In the last year I decided it was time to really study theology. I did this not only to establish a firmer footing for myself spiritually, but also because of a conviction that religion and logic are not mutually exclusive. I couldn't go on faith alone anymore, I wanted to see if my brain could follow what my spirit readily accepted. I'm happy to say I've found alot of what I've been looking for thanks to podcasting. I hope the podcasts I showcase here will help free you of anxiety and guide you on whatever spiritual path you find yourself on.
First off is A Time for Choices with Michael Toms. The real value here is the guests Toms features with each episode. There have been many times that I've thought I should be paying for this while listening to the caliber of topics discussed. You simply won’t find the Eckhart Tolle and Marianne Williamson material featured on this podcast anywhere else. Thematically, A Time for Choices engages the listener with sustained analysis of what's happened in the wake of 9/11. This is usually addressed within a spiritual framework, and every guest Toms brings to the table is a luminary in his or her field. Again, I can't believe I'm accessing this material for free!
Awaretek is a surprising podcast put out by a man by the name of Ron Stephens. I say surprising because when I began listening to my first episode, I wasn't sure what to make of his mission. Ron is taking on massive political, spiritual, scientific and historical topics, and at first I was skeptical of his credentials: anyone can spout off about these subjects, but it takes an inspired speaker to address them in a way that makes any TRUE traction. Then you listen further to Ron, and you realize his message is incredibly unique. You may not agree with him, but his debate technique is drenched with integrity.
The episode I just listened to offers a series of predictions (which I admit was a red flag at first) of coming events in the next thousand years. Each prediction was well argued, clearly delineated within current context, and intellectually satisfying. Put broadly, Awaretek takes on the meaning of faith in our post-modern society, and how technology will play a role in our ongoing and ultimately positive development. I promise you'll come away with some amazing ideas after listening to just one of Ron's shows.
A View from the Religious Left is one of the first podcasts I subscribed to and is really just the gift that keeps on giving! Of the hundreds of podcasts that simply offer recorded Sunday Sermons, this is far and way one of the only shows that stands out. Why? Quite simply, Rev. Randolph Becker is a gifted and dynamic speaker. Each sermon is full of insightful ways we all can question and address what our faith is to us. There is always an air of intellectual inquiry about his work, something that asks the listener to use what he says as a springboard for their own personal spiritual dialogue. He's not summing up scripture and applying it dryly to current events; he's breathing vibrant life into it!
The Bible can be something we dutifully study but rarely incorporate into a modern framework. Becker is constantly deconstructing his own beliefs and reforming them to make them stronger and more prescient. In this way, he keeps religious belief vital by constantly readdressing its basic construction. I haven't heard a minister this compelling in a long time, and every time I listen to a new sermon I find myself reaffirmed in the idea that there is still incredible intelligence at work in modern religion.