1.3.25 Europe redefines medical success, remembering prominent people in arts and culture, and a word from WORLD’s editor in chief

Summary

The World and Everything In It – Episode 1.3.25 Summary

Release Date: January 3, 2025
Host: WORLD Radio (Myrna Brown and Nick Eicher)
Guests: John Stonestreet, Les Sillers
Reporter: Emma Perley

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Introduction and Overview

In the latest episode of "The World and Everything In It," hosted by Myrna Brown and Nick Eicher, listeners are treated to a comprehensive blend of news, cultural discussions, and tributes to prominent figures in arts and culture who passed away in 2024. This episode delves into Europe's evolving perspective on transgender medicine, reflects on the legacy of former President Jimmy Carter, and honors influential personalities in the entertainment and academic worlds.

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News Highlights

Swearing-In of the 119th Congress

The episode opens with Kent Covington delivering updates on the political landscape in the United States:

• 119th Congress Members took their oaths of office, marking the beginning of a new legislative session.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson faces a precarious position as he seeks re-election to his speakership amid a razor-thin GOP majority. John Stonestreet notes, “[00:26] ‘The one that can win right now… Almost everybody likes him. Others are very good, too, but they have 30 or 40 people that don't like him.’”

FBI’s Update on New Orleans Terror Attack

Covington reports on the FBI’s revision of its stance on the deadly terror attack in New Orleans:

• Initially believed to involve multiple suspects, the FBI now confirms Shamsa Dinner Jabbar as the sole perpetrator.
• John Stonestreet emphasizes the gravity, stating, “[02:17] ‘This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act.’”
• No connection was found between this attack and the earlier cybertruck bombing in Las Vegas.

International Affairs: Iran and Taiwan

Updates on global tensions include:

• Iran marks five years since the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, with President Massoud Poseskyan condemning American and Israeli actions.
• Taiwan’s President Lai Ching Te vows to bolster defenses against escalating Chinese threats, highlighting Taiwan's crucial role in maintaining global democracy. Kristen Flavin reports, “[05:31] ‘Taiwan was a crucial part of the line of defense of democracy globally.’”

Donald Trump's Upcoming Rally

The episode previews Donald Trump’s anticipated victory rally slated for January 19th at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., a venue capable of seating 20,000 attendees. Covington remarks on Trump’s shift back to large-scale outdoor events following last year’s assassination attempt.

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Culture Friday: Redefining Transgender Medicine

European Study on Transgender Medicine

The segment features a critical discussion led by John Stonestreet:

• A new European study challenges the existing metrics of success in transgender medicine, arguing that current measures mask failures and justify irreversible medical interventions.
• Nick Eicher references J.K. Rowling’s critique, “[07:35] ‘Rowling likens the study's logic to Hannah Arendt's concept of the banality of evil, accusing it of hiding harm in the fog of academic language.’”
• John Stonestreet responds, highlighting the shifting cultural norms and the increasing absurdity of the movement’s logic, “...the thought that by making up words and creating concepts we can change reality.”

Reflection on Former President Jimmy Carter

The discussion shifts to Jimmy Carter’s complex legacy:

• John Stonestreet analyzes Carter’s theological liberalism, stating, “[10:52] ‘He had adopted a view of the world that comes from mainline theological liberalism, which underestimates the fall and the impact of human sinfulness.’”
• He underscores the importance of theological truth over mere niceness, cautioning against the replacement of truth with pleasantness in evangelicalism.

Islamic Extremism and Radicalization

Nick Eicher highlights a column by Ibrahim on the New Orleans terror attack:

• The attacker’s Arabic Islamic heritage and possible ties to ISIS reflect ongoing threats of Islamic extremism in the U.S.
• Ibrahim warns, “[14:03] ‘Unless the preachers of hate and the ISIS sympathizers are identified and controlled and at times deported, we will always live with a bomb ready to detonate.’”

