Best Thomas Butcher Podcasts (2025)

1
Levi Boone Helm | The Kentucky Cannibal - Part 7 28:55

Play Pause

5m ago28:55

28:55

His first victim stood blind drunk, pissing on the side of the trading post. Boone simply strolled up behind him, placed the pistol barrel to his nape, and pulled the trigger. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theserialkillerpodcast Website: https://www.theserialkillerpodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theskpodcast Instagram: https://www…

1
Levi Boone Helm | The Kentucky Cannibal - Part 6 32:35

13m ago32:35

32:35

Burton tried to speak, to beg for mercy, but his throat had clamped shut, parched and brittle as ancient parchment left too long in the sun. His voice only clawed its way back in a ragged, desperate croak the instant Boone pressed the knife down against the flesh of his right leg, just above the knee, and the first thin, crimson line of blood welle…

1
A Coaching Session on Brother Lawrence 1:00:50

15d ago1:00:50

1:00:50

In this special episode, Jim and Kirsten review the season and offer a way for us to turn to Brother Lawrence for guidance on our own spiritual path. Resources: Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about James Finley, visit his faculty profile ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The transcript for this episode c…

1
Levi Boone Helm | The Kentucky Cannibal - Part 5 47:19

18d ago47:19

47:19

A few of the abandoned men, their wills broken, staggered blindly after Boone and Burton once they finally realized the terrible deception. But in tragically little time, they were completely snow-blind and hopelessly lost, staggering aimlessly away from the faint path and each other as the relentless, creeping tendrils of hypothermia finally took …

1
Bonus: Carmen Acevedo Butcher on Brother Lawrence 1:01:03

1M ago1:01:03

1:01:03

On this special bonus episode, James Finley and Kirsten Oates interview Carmen Acevedo Butcher about her translation of Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence. Carmen Acevedo Butcher is an award-winning translator, teacher, poet, and workshop leader. Her Cloud of Unknowing translation received a 46th Georgia Author of the Year Award, and Marti…

1
Dialogue 3: Mystical Lineage 1:05:53

1M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

In this third dialogue session Jim and Kirsten will focus on Brother Lawrence's place in our mystical lineage along with his specific connections to Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross. Resources: Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about James Finley, visit his faculty profile ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.…

1
Brother Lawrence: Session 3 40:04

2M ago40:04

40:04

This is the third session which focuses on Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from Carmen Acevedo Butcher's translation of Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence, reflects on core themes, and finishes with a meditative practice. Resources: Turning to the Myst…

1
Levi Boone Helm | The Kentucky Cannibal - Part 4 47:36

25d ago47:36

47:36

When the sun finally rose, he methodically availed himself of the dead's belongings, precisely as he always did, but for the first time, he could not bring himself to look directly at the body. Usually, he felt absolutely no sting of remorse or burning shame—he had successfully convinced himself that he was entirely immune to such weak human frailt…

1
Dialogue 2: All for All 53:03

2M ago53:03

53:03

In this second dialogue session Jim and Kirsten focus on the letters of Brother Lawrence. Resources: Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about James Finley, visit his faculty profile ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. The transcript for this episode can be found here. The book we will be using this season can be ⁠fo…

1
Brother Lawrence: Session 2 42:07

2M ago42:07

42:07

This is the second session which focuses on Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from Carmen Acevedo Butcher's translation of Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence, reflects on core themes, and finishes with a meditative practice. Resources: Turning to the Mys…

1
Levi Boone Helm | The Kentucky Cannibal - Part 3 32:46

2M ago32:46

32:46

She fought him off when she could, her arms straining against his weight, her breath hitching as she prayed for him to collapse into a drunken stupor. On good nights, he’d pass out mid-act, his body slumping onto her like a felled oak, his breath hot and sour against her neck. She would shove him aside, her muscles trembling, and crawl to the edge …

1
Dialogue 1: Everything is Possible 54:11

2M ago54:11

54:11

In this first dialogue session Jim and Kirsten focus on the maxims of Brother Lawrence. Resources: Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about James Finley, visit his faculty profile ⁠here⁠. The transcript for this episode can be found here. The book we will be using this season can be found h…

1
Brother Lawrence: Session 1 32:48

2M ago32:48

32:48

This is the first session which focuses on Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from Carmen Acevedo Butcher's translation of Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence, reflects on core themes, and finishes with a meditative practice. Resources: Turning to the Myst…

