What Makes A Good Theology Podcast?

My Personal Criteria

A good theology podcast inculcates a holistic love for God and his world. It enlivens the listener through joy, truth, and friendship.

A podcast is not a sermon. It is not embodied. It has no authority except the authorities it cites. A podcast is a complement, not a core, of ministry.

A podcast is not an audiobook. Some say an audiobook should always be preferred over a podcast. I disagree. An audiobook is often spoken by someone unfamiliar with the text and the author — the words, even when spoken with enthusiasm and emotion, are distant from their source. Most audiobooks, therefore, are translations — not the original. Not so a podcast. (Both have their place. The distance between an author's logic and the reader's emotions is good. Each technology has its burdens and blessings.)

A podcast is not a radio show, which is arrived at through happenstance amidst distraction. The podcast host, full of agency (often due to a podcast’s lack of monetization potential and therefore without a bureaucracy over her shoulder), makes the ongoing choice to select topics, record, and share. The listener must intentionally choose, download, and play. A direct relationship is built and then, through repeated mutual choice, maintained. The podcast app is one of the few remaining media loci in which the algorithm plays a secondary role.

What makes a good theology podcast? Mainly, it’s the hosts and the content.

The Hosts Must Have:

Sincerity

Good hosts read the books they are interviewing someone about. They avoid the canned “recommended questions.” They have a genuine and contagious curiosity. They’ll disagree, even with their own institutions, because they sincerely seek the truth. They have made it past the first fifty episodes and, therefore, (hopefully!) have matured beyond a vain concern for how they sound.

Character

The hosts are Christian. Therefore, they exhibit joy and holiness. They model patience and prudence. They speak truth without timidity. They are not perfect, but they are trying, and it shows. They correct themselves after making a mistake. And most importantly, they display a love for their cohost(s) and guests. They know that no matter what “show” they are on, they do not cease to belong to God. They feel this. You hear it in their voice when they speak of the gospel.

A Real Friendship

Because of the nature of a podcast’s conversational style, unless the show is interview-style (and so only one host), the co-hosts must be close enough to interrupt one another without hesitation. You can’t fake this. Also, they talk to each other outside their recording times and know each other’s needs. They pray for each other. They love one another. They don’t have to be best friends, but all Christian workplaces should strive towards Shalom.

The Theological Content Must Be:

Clarifying

Good questioning is a skill. A podcast doesn’t answer everything; it asks with specificity on the matters worth considering.

Christian

The content aligns with the truths of Christianity. Edges and fringes can be explored in podcasts, and that exploration can be fun, but the meat must be found in Christian truth and, therefore, in Scripture. The hosts are not “bored” by bible passages. Theology is biblical, and the Bible is theological. There is no need to separate the two.

Cautiously Current

A podcast can speak to contemporary issues. This is good. But it mustn’t become so attached to the new that it lessens the old truth. New isn’t necessarily attractive, either! No one wants to listen to two hosts whose only prep for an episode is what’s trending on the bird app. Some of my favorite podcasts sporadically dive into old issues and old debates.

Compelling

Let’s assume the podcast is not purely Scripture and has some teaching or conversational component. It needs to answer the question, “Why should I listen?” This might be the hosts’ curiosity, the subject at hand, the contemporary relevance, the place of the discussion within a broader frame, or so on. In keeping listeners engaged, the hosts also do not often repeat themselves. The podcast is not an unpacking of a book. It has its own compelling purpose.

Make Good Theology Podcasts

I'll keep listening if a theological podcast is clarifying, Christian, cautiously current, and compelling, and the hosts have a real friendship and demonstrate sincerity and character.

There are probably a half dozen things I missed. I am grateful for the feedback I received from Caleb Wait, creator and co-host of Passages, who saw an earlier version of this piece.

What would you add?

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Links I Liked

A few more than usual, as it’s been a couple weeks.

Tech Revolution, Choice, and Life Together with Jake Meador | WWJT

I’ve learned a lot from Jake Meador. I spoke with him about his views of tech from the past, present, and future. We got into the weeds of disciple-making. We discussed a little C.S. Lewis at the end. It was awesome.

Some Reflections on Ministerial Burnout | Reformation21

Burnout in the ministry almost always involves some specific sin(s) in our lives. In my own experience, the major sin involved in ministerial burnout is pride.

Rage Against the Machine | The Free Press

Technology is a new god. What would a refusal to worship look like? Paul Kingsnorth offers a vision of resistance.

Podcast Episodes Related To The War In Israel and Palestine

I appreciated the context provided by Rebuilders. I appreciate the pastoral wisdom in Mere Fidelity. They pair well together. Listen to both.

Divine Hiddenness: My Response to Alex O'Connor (video) | Truth Unites

If you’re into YouTube videos, you should watch Gavin Ortlund. His pastoral insight, theological retrieval, and apologetic heart are on display in this 100-minute video.

We Have Sinned and Grown Old | Desiring God

Have you been lulled into forgetfulness? Have you even forgotten that you’ve forgotten? Have the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things slowly choked out your ability for awe and wonder?

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Feel free to use the comments section to discuss anything linked or discussed here. Thanks for reading Whatever is Noble.