47 episodes

The Deep Map is a weekly podcast that explores the hidden religious and cultural forces driving headlines in the Near East and around the world. Your host, Robert Nicholson, takes on a new topic each month, peeling back the layers of world events in dialogue with a wide range of guests, looking for answers and challenging his own beliefs along the way.

The Deep Map The Philos Project

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.9 • 36 Ratings

The Deep Map is a weekly podcast that explores the hidden religious and cultural forces driving headlines in the Near East and around the world. Your host, Robert Nicholson, takes on a new topic each month, peeling back the layers of world events in dialogue with a wide range of guests, looking for answers and challenging his own beliefs along the way.

    Lessons from October 7th

    Lessons from October 7th

    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 Season Four.

    • 1 hr 13 min
    Is There Still Hope in the Holy Land? (Todd Morehead and Justin Kron)

    Is There Still Hope in the Holy Land? (Todd Morehead and Justin Kron)

    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 man’s heart to love his enemy. In this podcast, Robert and Dominique revisit themes from the documentary and ask the challenging question: Is there still hope for pluralism, peace, and prosperity for Jews, Muslims, and Christians in the Holy Land?

    • 1 hr 7 min
    Christian Zionism in the 21st Century (Motti Inbari and Kirill Bumin)

    Christian Zionism in the 21st Century (Motti Inbari and Kirill Bumin)

    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 access to both news and misinformation at their fingertips, resulting in Generation Z as the first outwardly anti-Semitic and pro-Hamas generation since the Holocaust. These trends can be attributed to two compounding factors: decreased regular church attendance and a surge in popular teaching of Supersessionism from the pulpit. 
    Will young evangelicals return to the views of their parents with age or remain an outlier in their diverging beliefs? Time will tell.

    • 59 min
    A Future for Protestantism (Mark Tooley)

    A Future for Protestantism (Mark Tooley)

    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. 

    • 49 min
    40 years of terrorism, faith, and memory from Beirut to Gaza

    40 years of terrorism, faith, and memory from Beirut to Gaza

    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 request of the White House, was read as a keynote speech by President Ronald Reagan. He has also worked to create the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and lobbied the U.S. military to participate in the U.S. Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust. 
    President Reagan's keynote speech on the Beirut attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFA5f0n-Nak 

    • 1 hr 6 min
    Music and Art in Preserving Culture (Nikos Michailidis)

    Music and Art in Preserving Culture (Nikos Michailidis)

    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. 

    • 1 hr 7 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
36 Ratings

36 Ratings

Farachka ,

A Captivating Journey of Insight and Inspiration

I recently stumbled upon a hidden gem in the vast podcast universe, and it has quickly become my go-to source of wisdom, education and inspiration. This podcast has truly left a lasting impression on me, and I cannot help but share my wholehearted recommendation.

I also appreciate the podcast's commitment to inclusivity and diversity. The host ensures that a wide range of perspectives and voices are represented, fostering a sense of inclusiveness and promoting empathy and understanding.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a podcast that will ignite your curiosity, expand your horizons, and leave you feeling inspired, look no further. This podcast is a true gem that has the power to uplift and transform. Give it a listen, and prepare to embark on an enriching journey that will leave you craving more.

Yitzik 2023 ,

A Voice of Moral Clarity in a Dark Time

This podcast is full of powerful insights into how a Christian should approach the world and the dangerous shifts on the landscape of the Near East in our times. Worth a listen!

Grace C. W. ,

Excellent analysis of Middle Eastern affairs & Western involvement

This show brings a wide variety of perspectives that dive into religious, cultural, and philosophical backgrounds to current events. It's amazing how much important detail isn't discussed in mainstream media. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to understand geopolitics.

Top Podcasts In Society & Culture

Fail Better with David Duchovny
Lemonada Media
Stuff You Should Know
iHeartPodcasts
This American Life
This American Life
Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli
Wondery
Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan | Cumulus Podcast Network
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

You Might Also Like