1
Levi Boone Helm | The Kentucky Cannibal - Part 2 28:07

2M ago28:07

28:07

He’d deliberately pick fights with men leaving the tavern, a predator stalking his prey. Experience had honed his dangerous edge; he was now a skilled brawler, a calculated bully, and stronger than any man had a right to be. The young women of the town, caught in the romantic fantasy of taming a wild man, were drawn to him. But at home, the attenti…

1
Turning to Brother Lawrence 46:42

3M ago46:42

46:42

Welcome to Season 12 of Turning to the Mystics. This season we are turning to Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection for spiritual guidance. In this episode, James Finley and Kirsten Oates cover the life and person of Brother Lawrence and discuss how we can work with his ideas to transform our lives. Resources: Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by …

1
Levi Boone Helm | The Kentucky Cannibal - Part 1 29:28

3M ago29:28

29:28

The room fell silent, the other patrons—hard men with scarred hands and wary eyes—sensing the storm about to break.Dutch rose slowly, his shadow swallowing the light as he turned to face Boone. In his hand was a Bowie knife, its blade glinting like a sliver of moonlight. Boone, his revolver waving wildly, grinned—a crooked, feral slash that promise…

1
Coming Soon: Turning to Brother Lawrence 5:11

3M ago5:11

5:11

Season 12 of Turning to the Mystics will continue with our next mystic, Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. Our journey begins on September 8, 2025. Resources: Pick up a copy of Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence as translated by Carmen Acevedo Butcher: ⁠hereBy Center for Action and Contemplation

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 10 43:25

3M ago43:25

43:25

Within three hours of beginning the search, investigators found a three-ring notebook. Investigator Sachtleben later said of his findings, and I quote: “I also observed notebooks that contain what I recognize to be diagrams and notes that are consistent with the manufacture of destructive devices such as pipe bombs. Ten three-ring binders. These bi…

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 9 35:28

4M ago35:28

35:28

The lead agent called out to Ted, asking for help with a property line. Ted, wary, peered from the doorway, his frame gaunt from years of isolation. The agent stepped closer, explaining the map issue. As Ted leaned forward, the agent grabbed his right arm, yanking him from the cabin. Another agent swiftly cuffed his left, snapping on handcuffs. Ted…

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 8 35:15

4M ago35:15

35:15

The blast site was a slaughterhouse: blood on the walls, metal quills in the plaster, the air thick with the smell of explosives. Murray’s remains were barely recognizable, pieces collected in bags for analysis. The Unabomber’s early bombs left room for doubt—maim or kill? Sacramento settled it. Ted, the Unabomber, was out for blood, targeting anyo…

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 7 31:56

5M ago31:56

31:56

Smoke billowed through the house as Susan ran outside, shouting for help. Their elder daughter, alerted by her mother’s cries, also sought assistance. The blast came from a pipe bomb crafted by the Unabomber.Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura summoned the ATF, who sifted through the kitchen debris and identified parts consistent with the Unabomb…

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 6 36:15

5M ago36:15

36:15

Ted grappled with his own contradictions: “As you know, I have no respect for law or morality. Why have I never committed any crime? (of course, I’m not talking about something like shooting a grouse out of season now and then. I mean felony type stuff—burglary, arson, murder, etc.) Lack of motive? Hardly. As you know, I have a good deal of anger i…

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 5 33:46

6M ago33:46

33:46

The Unabomber’s evolution was chilling. His early bombs, crude concoctions of smokeless powder and match heads, were child’s play compared to this. The device that maimed Hauser was a three-quarter-inch-diameter pipe, sealed with metal bar stock plugs and secured with pins. Nail fragments, lead, and double-pointed tacks served as shrapnel, designed…

1
Gabriel Marcel: Listener Questions 1:18:49

6M ago1:18:49

1:18:49

In this episode, Kirsten and Jim answer listener questions from Season 11, focusing on the teachings of Gabriel Marcel. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Connect with us: This podcast is made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contem…

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 4 31:51

6M ago31:51

31:51

The homemade green cylindrical box perched atop a can on the floor was studded with dials and gauges, or so the instructor said later. Angelakos saw wires—loop switches attached to the sides running up each upright shaft of a wooden handle. This in turn was attached to the wooden box that rested on top of the gallon can. Angelakos reached out for i…

