The Theology Pugcast

Today Chris reflects on artists whose art he admires, but he would never want to be like. When you think of Roald Dahl, Shel Silverstein, or even Mozart, must you boycott them when you discover things about them that you find distasteful? Today the Pugs wonder aloud, must artists be saints?Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

Stephen Crotts is an artist and graphic designer who is doing the illustrations for Malcolm Guite’s soon to be released Arthuriad. In this episode, the Pugs talk with him about his art, developing the illustrations for Guite’s epic poem, and the emergence of a Christian ecumenism around a new appreciation of beauty. Stephen’s an interesting and skilled artist, and we’re excited to introduce him to you.Order Galahad and the Grail (Merlin's Isle: An Arthuriad, 1): https://www.rabbitroom.com/merlinsisleMalcolm Guite smoking a hobbit-worthy pipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghxx9MsR4l8Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

In this episode, the Pugsters begin with a discussion of panpsychism, the idea that everything has a form of consciousness. In a world where even trees communicate with each other, how should we think about panpsychism? Is consciousness at the base of reality as some physicists and philosophers suggest? And what about the Orthodox (and unorthodox) ideas of panentheism? These are some of the questions the guys talk about in this episode.Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

Today Chris and Glenn welcome an old friend of Chris’s, Bradley G. Green, faculty of Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, soon to be faculty of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Brad comes on the show to discuss his new book with Crossway Publishing, What Is Critical Theory? It was a fun and interesting conversation, even though the guys miss Tom. Enjoy!Order ‘What Is Critical Theory?: A Concise Christian Analysis’: https://a.co/d/03Rc2Sg8Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

The Pugs engage a fun piece by Malcolm Guite entitled: In Defense of Pints and Pipes. Here they delve into the fashionable cultural obsession with physical health and wellness which has led ironically to all sorts of psychological unhealthiness. Could the issue be a loss of a proper view of the human, especially a view that has no place for the human soul?Article: https://www.plough.com/en/topics/life/health/in-defense-of-pint-and-pipeSupport the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

There is a new biopic about the founder of the Shakers entitled, The Testament of Ann Lee. If you've heard of the Shakers it is probably because of their furniture. This week the Pugs respond to a critical review of the new film in The Spectator World by Damian Thompson, entitled, Testament to Ignorance. Chris is quoted in the review because of an article he wrote on the Shakers. He has mixed feelings about them, as he explains in the show. But he suspects there is something going on with liberalism in the US and an attempt by liberals to recover their own version of American Christianity and that the biopic is part of a larger effort. Tune in to see if you agree.Spectator Article: https://spectator.com/article/the-problem-with-the-new-shakers-biopic/?edition=us&fbclid=IwY2xjawQVh6FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAEwAAEeqwHZmAt6XJKBJkvbQdfROjImhSiQ2wHHwAmsHTqWX2Lq3wToNKoL8jkb4GY_aem_QRjZgbJghxePthAtHKkYewC.R. Wiley Article: https://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=24-04-017-v&fbclid=IwY

Glenn introduces the Pugsters to David Engels, a conservative Belgian historian and philosopher who focuses on a revival of Western civilization. Using one of his articles as a jumping off point, the guys discuss the marriage of ancient pagan virtues with Christian ideas of the Good, a combination which produced the chivalric ideal embraced by Tolkien in Middle Earth. But as usual, they cover a wide range of topics ranging from history to philosophy, to theology, to story, and others besides. It’s a fascinating discussion of the good in ancient paganism and the failure of neo-paganism to uncover what they think they are looking for.Article:https://davidengels.substack.com/p/jrr-tolkien-the-christian-west-andSupport the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

In this episode, the pugs discuss a recent article by Christian Bioethicist and Psychiatrist Aaron Kheriaty in First Things concerning disturbing trends in the field of medicine where the production of living human bodies without consciousness are developed for scientific experimenting and use, especially organ harvesting. Drawing on Kheriaty's insights (and work elsewhere), the pugs unpack the radical implications of new medicine as it moves away from Hippocratic commitments.First Things Article:https://firstthings.com/zombie-bioethics/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQKpotleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAEwAAEeIEAeie6tJ1Lx-yY74Iy1gJUHZWqTO944x2Zg5IpA4YLGP2HEI8R-1YHybtY_aem_4nipo3kkaADILuYFWExd8wMIT Article:https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/03/25/1113611/ethically-sourced-spare-human-bodies-could-revolutionize-medicine/amp/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQKp2lleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAEwAAEeGmqimTl34lvudX46-tes97dv-_2No8xOiTFh1dW8JK0CAzNHsE-d4jS9u3k_aem_sp-LecNbwjCqNbn7K1PycQSupport the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.pa

The Pugsters welcome Dr. Timothy Padgett, Theologian in Residence and Glenn’s colleague at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, for a conversation on constructive ecumenism. Working across denominational and theological lines raises a range of questions: how do you do it without compromising things you believe are true? Can evangelical and Reformed Christians work with Catholics? How about Mormons? What is the difference between ecumenism and co-belligerency? As usual, the guys have a wide-ranging conversation about these and other (mostly) related topics. Links mentioned on the show: What Would You Say: Are Mormons Christians: https://breakpoint.org/are-mormons-christians/What Would you Say: What is Christian Nationalism?: https://breakpoint.org/what-is-christian-nationalism-exactly/You can find Dr. Padgett’s work at https://breakpoint.org/To learn more about the Colson Center, visit https://colsoncenter.org/Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR

