The Plunge with Derek Holser

Welcome to Episode Fifteen in our series entitled Tolkien's Greatest Characters. Today's conversation features returning guest Landon Loftin, who enlightens us on the earnest, the venerable, the ever-inspiring: Faramir.        Landon Loftin has a BA in Religion and Philosophy from Southwest Baptist University, an MA in Apologetics from Houston Christian University, and a PhD in Humanities from Fau...

Welcome to Episode 14 of our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation features Chris Skaggs, sharing a host of delightful insights and endearing inspirations found in the life of Elrond.   Chris Skaggs is the Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Soma Games and Soma SoulWorks. Created in 2005, Soma Games fancies itself the “C.S. Lewis of video games” and strives to do the epith...

Welcome to Episode Thirteen of our series entitled "Tolkien's Greatest Characters. Today's conversation features Dr. Michael Ward, discussing his fantastic essay Peak Middle Earth: Why Mount Doom is not the Climax of The Lord of the Rings, with a bonus discussion on the oft-overlooked Hobbit hero, Fredegar "Fatty" Bolger. Michael Ward is Associate Member of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at...

Welcome to Episode Twelve in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series! This episode is a delightful defense of the glory and goodness found in that great wizard, Gandalf.        Today's conversation features Rev'd Canon Dr Alison Milbank. Alison is a British Anglican Priest, who served as Canon Theologian of Southwell Minster and is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Literature at the University o...

Welcome to our Advent interlude, as we take a one-episode hiatus from our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. I was recently in Nashville and took the opportunity to record with the incomparable Jordan Daniel Wood.        In this episode, Jordan and I discuss The Implications of the Incarnation. Listen to the very end (or fast forward to the 1:15 mark for Jordan's brilliant expository take on Di...

Welcome to Episode Eleven in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series.        Today's conversation features Brenton Dickieson. Brenton is a returning guest and a great friend. In this episode, we discuss the beloved and heroic Samwise Gamgee.       Brenton is a father, husband, friend, university lecturer, and freelance writer from Prince Edward Island, Canada. You can follow him on X, @BrentonDan...

Welcome to Episode Ten in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series.        Joining me today is Taylor Crandall. Taylor is a thoughtful and insightful Tolkien aficionado, and she brings a clearly illuminated perspective to the character Eärendil, the half-Elven mariner depicted in The Silmarillion.  We hope you enjoy this engaging discussion on the life and adventures, the meaning and the magnifice...

Welcome to Episode Nine of Tolkien's Greatest Characters.        Joining me for today's fabulous conversation on the shieldmaiden of Rohan, the ever-inspiring Éowyn, is Holly Ordway. Among the many riveting aspects of this discussion, Holly provides meaningful insight about Tolkien's deft nuance in character development and his accurate yet noble portrayal of the human condition. We also discuss É...

Welcome to Episode Eight in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series.        Today's episode features Eugene Terekhin. Eugene is a philologist, philosopher, translator, as well as the author of Elven Hidden Gems and the Works of the Inklings, The Music of Illuvatar in the Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield.     Check out Eugene's Substack: https://substack.com/@eugeneterekhin...

Welcome to our Halloween interlude, as we take a one-episode hiatus from our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. I was recently in Nashville and took the opportunity to record with the incomparable Jordan Daniel Wood.        In this episode, Jordan and I discuss George MacDonald's essay "The Imagination: Its Function and Culture," explore the meaning and magic of wearing masks, and the nature of...

Welcome to Episode Seven in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation is enlightening and uplifting, a discussion of the whimsical and winsome Tom Bombadil.        Joining me today is Brian Zahnd. Brian is the founding pastor of Word of Life Church  in St. Joseph, Missouri. He is the author of twelve books; most recently the forthcoming "Unseen Existences: Of Heaven, Earth, an...

Welcome to Episode Six in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series. Today's conversation is an inspired yearning for the true nobility within it us all. Today's conversation features the king-to-be, Aragorn.       Today's guest is Robert Hulett. Robert is a former student of mine and a long-time friend. He and his wife Jessica have three children and re in the throes of the typical myteries and me...

Welcome to Episode Five in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series. Today's conversation is a wide-ranging one, featuring the hobbit prince, Pippin.        Today's guest is Bradley J. Birzer. Brad is the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies and Professor of History, Hillsdale College. He loves his family, his college, western civilization, American history, the American west, biography, ph...