1
A Coaching Session on Gabriel Marcel 1:02:52

6M ago1:02:52

1:02:52

In this special episode, Jim and Kirsten review the season and offer a way for us to turn to Gabriel Marcel for guidance on our own spiritual path. Resource Section: A transcript for this episode can be found here. A link to the Oneing article Kirsten mentions can be found here. An information sheet on Lectio practice can be found ⁠here⁠. The book …

1
Bonus: Greg Sadler on Gabriel Marcel 57:07

6M ago57:07

57:07

On this special bonus episode, James Finley and Kirsten Oates interview Greg Sadler about the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel, with special attention paid to Marcel's ideas on fidelity, hope, and love. Greg Sadler is the president of ReasonIO, associate editor of Stoicism Today, an APPA-certified philosophical counselor, an adjunct professor at Milwau…

1
Dialogue 4: Love 56:39

7M ago56:39

56:39

In this fourth dialogue session Jim and Kirsten focus on the theme of Love within the thoughts and teachings of Gabriel Marcel. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. The book we will be using this season can be⁠ ⁠⁠found here⁠. Connect with us: Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season? Email us: ⁠…

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 3 31:11

7M ago31:11

31:11

ATF experts analyzed the scattered remains: a nine-inch-long, one-inch-wide pipe encased in a wooden box, secured with nails, rubber bands, screws, epoxy, three-quarter-inch black plastic tape, and half-inch filament tape. The explosive was two types of smokeless powder packed in the pipe. The makeshift trigger resembled a child’s plaything: a nail…

1
Gabriel Marcel: Session 4 34:14

7M ago34:14

34:14

This is the fourth session that focuses on the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from Kenneth T. Gallagher's The Philosophy of Gabriel Marcel, reflects on the qualitative essence of the spirit of this text, and finishes with a meditative practice. Resources: Turning to t…

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 2 29:28

7M ago29:28

29:28

Griffin would put the blame for our environmental problems on excessive individual freedoms. Actually, most of the problems are direct or indirect results of the activities of large organizations; namely corporations and governments. It is these organizations, after all, that control the structure and development of society. Perhaps the most unfort…

1
Dialogue 3: Hope 1:01:07

7M ago1:01:07

1:01:07

In this third dialogue session Jim and Kirsten focus on the theme of Hope within the thoughts and teachings of Gabriel Marcel. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. The book we will be using this season can be found here. Connect with us: Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season? Email us: podcas…

1
Gabriel Marcel: Session 3 34:52

7M ago34:52

34:52

This is the third session that focuses on the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from Kenneth T. Gallagher's The Philosophy of Gabriel Marcel, reflects on the qualitative essence of the spirit of this text, and finishes with a meditative practice. Resources: Turning to th…

1
Ted Kaczynski | The Unabomber - Part 1 33:55

8M ago33:55

33:55

They are then escorted into the gas chamber, often under heavy security, and secured to a chair with restraints around their wrists, ankles, waist, and chest to prevent movement. A stethoscope or other monitoring device is typically attached to their chest, extending outside the chamber so a physician can listen for the cessation of heartbeat or br…

1
Dialogue 2: Fidelity 58:02

8M ago58:02

58:02

In this second dialogue session Jim and Kirsten focus on the theme of Fidelity within the thoughts and teachings of Gabriel Marcel. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. The book we will be using this season can be found here. Connect with us: Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season? Email us: p…

1
Gabriel Marcel: Session 2 33:31

8M ago33:31

33:31

This is the second session that focuses on the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from Kenneth T. Gallagher's The Philosophy of Gabriel Marcel, reflects on the qualitative essence of the spirit of this text, and finishes with a meditative practice. Resources: Turning to t…

1
Dialogue 1: Core Themes 53:50

8M ago53:50

53:50

In this first dialogue session Jim and Kirsten focus on core themes from Gabriel Marcel. Resources: Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about James Finley, visit his faculty profile here. The transcript for this episode can be found here. The book we will be using this season can be found he…

1
Tsutomu Miyazaki | The Little Girl Murderer 32:58

8M ago32:58

32:58

Tsutomu Miyazaki liked to taunt the parents of his victims with chillingly silent phone calls or postcards containing gloating messages. He left a box on the doorstep of the parents of his first victim, four-year-old Mari Konno. Inside were fragments of charred bone, ten baby teeth and photographs of the clothes their daughter had been wearing the …