Today the guys reflect on an essay in the February 2026 edition of First Things by Liel Leibovitz entitled, AI as Liberation. Mr. Leibovitz strikes an optimistic note in the dirge preceding the triumph of AI over all things human. While the Pugs give him points for looking on the bright side, they're skeptical. Tune in and find out why AI is probably more likely to increase drug addiction than a revival of singing around the piano.Article: https://firstthings.com/ai-as-liberation/Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

In this episode, the Pugsters discuss the relationship between nature and grace. In theology, this usually deals with how the two work in human life, and that’s where the guys start. But the topic can be bigger than that, so Glenn leads the discussion into whether grace can be conveyed through the physical world, such as the elements in the Lord’s Supper, and whether places can become sanctified or the opposite. It’s a wide-ranging conversation around topics that Reformed guys don’t often talk about.Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

Today the pugs look at recent events in culture where the 'woke warriors' appear to be at it again, especially in the recent march by immigration activists into an evangelical church worship service. The pugs analyze and speculate a bit about what appears to be going on with the most recent forms woke activism is taking culturally.Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/

Today the Pugs discuss whether it matters or not if Francis Bacon was a sincere Christian. His ideas had consequences. In scholarly circles it is a matter of intense debate, but where the rest of us live, it doesn't matter--we're living in the world he helped to create. The Pugs discuss the consequences of "knowledge is power."Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

An article in Tablet magazine discussing the segment of the Gen Z population that is turning to conservative and demanding forms of religious practice provides the jumping off point for this episode. The article suggests that the turn toward rigorous religions comes from a reaction to the chaos of a rootless culture more than from a turn to faith. The guys discuss this idea and its implications for worship and for ministry to Gen Z.Article: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/belief/articles/gen-z-religious-awakening?fbclid=IwY2xjawPU68FicmlkETFwT0VSR3JLRGFtTnBaSU1qc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhYGocf3wl0nQ0rVeyaRZ0UZmoU_qiDjJcgT2fXaSc1YIB79rxn0lj0HZJnZ&brid=lWLmG5JSQ5QY8SI1aRYC1wSupport the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about First Pres. Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

Today the Pugs welcome Dr. Scott Masson of Tyndale University onto the show. Scott is an Associate Professor of English and an authority on Romanticism. He also is known for his commitment to a recovery of classical learning. Today Scott reflects on the broken relationship between the humanities and theology and the disastrous consequences for higher education. He notes that this strikes right at the heart of the Christian faith because it separates the divine and human natures of the Son of God. He compares this to the broken sword Aduril from The Lord of the Rings and notes that the right ordering of our loves and the restoration of culture won't occur until the sword is reforged in the West. Join us for a great conversation.The Anduril Moment - A Call to Return to Christian Humanism: Dr. Scott Masson’s lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2IWBJcN5kkDr. Masson’s Substack: https://drscottmasson.substack.com/Paideia Today:  https://www.paideiatoday.com/Recommended videos from Dr. Masson’s YouTube cha

In this episode the Pugs engage some of the theological roots that gave rise and shape to Western empiricism, especially in the Scottish Tradition of David Hume. In particular, they engage how the pessimistic view of fallen human reason take on a distorted shape when severed from the rich theological setting of Augustine's theology, and then lead to secular reappropriations by secular thinkers like Hume and others.Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about WPC Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

Today the Pugs reflect on an essay by Matthew B. Crawford (author of Shop Class as Soulcraft) from his Substack entitled: Craftsmanship in the culture industry. The event that prompted the essay is the bid by Netflix to buy Warner Brothers (the film studio). What particularly interests Crawford is something broader, the decay of craftsmanship in our world, and what "managerialism" has to do with that. If you care about film, or just craftsmanship generally speaking we think you will enjoy the conversation.Article: https://open.substack.com/pub/mcrawford/p/craftsmanship-in-the-culture-industry?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webSupport the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about WPC Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

C.S. Lewis came to faith once he realized that the Gospel was both myth, appealing to his heart, and fact, appealing to his mind. The Pugs discuss what he meant by myth and apply the idea to the Christmas story—how it embodies archetypes found in myth and legend throughout history.Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about WPC Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

On today's show the Pugs engage the rapidly growing turn to AI chatbots for mental health needs by teenagers. In what realistic ways can the church step into the situation? What hurdles and limits do we encounter as we set out ways to address this growing crisis, especially among the disadvantaged? The Pugs wrestle through these complex matters in this episode.Article: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/09/teenagers-ai-chatbots-mental-health-supportSupport the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Learn more about WPC Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/

In today's Pugcast Chris shares a little from his experience attending Peter Thiel's Antichrist lectures. Those in attendance promised not to divulge what they heard, but the contents of the lectures are now widely known since the contents have either been leaked to the press, or discussed in interviews Thiel has given. With those things in mind, Chris limits his reflections to what can be learned in a simple Google search: "Peter Thiel and Antichrist." Even with those limitations there is a lot to talk about, for instance, which should we fear more: Armageddon or the Antichrist? Thiel's answer is "Antichrist!"--tune in and find out why.Related Links:https://firstthings.com/voyages-to-the-end-of-the-world/https://firstthings.com/where-is-the-antichrist-ft-peter-thiel/https://unherd.com/2025/07/who-is-peter-thiels-antichrist/Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8Lear