Podcast Summary

Podcast: Bannon's War Room
Episode: 5021: WarRoom Christmas Eve Special 2025 cont.
Date: December 24, 2025
Host: Steve Bannon
Key Guests: Ben Harnwell (Vatican Correspondent), Jason Jones (Bethlehem), Father Issa (Orthodox Priest, Church of the Nativity), Ales Kisia (Bethlehem activist)

Episode Overview

This Christmas Eve War Room special episode centers on the meaning, tradition, and current-day challenges of Christianity in the West and the Holy Land. Live correspondents in Bethlehem and the Vatican provide first-hand accounts and discussions on Christian heritage, interfaith coexistence, the secularization of Europe, Christian persecution, and the message of the Nativity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Meaning and Evolution of Bethlehem at Christmas

Host: Steve Bannon
Guest: Jason Jones and Father Issa (Orthodox Priest)
Timestamps: 03:48, 17:02, 17:45, 18:12

• Bethlehem at the time of Christ:

  • "When Mary and Joseph came from Nazareth to Bethlehem... it was barely places that you can see, like houses, small houses." (Father Issa, 18:12)
  • Jesus was born in a humble stable, symbolizing God's solidarity with the poor: "He could have been born in a palace, but the King of Kings was born in a stable." (Father Issa, 19:09)
  • The "humble door" of the Church of the Nativity reminds all who enter to bow in humility.

• Bethlehem Today:

  • The city draws pilgrims and tourists, with Christians and Muslims coexisting peacefully.
  • "Bethlehem was a small town and now... all the eyes of all of the world look at this small city." (Father Issa, 19:14)

• Religious Coexistence:

  • In Bethlehem, Christians and Muslims light the Christmas tree together and share community celebrations.
  • "In Bethlehem, it's almost like Christians and Muslims living together and we are united in Bethlehem as one." (Father Issa, 21:19)

2. Faith, Morality, and the Decline of Christianity in Europe

Host: Steve Bannon
Guest: Ben Harnwell (Vatican Correspondent)
Timestamps: 05:26, 06:21, 10:19

• Contrast in Christmas Observance:

  • Italy retains Christmas as a religious festival; England has become more secular and sentimental.
  • "You can list the European countries where the overwhelming religious presence... is Islam. Christianity is sidelined." (Ben Harnwell, 07:34)
  • Established church in the UK has played a role in secularizing British society.

• Historical Perspective:

  • From Victorian "muscular Christianity" to modern secularization.
  • "If you showed the Church of England in the 1800s to the Protestant martyrs of the Reformation, they would be horrified..." (Ben Harnwell, 10:19)
  • Collapse of supernatural faith leads to loss of Christian morality.
  • "We're no longer a post-Christian West, we're a pre-Islamic West and that's what we're trying to stop." (Ben Harnwell, 12:56)

3. Christian-Muslim Relations in Bethlehem vs. Global Conflict

Host: Steve Bannon and Jason Jones
Guest: Father Issa
Timestamps: 23:42, 24:15, 24:57

• Bethlehem’s Unique Coexistence:

  • Despite broader global narratives of religious conflict, in Bethlehem, Christians and Muslims coexist.
  • "Since I was born... we live Christians and Muslims together side by side. The mosque in front of the church... we actually share the life of Bethlehem." (Father Issa, 24:57)

• Muslim Pilgrims:

  • Many Muslim visitors come respectfully to the Church of the Nativity and light candles for peace.
  • "Many people ... were coming, visiting the church with respect. ... This is what means a lot for us as Christians to see Muslims coming and respecting the place where Jesus was born." (Father Issa, 26:17)

4. Challenges Facing Middle Eastern Christians and 'Living Stones'

Host: Jason Jones
Guest: Father Issa
Timestamps: 26:46, 33:01, 34:38, 34:58

• Persecution and Migration:

  • The Orthodox community endured for centuries under the Ottomans, Crusaders, and British, but modern political Islam, persecution, lack of freedom, and dignity have prompted migrations.
  • "Many Christians even in Iraq or Syria or any place, they're leaving—immigrations... They live with fear, with no hope, needing freedom, justice, dignity." (Father Issa, 34:13)
  • Christian population in Gaza has dwindled to just 800 due to these pressures.