John Stonestreet agrees, emphasizing the persistent threat of radical Islam and critiquing dominant narratives that downplay its impact:

• He references Samuel Huntington’s clash of civilizations, noting, “...Islam as a worldview, particularly in its more radicalized forms, is a great threat to the world order.”

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Tributes to Prominent Figures in Arts and Culture

Emma Perley pays homage to several influential individuals who passed away in 2024:

Glynis Johns ([19:45])

• British actress known for her role as Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins.
• Overcame stage fright to boast a career spanning 30 plays and 60 films.
• Recipient of a Tony and Drama Desk Award for A Little Night Music.
• John Stonestreet and James Earl Jones share light-hearted reflections on her career.

Shigeichi Nagishi ([20:13])

• Inventor of the karaoke machine, the Sparko Box, in 1967.
• Despite business challenges and lack of patents, his innovation revolutionized entertainment.

Orenthal James Simpson ([21:38])

• Renowned NFL running back whose legacy was overshadowed by his infamous 1995 murder trial.
• Maintained innocence until his death, claiming media bias, as noted in his quote: “[21:38] ‘I asked you to listen to me and you judge, but I swear to you before my God, I did not commit these crimes.’”

Daniel Dennett ([21:47])

• Atheist author and philosopher known for Darwin's Dangerous Idea, promoting evolutionary theory.
• James Earl Jones reflects, “[22:09] ‘It shows us how, over eons, natural processes have generated the design improvements that make this all possible.’”

Jeanne Epper ([22:21])

• Stuntwoman for Wonder Woman and Charlie's Angels, breaking barriers for women in the stunt industry.
• John Stonestreet shares a nostalgic memory: “[22:50] ‘You know you're not gonna get killed doing it.’”

Morgan Spurlock ([23:27])

• Filmmaker famous for Super Size Me, which highlighted America’s obesity crisis.
• His career ended amidst revelations of sexual misconduct, leading to his premature death at 53.

Donald Sutherland ([24:05])

• Celebrated actor known for The Dirty Dozen, MASH, and The Hunger Games.
• Received an honorary Oscar in 2017, followed by his son Kiefer’s rise in acting.
• James Earl Jones shares his thoughts on Sutherland’s ethos: “[24:23] ‘I think what you need in your Life is a little bit of talent, some chance, some good luck, an extraordinary amount of hard work and a wonderful partner.’”

James Earl Jones ([24:42])

• Legendary actor with roles ranging from Darth Vader in Star Wars to Mufasa in The Lion King.
• Overcame a childhood stutter to achieve acclaim, including an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.
• His poignant reflections include biblical narratives, showcasing his depth as an actor and individual.

Maggie Smith ([26:19])

• Esteemed actress known for Professor Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter and Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey.
• Spanned a seven-decade career with versatile performances and achievements, joining the exclusive group of women with the triple crown of acting.

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Message from the Editor in Chief: Les Sillers

Les Sillers, WORLD Radio’s newly appointed Editor in Chief, shares his journey and vision:

• Background: Grew up in Red Deer, Alberta; transitioned from seminary to journalism with the Alberta Report.
• Philosophy: Emphasizes biblical journalism, asserting that storytelling is deeply rooted in biblical truth to inform and inspire faithfully.
• Vision: Aims to leverage his extensive experience to continue producing “truthful stories that are important and touch you deeply,” as he states, “[28:04] ‘Stories that help us all see the world more clearly. Stories that help us live rightly.’”

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Remembering the Team

The episode concludes with heartfelt acknowledgments to the WORLD Radio team members who contributed to the program, highlighting their collective effort in delivering impactful journalism.

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Closing Thoughts

Nick Eicher and Myrna Brown wrap up the episode by reinforcing WORLD Radio's mission of providing biblically grounded journalism. They encourage listeners to engage with their community and continue supporting the program’s endeavors to illuminate the world through truthful and insightful reporting.

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Key Quotes:

• John Stonestreet ([00:47]): “...there are no success stories. The report is urging the medical community to toss out what it calls the logic of improvement that demands measurable benefits in the well being of patients.”

