Trump and Zelensky Nothing New Under the Sun - The Politic of War.

Send us Fan Mail

This episode was originally released as a Patreon only episode in March 2025 as a reaction to the first meeting in the Oval Office between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky.

Summary:

 Throughout history, political thinkers have sought to understand the nature of power, war, and human ambition. The question I ask, having been exposed to the writings of three important works of political philosophy, is, but do their insights align with biblical wisdom?

In this special bonus episode, I examine three foundational works of political thought—Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, Carl von Clausewitz’s On War, and Hans Morgenthau’s Politics Among Nations. By exploring these texts, I believe we uncover the patterns that have shaped human history and I compare them to the teachings of Scripture, asking what they reveal about the fallen nature of humanity and God’s vision for justice, peace, and righteous leadership.

Join us as we navigate these works, wrestle with their implications, and seek to apply biblical truth to our understanding of politics and power.

Episode Notes

Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War

• Written in the 5th century BC, Thucydides’ work is one of the first analytical histories, focusing on power, human nature, and realpolitik.
• Key themes: war, empire, morality of power, and the nature of justice in international relations.
• The Melian Dialogue exemplifies political realism: “The strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must.”
• Christian Perspective: Thucydides’ bleak view contrasts with biblical teachings on justice, mercy, and the dignity of all people (Micah 6:8, Matthew 5).

Carl von Clausewitz’s On War

• Written in the early 19th century, this work explores the philosophy of war, strategy, and the nature of conflict.
• Key ideas: war as an extension of politics, the unpredictability of war (fog of war), and the role of passion, policy, and uncertainty.
• Christian Perspective: Clausewitz’s pragmatic approach often ignores moral constraints. While war is a reality of a fallen world, Christian teachings call for peacemaking (Matthew 5:9) and emphasize justice over mere strategic success.

Hans Morgenthau’s Politics Among Nations

• A fou

Support the show

Follow and support me on Patreon.

Jeremy McCandless | Creating Podcasts and Bible Study Resources | Patreon

To receive my weekly newsletter and keep up to date with all five of my podcasts, subscribe at:

Jeremy McCandless | Substack

Check out my other Podcasts.

The Bible Project: https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

History of the Christian Church: https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com

The L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

The Renewed Mind Podcast. My Psychology and Mental Health Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891

The Classic Literature Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568906

To visit my Author page on Amazon and view my entire back catalogue of books on both Amazon and Kindle and now also on Audible, Visit:

Amazon.com: Jeremy R Mccandless: books, biography, latest update