced: Milosch, Tim. "Our Political Theology Shouldn't Start at Romans 13." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, November 2023. https://providencemag.com/2023/11/our-political-theology-shouldnt-start-at-romans-13/ Milosch, Tim. "'Jesus Christ: Refugee' and Other Fallacies in the Immigration Debate." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, February 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/02/jesus-christ-refugeetm-and-other-fallacies-in-the-immigration-debate/ Milosch, Tim. "Solomon: The Archetype of a Just Ruler." Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, May 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/05/solomon-the-archetype-of-a-just-ruler-1/

    1h 3m

  2. MAR 3

    Ep. 103 | Just War & EPIC FURY in Iran

    Providence Managing Editor James Diddams and Executive Editor Marc LiVecche are joined by Redeemer University Professor of Politics and International Robert Joustra to discuss Operation EPIC FURY in its ethical and strategic dimensions. Can we expect to see a flowering of democracy in Iran soon as a result of President Trump's attacks on Iran's theocratic regime? Are these attacks in accordance with the tenets of Just War Theory? How will Trump cast the results of the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, both in the best and worst case scenarios? Articles referenced: Joustra, Robert. "Which Is More Durable: Iran's Regime or Trump's Commitment to Regime Change?" Providence. March 2, 2026. https://providencemag.com/2026/03/which-is-more-durable-irans-regime-or-trumps-commitment-to-regime-change/. Kosc, Jozef Andrew. "Iran's Enduring Apocalyptic Political Mythology." Providence. September 17, 2024. https://providencemag.com/2024/09/irans-enduring-apocalyptic-political-mythology/. Kosc, Jozef Andrew. "Thousands of Paper Cuts, Then a Nuclear Bomb: Georges Sorel, French Anarchism, and Iran's Revolutionary Warfighting Doctrine." Providence. October 21, 2024. https://providencemag.com/2024/10/thousands-of-paper-cuts-then-a-nuclear-bomb-georges-sorel-french-anarchism-and-irans-revolutionary-warfighting-doctrine/. Diddams, James. "Striking Iran Will Not Change the Long-term Strategic Picture—America Should Still Do It." Providence. June 19, 2025. https://providencemag.com/2025/06/striking-iran-will-not-change-the-long-term-strategic-picture-america-should-still-do-it/.

    48 min
  3. Ep. 102 | After Two Years of War, a Chance for Peace?

    10/07/2025

    Ep. 102 | After Two Years of War, a Chance for Peace?

    On the second anniversary of the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, the Provcrew sits down to review Donald Trump's proposal for ending the war. Although it's a good plan with significant support, many ambiguities and questions remain. Will the Arab states step up? Will the Israeli far-right bring down the Netanyahu government? And will Hamas fighters really put down their weapons? Turning closer to home, the crew then takes up the Trump Pentagon's new national defense strategy which centers on "hemispheric security" in North and South America. Is this just rhetoric for domestic politics? What does it mean for our competition with China?

    47 min
  4. Ep. 101 | So Reinhold Niebuhr and John Wesley Walk into a Bar…

    09/25/2025

    Ep. 101 | So Reinhold Niebuhr and John Wesley Walk into a Bar…

    (…actually, Wesley was a teetotaler so not possible.) Ladies and gentlemen, the Provcrew is at war. "Can you be a Wesleyan Protestant and a Christian realist?" The battle lines are drawn. Providence editor Mark Tooley, a Methodist Christian realist, says yes; editor at large Robert Nicholson, a non-Methodist who knows about John Wesley's optimistic theology, is skeptical. To break the deadlock, they hosted Methodist theologian and Reinhold Niebuhr scholar Robin Lovin to set the record straight. Sin, grace, anthropology, eschatology, nationalism, fascism—they got to all of it. And the outcome was surprising.

    1h 14m
  5. Ep. 100 | Recovering 'Hebraic Mortar' to Patch Crumbling Foundations

    09/15/2025

    Ep. 100 | Recovering 'Hebraic Mortar' to Patch Crumbling Foundations

    The shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk is a wakeup call for Americans of every stripe. What is happening to our society? How can we fix it—and where do we start? In a fascinating conversation with Wilfred McClay and Stuart Halpern, authors of a new book entitled The Jewish Roots of American Liberty: The Impact of Hebraic Ideas on the American Story, the Provcrew discusses the pivotal place of the Judeo-Christian heritage in US history and how we can reclaim it in troubled times. Here's the link to their book: https://www.encounterbooks.com/books/jewish-roots-american-liberty/

    1h 10m
  6. Ep. 99 | An America(s) First Foreign Policy?