• James Earl Jones ([21:38]): “I asked you to listen to me and you judge, but I swear to you before my God, I did not commit these crimes.”

• Morgane Spurlock ([22:09]): “It shows us how, over eons, natural processes have generated the design improvements that make this all possible.”

• Les Sillers ([28:04]): “Stories that help us all see the world more clearly. Stories that help us live rightly.”

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For more insights and updates, visit WORLD Radio.

Transcript

[Nick Eicher]

Good morning and thank you to all who supported our December giving drive. We are so grateful for your generosity. Now, we don't have a final count just yet, but on Monday we will check in with our development staff to find out how it's going and report back. Meantime, we just want you to know how much we appreciate your support and.

[Myrna Brown]

We can't do it without you. But with you, we feel like there's nothing we can't do. And now I hope you enjoy today's program. Good morning. Today on Culture Friday, if you're going to redefine boys and girls, you're going to have to redefine success for so called transgender medicine.

[Nick Eicher]

And they are certainly working on that. We will talk with John Stonestreet about it and much more later on. We will remember notable figures from the world of arts and culture who died in 2024.

[James Earl Jones]

I ask you to listen to me and you judge. But I swear to you before my go, I did not commit these crimes.

[Nick Eicher]

And ask the editor. Today, an introduction of a familiar voice.

[Myrna Brown]

It's Friday, January 3rd. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Iker. Good morning.

[Myrna Brown]

Up next, Kent Covington with today's news.

[Kent Covington]

Members of the 119th Congress of the United States will take the oath of office today, so help you God.

[Nick Eicher]

Congratulations, you are now members of the White House.

[Kent Covington]

Sounds from the last swearing in ceremony at the Capitol two years ago. And House Speaker Mike Johnson today is fighting for his political life. His seat in the House is not in jeopardy, but his speakership most certainly is. Members will vote today on whether to reelect Johnson to the post. The speaker says he's had many conversations this week with some undecided or skeptical Republicans.

[Nick Eicher]

My conversations with my colleagues have gone great and a lot of members have.

[John Stonestreet]

Come in very thoughtfully in good faith, you know, with process improvements and things they'd like to see differently.

[Kent Covington]

President elect Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Johnson. And when asked what his message would be to Republican holdouts, Trump responded, he's.

[Nick Eicher]

The one that can win right now.

[John Stonestreet]

People like him.

[Nick Eicher]

Almost everybody likes him. Others are very good, too, but they have 30 or 40 people that don't like him.

[Kent Covington]

With a razor thin GOP majority in the House, Johnson will need to win virtually every Republican vote to hang on to the Speaker's gavel. The FBI is no longer looking for additional suspects in connection to Wednesday's deadly terror attack in New Orleans. Christopher Rea with the bureau's division of Counterterrorism, told reporters.

[John Stonestreet]

We do not assess at this point that anyone else is involved in this attack except for Shamsa Dinner Jabbar.

[Kent Covington]

That is a reversal from the bureau's earlier assessment that the attacker likely did not act alone. The death toll now stands at least 14 in that attack, revised slightly from earlier reports that 15 people were killed. Investigator Saint Jabbar, a 42 year old Houston native and US army veteran, rammed a truck into a crowd on Bourbon street in New Orleans and then brandished a gun and opened fire before police shot and killed him.

[John Stonestreet]

This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act.

[Kent Covington]

Police found an ISIS flag on the truck and federal authorities have also been working to determine if there was any link between the New Orleans attack and a cybertruck that was blown up in front of Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the Federal.

[Nick Eicher]

Bureau of Investigation that is leading the investigation both in New Orleans and in Las Vegas, Nevada, has not found any connection between those two incidents.

[Kent Covington]

Meantime, police have revealed new information about the driver of that cybertruck. Authorities believe him to be 37 year old Matthew Leifelsberger of Colorado Las Vegas County Sheriff Kevin McMahill.

[Nick Eicher]

He was indeed in the United States Army. He was also a Green Beret operations sergeant who spent most of his time at Fort Carson, Colorado and in Germany.

