The Pugcast

Today the Pugs are joined by Josh Herring, author of a forthcoming book entitled, "Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve." If that title sounds familiar it is probably because you're a fan of the Chronicles of Narnia and of C. S. Lewis. In his book Josh explores Lewis's writing on sex and gender and finds a few things that might come as a surprise. Lewis was a defender of the traditional understanding...

On today's show the pugs converse and reflect upon the various ways in which modern and technological formation shape us, often in ways that counter our overall good. Reflecting on the fact that there are no ‘meaningless’ practices, the pugs reflect on ways our Christian faith, especially catechesis, help us wean from vices and dispositions that cloud our ability to see reality clearly...

John West’s Stockholm Syndrome Christianity and Joe Rigney’s The Sin of Empathy both look at problems in American Christianity today. In this episode recorded at the Equipping the Saints Conference in Tacoma, Washington, Glenn interviews them about their books and how we can avoid some of the problems they address.   Order John West’s Stockholm Syndrome Christianity: https:/...

The tech savants of Silicon Valley have issued dire warnings about an impending wave of unemployment due to advances in artificial intelligence and robotics. Essentially we're told humans are too slow, too unintelligent, and too expensive to be relied upon for economic productivity. We're obsolete and will soon be replaced. Don't worry we're told, universal basic income will feed and house us. But...

Today's advertisement for the Life After Secularism Conference features Dr. Andrew Walker of World Magazine and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Secularism is in the rearview mirror--but where is Western culture heading? Andrew gives us a little sample of where he thinks Christians should lead to. Tune in and find out what he has to say. And, join us November 14-15 in Battle Ground, Washingt...

Recently, Trad Catholics and Orthobros who are no fans of modernity have been blaming it on the Protestant Reformation. The argument takes a variety of forms, but how should we evaluate it? Using Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age as a jumping off point, the Pugs weigh some of the key pieces of the argument and place them in the larger context of intellectual movements in Europe in the sixteenth...

Welcome to this brief invitation to the Life After Secularism Conference, November 14-15 in Battle Ground, Washington. Today Chris presents the topic and aim of the conference, explaining the need to discuss the collapse of Secularism. The theme isn't meant to imply that Christianity will automatically fill the void left by the retreating tide of secularism; it's going to be a free-for-all and Chr...

Jonathan Pageau of The Symbolic World joins the Pugs today to discuss fairy tales, iconography, Nominalism, why art is beside the point, and lots of other things! The guys enjoyed their time with Jonathan and we hope you enjoy this free range conversation with him, too. Be sure to check out his podcast and many other ventures.   Check out Jonathan’s work at https://www.thesymbolicworld....

Welcome to this brief preview of the Life After Secularism Conference, November 14-15 in Battle Ground, Washington. Today Chris interviews Aaron Renn to get a little sample of what he'll be talking about at the conference. The theme isn't meant to imply that Christianity will automatically fill the void left by the retreating tide of secularism; it's going to be a free-for-all and Christianity is...

Regular listeners will remember our conversation with Annie Crawford about the Midwestuary conference. In this episode, the Pugs talk with Paul VanderKlay, the originator of the estuary concept. They discuss what Estuaries are, how they work, This Little Corner of the Internet, and the importance of having open, free conversations with people. There’s a lot of practical wisdom in his ideas a...

On today's episode the pugs talk about disturbing comments made by some medical practitioners who publicly celebrated the Kirk murder as a social good. The discussion jumps into important issues concerning medical ethics, human life, and the compassionate treatment of all divine image bearers.   Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17U...

Paul Kingsnorth, the award winning novelist and essayist has a new nonfiction book coming out and Chris got an advance review copy. Ostensibly it's about artificial intelligence, but what Kingsnorth is really aiming as is modernity itself, aka the post-enlightenment West. And he's got a good point. There are two Wests--the old West of Christendom, and the new West--what Kingsnorth refers to as The...

