2022 Top Podcast List
Along with books, podcasts are a big part of my intellectual life. Here are new finds that I enjoyed this year.
There is no doubt this was the most anticipated podcast for me in 2022. If you know me well, you know how much the late 19th century/early 20th century Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck has shaped my thinking in the last couple of years. Grace in Common is a podcast hosted by four Bavinck scholars who are carrying on the larger Neo-Calvinist project. The lives and writings of the hosts of this podcast have been a huge part of forming my own intellectual vision and applying Bavinck’s theology to my life. I had the privilege of spending time with Dr. James Eglinton at the Davenant Convivium this past summer; I was pleased that his character and friendliness matched his scholarly excellence. Dr. Gray Sutanto, another host of the show, has taught some of the most formative classes I have taken at RTS. His influence on my understanding of systematic theology, philosophy, and contextualization is hard to overstate. Dr. Sutanto has also been a wise guide to me in some of my pursuits. In sum, the content and spirit of this podcast are everything I aspire to and admire in the retrieval of the Neo-Calvinist project these men are pioneering.
2. RTS Washington Faculty Podcast
The faculty of RTS Washington cover a wide range of topics that I found insightful and enjoyable. Their outline episodes of books of the Bible are wonderful resources.
3. The Macarthur Center Podcast
This could be the most well produced show on the list. Both seasons of the MC pod follow different stories and developments within the ministry of John Macarthur. I was really impressed by the quality of the storytelling and production along with being inspired in many ways by insights from Macarthur’s personal and pastoral biography that I was unaware of.
4. All There is with Anderson Cooper
Each year I usually find one limited series that tells a great story. In “All There is,” Anderson Cooper documents his daily struggle of grief over losing his mother who died in recent years and his brother that took his own life many years ago. Cooper processes this journey with various friends and thinkers he finds wise. I am always interested in and touched by how people deal with our common reality: death. Cooper’s experience moved me and was a reminder of the questions all people are seeking to answer.
5. The Biblical Languages Podcast
The geekiest choice on this list is “The Biblical Languages Podcast.” The founders of a new Greek and Hebrew learning platform called Biblingo are the hosts of this show. Episodes include discussions of trends and practices in biblical language acquisition, syntax analysis, interviews with biblical scholars on linguistic issues, and deep dives into Greek and Hebrew exegesis. It is a wonderful attempt at providing deep original language conversations in podcast format.
Michael Beck, a New Zealand pastor and expert in Meredith Kline’s theology, has a light hearted show that summarizes various topics. The reason I am drawn to his work is his formulation of covenant theology. Beck takes Meredith Kline’s contributions to covenant theology and unpacks them with credobaptist commitments. I do not think there is another formulation of covenant theology that I resonate with more than Beck’s Klinean framework combined with 2LBF fidelity. Translation of the last sentence: I think Beck’s work is doggedly biblical! The witty South African banter is an added plus.
A Christian and a Muslim discuss religion, politics, and culture. The most fascinating detail about these two friends is their equal appreciation for Abraham Kuyper. They both describe themselves as Kuyperians. The premise of the show is to have a dialogue about these topics from an undiluted Christian and Muslim perspective. They do not hold back from disagreeing and yet find ways to see some things in the same light. It is so interesting to see how Kuyper’s thought influences each of them.