1
Gabriel Marcel: Session 1 31:38

8M ago31:38

31:38

This is the first session that focuses on philosopher Gabriel Marcel. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from Kenneth T. Gallagher's work, The Philosophy of Gabriel Marcel, reflects on core themes from Marcel, and finishes with a meditative practice. Resources: Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by t…

1
Turning to Gabriel Marcel 42:02

9M ago42:02

42:02

Welcome to Season 11 of Turning to the Mystics. This season we are turning to philosopher Gabriel Marcel for spiritual guidance. In this episode, James Finley and Kirsten Oates cover the life and person of Marcel and discuss how we can work with his ideas to transform our lives. Resources: Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Actio…

1
Herbert Mullin - Part 5 29:34

9M ago29:34

29:34

Mullin didn’t fit the killer mold. This clean-cut ex-flower-child looked more like he’d stumble over a peace rally than a murder scene. Cops might’ve sneered at hippies, but they didn’t peg them—or guys like Mullin—for bloody rampages. At first, his calm vibe seemed like he’d play ball. They figured prying answers out of him about that day’s madnes…

1
Herbert Mullin - Part 4 30:15

9M ago30:15

30:15

The blade sliced her open, her flesh separating with a cold precision, skin and fat sliding apart as if they’d been primed to rupture all along. Blood saturated everything—her dress, the grass, his hands, the knife—a predictable mess, though far worse was still to come. He set the knife aside and forced his fingers into the incision, pushing past t…

1
Coming Soon: Turning to Gabriel Marcel 2:52

9M ago2:52

2:52

Season 11 of Turning to the Mystics will continue with our next mystic, Gabriel Marcel. Our journey begins on March 17, 2025. Resources: Pick up a copy ofThe Philosophy of Gabriel Marcel by Kenneth T. Gallagher: here Connect with us: Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season? Email us: [email protected] Send us a voicemai…

1
Herbert Mullin - Part 3 27:11

10M ago27:11

27:11

The police approached the Mullin family home, their knocks echoing like the tolling of a death knell through the silent house, surrounded by uncollected mail, a silent testament to absence. Imagining the worst, they prepared to breach this fortress of solitude, fearing Herb had taken his own life in some final, desperate act. As they made arrangeme…

1
Herbert Mullin - Part 2 33:49

10M ago33:49

33:49

Herb began experimenting with drugs, initially using marijuana to soothe his anxiety. However, he soon recognized its impact on his intellectual sharpness, which was crucial for his self-image as the "most likely to succeed." He switched to hallucinogens, particularly LSD, becoming so enamored with it that he inked a tattoo across his stomach advoc…

1
Herbert Mullin - Part 1 28:25

10M ago28:25

28:25

He had to offer Her blood, much like the ancient cultures did, recognizing Her under various guises of gods and goddesses but understanding that sacrifice was necessary to stave off Her wrath. Her anger, palpable even now, was seething beneath the earth's crust, knocking at the edges of his psyche. She was incensed at humanity's degeneration, furio…

1
Charles Manson - Part 10 30:52

11M ago30:52

30:52

When we dive into the dark saga of the Manson Family, the names Sharon Tate, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca often dominate the narrative. Yet, the shadow cast by Charles Manson and his followers extends into numerous other grim chapters, each involving real people with lives, dreams, and stories that were cut short. Let's take a closer look at these le…

1
Charles Manson - Part 9 28:43

11M ago28:43

28:43

Deciphering Charles Manson's words is always challenging, but this particular note is less obscure than his usual communications. "Gold" was his nickname for Nancy Pitman, one of his favored Family members, whom he had earlier called "Nancy" in the same message. In early 1970, Pitman was a regular visitor to the jailed defendants, acting on Manson'…

1
T.S. Eliot: Listener Questions (Part Two) 40:16

12M ago40:16

40:16

In this episode, Kirsten and Jim answer listener questions from Season 10, focusing on the teachings of T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Connect with us: This podcast is made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Actio…

1
T.S. Eliot: Listener Questions (Part One) 39:52

12M ago39:52

39:52

In this episode, Kirsten and Jim answer listener questions from Season 10, focusing on the teachings of T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Connect with us: This podcast is made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Actio…