Radio Worldview host Jeff Baldwin just celebrated a birthday — we won’t mention which one — but he is in no way one of the “young guns” in our title. He is joined, however, by two Worldview Academy staffers who have yet to see 30, and who are playing integral roles in the future of our ministry. August Huckabee is the Dean of Student Life at our bridge year program, Worldview at the Abbey; Tim Hurd is the Northeast Liaison for WVA. Both men join Jeff to create one of the most sprawling editions of “Roadkill Cafe” — featuring the world’s biggest gas station! But they also provide insights into the growth of Worldview Academy’s Leadership Camps and Worldview at the Abbey. And of course a “young guns” edition would be certified Bill Jack-free!
Perhaps you skipped the last episode of “Radio Worldview” — we can’t blame you! But we fixed our sound problems and we invited Worldview Academy faculty member Brandon Booth to join us, and the result is a fantastic discussion of inventions and technology. Bill accuses Jeff of resisting all new technologies (even the printing press), Jeff explains what he would say to Alexander Graham Bell, and Brandon admits that he was wrong about the Kindle. All in all, a lively discussion centered around the notion that “the medium is the message.”
Well, it wouldn’t be a triumphant return of “Radio Worldview” without some speed bumps! In this episode, Bill Jack makes his long-anticipated comeback and guest August Huckabee, the Dean of Student Life at Worldview Academy’s bridge year program, joins as a guest. Unfortunately, it sounds like host Jeff Baldwin is podcasting from the inside of a garbage can. But that doesn’t stop the show from getting rowdy: Bill tries to defend John Locke, causing Jeff to attack Locke and Benjamin Franklin and anyone else in range. And there’s a bonus: the first studio audience member ever!
By now you might think that Mark Bertrand and Jeff Baldwin have discussed books and movies to their hearts’ content — but actually what’s happened is that they have exercised a modicum of self-restraint. This episode is the final episode exploring accessible books and movies with clearly-identifiable themes, and then Mark fades into the sunset and Bill Jack rejoins the podcast. In the meantime, join us for a discussion of Fitbits, the differences between popular fiction and literary fiction, and whether or not it’s a good idea to write stories without an ending or a theme in view.
To no one’s surprise, hosts Jeff and Mark can talk about books for much longer than one episode. If you haven’t yet listened to Part One, do that first; otherwise settle in for a discussion that ranges from bookbinding stores to Worldview Academy’s new Bridge Year program to understanding film as a “visual medium.” Authors discussed include Flannery O’Connor and Jeff’s personal favorite, Robert Louis Stevenson.
Okay, so sometimes we podcast for selfish reasons. In this episode of “Radio Worldview,” host Jeff Baldwin is joined by occasional co-host and crime novelist Mark Bertrand, who makes suggestions for a Sunday school class Jeff is teaching in the fall. But Mark’s suggestions might help you, too – if you ever find yourself looking for books and movies that have easily-identifiable themes. If Christians are really going to learn to think biblically about the culture they consume, then we need to learn how to parse the content of those works. In other words, identifying themes is a necessary skill for all Christians who read books or watch movies.
Welcome to the second half of our discussion of gaming! This episode continues the conversation between host Jeff Baldwin and guest faculty member Micah Gibson about the possibility of creating art with video games, the roadblocks to broadening their appeal (especially to women), and any genres that might emerge in the future. In addition, Jeff and Micah finish discussing a possible “top ten.” Will Pong make the cut?
Most students at Worldview Academy have heard Jeff Baldwin define art as “skilled human creativity that reflects God’s truth and God’s beauty.” This definition is actually quite broad — a rocking chair could fit this definition, as could a gourmet meal. But can a video game ever rise to the level of art? Has anyone ever created such a game? To answer these questions, Jeff turns to Micah Gibson, a guest faculty member at Worldview Academy in Florida. Micah offers some suggestions, and they discuss why video games seem to appeal almost exclusively to males (except Tetris).
Happy Independence Day! Even in the middle of camp season, right before the holiday, your Radio Worldview team is still cranking out the podcasts and answering your questions. In this episode, hosts Jeff Baldwin and Bill Jack respond to a listener’s question about witnessing to Mormons — but not before they blather on about Route 66 and talk about a hidden gem in the new feature we call “The Flophouse.”
Interested in some hot summer reads? Don’t expect your Radio Worldview hosts to suggest anything timely — but they are more than willing to make recommendations, right after Jeff talks about his appearance on another podcast, “The Redeemed Reader.” After a brief discussion of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, Jeff talks about a biography he recently read about one of his favorite authors, and a novel he had never read by what might be his all-time favorite author. As usual, this episode includes a segment we call “Roadkill Cafe,” as well as a bonus trivia segment about kiddie meals at fast food restaurants.
