As war intensifies across the Middle East, it is easy to focus on headlines, military strategy, and geopolitics. But what if the deeper story lies elsewhere—beneath the surface, in theology and ideology?

In this episode of Shoulder to Shoulder, Pastor Doug Reed and Rabbi Pesach Wolicki are joined by Dan Burmawi, a former Muslim turned Christian and founder of the Ideological Defense Institute. Together, they explore the religious ideas shaping the current conflict, from Iran’s Shiite worldview to the broader ideological struggle between Islam and the West.

Dan argues that this war is not fundamentally about land or politics, but about competing visions of truth, power, and the future of civilization. He explains why Sunni and Shiite perspectives diverge, how Islamic eschatology influences global strategy, and why many in the West misunderstand the nature of the conflict entirely.

The conversation also turns to the growing ideological battle within Western societies, raising urgent questions about identity, freedom, and the durability of Judeo-Christian values in an increasingly uncertain world.

This is a wide-ranging and provocative discussion that challenges assumptions—and asks whether the real battleground is not only in the Middle East, but in the realm of ideas.