Best Tolkien Professor Podcasts (2025)

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640: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 119 1:18:42

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8d ago1:18:42

1:18:42

Join Maggie and Corey for some exciting discussion of adaptation theory today, building on recent discussions.Corey and Maggie explore the terms and ideas of adaption and discuss plotting adaptations on axes. Data! Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 119, recorded on December 15, 2025. Join us on th…

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Tolkien & Trump: The Professor or the Profligate with Dr. Craig Boyd 1:50:40

19d ago1:50:40

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Alright Tolkien Heads, this one's important. Dr. Craig Boyd joins us to dig into Tolkien's political philosophy and—look, we gotta talk about how the alt-right has been trying to claim Tolkien as one of their own, which is just... no. Craig offers a much-needed corrective by actually reading what the man wrote and believed. The heart of the convers…

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The Hobbit calendar and other calendars of Middle-earth 26:44

6h ago26:44

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Send us a text Tolkien is known for his language creation, but he was also masterful at creating calendars for the cultures and peoples that inhabit Middle-earth. The Shire calendar is beautifully practical - twelve months, thirty days each. Every month lines up neatly with the phases of the moon. That makes it much more regular than our messy Greg…

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Do Christians Have to Believe in the Virgin Birth? 11:29

1h ago11:29

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Do Christians have to believe in the virgin birth? In this video, I give three reasons, drawing on Scripture and church history, why the virgin birth is not optional but essential to historic Christianity. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Semi…

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A Reminder That Self-Worth Is Not Earned w/ Mindfulness Teacher Michelle Maros 1:09:29

1d ago1:09:29

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To make this statement, which is subjective, we need to clarify what we mean by self-worth. I have nine kids. Did they have any worth as infants? Or no, because they hadn’t earned their self worth yet? How about as toddlers? Kindergartners? My belief is they were born with self worth. They deserve to have value in the world just because they exist.…

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The Purpose of Ghosts 47:56

32m ago47:56

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At this time of year, when many of us are rudely awoken from our hard-earned slumber by multiple ghosts wanting us to support their gofundme or something, I thought we might look at ghosts. What are they? Are they even real? And if they're not, what are they for? And the exploration is framed by a series of strange experiences I had recently at Aus…

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High-Friction Love: The Incarnation in an Age of Smooth Technology 1:37:05

21h ago1:37:05

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Hey everybody, this is a special Christmas episode where I'm joined by Michael Morelli (Personalist Manifesto podcast) and Paul Hoard (professor at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology) for a live conversation about what the Incarnation has to say to our algorithmically-mediated moment. We get into Advent as a season of waiting in a world …

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193: Robots Radio Holiday Special 2025 1:30:47

1h ago1:30:47

1:30:47

Every year we gather together hosts across the network to talk about our favorite things from this last year. Pour a glass of hot chocolate, put your feet up by the fire, and come join us to look back and ahead to 2026. Join our Patreon for weekly bonus episodes, early access, ad-free listening, t-shirts and stickers: https://www.patreon.com/lotrlo…

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The Great Disconnect: When the Pulpit and the Pew aren't Speaking the Same Language 1:24:07

4d ago1:24:07

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What happens when the person preaching on Sunday morning believes something completely different than the folks sitting in the pews? Well friends, that's exactly what we're digging into today. My buddy Ryan Burge brought the graphs—including some brand new data that hasn't even dropped on his Substack yet—and let me tell you, it's a real deal predi…

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The Intellectual Capacity of Both/And Thinking w/ Management Professor Wendy K Smith 1:10:48

4d ago1:10:48

1:10:48

I continue to research human communication and find the vast majority of everything we communicate is subjective. We are seldom discussing facts and right, wrong, black, white issues. They may feel so to us, but if pressed we’d need to admit that what we are arguing or advocating for is not fact. The topic or issue is not unanimously proven. But it…

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2026 Astrology Forecast (H1) | Austin Coppock 1:21:08

18m ago1:21:08

1:21:08

Austinmas 2025! Can you even believe it? Legendary astrologer, Austin Coppock, returns to the show for a look at what 2026 has in store for you. Here's what we cover: 🪐The end of "nothing ever happens" energy 🪐 What war looks like in the Age of Air 🪐 January's hidden assemblies and the parade before Pluto 🪐 Neptune's 13-year sign change 🪐The Saturn…

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Are Protestant Churches Valid? Examining Apostolic Succession 32:03

6d ago32:03

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Gavin Ortlund examines whether Protestant churches—and their Eucharist—are truly valid by critically assessing apostolic succession through biblical, historical, and theological lenses. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President o…

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Rian Johnson on Wake Up Dead Man – Murder, Mystery, and the Search for Grace 28:57