Welcome to Episode Four of Tolkien's Greatest Characters.       This week's episode is an insightful presentation of The Sea Bell, or Frodo's Dreame, the poem by J.R.R. Tolkien.        Today's guest is Bret van den Brink. Bret is a PhD student at the University of Toronto, where he also earned his MA. He earned his BA, with Honors, at Trinity Western, Vancouver. Bret is a poet & lover of poetr...

Welcome to Episode Three of Tolkien's Greatest Characters.        This week's episode is a lively conversation about Bilbo Baggins, the meaning and nature of place, and the opportunity for everyone to determine where their story ends. We touch on the Shire, the Ring, and Bilbo's journey There and Back Again!       Today's guest is Thalia Toha. Thalia is an architectural historian, geographer, and...

Welcome to Episode Two of Tolkien's Greatest Characters. This week's episode is an inspiring discussion of Frodo Baggins, the humble hobbit thrust into a quest for the ages.        Joining me is Dr. Andrew Snyder, a professor of philosophy and theology, author of the forthcoming book Divine Honour in the Lord of the Rings, host of the Mythic Mind Podcast, and leader of the Mythic Mind Fellowship,...

Welcome to Episode One of our mega-series entitled Tolkien's Greatest Characters. Each week for the next sixteen weeks, we will host a conversation exploring the virtues, flaws, symbolism, and story development advanced by a unique character from the J.R.R. Tolkien Universe.       This week's episode is a lively conversation about The Narrator. Is the voice of the storyteller of The Lord of the Ri...

"He moves in the dry chaff among the dust and slats of sunlight with a constrained truculence. Saxon and Celtic bloods. A child of God much like yourself perhaps."       Today's episode is a singular one, for a singular writer. This is a conversation about Cormac McCarthy, and his novel Child of God. This novel explores the uttermost depravity of humanity, and wrestles with the idea that "perhaps"...

Today's episode flips the script. Turns the tables. I recently sat down with David Bates, host of Pints with Jack, a popular YouTube channel featuring C.S. Lewis and all things Inklings.        We chatted about why I started the Plunge and how I came to explore Owen Barfield.        I hope you'll enjoy this guest episode, and subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/@PintsWithJack       ⸻ 📲 Connect w...

Welcome to Episode Seven in The Human Series: Season One. Today's guest is Bethany Dearborn Hiser.       Bethany currently works as the Director of Soul Care for Northwest Family Life, a network of therapists trained to work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual trauma. As a bilingual social worker, chaplain, and pastoral advocate, Bethany has worked in a variety of ministry and social se...

Welcome to Episode Six of The Human Series. Today's conversation features Justin Bryeans, a dear friend and a kindred spirit.     Justin Bryeans is a southern boy at home in the great Pacific Northwest. He spends his days as a pastor and spiritual director, and is graced by the long haul companionship of his wife Hannah (married 29 years) and the joy of bearing witness to his four children as they...

Welcome to Episode Five of The Human Series. I continue my conversation with Dr. Donald A. Lichi entitled: "The Soul of Psychology, 2."     Dr. Don is a licensed psychologist in Ohio and is Vice President Emeritus of Emerge Counseling Ministries where he served for over 30 years. Dr. Don is a frequent speaker at both sacred and secular conferences and seminars across the country.      He is a seas...

Welcome to Episode Four of The Human Series. I'm joined by Dr. Donald A. Lichi for "The Soul of Psychology, 1."     Dr. Don is a licensed psychologist in Ohio and is Vice President Emeritus of Emerge Counseling Ministries where he served for over 30 years. Dr. Don is a frequent speaker at both sacred and secular conferences and seminars across the country.      He is a seasoned clinician with year...

Welcome to Episode Three of The Human Series: Radical Acceptance.     Today's guest is Dr. Heather Huckett, a psychotherapist with a PhD in Clinical Sexology, a Licensed Couple and Family Therapist, and an AASECT-certified Sex Therapist.      Dr. Huckett specializes in addressing sexual health within the context of identity, relationships, and individual well-being. As co-owner of Kaiun Wellness o...

Welcome to Episode Two of The Human Series: Lifespan Integration and Restoration.       Today's guest is Sarah Kardelen (she/her), a licensed mental health counselor and founder of Tapestry Therapy. She is passionate about individual and collective liberation, and desires that people experience safety and healing so that they can come to their authentic selves and experience life-giving relationsh...