[Kent Covington]

The driver apparently shot himself in the head before the explosives in the truck were detonated. McMahell said the perpetrator likely planned to cause more damage, but the explosive was rudimentary and the steel sided cybertruck absorbed much of the force in Iran chants of Death to America and Death to Israel In Tehran yesterday, as residents flocked to the Iranian capital to mark five years since the death of General Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020. Iranian President Massoud Poseskyan said it would have been a shame for someone like Soleimani to die in bed instead of, in his words, being martyred. He goes on to call the governments of America and Israel barbaric anti human liars the president of Taiwan, Lai Ching Te, has vowed to strengthen the island's defenses in the face of escalating Chinese threats. World's Kristen Flavin has more.

[Nick Eicher]

Lai said in a New Year's address this week that Taiwan was a crucial part of the line of defense of democracy globally. He added that authoritarian countries such as China, Russia, North Korea and Iran are still collaborating to threaten the international order. China claims Taiwan, a self ruled democracy is part of its territory and has vowed to annex the island by force if necessary. Taiwan's defense ministry said Chinese warplanes and warships had carried out the first combat patrol of the new year around the island. Lai again expressed his willingness to talk with Beijing, but earlier appeals have been rebuffed. For WORLD I'm Kristen Flavin.

[Kent Covington]

Donald Trump is expected to hold a big Washington rally the day before he is sworn in as the nation's 47th president. The victory rally, as it's being billed, will be held at the Capital One arena in D.C. on January 19th. The arena seats roughly 20,000 people. Trump's big outdoor events have been limited in the months that followed an assassination attempt last year. I'm Kent Covington. And straight ahead, CULTURE Friday with John Stonestreet. Plus notable figures from the world of arts and culture who died in 2024. This is the world and everything in it.

[Nick Eicher]

Happy New Year. Happy New Year.

[John Stonestreet]

Won't you have a happy new year?

[Myrna Brown]

It's Friday, the 3rd of January. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the WORLD and Everything in It. Good morning. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick iker. It's Culture Friday. Joining us now for the first time in 2025 is John Stonestreet. John is president of the Colson center and he is host of the Breakpoint Podcast. Good morning and happy New Year.

[John Stonestreet]

John Good morning and happy New Year.

[Nick Eicher]

Well, now, this story was not widely reported, but it seems hugely significant. A new study in Europe is trying to find a new way to measure success of so called transgender medicine. Now why, you ask, would that be important? Well, because in a few words, there are no success stories. The report is urging the medical community to toss out what it calls the logic of improvement that demands measurable benefits in the well being of patients. So in other words, you might put it this way, we're losing the game, so we need some new rules. And I found out about this by way of a social post by the author J.K. rowling. She argued that this shift covers up failure and redefines success to justify pushing these irreversible interventions. Rowling likens the study's logic to Hannah Arendt's concept of the banality of evil, accusing it of hiding harm in the fog of academic language. Now, I'll put a link to the report in today's transcript online if the listener would like to read it. But John, this is just remarkable.

[John Stonestreet]

Well, J.K. rowling has been so good on this issue and the Shout out to the banality of evil. And that whole concept is so rich worldview wise, but you know, this whole thing just landed to me in a couple different ways. One is, this is a different age than it was even two years and three years. And the way this sits is even more offensive than it would have been two to three years ago. And I think with more people. And that tells you about the shifting norms of culture and, and when something becomes abnormal, when something gets on the wrong side of the zeitgeist, it's kind of like that politician whose campaign has turned and everything they say sounds worse and worse. And it's like, you know, hey dude, you're in a hole. Stop digging. This is what this sounded like to me. It wasn't unlike, although on a much bigger scale, you know, after the election on cnn, when a commentator brought up the fact that, listen, the American people have rejected men and women's locker room thing, and another commentator basically tried to shut down the conversation with an accusation of transphobia. And even the far left leaning members of the panelists were like, no, we have to have this conversation. And it just sounded so weird in that day. And I always am fascinated by how cultural norms change, but this is significant. What's happening is, is that this movement has progressed along just fantasy, fairy tale stuff. The thought that by making up words and creating concepts we can change reality. And it was always absurd, but it sounds more and more absurd almost month by month as we go along. And again, shout out to J.K. rowling for pointing this out. But I think for a lot of people it was just like, yeah, this is as bad as we always thought it was and maybe even worse.

