Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
Carl Medearis is an international expert in the field of Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations.
He acts as a catalyst for a number of current movements in the Middle East to promote peace-making, as well as cultural, political and religious dialog leading toward reconciliation. He is the author of the acclaimed book on these issues, Muslims, Christians and Jesus.
Carl, his wife Chris, and three kids lived in Beirut, Lebanon for 12 years. Through their unique and strategic approach around the Arab world, they encouraged 
Today Carl spends much of his time working with leaders both in the West and in the Arab world with the hope of seeing the Arab Middle East and the West experience full and fruitful relationships through the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.
If you liked this episode then you might also like…
Seminary Dropout 010: Jeremy Courtney of Preemptive Love Coalition
Seminary Dropout 006: Shane Claiborne
Great discussion! I appreciated the whole thing. Clear thinking is refreshing. Interesting, the statement that being a Christian centrist means no tribe. That might be an unsettling thing, but maybe hopeful. There need to be those outside of the tribes to bridge the gap and facilitate dialogue. Those ‘in a tribe’ will generally only be able to talk their perspective, which means debate, not dialogue. Keep on!
DanHerford It was probably a hyperbolic statement on my part. There are lots of us in the centrist camp, but the middle will always be less appealing to people than extremes will.
Great interview and dialog! Maybe I think that because so much of it resonated with me. Things like… centrist, those that cling to the Old Testament seem to overlook what Christ came for, and Jesus really wasn’t a Republican or Democrat. I also appreciated Carl’s perspective on Israel then and now.
Thanks for bringing interviews like this to us!
rogerlaidig Thanks for listening Roger. Carl is exactly the kind of voice Christianity needs right now.
So glad I listened to this interview. Carl said so many things I have thought but haven’t felt allowed to think. So many times I have listened to teachers, missionaries, pastors and politicians speak of Israel the nation-state in a holy way that didn’t make sense to me in light of the Bible, but I thought I probably wasn’t studied enough in escatology or the prophecies of the Old Testament to make real sense of it. As it happens I think that I’m closer to being right than I thought, which is a comfort and a revalation because I got to where I am theologically by way of Jesus!
Thanks for the interview Shane, keep it up.
ColinCummings Hey Colin! I have to admit I get a little nervous when I see the notification that there’s a new comment on this interview. So many people have such extreme feelings about this.
Thanks for listening as always. BTW Carl has a new book coming out soon that I think you’ll love.
Israel are God’s chosen people by election, not by works. Just as you or I are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, not on the basis of our own merit or righteousness, so is it with Israel, the chosen people of God with whom He made an “everlasting covenant”. Paul writes that a partial hardening has come upon the people of Israel until the times of gentiles has been fulfilled and goes on to say that “all Israel will be saved”. The God of the OT is the same God in the NT. He is unchanging and His promises are unfailing. If we apply the notion that God’s promises can be redefined, revoked, and or divested of their plain meaning and twisted to fit our own sense of morality then what assurance do we have in the promises He gives us in the NT? We don’t need to reinterpret scripture to try and make God more palatable. His ways are higher than ours, and His thoughts are higher than ours. Are we to elevate Israel above Jesus? Certainly not. But we must not say that our God, who is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”, and who “will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever” and “who does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities”, has simply broken covenant with those whom He made an “everlasting covenant” and has now thrown them under the bus.