Podcasts for those Who Enjoy Thinking about Cultural Apologetics (and Who Want to Get Into Conversation)
A little over two and half years ago I was asked for recommendations for podcasts related to a core class at Covenant Seminary, Foundations for Apologetics and Outreach. As we focus on foundational principles of communication, understanding our cultural moment, and on equipping students to speak back to the various issues and questions of our time, listening to quality podcasts can further serve to fill our thinking and inform engagement. For those who wish to start on solidly Christian ground, start with the first half-dozen or so suggestions below. And for those who wish to range more broadly, I will conclude with additional options that vary widely in viewpoint and subject matter.
1. Undeceptions (with John Dickson): https://undeceptions.com/podcast — Australian apologist and historian, John Dickson, seeks out various experts in the field to explore aspects of life, faith, history, culture, or ethics that are either much misunderstood or mostly forgotten. Now seven seasons and around 80 episodes in, Undeceptions continues to be a favorite of mine and many others across the English-speaking evangelical world.
2. Life and Faith (by the staff of the Center for Public Christianity): https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/life-faith/id280786104?mt=2 — A weekly conversation about the beauty and complexity of belief in the twenty-first century and the surprising ways Christian faith interrogates and illuminates the world we live in. Covenant graduates from the 1990s and, indeed, all interested in accessible philosophy, will likely enjoy listening to Episode 439 (August 10, 2022), “The Merry Philosopher.”
3. On Mission with Chris Wright (a podcast from Langham Partners): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-mission-with-chris-wright/id1542727886 — Each week, noted biblical scholar and author Chris Wright helps listeners discover how much wisdom the church in the west has to gain from their sisters and brothers in villages and towns around the world. Several episodes from March of this year featured updates and prayer requests from Ukrainian Church leaders that have helped me to know better how to intercede. At the same time Chris’s guests extend far beyond eastern Europe and open rich vistas on God’s working in our world.
4. The Stott Legacy Podcast (hosted by Mark Meynell): https://thestottlegacy.podbean.com/ — John Stott holds a unique place in twentieth-century church history, both in Britain and across the globe. In each episode, Mark Meynell (CTS, DMin ‘22), meets someone who has been impacted by John Stott’s legacy. Episode 12 of this series features Covenant’s own Jerram Barrs, who knew John Stott, debated with him over the issue of just war and pacifism, and was invited to serve on Stott’s London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. Episode 20 is an interview with evangelist Rico Tice, who will be with us at Covenant this November.
5. Unbelievable (with Justin Brierley): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/unbelievable/id267142101?mt=2 — Drawing from his weekly, award-winning radio show of the same name, UK-based Justin Brierley asks Christians and skeptics alike questions such as: Is there evidence for God? Can we trust the Bible? Did Jesus rise from the dead? With Diane Langberg having recently been at Covenant, some will appreciate hearing further from her, along with Rachel Denhollander, Amy Orr-Ewing, and Mike Cosper, all featured in Episode 395 (September 23) and addressing church abuse and leadership scandals.
6. The Apologetics podcast (with Timothy Paul Jones and Garrick Bailey): https://www.timothypauljones.com/three-chords/ — In each episode of this serious but lighthearted podcast, Jones and Bailey wrestle with questions related to evidence for the truth of Christianity while listening out for echoes of God’s truth in some of the greatest hits of rock and roll.
7. This Cultural Moment (hosted by John Mark Comer & featuring Mark Sayers): https://thisculturalmoment.podbean.com/ — Yes, this is an older podcast series that concluded in 2020, but I revisited it again and continued to find it helpful. For more up to date reflections by Mark Sayers see: Rebuilders: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/rebuilders/id1462274371 and see also my recent three-part interview with Mark here, here, and here.
8. Real Dictators (hosted by Paul McGann): https://open.spotify.com/show/4yXsMW1CFOjL17OFbdca0L Having led us through real Narcos, real Pirates, and real Outlaws, etc., Paul McGann and the team at Noisers now lead us into looking at the lives of some of history’s worst tyrants. Via eyewitness accounts and expert interviews, this current series focuses on the likes of Papa Doc Duvalier, Joseph Stalin, Kim Jong Il, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, and Adolf Hitler, among others.
9. Mythical Monsters (with Vanessa Richardson): https://open.spotify.com/show/5viQDUDBZ4tsPFlAwnn1v0?si=JNonDAprQGCZ7_0as1hlmw&nd=1 —The great heroes of myth are known throughout the world. Their deeds are legendary. But what would these champions be without obstacles in their path, without monsters to challenge them . . . dragons, sea serpents, giants, demons? This podcast tells the stories of these beasts and asks what they represent to mankind.
10. The Philosopher’s Zone (with David Rutledge): https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/philosophers-zone/id135353439 — The simplest questions often have the most complex answers. The Philosopher's Zone is your guide through the strange thickets of logic, metaphysics, and ethics.
11. Revisionist History (with Malcolm Gladwell): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1119389968 — Every episode re-examines something from the past — an event, a person, an idea, even a song — and asks whether we got it right the first time. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.
12. Hidden Brain (hosted by Shankar Vedantam): https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1028908750 — A mixture of science and story-telling designed to highlight the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices, and direct our relationships.
13. Status podcast (Matt Horton): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/status-immigration-people/id1194866295 — Somebody might be in the US on an E-1, an H-1B, a J-2, or an F-1. They might be undocumented, or they may have their green card. They might be moving to Canada for a job or to the UK to escape violence in their home country. Over 2 seasons, Status tells the human stories that immigration impacts.
14. Still Processing (with Wesley Morris & Jenna Wortham): https://www.stitcher.com/show/still-processing — The New York Times culture writers have a knack for cutting right to the meat of the episode’s subject matter, leaving the listener not only informed but also genuinely educated. A little hit and miss, but few podcasts cover the ground that these 148 episodes cover.
Updated and links checked 2022.10.10.