    09/03/2025

    Ep. 99 | An America(s) First Foreign Policy?

    In a weird twist of history, the United States has spent the bulk of its diplomatic energy everywhere but its own backyard: the Western Hemisphere. President Trump has vowed to change that, wisely re-prioritizing Latin America after years of neglect, but may be undermining his chances of success with a counterproductive tariff policy that (ironically) resembles those of many failing/failed Latin American countries—at least, that's what Providence contributor Eric Farnsworth argues in his recent essay, "Is America Becoming Latin America?" In today's episode, Mr. Farnsworth defends and explains his argument, fielding questions like: Is America really becoming like Latin America, and if so how? What is the backstory of US-Latin America relations until now? What are the similarities and differences between our two cultural blocs? And why does Latin America matter to the US beyond issues of illegal migration, crime, and area denial (historically, to European empires, the USSR, and now to the Chinese Communist Party)? But Farnsworth goes further, extrapolating from the Latin America case to the world at large, showing how US trade policy can either be the backbone of a successful grand strategy or its soft underbelly, and makes some fascinating proposals for grounding an "Americas first" foreign policy in more than just domestic politics. Articles: "Is America Becoming Latin America?" by Eric Farnsworth in Providence Magazine, published August 9, 2025 - https://providencemag.com/2025/08/is-america-becoming-latin-america/ "An Americas First Foreign Policy" by Marco Rubio in The Wall Street Journal, published January 30, 2025 - https://www.wsj.com/opinion/an-americas-first-foreign-policy-secretary-of-state-rubio-writes-western-hemisphere-too-long-neglected-a81707b0?st=3nswYm&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink "In an Insecure World, Americans Should Look South" by Eric Farnsworth in Barron's, published June 18, 2024 - https://www.barrons.com/articles/latin-trade-brazil-costa-rica-chips-tech-manufacturing-trade-8769a40f "The U.S. has more in common with South America than Europe" by Sam Goldman, published published September 22, 2021 in The Week - https://theweek.com/politics/1005146/the-us-has-more-in-common-with-south-america-than-europe

    1h 17m
  7. Ep. 98 | Are We All Going to Die?

    08/20/2025

    Ep. 98 | Are We All Going to Die?

    In an essay commemorating the end of World War II, Providence editor Dr. Paul Miller argues that increased global anarchy and democratic decline are pushing US towards another global war. "The question is not whether there will be conflict," Miller writes, "but when, what kind, and how large." In this episode of the Provcast, editor at large Robert Nicholson asks Miller to unpack his argument and respond to those who might see him as "Chicken Little"—or the Trojan priestess Cassandra, as he describes it in the essay—who warns of disasters that never come. Is the US really doing that badly? Are we really facing the possibility of World War III? Moving from Russia and China to our own backyard, Miller explains his reasoning in light of the last five years with typical verve. He touches on the Afghanistan withdrawal, the Alaska summit, the problem with "spheres of influence" thinking, and the (few) times he feels Trump got it right. Admitting that his warnings may strike some as hollow, he adds: "Don't forget what happens at the end of the Boy Who Cried Wolf. There is a wolf in that story."

    46 min
  8. Ep. 97 | America, Destroyer of Worlds?

    08/05/2025

    Ep. 97 | America, Destroyer of Worlds?

    On August 6, 1945 at 8:15 AM, US forces dropped a new kind of bomb—one which harnessed the very power of the sun—on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The devastation was total and unprecedented: some 70,000 Japanese died in the blast and tens of thousands more by year's end. The event marked the start of new era in international politics and of a long-running public debate that continues today. Did President Truman make the right decision? Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima (and later Nagasaki) moral or immoral? In this episode, Robert Nicholson sits down with McDonald Scholar of Ethics, War, and Public Life Marc LiVecche to talk through these questions in light of the historical record. Decades of study have led LiVecche to rule Truman's decision the best moral choice in light of the alternatives—but this conclusion seems more controversial than ever. Walking through arguments and counter-arguments, LiVecche responds to some of the more common objections and makes the case—carefully but confidently—that the use of atomic weapons in 1945 was indeed necessary and just. Stick around for the end for scattered musings on what it all means for American foreign policy today. Send comments and questions to jdiddams@theird.org or snipe directly at: mlivecche@providencemag.com

    2h 13m
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Providence is a journal of Christianity and American foreign policy equipping the American mind to engage the real world.

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  • Creator
    Providence Magazine
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    106
  • Rating
    Clean
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    Foreign Policy ProvCast

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