[Myrna Brown]

Well, John, much has been written and said about former President Jimmy Carter. Carter's legacy, which includes his presidency and his post presidential life of faith and service, is a little complex.

[John Stonestreet]

Yeah, well, you know, theology matters. And that's what I think is the fundamental lesson for Christians of this former president. And I think the theological replacement that's happened in mainstream evangelicalism and Christianity in general reflects what happened in mainline liberalism a generation ago, which is that some form of niceness replaced truth. One of the last interviews that Chuck Colson and I did together was with the former president. And it was such an interesting conversation because there was no question about, for example, the humanitarian work that he did through Habitat for Humanity. And that was something that Prison Fellowship had been able to connect with over the years. But what emerged in President Carter, both as a president and as a former president, was that he had adopted a view of the world that comes from mainline theological liberalism, which underestimates the fall and the impact of human sinfulness on individuals, which downplays God's created design and God's role as a ruler in the universe with moral expectations, and then assumes things about human nature that is not reflected. And I think that's why his presidency was so marked by so many kind of stark failures. And honestly, a lot of his political work after that was as well. It's impossible to deny how nice and kind this guy was. But as CS Lewis pointed out, even that niceness and kindness can become a source of pride. It's kind of a false humility that overwhelms. And you actually think, you know, I'm going to do what I think is right, even if everyone else has rejected it as wrong. And there were so many times in President Carter's public career that he did that. And I think that points to a really important lesson for all of us. How we live out our faith, how we treat other people really matters. But what the substance of that faith is matters as well, maybe more so, because if you have a wrong understanding of the gospel, it's because you have a wrong understanding of God and a wrong understanding of people. And that is the big failure of theological liberalism everywhere. It has been tried. And what's unique about President Carter is that he applied it to this space of the public square, and it does not have a good record. It's been really interesting to watch various voices and publications of what now is kind of evangelicalism sound so much like mainline liberal Protestantism, including voices that would have denounced that just yesterday and using the former president's story as a way to do that. So evangelicalism, when it's untethered from truth, theological truth risks the same way forward as does mainline Protestant liberalism. And I think his life should warn us about that.

[Nick Eicher]

Well, John, before we go, I want to call your attention to a column in World Opinions. As Ibrahim writes on the New Year's morning terror attack in New Orleans, he highlights the ongoing presence of Islamic extremism in the U.S. quoting here, the dead attacker's full name indicates his Arabic Islamic heritage. Although he was born in Texas, his name is Arabic with a distinctly Islamic meaning, as Shamsud Din means the bright star of the religion, while the surname Jabar is a name of Allah, which means the mighty one. The writer Ibrahim is from Egypt. He's a Christian, and he holds two PhDs on Islam and the history of Islam. And he writes that Jabbar's actions were apparently inspired by ISIS and reflect the group's Salafi and jihadist ideology, one that seeks to impose Islam globally using violence. He says the New Year's attack should raise alarms about radicalization within Western societies, emphasizing the need to address extremist preaching while safeguarding freedoms. He writes, and I'll quote one more time here, unless the preachers of hate and the ISIS sympathizers are identified and controlled and at times deported, we will always live with a bomb ready to detonate. End of quote. That is a bit alarming.

