In this week's Brief: The U.S. and Israel launched simultaneous strikes on Iran in what's being called Operation Epic Fury, and the world changed overnight. We’re joined by Dr. Jim Denison, founder of Denison Ministries and author of The Daily Article to break down the latest updates on the conflict. Dr. Denison is one of the foremost Christian voices on faith and global affairs, especially when it comes to Israel, Iran, and radical Islam.

He helps us unpack the history of Iran's Islamic Revolution, the Sunni-Shia divide, the apocalyptic theology fueling the regime, and the big questions Christians are wrestling with: Israel's role in prophecy and modern day geopolitics, the legality of the strikes, and how far a president can go without Congress.

Plus, Dr. Denison shares how believers should be praying for our leaders, our soldiers, the innocents caught in the crossfire, and for the spiritual awakening in the Muslim world that he says has been quietly growing for decades. 

We believe you will find this conversation educational, engaging and uplifting in the midst of a very tense global moment.

Topics

• (0:00) Introduction & Meet Dr. Jim Denison
• (2:29) Rapid Iran conflict rundown
• (5:47) US politics and risks
• (9:56) Iran revolution history
• (13:58) Sunni–Shia divide explained
• (17:48) Why Iran hits neighbors
• (20:24) Iran missile strategy
• (21:43) Christian views on Israel
• (27:43) War powers legality
• (30:55) Conflict vs war debate
• (34:56) How believers should pray
• (39:08) Closing prayer and wrap

Resources

• Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
• Culture Brief Instagram
• Watch on Youtube 
• Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe

Articles on this week’s top headlines:

• Denison Forum: Ali Khamenei reportedly found dead in Tehran
• Denison Forum: A biblical reflection on the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
• Denison Forum:Possible terrorism in Texas and jihad against Americans
• The Focus: Is America’s war with Iran legal?
• The War in Israel (E-Book)
• Denison Forum: Will the Iran war forge a “very different” Middle East?



About Dr. Jim Denison 

Dr. Jim Denison is a cultural theologian and the founder of Denison Ministries. He writes The Daily Article, a widely read commentary helping millions think biblically about the day’s most pressing headlines.

Dr. Denison has studied Islam extensively and traveled to Israel many times, spending decades analyzing the spiritual and geopolitical forces shaping the Middle East. He holds a PhD in philosophy of religion, has taught apologetics at the seminary level, and is the author of more than thirty books, including The War in Israel and Radical Islam: What You Need to Know.

About Conner Jones

Conner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.

About Micah Tomasella

Micah Tomasella is the Director of Advancement at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.