A New Perspective On The Life Of Jesus

At Walmart, we're helping our associates build meaningful careers. One way we're doing that, investing $1 billion in training and education. Last year, more than 100,000 associates earned promotions. Combined with benefits like 401K matching and paid parental leave, we're proving that Walmart isn't just a place to work, it's a place to grow. Learn more at walmart.com slash grow at Walmart. The spirit of innovation is deeply ingrained in America, and Google is helping Americans innovate in ways both big and small. There are hundreds of thousands of skilled trade roles across the U.S. waiting to be filled. To help close this workforce gap, Google is expanding its skill trade support to help train more than 300,000 American workers across over 20 states. This is a new era of American innovation. Learn more at grow. Google slash skill trades. I'm Shannon Bream. I'm Bill Hemmer. I'm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and this is the Fox News Rundown. Thursday, December 25th, 2025. Elisa Brady. As Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, there's a deeper look at his life and the human dilemma at the start of his ministry. Never in their whole life would they believe that they would see. the prophecies starting to come true. I'm Dave Anthony. A redistricting dispute in Texas has spread to other states. As Democrats take a stand. They're applicable for a couple reasons. They're losing their minds, mostly because they're losing their voters. We speak with Republican Senator Tim Scott. And I'm Robert Jeffress. I've got the final word on the Fox News rundown.

From the Bible to the big screen, his story has been told in many ways. I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. But this version offers a different level of depth and context. With God, all things are possible. If you follow me. I will bring you to the kingdom of God. That's Terrick McCarrum as Jesus in season two of Jesus' Crown of Thorns, streaming now on Fox Nation. I guess I look at my life as if it's been one big. Training, one big lesson. The classically trained and critically acclaimed actor already had a successful and diverse career, including more than one British TV series and in the theatre, before landing this iconic role. I've been sharpening the toolkit, as it were, sharpening the tools, ready for this role. You know, I was very emotional, actually, and actually something felt very different when I got the call to even read. to play jesus it's like even walking through the door i thought there's a different energy going on and i don't know whether it's i look back at it now and think maybe there was something going on upstairs that was kind of you know the divine hand as it were just guiding my footsteps but um yeah um very emotional is the is the honest truth and um I just couldn't wait to tell my mum, really, and just to say, because it's a big deal for her as well. And, I mean, can you imagine that you get selected to play Jesus, to say these words, to reenact the footsteps and try to illustrate that, and knowing full well that this is going to matter to so many people. And God willing, be a gift to so many people that it can either unlock something for them or that it can... give them a pathway or, I don't know, it could give them a multitude of things. And we've seen the biblical story played many times before. Mm-hmm. But... Here was our opportunity to do it. And yeah, anyway. Well, and you can go places in Crown of Thorns that movies about Jesus, for instance, haven't been able to because you have the time in a series to really explore the people around him and the politics involved. Do you think that helps to tell his life story in a more complete way and for people to have more context? I think that's absolutely right. It's the context for sure. It's the backdrop. It's the arena in which he was living in and what he was up against and what he was trying to do with what this movement was. You're right. Having time gives you these opportunities to spread things out. But let's be clear. And I've said this many times before.

There are many people out there that will have an impression of who Jesus is for them. And to even try to think that we can supplement everybody's impression is actually an impossible task. So the only thing that we can do is really try to approach it with integrity, without ego, with honesty, with love, with heart. And... basically fill the story this way and to touch on the fact that, you know, you mentioned about the political backdrop and when Jesus starts to really push the boundaries when he's giving the news of the coming kingdom, it really was about trying to find the human conflict and dilemma for everybody in this moment, and sometimes even including the quote-unquote villains of the piece. Caiaphas, Anas, the religious elders, they often get portrayed as caricatures or, you know, the antagonists of the whole story. But actually, they are also very important to fulfilling the actual prophecy. So they have to be there. And what I think this show does and where it succeeds is... I guess, allowing us to see these human conflicts and seeing that there was a dilemma there. And think for them, never in their whole life would they believe that they would see the prophecies. starting to come true so that the fear is very, very real. And the fear of the order upset, the religious order upset, it must have been extremely frightening. And often it's portrayed as it's just about power. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But this show really succeeds in doing that. Has this profound role had an impact on you personally? I asked that in part because I know that you didn't always use your full name for your career. Yeah, that's, yeah, that's right, yeah. So there's two parts to that question, really. Yeah, just thinking back to it from filming the second season a year ago, we shot season two and three back to back. And it definitely came at a cost for me. I really, really do mean that. And I definitely left a piece of me out there in Morocco where we filmed it to fully embody it and to embrace it in a way that was just honest and true. And... Just again, knowing that it would mean so much to so many people. And I have to say there was one particular day, there was a few days actually where the pressure cooker was on and we're trying to really deliver on this. But this comes in season three, so I'm giving a little bit of an insight. But it was in the Garden of Gethsemini. And Jesus is really wrestling with his core emotions about what is to come. And he screams out to God.