[John Stonestreet]

Well, I agree with just about all that analysis, and I think at some level, with some of the other global conflicts over the last 10 years or so, the role that radical Islam is playing on the world stage was forgotten by people in the west and especially people in the United States. I mean, this goes back to Samuel Huntington's thesis and the clash of civilizations, which hasn't proven to be completely correct, but he got that part right, that the real clashes that we're going to face in our current age are not between nation states, although that would still be there, he said, but it would really rise to the level of civilizations. And sometimes those fault lines between civilizations run within a particular nation state. And the mass movement of people through migration over the last decade is going to expose that, I think, on a big scale. I also think, though, that there needs to be at least some reckoning with the dominant narrative through which we do tend to see these things which immediately popped up in the wake of this terrible evil, the emphasis being placed on the fact that he was an American citizen and was in the military, as if that was the dominant thing that drove his behavior, his values, his worldview, when more details continue to emerge. And we have to admit that even as we're talking right now, there's more details emerging all the time about, you know, how big this network is. Is it a network? Is that the right thing to call it? And all of that. And it's not pointing to any sort of radicalization within the United States. And of course, we have to remember that those on the left have pointed to things like Christian nationalism and white supremacy and things like that is the, and I quote, biggest danger in terms of terrorism that our nation faces. And it's just not playing out in real life at any level. And it's a narrative looking for a story. But this story is pointing to the fact that Islam as a worldview, particularly in its more radicalized forms, is as a great threat to the world order. It's a great threat to national sovereignty and to peace and to the safety of individuals. And so I think the analysis and world opinions was the right on.

[Myrna Brown]

John Stonestreet is president of the Colson center and host of the Breakpoint Podcast. Thanks, John.

[John Stonestreet]

Thank you both.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from Commuter Bible, the Workweek audio Bible in four annual plans available via podcast app and commuterbible.org and from Dort University, where students are invited into God's story of restoration to live, learn and work together with joyful purpose.

[Nick Eicher]

In all of life until all is made new. Today is Friday, January 3rd. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Nick Iger.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Coming next on THE World and everything in it, remembering some prominent figures from the world of arts and culture, here's World reporter Emma Perley.

[Nick Eicher]

We're clearly soldiers in petty coats and.

[John Stonestreet]

Dauntless crusaders for women's votes.

[Nick Eicher]

Though we adore men individually, we agree.

[John Stonestreet]

That as a group, they're rather stupid.

[Emma Perley]

Mrs. Banks British actress Glynis Johns is best known for her role as Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins. She frequently took on roles where she danced and sang and often performed in comedy musicals. And although she suffered from stage fright, it didn't stop her from appearing in 30 plays and 60 films. For the Broadway play A Little Night Music, she earned a Tony and Drama Desk Award for her song Send in the Clowns Audio from Sony Music Entertainment.

[John Stonestreet]

Isn't it rich? Are we a pair?

[Emma Perley]

Johns was married four times and once remarked that she was not as good at being married as she was at acting. Johns died of natural causes at 100 years old on January 4th. Next Shigeichi Nagishi also passed away at age 100 on January 26th. Although he's not a household name, his invention certainly is. The karaoke machine. It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday. As a Japanese engineer, Negishi built the first prototype in 1967. He called it the Sparko Box, and it came with cassette tapes and a little book of lyrics. His business eventually ran into issues and he had to shut it down, but the idea became popular as other companies put out their own versions of karaoke. Negishi never patented his prototype, but he is credited with being the first to invent it. Infamous football star Orenthal James Simpson, or O.J. also died this year at age 76. He was one of the best running backs in the NFL, but his highly publicized murder trial overshadowed his football achievements. The jury controversially acquitted Simpson for the crime of murdering his wife and her friend. Audio here from a 1996 press conference with Simpson.

[James Earl Jones]

I asked you to listen to me and you judge, but I swear to you before my God, I did not commit these crimes.

[Emma Perley]

He believed that the media purposefully targeted him for sensational headlines and maintained his innocence until his death on April 10. Also in April, atheist author and philosopher Daniel Dennett passed away. He praised evolution in his 1995 book Darwin's Dangerous Idea. Fellow atheist Richard Dawkins interviewed Dennett in 2009.

[James Earl Jones]

It shows us how, over eons, natural processes have generated the design improvements that make this all possible.