C.S. Lewis said that “reason is the natural organ of truth, but imagination is the natural organ of meaning.” In this episode, the Pugsters explore his ideas on this, noting that he is using the word “truth” in a very specific way and making a case that imagination is a vehicle to discover truth just like reason is. Not convinced? Tune in and hear the conversation.   S...

It’s nearly possible. Is it a good thing? The Pugs engage the topic of ‘ectogestation’ and ‘ectogenesis’ in this episode, and ponder the spiritual and moral implications of such advancing technologies.     Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8 &...

The Pugsters welcome Annie Crawford back, this time for a discussion based on the Midwestuary conference held in August. Annie explained the history and concept behind the Estuary movement started by Paul Vanderklay. The guys discussed a range of ideas jumping off of that with Annie. Not sure what the Estuary is? Join us and find out!     Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://...

Today Chris raises the question expressed in the title of this episode. Enthusiasts for Artificial Intelligence promise that chatbots will make everyone more efficient and productive--even novelists and scholars. But is that really possible considering what history's most famous creatives tell us about how they went about their work? People who've looked into their daily routines such as Oliver Bu...

Jumping off an article by Bradley Birzer, the Pugs discuss the idea of Christian humanism. After Glenn summarizes the history of humanism dating back to the Renaissance, the guys discuss the difference between Renaissance and Christian humanism with secular humanism, Christian humanism in the 20th century (including the Inklings), the contributions humanism has made to culture, and the need for a...

On today's show the pugs engage an article by Oxford historian Andrew Moeller on the complicated aims and compromises of the 1930 Lambeth Conference, a watershed moment in Christianity in the West. The pugs discuss the 'gamble with the devil' that   the Church of England made, with its embrace of a modern technological understanding of reality even as it sought to remain Christian by accommod...

The Pugs conclude their interviews at the PCA General Assembly in Chattanooga, TN as they welcome Timon Cline back onto the show. Timon is a good friend, and Chris serves on the Advisory Board of the magazine. Today the pugs discuss the work of the publication as well as the state of the world and the church. It's a free-wheeling conversation, as normal. We hope you enjoy it   Learn more abou...

The Pugs continue their time at the PCA General Assembly with a conversation with first time guests, Michael Foster and William Wolfe. Michael is a well known pastor from Ohio and is the co-author of, It's Good to be a Man, and William worked in the first Trump Administration. Both of them have a lot to say about why we should fight for the institutions that make up our society, especially ecclesi...

The Pugs continue their interviews at the PCA General Assembly in Chattanooga, TN with a conversation with Matthew Everhard, the editor of The Jonathan Edwards Study Bible; soon to be released by Thomas Nelson Publishing. The towering influence of Edwards casts a long shadow over American evangelicalism, and even more broadly into the national memory. It's a fun and free-wheeling conversation whic...

What if everything you've heard about Christopher Columbus is wrong? Well, the Pug's good friend, George Grant comes onto the show to explain why. By the time he's done, you'll not only have a better understanding of Christopher Columbus, you'll se why he's still very relevant to the crises of our time. As usually, George is a fountain of information and we really enjoyed the conversation. We thin...

The Pugs continue their podcasts from the 2025 PCA General Assembly and welcome Zach Garris onto the show! Zach is well known in Reformed circles for his writing on masculinity and Christianity. Today the Pugs discuss two of his books, Masculine Christianity and Honor Thy Fathers. The focus of the conversation is the teaching of the Reformers on the roles of men and women, not only in households a...

The Pugs are at the PCA General Assembly! And for their first interview from Chattanooga they welcome Aaron Renn back onto the show. After catching up with Aaron about his life following the Three Worlds of Evangelicalism phenomenon he's responsible for, the conversation shifts to evangelicalism and elites--or, why evangelicals can't seem to really develop any. By contrast, Roman Catholics have no...

Today the Pugs welcome Jake Dell onto the show. Jake is the pastor of the historic First Congregational Church of Woodbury, Connecticut (est. 1659). But he's also a man with a dream and a plan to win back to orthodox Christianity mainline congregations from liberal denominations. Join us today for a fascinating conversation concerning how this seemingly impossible task actually isn't all that quix...