let the cup pass him by. And I remember we were running out of time. It was a busy day. And on some days, you move on and you go, they'll save it in the edit or there'll be some gold in there somewhere. But on this particular day, no, no way. And I said, we could stop filming right now. I am not going to dishonor this moment. It's too important. And you see, I'm getting emotional as I'm talking about it. Well, it's the depth. It's the depth of it all. Yeah, physically drained, very emotionally drained. And I've been different ever since, I have to say. You can't not be affected by the power of the physical words. You say them aloud. you're speaking a scene or a dialogue to one of the disciples and you feel the love and magnitude and it because you're saying it me just tarrick i cannot not be affected by that and also who's receiving that cannot not be affected by that through this you have You've chosen to go back to your birth name. That's correct. As Tarek, yes. So the long story short, over 20 years ago when I graduated from drama school, the industry, I guess, were trying to protect me. And they wouldn't represent me unless I changed my name. And I understood. I was at peace with it at the time because I knew that they were trying to give me the pathway to succeed. But there is, I know people do change their names in the industry, stage names and whatnot, so that you can stand out as it were. But this is different. This is about almost having to close part of your very being. So every time you step into the audition space or the industry room or the networking room or even just the social environment and you put your hand out and say the name that is actually not yours, part of you is just hidden away. You were Rick instead of Terrick. Yes, so I was Rick McCarrum. So thankfully my father spelt my name with a K in case this eventuality may occur in it. And it did. He was, he had the foresight. And, um... Of course, I'm one of those actors that's in between. I'm mixed race. I have an English mom, a white English mom from a beautiful northern town of Chesterfield in England, and my father is Lebanese. And I'm the only one in my immediate family that has a name that represents my father's heritage. And so, yeah, the challenges were there. I've been very fortunate to have a great career, but when I played Jesus... And everybody in Morocco was like, oh, Tarik, your name's Tarik. We call you Tarik from now on. And then it became all too wonderful and normal. And the first day that the line producer...

changed the card on my dressing room trailer and it said, Tariq McCarram, I flat out burst into tears. Oh my goodness. I couldn't believe it. It was just such a, I'd actually not realized how much it had played a part in my life. And I said, well, I'm playing Jesus. I have to be myself, my true self. And so that was the greatest gift that it's given me playing this part. And yeah, anyway, I'm going to start crying. It's your own leap of faith. That's what it is. It is. What message does Jesus' Crown of Thorns, and especially season two, offer not just for Christians, but for anyone? What are you hoping the viewers take from it? Well, what I will say is that we're in a modern world where sustaining people's attention is extremely difficult. Technology has changed everything, the speed in which we are focused now. You know, we're having two screens in a room. We can be watching the TV, but most people are scrolling on the phones at the same time. How do you sustain people's attention? So my hopes and dreams is that what... Newtopia, the production company, along with Fox Nation, have tried to do, and they should be very proud of this, is they've made an easy access, highly digestible, consumer-friendly depiction of this story. And what that's saying is that we've moved with the times, we've accepted that, okay, some things have had to adjust. And rather than close the door to not being able to tell the story in all its prowess and magnitude, They found an interesting and captivating way to tell the story. And what I will say as well is that it's very simple to, very easy to play Jesus, a very meek and mild, you know, ethereal character and everything just, you know, is plain sailing. And then, yeah, and what I will, sorry, and what I will say is that... It just wasn't like that. It's important to play the full spectrum. And this show plays the full spectrum. Again, I'm sure there'll be some elements in there to the devout followers that may watch this. And they might turn around and go, ah, that doesn't play right for me. That's true. But that's okay. I'm glad that you had that thought. If anything, all that should do is just reaffirm your... your compass, your north facing point. And that's a great thing. But then for other people, they might get something great out of it. It might resonate with them, or it might challenge the thought, challenge the process. That's exactly how Jesus would want it to be. And nobody likes a lecture on religion. Nobody likes it, because it's very personal, is that correct, right? What this show does is invite curiosity. and for you to enjoy the drama. And I think that's exactly what Jesus did. He invited curiosity.