7d ago28:57

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I am SO excited about this episode. I got to sit down with Rian Johnson to talk about Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and honestly? This might be my favorite conversation I’ve had all year. Not just because it’s a blast of a film (which it absolutely is), but because Rian brought so much theological depth and personal wrestling to this proj…

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How To Identify & Connect With Your Future Self & Open Up Your Personal Transformation w/ Dr Benjamin Hardy 1:12:11

7d ago1:12:11

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In your younger years, you may have thought about your future self. I always wanted to be 30 and I would envision what it would look and feel like. I ultimately became 30. There I was. But I did not arrive and become the ultimate “Kevin” at that point. Five years passed and I became 35 and thought about how far I had come since 30. And this continu…

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Should We Pray to the Holy Spirit? 10:55

1h ago10:55

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Gavin Ortlund shows why praying to the Holy Spirit is not only theologically sound but crucial for living with the Spirit’s guidance, intimacy, and strength. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites, Visiting Pro…

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Books for Your Friendly Neighborhood Theology Nerd 1:16:15

1d ago1:16:15

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Look, we all have that person in our life who won’t stop talking about Motlmann or keeps “accidentally” bringing up liberation theology at Thanksgiving. Maybe that person is you. No judgment. I’m right there with you. That’s why I brought in my friend Rev. Dr. Thomas Hermans-Webster, acquisitions editor at Orbis Books, to help us figure out what bo…

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192: The Hobbit 61: Bilbo's Journey Home 32:38

15h ago32:38

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A story doesn't end with the climactic moment. There's always more to tell. Here, Tolkien wraps things up but leaves a lot to our imaginations. Join our Patreon for weekly bonus episodes, early access, ad-free listening, t-shirts and stickers: https://www.patreon.com/lotrlorecast On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LordoftheRingsLorecast Live Show…

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Session 358: Recognizing Doom 1:56:23

8h ago1:56:23

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Join Corey tonight, for "A Balrog! A Balrog is come!" Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv Support Mythgard's Exploring The Lord of the RingsBy Mythgard Institute

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Session 357: Doom, Doom 1:54:10

8h ago1:54:10

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Join Corey as we discuss approaching Doom: Durin's Bane appears at last. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv Support Mythgard's Exploring The Lord of the RingsBy Mythgard Institute

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MSA035: The Peoples of Middle-earth, Session 15 1:40:37

30m ago1:40:37

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Tonight we will indulge ourselves by reveling in the Authorized Version of Appendix B! Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv Support Mythgard AcademyBy Mythgard Institute

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Session 356: The Bridge of Khazad-dûm 1:42:55

9h ago1:42:55

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Tonight we actually arrive at the Bridge of Khazad-dum. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv Support Mythgard's Exploring The Lord of the RingsBy Mythgard Institute

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MSA035: The Peoples of Middle-earth, Session 14 1:52:25

2h ago1:52:25

1:52:25

Tonight we look at the amazing Tale of Years for the 3rd Age. Appendix B as it should have been... Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv Support Mythgard AcademyBy Mythgard Institute

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The 25th Anniversary of LOTR (extended) celebration in theaters vs. the 25th celebration fans deserve 1:01:31

11d ago1:01:31

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Send us a text In 2001, a film many thought would ruin a movie studio — a big budget fantasy film based on books by J.R.R. Tolkien — hit theaters on Dec. 19. It blew even the highest opening weekend predictions completely out of the water and went on to make and change cinema history. Next year the 25th Anniversary of the the LORD OF THE RINGS film…

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Is Annihilationism Heresy? (The Internet Is Shaping Us) 14:46

5d ago14:46

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Gavin Ortlund uses the conversation around Kirk Cameron’s views on annihilationism to reflect on how Christians can cultivate healthier, more charitable disagreement online. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unit…

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Why We Believe Our Stories & How To Write Better Ones w/ Storytelling Expert Kindra Hall 1:43:02

11d ago1:43:02

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You’ve likely heard the parable of two brothers with an alcoholic dad. One brother becomes an alcoholic, blaming his father and stating, "What else could I do?” While the other brother becomes a teetotaler, blaming his father and stating, "I watched my dad, and don’t want to end up like him.” We all have things that happen in our lives, and we crea…

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From Garden to New Jerusalem: Why the Church's Economic Blindness Matters 1:38:23

12d ago1:38:23

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So here's what we're wrestling with in this episode: What if economics isn't just a topic theology comments on, but actually the bigger framework that shapes what's theologically possible? That's the question that sent Brian McLaren searching, and it's what led him—and us—to the Japanese philosopher Kojin Karatani and his game-changing framework ab…

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Calvinism: What Everyone Misses 15:12

13d ago15:12

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Gavin Ortlund explores a popular misunderstanding about Calvinism and why a clearer grasp of “dual causation” can help us disagree with far more patience and charity. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites, Vis…

