The Theology Pugcast

Moira Greyland Peat is the author of THE LAST CLOSET, a story of survival. She was the only daughter of Marion Zimmer Bradley and convicted child molester Walter Breen. Her mother was a bestselling science fiction author, a feminist icon, and the winner of the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement. She was best known for the Arthurian fiction novel THE MISTS OF AVALON and for her very popul...

Join the Pugcast crew today as they discuss how Christians should think about the relationship between various kinds of reality.

In today's show, Glenn raises the subject of neopagan and heathen movements in the western world. Just what is going on with these movements, are they genuine revivals, or are they merely role-playing diversions? And what does any of this have to do with the alt-right, and Norse-myths in particular? Tune in for a lively discussion as usual!

Today the Pug is joined by Dr. Matthew T. Dickerson, professor at Middlebury College, in Vermont, and author of many books, among them: Ents, Elves, and Eriador: The Environmental Vision of J. R. R. Tolkien. The conversation did get around to Ents (a fascinating part of the discussion), and it even included the environment, but it also wandered into many other matters--some far afield. (Surprise,...

In today's show Tom talks about how God's saving presence enters into the full range of our creaturely reality (finite, limited, fallen, with even death) and creates life and hope, not by denying or escaping reality, but by transcending it, in a way only the Christian God is able to. As usual Glenn and Chris chime in from time to time. If you'd like to see the Pugsters, a Zoom edition of the show...

In today's show the Pugsters are in lock-down, like the rest of the world. But because of the wonders of modern technology that's  not held them back from recording a show! They've dialed in remotely from various undisclosed locations in North America to discuss the history of Christian witness during times of plague. Glenn leads the discussion, making sure that Tom and Chris keep the histori...

Today Chris introduces the subject of "Adiaphora"--a term which means "things indifferent". He notes that it is a fine term, so long as you use it correctly. He addresses its use by the Cynics, and then Glenn discusses briefly how it was used by some of the Reformers in a very narrow sense. The trouble with it according to the gang is it has become a catchall for anyone who wants to shut down disc...

Feeling the need for some magic in your life now that you're stuck at home because of COVID-19? Well, we've got the show for you! Today Glenn (aka "The Magic Man") provides a little history lesson on magic. One of the things that you'll learn is that magic as it was practiced in the antiquity--and the Renaissance (yes, the Renaissance)--wasn't as irrational as is often supposed. There were reasons...

In today's show Tom introduces the doctrine of "divine simplicity". The doctrine itself is simple enough, understanding its implications for theology and the work of the Church and salvation takes a bit of work. Contemporary theologies have turned away from this classical doctrine and it is beginning to show--everything is devolving down to imminent-frame. Relevance, pragmatism, church-growth guru...

You've probably heard of "Intersectionality". How could you miss it? It is the new magical formula for social justice that promises to make the world a better place. The Pugcast crew are doubtful. In fact, they're more than doubtful, they don't like it at all. Today on the show they discuss its premise and the deleterious consequences for those institutions that try to enforce it. 

Drawing inspiration from the Coronavirus, Glenn decided to talk about one of his favorite subjects: The Black Death. He even brought some things for show and tell. There's a map that looks remarkably like Tolkien's map of Middle Earth, but the one Glenn brought is covered with arrows and dates which tell the tale of the spread of Plague throughout Europe. He also brought a cute little plush-toy of...

The Pug-crew continue their conversation with Ken Boa. In today's show the discussion surrounds the theme of Ken's book, Life in the Presence of God. Talking to Ken is like trying to take a sip from a fire hydrant--you may need to listen to the interview a couple of times to get the gist of what Ken is getting at--but it will be worth the effort.  We hope you enjoy the conversation! Here's a...

The Pugsters are pleased to be joined by Ken Boa for today's show.  Ken is the author of many books, and his most recent book is published by IVP. He's also a long-time friend of Glenn. Ken was in town for Glenn's ordination service at First Church of Christ Wethersfield, (a historic congregational church that was once attended by Jonathan Edwards). Ken also earned one of his doctorates at Ox...