and he did it in a way that got you interested. Terrick McCarrum playing Jesus on Jesus Crown of Thorns, season two streaming now on Fox Nation. Thank you so much for this wonderful contribution that you have made to the story and for spending some time with us. Thank you for having me, and I really do that. I hope that everybody enjoys it and wishing everybody a wonderful Christmas. Nearly home Isn't home where we all want to be? Reba here for Realtor.com, the pro's number one most trusted app. If you're hearing me, I'm going to assume you're awake. And if you aren't... Because while you're snoozing, someone else might be finding your dream home. That's where Realtor.com comes in. With over 500,000 new real listings straight from the pros every month, that's a lot of chances to find the place you've been dreaming of. Whether you're searching for a two-story mid-century with a pool or a little extra space with a spa-inspired bathroom, Realtor.com can help you find it today. So quit hitting that snooze button. Realtor.com isn't sleeping on finding your dream home, and neither should you. Download the Realtor.com app today, because you're nearly home. Make it real with Realtor.com. Pro's number one most trusted app based on August 2024 proprietary survey. Over 500,000 new listings every month based on average new for sale and rental listings, February 24 through January 2025. From the Fox News Podcasts Network. Stay on top of the latest news and information from Fox News. Listen and download the Fox News hourly update on your time. The trending stories you need anytime you want it. Listen and download now by going to Fox News Podcasts.com. This is Robert Jeffers with your Fox News commentary. Coming up. The new year will bring the midterm elections. But the campaign got a head start in 2025 with a congressional redistricting in Texas where the changes could give Republicans five more House seats, countered by a ballot measure that voters approved in California that aims to give Democrats five more seats as they try to win back control of the House. We now take you back to August 6th. In the middle of all the drama, we talked to Republican Senator Tim Scott, while Democratic Texas lawmakers were out of state after fleeing to block the redistricting. And a move that failed, the GOP-led legislature approved it when they returned. It started as a political dispute in Texas. Republicans went into a special legislative session to reshape House districts for the 2026 elections. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick tells Fox. We've had over 2 million people move here in the last couple of years. They're voting more and more Republican, and they deserve and want Republican representation in Congress. And the changes could give Texas five more House Republicans.

Democrats say no way. Democrats are no longer going to sit by handcuffed. This is an all-out war and everything is on the table. That includes leaving Texas, like state rep Julie Johnson did, going to Illinois with dozens of other Democratic lawmakers who went there or to New York or Massachusetts, leaving Republicans without enough members in the legislature to have a quorum. blocking the Texas redistricting vote as blue state governors vowed to retaliates. Whatever they are doing will be neutered here in the state of California. And they... We'll pay that price. Governor Gavin Newsom says they'll gerrymander too in Democrats' favor. When the New York Times says basically that the Democrats haven't alleged to stand on, that tells you all you need to know right there. That's Senator Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican who also has a book just out this week. One nation always under God, profiles in Christian courage. When you flee to Illinois, the state that has made gerrymandering as famous as it could be because they're always doing it, you realize that gerrymandering is not something new. It's not something... relevant, frankly. What's relevant is that if you have an opportunity to redraw those districts, sometimes you take advantage of those opportunities. And right now, that's what we're seeing play out in Texas. But this is not something new. No, but it is new that it's in the midterm elections in the middle of a decade, as opposed to after a census. Why? That seems to what make Democrats the most upset. Well, I think they're apoplectic for a couple of reasons. They're losing their minds, mostly because they're losing their voters. Frankly, when you think about the redistricting conversation, typically they're done on either partisan lines or racial lines. And the good news is we've made so much progress on the issue of racist Republicans that this new working class coalition, 40% of Hispanic men voted for President Trump, over 30% of African-American men voted for President Trump, over 50% of Native Americans. voted for President Trump. Millennials voted for President Trump. So when you think about gerrymandering, it's really about what can we do to solidify Republican control across Texas, in fact, around the country, as it relates to political alignment. When people are aligned with people who have the same philosophy, I think that makes a lot of sense to me. In your new book, You write early on about an exchange you had on the view. Yes. And you've been dealing with this your whole public life as a black Republican. You know, in the United States Senate, running for president as you did, that you're the exception, that your success and that successive other black Americans are the exception. And you don't get it that the other Americans aren't.