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Bonhoeffer’s Witness Against Christian Nationalism 1:15:02

15d ago1:15:02

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What is up, Theology Nerds! This one's a banger. At Theology Beer Camp 2025, I got to sit down with an EPIC braintrust of Bonhoeffer scholars—Jeff Pugh, Lori Brandt Hale, Reggie Williams, and Andy Root—for a panel that went deep into Dietrich's life, his communities, and why his witness matters more now than ever. We wrestled with how Bonhoeffer's …

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Running, Cancer, Death, & The Value of Suffering w/ The Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson 1:05:19

15d ago1:05:19

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In this episode we talk a lot about running. But I want to expand it to all of you who spend a good amount of time outside in the elements. This isn’t a discussion to should on anyone, but just to share the value we’ve found in going outside, year around, braving the elements and the discomforts of our own bodies. What we gain, what we learn. So if…

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What Jesus Prays For Now (Most Christians Miss This) 49:32

44m ago49:32

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Gavin Ortlund reveals what most Christians overlook about Jesus’s present ministry, and why His intercession changes everything.Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites, Visiting Professor of Historical Theology …

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191: The Hobbit 60: Surviving The Battle of Five Armies 31:17

7d ago31:17

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Bilbo wakes to find the battle is over and almost nobody is unscathed - a situation very similar to what Tolkien went through in the Battle of the Somme and the conflicts afterwards. Join our Patreon for weekly bonus episodes, early access, ad-free listening, t-shirts and stickers: https://www.patreon.com/lotrlorecast On Youtube: https://www.youtub…

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639: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 118 1:30:38

7d ago1:30:38

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Corey and Maggie return to pre-production on their Pride and Prejudice case study.Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 118, recorded on December 1, 2025.Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAv Join us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel https:…

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The Danger of Attaching Your Identity To Your Beliefs w/ Cognitive Scientist Andy Norman 1:10:28

18d ago1:10:28

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In today’s culture I feel we have conflated beliefs with facts. I view us as a culture at war with our perspectives. We are seldom arguing about literal facts. Look at the news headlines, social media, and any reporting entity and you find great polarization and emotion around issues. And what is generally being debated is again, not fact, but beli…

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Jon Stewart Just Challenged Believers (The Problem of Evil) 16:15

13d ago16:15

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Gavin Ortlund responds to Jon Stewart’s reflections on belief and explores why the problem of evil raises even harder questions for atheism than for theism. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites, Visiting Prof…

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The Tolkien Gift Guide & Collectibles 51:12

9d ago51:12

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Send us a text We start with a most remarkable letter from Tolkien available on auction today, the highest-priced Tolkien artifacts / books ever sold and then launch into a gift guide with some pretty amazing discounts available now, at least in the U.S., maybe everywhere. But long after those discounts are gone, here is a helpful list of Tolkien-t…

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When Empire Strikes Back: Herod, the Magi, and Holy Resistance 1:34:11

14d ago1:34:11

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Well, we kicked off our Advent Against Empire series with Diana Butler Bass diving deep into Matthew's birth narrative, and wow—it did not disappoint. Diana brought her three signature lenses (anti-imperialism, non-violence, and eco-wholeness) to the most Jewish of all the gospels, and things got delightfully nerdy. We explored how Matthew's geneal…

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Why Protestant Is More Catholic 22:38

21d ago22:38

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Gavin Ortlund examines recent ecumenical developments and argues for a broader, more biblically grounded understanding of catholicity. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites, Visiting Professor of Historical Th…

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NT Wright on Ephesians: The Church as a Small Working Model of New Creation 1:10:42

22d ago1:10:42

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N.T. Wright returns to the podcast for round three—no Malibu rooftop this time, but plenty of theological fireworks. We dig into Tom's new book on Ephesians, starting with why he thinks the scholarly consensus dismissing Pauline authorship is more about 19th-century German liberal Protestant hangover than good historical work. From there, we get in…

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Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Asking The Right Questions & Knowing Your Core Values w/ Psychotherapist Elliott Connie 1:12:08

22d ago1:12:08

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Surveys show there are more people in therapy than ever. On one hand I feel there is more benefit in talking with someone than not. And on the other hand I’m concerned whether all the therapy is paying off. Statistically, mental health continues on a decline. So when I heard about SFBT therapy, I intrigued myself. SFBT is Solution-Focused Brief The…

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The Night Tolkien Convinced C.S. Lewis of Christ (The Power of Myth) 21:26

21d ago21:26

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Gavin Ortlund explores the famous 1931 conversation between Lewis, Tolkien, and Dyson to explore how myth and storytelling might point to the truth of Christianity. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites, Visit…