[Emma Perley]

Dennett tried to make the point that Darwin's dangerous idea was that creation did not need an intelligent designer, even if evolution might be false. The book caused controversy among scientists and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Dennett wrote many books on philosophy throughout his lifetime. He died of lung disease at age 82. Next, an actress who made her mark in Hollywood as a stunt double. Audio here from a 1979 CBS Sunday Morning interview with Jeanne Epper.

[John Stonestreet]

Something sort of comes over you, a sense of peace, a sense of, you.

[Nick Eicher]

Know you can do it.

[John Stonestreet]

You know you're not gonna get killed doing it.

[Emma Perley]

Epper's parents were also stunt performers, and she continued their legacy. In the 70s. She was the stuntwoman for the TV series Wonder Woman and the movie Charlie's Angels, and the job came with plenty of challenges once she accidentally caught on fire. But Epper said she always felt fulfilled, and she paved the way for many other women to join the stunt industry. Epper died on May 5th at 83 years old. Next, a documentarian who gained 24 pounds to prove a point about fast food.

[John Stonestreet]

This is the first day and I'm on my way to breakfast. I got my egg McMuffin. That's gonna be the first thing right there in 2000.

[Emma Perley]

In 2004, Morgan Spurlock set out to eat three McDonald's meals a day for 30 days and filmed himself doing it. The documentary, called Super Size Me, became popular for its honest depiction of America's obesity problem. Spurlock produced and directed several other documentaries. He later admitted to sexual misconduct against his co workers, which largely ended his career. Spurlock died from cancer complications on May 23rd at 53 years old.

[Nick Eicher]

Through early morning fog, I see visions.

[James Earl Jones]

Of the things to be.

[Emma Perley]

Actor Donald Sutherland's rise to stardom began with his performances in the film the Dirty Dozen and the war sitcom. MASH. Audio here from a 2001 BBC interview.

[James Earl Jones]

I think what you need in your Life is a little bit of talent, some chance, some good luck, an extraordinary amount of hard work and a wonderful partner. And I have been blessed with those four things and my life has been a happy one.

[Emma Perley]

Sutherland also took on the role of President Snow in the Hunger Games trilogy and played Mr. Bennett in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice. Although he was never nominated for an Academy Award, he was presented with an honorary Oscar in 2017. His son Kiefer followed in his father's footsteps and also became a well known actor. Donald died on June 20, aged 88. Next, James Earl Jones started as an actor specializing in Shakespeare plays. He overcame a childhood stutter to become a widely known stage performer. But the job didn't come with much money. Then Jones joined the cast of Star Wars. In 1977, he told CBS George Lucas paid him $7,000 to voice Darth Vader.

[James Earl Jones]

I was broken and for me that was good money. I got lucky.

[Nick Eicher]

You ever go back to him and say, hey, we need to revisit that salary?

[John Stonestreet]

No.

[James Earl Jones]

No.

[Emma Perley]

Jones went on to star in Field of Dreams, a critically acclaimed sports film. And he lent his baritone voice to several roles, including Mufasa in Disney's the Lion King. He also narrated the King James version of the New Testament.

[James Earl Jones]

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, why Edith, your master with publicans and sinners. But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

[Emma Perley]

Jones earned an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award during his long career. He passed away from diabetes complications at 93 years old on September 9th. Finally, another legendary actor also passed away in September.

[Nick Eicher]

Welcome to Hogwarts. Now in a few moments, she will.

[John Stonestreet]

Pass through these doors and join your classmates.

[Emma Perley]

Maggie Smith is perhaps best known for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter or as the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey.

[Myrna Brown]

Civil vulgarity is no substitute for wit.

[John Stonestreet]

Well, you started it.

[Emma Perley]

Her career spanned seven decades and she was famous for her versatile performances. Among many other awards, Smith earned the triple crown of acting. That's an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony Award. And it's something only 15 women have ever achieved. Smith died at 89 years old. Reporting for World I'm Emma Perley.