In today's show Glenn takes the Pugcast gang into the folklore and reported sightings of vampires in New England! As Glenn shows, you don't need to visit Transylvania for vampire legends--we have plenty of material to work with in the good ol' USA.  Tom and Chris reflect on the vampire stories from both theological and pastoral perspectives. Glenn informs them that he also has werewolf and wi...

In today's show Chris introduces Glenn and Tom to the work of sociologist and paleo-conservative Robert Nisbet.  Nisbet was a sociologist and professor at Columbia, and his work reflects a time when sociologists were liberally educated and could draw on the thinking of the likes of Alexis de Tocqueville and Edmund Burke as well as classical philosophy and theology. Nisbet's best known work, T...

In today's show the guys join in the lament for the passing of conservative philosopher Sir Roger Scruton. Tom selects a few passages on the nature of beauty from the voluminous body of work that Scruton left with us and the guys spend time reflecting not only on them, but also upon the sorry state of the world we find ourselves in. It's clear that the world needs a phalanx of Scrutons to replace...

Glenn is back! And today he brings us the topic of the day--Tolkien and literary realism. Literary realism is one of those question begging movements which advance an argument by assuming the correctness of a particular answer to an unspoken question. Literary realism assumes that the level of the mundane, the prosaic, is what is truly Real, and everything else is just fancy which exists solely in...

Glenn is still on the road, so Tom and Chris invited their friend Tom Plotkin to talk with them about cinema, or film, or the movies--or whatever you want to call the art form. Tom is a former screen-writer and he worked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer as well as other Hollywood productions. Today Tom is a lawyer and a novelist living and working in Hartford, Connecticut.  Join a freewheeling con...

Tom, Glenn, and Chris have the week off this week--but never fear, the Pugcast hasn't let you down! The Pugsters actually have a show that was recorded months ago and had been believed to be lost. But it's been found! The guys can't remember what was about though.  The one thing that they do remember is it was Tom's day for the topic of the day. So, listen in a long with three Pugsters who su...

Today's show comes to you from deep in the Pugcast bunker. This episode is about the illiberal hostility of liberals directed towards conservatives  in higher education. Glenn is away with family for Christmas, so Tom and Chris invited Racer X to join them. (He's named Racer X because of Chris's nostalgia for Speed Racer--a cartoon he watched as a kid in the early 70s.) Racer X is a conservat...

Today Glenn rises to defend a holiday that some pagans and certain Christians love to hate: Christmas.  Who could hate Christmas? It is puzzling. There are the folks who claim that there is no justification for December 25th--or January 6th for that matter--so it must have been some sort of appropriation of a pagan holiday. Then there are the folks who just don't think any Christian holidays...

In today's show Tom, Glenn, and Chris are joined by Aaron Renn, former (but perhaps not), publisher of the newsletter for men with over 5,000 subscribers, The Masculinist.  The guys met in New Haven, Connecticut, right down the street from Yale, at Modern Apizza--one of the top rated pizzarias in America. The conversation was free-flowing and somewhat rambling, but there are a number of gems...

Today Chris introduces Tom and Glenn to the Shakers--America's favorite utopian sect. If you know anything about them you probably associate them with furniture, oval nesting boxes, and the song Simple Gifts.  At their height during the Second Great Awakening there were 6,000 of them living in nearly 20 communities scattered from Maine to Kentucky. Today they are the darlings of liberalism be...

In today's show Glenn proposes a controversial thesis: Machiavelli's The Prince wasn't promoting amoral political opportunism--in it Machiavelli was actually.... Well, it wouldn't be right to include a spoiler in the show notes, would it? Why not listen and find out what Glenn thinks for yourself? Once again, there is a noisy pub to deal with, but we hope the show will provide enough tasty food fo...

In today's show Tom begins an exploration of the ideology of environmentalism and the ways that the monism underlying it is infiltrating churches and theologies that wish to be seen as "relevant". Glenn and Chris push the discussion into the works of Tolkien as a faithful alternative for those who wish to cherish the created order as a gift in contrast to popular environmental ideologies. The show...