• Importance of Staying:

  • "We will never leave. ... Our land here in Bethlehem especially—everything begins from Christianity." (Father Issa, 35:36)
  • Christians called the "living stones"—needed to keep the faith alive in the Holy Land.

• Message to Americans:

  • When asked why not leave for safer lives: "I refuse because we need... Our rootedness in this place is important for Christianity to continue into ages and ages." (Father Issa, 35:36)

5. What Can Be Done to Protect Middle Eastern Christians?

Host: Jason Jones
Guest: Father Issa, Ales Kisia
Timestamps: 36:06, 36:14

• Requests for Action:

  • "We need acts, we need something to do to keep and protect the Christians community in Bethlehem and in all Holy Land and Palestinian areas. ... We need support... just to keep them staying in Bethlehem." (Father Issa, 36:14)
  • Ales Kisia highlighted ongoing aid efforts (pop-up homes for Gaza Christians, need for firewood).

• Advocacy and Support:

  • VulnerablePeopleProject.com and protectholylandchristians.com enable support and solidarity with persecuted Christian communities.

6. Papal Politics: The First Midnight Mass of Pope Leo

Host: Steve Bannon
Guest: Ben Harnwell
Timestamps: 38:03

• Importance of Papal Christmas Mass:
  • Pope Leo’s midnight Christmas Mass and Urbi et Orbi blessing will set the tone for the Church’s priorities under new leadership.
  • Ben Harnwell predicts Pope Leo will continue Francis’s agenda but more skillfully: “You might not get the full frontal Marxism of Pope Francis… Leo is a more intelligent, more subtle person… therefore more dangerous.” (Ben Harnwell, 38:03)
  • Expect both "standard Christian platitudes" and embedded secular political messages.

7. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben Harnwell (Vatican):

  • "We're no longer a post-Christian West, we're pre-Islamic West—and that's what we're trying to stop." [12:56]
  • "If you showed the Church of England in the 1800s to the Protestant martyrs of the Reformation, they would be horrified..." [10:19]

• Father Issa (Bethlehem):

  • "We are the living stones... the church doesn't mean anything without the faithful people, the Christians who keep it alive." [20:30]
  • "We will never leave. ... Our land here in Bethlehem especially—everything begins from Christianity." [35:36]

• Steve Bannon:

  • "If you look at Victorian England... kind of that Victorian muscular Christianity of the Church of England—as far as missionary work goes... How did we go from that... to modern UK today with the Church of England being completely secularized?" [08:50]
  • "My recommendation: we go to a three-state solution. One would be a Christian state... But that’s a topic for another day, maybe too controversial for Christmas Eve." [36:51]

Important Timestamps & Segments

• Discussion of Bethlehem both ancient and modern: 17:02–23:21
• Christian-Muslim dynamic in Bethlehem: 23:42–26:17
• Challenges facing Middle Eastern Christians: 33:01–36:50
• Papal politics and Vatican commentary: 38:03–40:29
• Closing wishes and guest resources: 46:43–49:20

Guest Information & Calls to Action

• Jason Jones: Podcast and updates at The Jason Jones Show and on social media; advocacy at VulnerablePeopleProject.com and ProtectHolyLandChristians.com.
• Ales Kisia: Advocacy for Bethlehem's Christians via Instagram, al maharoor.org, and related platforms.
• Ben Harnwell: Analysis on Getter; Vatican commentary and sharp takes on papal developments.

Tone & Atmosphere

The tone alternates between reverent, urgent, and combative, with moments of deep reflection on Christian heritage (especially in Bethlehem), warnings about secularization, and passionate pleas for support and solidarity with persecuted Christians worldwide. The hosts and guests maintain a sense of tradition and mission, frequently invoking history and faith as calls to action.

This special War Room Christmas episode provides a rare blend of historical reflection, live perspectives from Christianity’s heartland, opinions on the future of faith in the West, and advocacy for protecting vulnerable Christian communities. For those who missed the episode, it delivers both spiritual context and real-world urgency surrounding the Nativity and its living legacy.