[Myrna Brown]

Today is Friday, January 3rd. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio, I'm Myrna Brown.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up, ask the editor. And taking that new responsibility is Les Sillers. Now he's not new to World. He's been around here since 1999 as a writer, an editor and a producer. Lately he's been host of our long form narrative podcast Double Take. And now he's World's editor in chief. That's a position that came about when several months back. I called him up and put a question to him. Editor in Chief Les Sillers now will answer yours.

[James Earl Jones]

If I were listening to this program right now, I'd have a few questions myself. Sillers name sounds kind of familiar, but who is he exactly? Well, I grew up in Red Deer, Alberta. I went to Bible college in Saskatchewan in the late 80s where I met and married Jennifer. Then we headed off to seminary because I wanted to be a basketball coach. I wanted to teach at a Bible college and coach the team. Along the way we had our two kids. In 1993 I stumbled out of seminary and providentially into the newsroom of a conservative Canadian news magazine. It was called the Alberta Report. I never wanted to be a reporter, never read a newspaper except the comics. I knew nothing about politics, culture or history. I didn't know what pro life meant. But I needed a job. I was soon covering the news in Calgary. Murder, trials, scandals, culture and sometimes politics. At first I was neither conservative nor liberal, just uninformed. But I quickly began to see the effects of progressive politics and policies on Canadian society. I'd never heard of Richard Weaver's famous book Ideas have Consequences, but I distinctly recall thinking, you know, ideas have consequences, and these are some really bad ideas. In 1999, I left the Alberta Report to start my graduate journalism program at the University of Texas at Austin. I thought maybe I could teach journalism at a Christian college also. World's editor was teaching at Texas at the time and invited me to join the staff there. I first encountered the idea of biblical journalism. The phrase defines world and what we do. This is how I understand it. The Bible is the only authoritative source of key truths about God, humanity and reality. Therefore, a reporter can tell the whole truth about this world only insofar as Scripture shows shapes his or her reporting and writing. I started teaching at Patrick Henry College in Virginia in 2002 and graduated from Texas soon after that. After 30 years doing and teaching journalism, this is what I tell my students. Journalism is a profoundly noble and deeply biblical calling. To do it faithfully requires the gifts of the storyteller, historian, philosopher and theologian, and sometimes scientist and economist. To live rightly as believers, we must understand the times in which we live, the culture that shapes our imaginations. And the people God calls us to serve our neighbors. We have a terrific group of reporters, editors and producers here at World. There are lots of news outlets, but nobody else in the world offers what we do. Journalism that is biblically faithful, truthful stories that are important and touch you deeply. Stories that help us all see the world more clearly. Stories that help us live rightly. I'm excited to help tell great stories. I'm honored to be here, and I'm looking forward to hearing from many of you. Send me your [e-mail] that's le sng.org I'm Les Sillers.

[Nick Eicher]

All right. Welcome, Les Sillers. Well, it's time now to say thanks to the rest of the team members who helped to put the program together this week. Jenny Ruff, David Bonson, Lindsay Mast, Mary Reichert, Leah Savas, Mary Muncie, Steve Waters, Carolina Lumeta, Leo Braceno, Onize Astute, Myrna Brown, Cal Thomas, Steve West, Anna Johansen Brown, John Wilsey, John Stonestreet and Emma Perley. Thanks also to our breaking news team, Kent Covington, Mark Mellinger, Lindy Langdon, Travis Kircher, Lauren Canterbury, Josh Schumacher and Christina Grube. And thanks to the guys who stay up late to get the program to you early, Johnny Franklin and Carl Pete. And now joining the Moonlight Maestros, Ben Jeinker.

[Myrna Brown]

Kristin Flavin is our features producer and Harrison Waters our Washington producer, with editorial assistance from Lauren Dunn. Paul Butler is our executive producer, Les Sillers is World editor in chief, and Nick Eicher is chief content officer for World News Group. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible says you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house in the same way. Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew, chapter 5, verses 14 through 16. Be sure and worship with your brothers and sisters in Christ in church on the Lord's day, and Lord willing, we'll meet you right back here on Monday. Go now and grace and peace.