As fortunate as you were as lucky as you or wherever they put it to be successful. Yeah, on a show called The View where two out of the five hosts are African-American. The funny thing is, yesterday's exception is today's rule. And that's one of the most important parts that you have to glean from American history that every decade we get better and better. and better, especially on issues of race. We have made so much progress and so little time that it is astounding, breathtaking. Do we have progress that still needs to be to be made, yes. But frankly, it is when Americans come together and work together that we find our greatest opportunities, frankly, along racial lines and beyond. And one of the things you'll discover in one nation always under God are the stories of strong, powerful people like William Lloyd Garrison, who stood up against slavery in his day, nearly lost his life and his fortune, so to speak, in pursuit of our Declaration of Independence that all people... should be treated the same because the creator saws all the same. So that is such a passionate pursuit you'll read about in the book. But beyond that, in today's society, it is that working class coalition that has given us the majority in the house. the Senate and the White House and encouraging more people to think as individuals, I think is really important for our future. So this redistricting fight as we've referenced in Texas is about 2026. Absolutely. You have to keep in your mind. I'm sure the president wants, Republicans want you want to keep this majority that you have in both the House and the Senate. The House very slim. The Senate, you have 53 seats currently. You could afford to lose three because you have a tie-breaking vote with Vice President JD Vance. I don't want to lose three. I just ignored what you just said. Please continue. But I do know that you are the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Yes. So you are leading the Republican. campaign efforts to try to keep control of the Senate. Yes. What's the biggest state or two that you have in mind? Well, on a defensive posture, you know, my theory is the old football players that you win Super Bowls by defense. And so we have to take care of our incumbents. The two most important states right now, number one, Maine, Susan Collins, we have to win there. Number two, North Carolina no longer an incumbent, but we do have Michael Whatley running in that seat. If we're going to expand our majority, I think we have a couple of opportunities. Number one, Michigan. We have Mike Rogers running again. I think we're in really good shape. Gary Peters, the Democrats retiring. Thank God for that.

And so it makes it easier for us to be successful there. And then Georgia, Georgia should be a red state, period. But in 2021, you lost both elections, lost control of the Senate. Jon Ossoff now is up again. By just a slim margin. And right now, every statewide elected official is a Republican. Great news for our fortune in the great state of Georgia. I believe we will win Georgia. But. You know, midterms are not always easy, especially for the party of the president. They are hard. And that's why we work day and night putting a really good team together to focus on winning the midterms by selling what the president promised on the campaign trail. Those are the promises that we're keeping. right now from a policy standpoint, and that one big, beautiful bill is one of the ways that we demonstrate to the American people that we're serious about taking care of your priorities and not government priorities. When you think about who you're running against in 2026 on the other side, is it going to be progressive social Democrats, socialist Democrats? Is it going to be more moderate Democrats? Is it hard? I mean, you have to, every state's going to be different, so you have to have a different strategy. We'll employ unique and specific. I'd call them intimate strategies for each state. But listen, the Democrats have decided to go further and further to the left. I mean, think about New York City and Monty. The fact of the matter is if they're going to continue to parade around socialism, that's great news for the Republican Party. Frankly, it is good news for the contrast for, do you want the kind of leadership that trusts you or do you want the kind of leadership that says you don't know what you're doing? Give me your money. Give me your vote. And I'll tell you how to live your own life. Yeah, the mayoral nominee and the Democrat Zohran Mamdani. He is a progressive. He just this week had Senator Elizabeth Warren come in New York City. to support him. Very progressive person as well. Here's what we know. The truth, it could not be more clear for the American people and hopefully for the New Yorkers as well, that if you want to have one size fits all, if you want government grocery stores, you're going to vote for the socialist. The bottom line, though, unfortunately, is government... grocery stores is a new bread line. It is terrible. The one thing we know about monopolies is that the quality goes down, but the price goes up. And just because you take the cost and you put it through... thousands, if not millions of people. It doesn't mean that the cost is going down. It just means that the progressive nature of the Democrat Party is getting worse and worse. All right, the book, let's get more into this. One Nation Always Under God. And you referenced William Lloyd Garrison. That was the first story you told. Yes. He, an abolitionist from the 1830s, nearly lynched in Boston, which was not a slave state in Massachusetts at the time. But there's also others that are in this that people don't know as well. I mean, there's Francis Scott Key and George Washington Carp.