It’s summertime! This usually means that Bill Jack and Jeff Baldwin have split up, traveling with different teams to teach at Worldview Academy Leadership Camps. Who will fill Bill’s role with Radio Worldview? Not so fast! Bill is still on board, talking with Jeff this week about a listener’s question regarding the Big Bang (no, not the television show). As has become his habit, Jeff also talks about retail marijuana sales in his hometown.
No, not Lucy van Pelt. And not Lucille Ball. One of our listeners wrote in to ask co-hosts Jeff and Bill what they think about the movie “Lucy.” Now, it’s true that your Radio Worldview hosts are more than willing to review a movie that they haven’t seen — but even they draw the line at movies that haven’t been released yet (“Lucy” will be released in the U.S. in August). Still, the idea behind the movie — someone is able to harness all of her brainpower to become superhuman — launches a fun discussion of the brain/mind interface. This leads to a consideration of intelligence and whether or not it can be augmented.
Good things come to him who waits — at least, that’s what we tell our long-suffering listeners who ask us questions. Sometimes it takes us far too long to answer an e-mail, but we usually get around to it. Case in point: this episode’s question about the “show, don’t tell” rule that is so often articulated by writers. Back in January, a listener asked us whether or not, in light of current moral illiteracy, authors should still subscribe to that rule. Hosts Jeff and Bill answer him here, after Jeff vents for a time about retail marijuana stores in his hometown.
Have you heard about Worldview Academy’s new bridge year program? You’ll hear about it now! In this episode, Bill and Jeff dive into the details about “Worldview at the Abbey,” a two-semester residential program in beautiful Canon City, Colorado. Both Jeff and Bill will teach classes ranging from Advanced Worldview and Apologetics to Rhetoric and the Art of the Story — and there are only 12 spots available. If you’d like to participate in the pilot program, listen to this episode and then fill out an application quickly. It all begins in September!
Several episodes of “Radio Worldview” have been entitled “The Kitchen Sink,” because hosts Bill and Jeff often slip into stream-of-consciousness, discussing anything and everything that pops into their minds. As you can probably guess from the title of this episode, you’re about to listen to them talking (again) about everything but the kitchen sink. Jeff is perturbed that his hometown is considering allowing retail marijuana stores to open, a listener has a quick comment about the movie “Frozen,” and then for some strange reason they begin to consider the career of Taylor Swift. At least you’ve been warned!
How could someone who loves worldview not love systematic theology? If we ask Christians to think hard about how their faith applies to every aspect of reality, shouldn’t we ask them to think hard about how their doctrine fits together as well? That sounds reasonable — so of course Radio Worldview host Jeff Baldwin resists it. Tune in to hear Jeff rant about the limits of systematic theology, and to hear Bill Jack rave about a new place for fish and chips on a segment we call “Roadkill Cafe.”
And . . . we’re back! “Radio Worldview” disappeared for an extra week or so there, and we apologize — but we return bearing great news. As of this fall, Worldview Academy will be offering a two-semester gap-year program for high school seniors and graduates in beautiful Canon City, Colorado! Hosts Bill and Jeff talk about the program in this episode, as well as reviewing the movie “God’s Not Dead” and discussing “Noah” and “Son of God.”
Can comparing Radio Worldview favorably to Veggie Tales be an insult? It turns out it can! Can video games raise epistemological questions? It turns out they can! Thanks to one faithful listener, hosts Bill Jack and Jeff Baldwin are drawn into a long, fruitful discussion about discernment, Abraham and Isaac, angelic beings, and of course barbecue and off-brand Cheetos.
We know, we know: Disney owns Pixar now. But that merger created a dilemma: Would the parent company win out and impose their wishy-washy core message (follow your heart/believe in yourself) on Pixar’s excellent storytellers? Or could Pixar’s Judeo-Christian core message (love involves sacrifice/you aren’t the center of the universe) subvert the ingrained “truths” of the corporate behemoth? Thanks to one listener’s question about the recent movie “Frozen,” the Radio Worldview team thinks they see the answer, and it’s an encouraging one for Christian storytellers. Plus a brief episode of “Where the Tech are We?” and lots of asides about the Christian worldview and jurisprudence!
As the Notorious B.I.G. once rapped, “Mo cake, mo problems.” Or at least that’s the way it’s worked out here at Radio Worldview. Not only does this episode revisit the question about a baker creating a wedding cake for a homosexual couple, but it also deals with a listener question about the proper way to address transgender people. Luckily there’s also an episode of “Roadkill Cafe” that includes the phrase “waffle sandwich” to defuse some of the tension.
As soon as Radio Worldview host Bill Jack suggested on the air that the government didn’t have the right to regulate marijuana use, you knew the listener mail would follow. But did you expect that it would be co-host Jeff Baldwin who was taken to task? According to one listener, Jeff’s response to Bill indicated that the government should be allowed to regulate cheeseburger consumption as well. That’s not what Jeff meant, so he attempts to clarify here. Also, this episode includes a brand new ongoing segment: The Flophouse. Come join us!
