As the Regent College Podcast takes a month off in preparation for a new season, you may be wondering what could possibly fill the void. We asked around, and members of the Regent community have some recommendations for audio alternatives while you wait for Rachel and Claire’s return to the airwaves.1 Whether you want to hear about history or tech, pastoral ministry or literature, biblical studies or world affairs, serious social issues or feel-good fun, we’ve got you covered.

Staff Picks

Members of Regent's staff team shared a bit about their top picks—including who they think will appreciate their recommendations.

The American Vandal

Recommended by Jeremy Stewart, Scholar-in-Residence & Director of Communications and Public Engagement

  • About the Podcast: Hosted by American literature professor Matt Seybold for the Center for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College in upstate New York, The American Vandal is a literary podcast launched in 2020. Each season comprises a discrete miniseries on topics loosely related to Mark Twain studies, but drawing broadly from disciplines including literary studies, political economy, critical university studies, media studies, and American studies.

  • Why I Like It: Way broader and deeper than it sounds on paper, steeped in Twainian wit, The American Vandal is serious but fun, contemporary and classic, brainy but welcoming, and in general, right on the money in the current literary conversation. It emphasizes the "literary" in "literary studies."

  • Recommended for: Fiction readers who want to know what professors and critics are thinking and talking about now.

Code Switch

Recommended by Yare Vargas, Managing Editor of The Regent Vine

  • About the Podcast: Code Switch explores how race shapes our lives, culture, and society. Hosted by Gene Demby and B. A. Parker with support from a multiracial, multigenerational group of NPR journalists, episodes typically focus on a single topic or theme, often related to US or world news.

  • Why I Like It: It's an investigative journalism podcast that asks difficult questions about race, justice, and contemporary life in the West. Thoughtfully researched and grounded in a wide range of voices, it combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. My favourite episodes are those that take listeners into communities and events through immersive, on-the-ground narratives. They often feel like documentaries or films, yet they tell the stories of real people navigating very real circumstances.

  • Recommended for: Anyone who wants to stay informed about current issues related to race and justice and enjoys thoughtful, in-depth conversations.

Fall of Civilizations

Recommended by Thomas Bergen, Worship Coordinator

  • About the Podcast: Fall of Civilizations, hosted by British novelist and historian Paul M. M. Cooper, explores the question of why different societies throughout history have collapsed and what it would have been like to live through the end of your world. 

  • Why I Like It: The content of this podcast is fascinating. And it helps me be less neurotic about my own time and place in existence.

  • Recommended for: People who like good stories told well. (And with just 20 episodes released since its premiere in 2019, The Fall of Civilizations offers a manageable chunk of content for completionists.)

Hard Fork

Recommended by Hilary Guth, Senior Writer

  • About the Podcast: Experienced reporters Kevin Roose (The New York Times) and Casey Newton (Platformer) offer accessible and entertaining but critical and analytically serious coverage of the tech industry. Hard Fork delivers informed discussion of breaking news, wide-ranging interviews (featuring CEOS, investigative journalists, and academics, among others), and deep dives on major trends and innovations.

  • Why I Like It: I wouldn't say Hard Fork single-handedly dragged me kicking and screaming into AI awareness. But I also wouldn't say it didn't. As my main source of news about new technologies, as well as the technology industry and its leaders, it has become a major, if indirect, contributor to my ongoing theological reflection. The hosts don’t offer a specifically Christian perspective, but I'm consistently impressed by their willingness and ability to examine the philosophical and human implications of technological developments, especially around AI.

  • Recommended for: People who believe digital technology plays a vital but complicated role in society and want to know more . . . without spending a ton of time digging through terminally online chatter and Silicon Valley hype.

The Pastorate

Recommended by Jocelyn Dyck, Writer

  • About the Podcast: Hosted by Vancouver pastor Jason Ballard, this podcast is produced by The Pastorate, an organization that supports the flourishing of Canadian churches by offering resources to pastors and helping them develop honest, long-term friendships. The Pastorate podcast gleans wisdom about church life, leadership, and ministry from guests across denominational lines—from internationally recognized voices like N. T. Wright and Henry Cloud to unsung pastors faithfully serving rural Canadian congregations.

  • Why I Like It: It prioritizes the spiritual, relational, and emotional health of ministry leaders and thoughtfully captures the perspectives of theologians and pastors on topics relevant to a Canadian setting. It's deeply honest, nuanced, and full of a humility that honours a wide range of voices.

  • Recommended for: Anyone wanting to learn from others’ church leadership or ministry experiences, or anyone who wants to hear encouraging stories about what God is doing in churches across Canada.

Faculty On Air

Regent’s faculty make distinguished contributions to fine podcasts on a regular basis. Look them up! Here, we’ll highlight one podcast with deep Regent roots, plus a recent episode that might whet your appetite for a course this Fall.

OnScript (Series Recommendation)

  • About the Podcast: Co-founded and co-hosted by Matthew Lynch, Regent’s Bruce K. Waltke Associate Professor of Old Testament, OnScript features interviews with biblical scholars and theologians making important contributions to their fields.

  • Why We Like It: Matt and his co-hosts have in-depth conversations with scholars working on a wide range of fascinating topics in Bible and theology. This is a great place to learn about new research and publications in these fields while gaining insight into scholars’ lives, work, and sense of calling.

  • Recommended for: Biblical studies and theology students and enthusiasts. While the show assumes some familiarity with these fields, the hosts do a good job of keeping conversations relatively accessible.

“Navigating the Bible: Jeremiah” (Episode Recommendation)2

  • About the Episode: In this episode of Doable Discipleship with Jason Wieland, Academic Dean and Professor of Old Testament Jerry Hwang unpacks the complexities of the book of Jeremiah for a lay audience.

  • In Jerry’s Words: “I was glad to introduce the riches of Jeremiah's prophecy for readers who are committed to working through its complexities to grasp its amazing relevance for today.”

  • Recommended for: Anyone who is considering Jerry’s course on Jeremiah at Regent this fall, as well as those who struggle with understanding Old Testament prophetic literature.

Lightning Round with Claire

Who better to close out our recommendation round-up than the Regent College Podcast’s longest-serving co-host, Claire Perini? As Regent's foremost podcast expert, Claire has several recommendations. We leave it to you, dear readers, to explore them further.

The Alabaster Jar

Hosted by New Testament scholar Lynn Cohick, The Alabaster Jar features conversations with scholars looking at women in Scripture, history, and the church today.

Allender Center Podcast

Produced by The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, the Allender Center Podcast discusses various aspects of trauma with an emphasis on the importance of narrative in healing.

Everything Happens

Everything Happens is a quirky and insightful source for real conversations about what it means to be human, hosted by Kate Bowler, a historian, cancer survivor, and critic of toxic positivity.

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Look up Good Hang when you need to decompress: comedian Amy Poehler’s chatty interviews with actors, musicians, and other celebrities offer light-hearted palate cleansers.

Life & Faith

Produced by Australia's Centre for Public Christianity and hosted by Simon Smart and Natasha Moore, Life & Faith looks at surprising intersections between Christian faith and the world we live in.

Rebuilders

Hosted by Melbourne pastor Mark Sayers, Rebuilders is an Australian podcast focused on long-form discussions about world events and culture from a Christian perspective.

The Regent College Podcast will return on September 4. Don't forget to join us then! In the meantime, we hope you enjoy these eclectic recs from the Regent community.