People know those stories. But... There's one in particular, Eddie Rickenbocker. Do people know who that person is? They don't. Here is an ace pilot during World War II that people have not heard of. He flew so many missions and really became known by the enemies. His plane was known by the enemies. He finds himself after retirement, basically speaking, coming back to help the military. And there is a crash. They find themselves floating in the ocean. At sea. At sea. He's down. with some of his fellas. And this is World War II now. Right. And just imagine floating for weeks. Weeks. Trying to survive. How many people were with just approved? There was four or five with them. That's it. So that's just four or five people with no hope. No hope and no way out. And frankly, no way to figure out where the land was. He prayed. And he was overcome with a peace that gave him enough clarity to figure out how to stay alive. how to make salt water drinkable and how to catch birds. How to make saltwater drinkable? That's amazing. I don't know how he did. Listen, I literally sat and did the research and came to the conclusion. This guy was a miracle. He helped these men survive. And I don't know how he did it except for the grace of God. Of course, you can read about how he did it in the book. One Nation always under God. Available right now at Amazon.com or wherever books are sold. But faith. Is the one line through all of this? The through line is that with faith in the Lord, the things that seemed impossible become possible. I'm not suggesting that the good Lord is a genie in a bottle, but I am suggesting that our greatest future is going to be dependent upon our past foundation on Judeo-Christian ethics. Some people... are not comfortable. They want religion out of our public life. Yes, they're wrong, but they do. But for someone like that, how do you respond to their skepticism? Very clearly. The one thing that is historically accurate is the impact of the Judeo-Christian ethos on... our nation as a whole. Number one, number two. If you walk into our Supreme Court, you see Moses holding these things called the Ten Commandments. Number three, every institution in this country has been impacted positively by men and women of courage who happen to be Christians. And so our future looks like our past if we do it right, or our future looks very dim if we do it wrong. So asking people not to worship the Lord of their choice and asking Christians not to take a stand. in the public forum, is purging from America the greatest foundation and philosophy that has undergirded our success story. All right, this is the book, One Nation Always Under God, Profiles in Christian Courage, Senator Tim Scott, Republican from South Carolina, the author, it is just out. Thank you very much. Congratulations. We really appreciate being here. Thank you, Dave.

Across the country, United Health Group is working with local partners to build healthier communities every day. That includes helping partners like the Goodacre provide 45,000 meals and lower A1C in the Twin Cities and helping Hello Family Doolas deliver 44% fewer underweight births in Spartanburg because building healthier communities starts by giving people access to the care and services they need to live healthier lives. Learn more at UnitedHealthgroup.com slash commitment. Precise, personal, powerful. It's America's weather team in the palm of your hands. Get Fox Weather updates throughout your busy day. Every day. Subscribe and listen now at Fox Newspodcasts.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to this podcast at Fox Newspodcasts.com. It's time for your Fox News Commentary. Robert Jeffress. What's on your mind? There are some well-meaning people who try to fight the natural, childlike desire to receive gifts at Christmas. They scold little kids for their hyper-focus on toys, for their burning desire to unwrap their gifts on Christmas morning. Countless articles decried the greed and commercialization of what was once a holy day. But before we all turn into Christmas curmudges, I have a word to say in favor of the kids. There is something good and right in their overabundant excitement to receive their gifts. Instead of reprimanding them, I want to give you permission to join them. Christmas is a day, first and foremost, not for giving gifts, but for receiving gifts. If we don't get that right, we'll miss the whole point of Christmas. Christmas is about receiving. Just make sure you're excited about receiving the right gift. When God the Father sent his son, he gave him as a gift. John 316, perhaps the most widely known verse in all the Bible, explains the coming of Christ in these terms, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Christmas is first and foremost about receiving because it is God who gave the greatest gift of all. Out of a heart of love, for a world that did not yet love him, God chose to give. He gave us what we desperately needed and could never buy for ourselves, his forgiveness. So here's my invitation for you today. Become a kid again. It's a necessity, Jesus said. He told his disciples, unless you become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Christmas is not about giving, it's about receiving the greatest gift of all. Don't leave God's gift of forgiveness wrapped up today unopened. By faith, receive it.

As the scripture says, as many as received Jesus, to those he gave the right to become the children of God, even those who believe on his name. This is Robert Jeffers for Fox News. Merry Christmas. You've been listening to the Fox News Rundown. And now, stay up to date by subscribing to this podcast at Fox News Podcasts.com. Listen ad-free on Fox News Podcasts Plus on Apple Podcasts. And Prime members can listen to this show ad-free on Amazon music. And for up-to-the-minute news, go to foxnews.com.