It’s been a very long time since I’ve done one of these, partially because I’ve been on a theological journey myself. I don’t want to get too personal, but I’ll say briefly that I’ve decided to “swim the Bosphorus,” and I’m now in the process of joining the Orthodox Church. You can ask me about that in comments if you’re interested, but I really don’t want to overshare. I just wanted to explain the new featured image for Theology Thursday and the reason for this post!
Even though I’m heading East myself, I still have a great liking and respect for many aspects of Western Christianity, and I’m always looking for common ground between the traditions of the East and the West. So today I’m going to share 5 podcasts from Ancient Faith Radio that I think any Christian could enjoy, even those who aren’t specifically Orthodox.
Ancient Faith Radio is a subsection of Ancient Faith Ministries, and both are incredible resources. Ancient Faith Radio has dozens of free podcasts with homilies, live call-in shows, history, and practical advice for anyone in any walk of life. These are only a few of my favorites, but I’d highly encourage you to go check out their podcast archives if any of these pique your interest.
So without further ado and in no particular order, here are 4 podcasts that I think you’ll like!
1. Amon Sûl
Join host Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick and his guest co-hosts as they explore the life, works and Middle-earth legendarium of author J. R. R. Tolkien, informed by the Orthodox Christian faith.
This was the first Ancient Faith podcast (and actually the first podcast) that I ever listened to, so of course I have to list it first. If you like Tolkien, then I can guarantee that you’ll love this podcast. They talk about a variety of topics within Tolkien’s works rather than marching through the books linearly, which to me is more interesting. At the end of every episode is a segment called “They’re Taking the Hobbits to Isengard” in which the hosts talk about some weird bit of Tolkien trivia or pop culture. I’m indebted to Fr. Andrew for introducing me to this gem.
2. Healthy Minds, Healthy Souls
An archive of the live call-in programs hosted by Fr. Nicholas and Pres. Roxanne Louh. He’s a priest, she’s a psychologist, and this husband-and-wife team love working together to care for people. Fr. Nicholas is the priest at St. John the Divine Greek Orthodox Church in Jacksonville, Florida, and Dr. Roxanne is a licensed clinical Psychologist who uses her extensive training in private practice.
I haven’t actually listened to that much of this podcast, but I really like what I’ve heard so far. Fr. Nicholas and Dr. Roxanne are both so knowledgeable, loving, and introspective, and their respective fields work well together. This podcast is full of good takes on mental health, relationships, and spiritual life and how they all influence each other. And the best part? You can call in with your own questions! If you, like me, are a recent graduate, take a look at this episode about embracing change.
3. Pop Culture Coffee Hour
The guys and girls talk about pop culture, theology, and whatever else is on their minds in this weekly podcast. They might even make you laugh. Maybe.
The guys: Steven Christoforou & Christian Gonzalez
The girls: Christina Andresen & Emma SolakPop Culture Coffee Hour is a joint production of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Ancient Faith Radio.
Another fun one! I really love this podcast because the hosts draw connections between Christianity and pretty much any movie you can think of. Monty Python! Into the Spider-Verse! End Game! They even have episodes on Marie Kondo and the Beatles. And that’s not even scratching the surface. If you want a light-hearted but also thought-provoking podcast that feels like talking about movies with your friends, you should definitely give this a listen.
4. Orthodoxy Live
Even if this isn’t as applicable to non-Orthodox Christians as the other ones I’ve listed, I couldn’t resist giving a shout-out to my all-time favorite Ancient Faith podcast. Every Sunday at 7pm central time, you can call 1-855-AF-RADIO to ask Fr. Evan anything about the Orthodox faith. Non-Orthodox people call in all the time, so if you’re curious, go for it! Don’t be intimidated by Fr. Evan, either; he’s calm, wise, and loving, and nothing you say will surprise or stump him. Or if you don’t have a question, browse the podcast archives and look for one that might interest you. There’s tons of good stuff there.
What do you think? Have any of these caught your attention? What are some podcasts about theology that you enjoy? Let me know in comments!
Remnants of Wit 
Just out of curiosity what are the difference between Orthdox Christianity and Western?
Thanks for sharign that Pop Culture podcast sounds right up my alley!
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That’s a great question. There are so many types of Western Christianity and there are a lot of differences–theological, ritual, and historical–and I don’t feel super qualified to give a good answer in the comments on my blog. This is a good resource from Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick’s church (the guy who does Amon Sul): https://saintpaulemmaus.org/what-is-orthodoxy/introduction-to-orthodox-christianity/
You should definitely check out Pop Culture Coffee Hour, I think you’d like it.
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Thanks for the recommendation and info! I’ll definitely give it try
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Heya, MoMo! A bit late to the show, but I finally got around to listening to Amon Sûl. I loved it! Although I have been listened to The Prancing Pony Podcast for a long time, it lacks the religious connections that Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick draws. Yes, I really loved the first episode, and will be listening to the next one or two tomorrow. Thanks for the recommendation, and keep up the good work!!
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Tomás! I am so glad you liked it! The second episode is probably my personal favorite (although they’re all great) so I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. Happy listening!
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