Ready to talk architecture? Neither, typically, are Jeff Baldwin and Bill Jack — but they make an exception for Frank Lloyd Wright. Thanks to a listener’s question, your Radio Worldview hosts get to wax eloquent about the artistry of Wright, as well as dissect the (somewhat) recent movie Life of Pi. And of course Bill wants to talk about another questionable eatery in the segment we call “Roadkill Cafe.” Pizza for breakfast, anyone?
FWWJB? Instead of asking “What Would Jesus Do?” this episode of Radio Worldview asks, “For Whom Would Jesus Bake?” Thanks to an insightful listener e-mail, hosts Jeff and Bill launch into a LONG discussion about whether or not the Christian baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple was behaving in a Christ-like manner when he refused. Is baking a wedding cake a tacit endorsement of homosexual marriage? Or are such considerations insignificant in light of our call to serve and love sinners? Bill and Jeff disagree — extensively — after a brief segment of Roadkill Cafe.
Time for more listener mail! In this episode of Radio Worldview, one of our listeners takes issue with the fact that we ignored one of the most important literary genres in our recent podcast, and suggests the first example of that genre. Who pioneered historical fiction? You probably already know the answer, but the discussion allows Jeff and Bill to talk about Piers Plowman and The Black Arrow and The Everlasting Man, so it’s all to the good. In addition, this episode features probably the least helpful segment of “Roadkill Cafe” ever created.
It may not seem like Radio Worldview is inundated with listener mail, but we do get enough questions that it takes awhile to answer them all. In this episode, hosts Bill Jack and Jeff Baldwin respond to a long-ago submitted question about how Christians should seek to impact culture. Or should Christians just stay pure and stay away from the arts? It’s a fun discussion, intermingled with Bill talking about the time he wore a cow costume, a list of the five best coffee houses in America, and Jeff describing the escape of his two newest chickens.
You guessed it: Bill Jack is back in the saddle, acting as though Mark Bertrand never slaved to keep Radio Worldview afloat over the summer months. Although long-time listeners will not be deceived about his contributions, Mark is now a distant memory as your co-host. Bill picks up where he left off, haranguing Jeff about “crazy talk” and the Kindle. And there’s so much more: Jeff sings the praises of the college his two oldest are attending; Bill talks about roasting Hatch green chiles; and they even answer a couple of listener questions.
Since this is “part two” of the podcast, you would expect that the Radio Worldview gang – Jeff Baldwin, Mark Bertrand and guest Jay Winslow – would dive right into the continued discussion. But of course you’d be wrong. They begin with superhero names, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” and what they’re reading now before resuming their conversation about integrating math and science in the classical model. If you want to read more about classical education, stay tuned at the end for book recommendations.
Here at Radio Worldview, we’re always excited to receive listener mail about education — but this episode’s question is particularly difficult. Specifically, a listener asks exactly how a Christian classical school can integrate math and science with the other disciplines. That’s a question that has bedeviled Jeff, and it proves difficult for co-host Mark Bertrand and guest Jay Winslow as well. But don’t worry, they have plenty to say about various eating establishments in this episode’s “Roadkill Cafe.”
Perhaps you thought that Radio Worldview was nerdy before — after all, we just posted two episodes about spy novels. Buckle up! We’re about to get way more nerdy than that. In this episode, Jeff Baldwin and co-host Mark Bertrand discuss Mark’s idea journal and the glories of low-tech things like fountain pens and paper. Then Jeff describes a complicated existentialist short story by Albert Camus entitled “The Guest.” In case you still haven’t slipped into a nerd coma, they finish by contemplating the nature of P.G. Wodehouse’s comedy.
Can’t get enough of discussions about books? We can’t either! In this episode of Radio Worldview, hosts Jeff Baldwin and Mark Bertrand continue their discussion of the spy novel genre and its most accomplished authors. Can you write engaging spy novels about an era other than the Cold War? What moral questions arise more commonly for spies than others? How can a student practice the art of the spy novel? Mark and Jeff happily tackle these questions (and they’re probably still talking about them in a used bookstore right now).
As our listeners know, Radio Worldview is in the throes of a minor coup: co-host Bill Jack has disappeared, replaced by WVA faculty member Mark Bertrand. But what perfect timing! In this episode, a listener says that she is interested in writing spy novels from a Christian perspective, and asks Radio Worldview to recommend some classics of the genre. As it happens, Mark is the perfect person to ask this question — so Jeff happily facilitates while occasionally saying nasty things about James Bond.
First, you have to know how difficult it was to resist some sort of pun about Facebook and eternal damnation — but we, the professionals at Radio Worldview, resisted and instead entitled our latest episode something mundane. Still, the title tells the story: this episode opens with hosts Jeff and Mark discussing another segment of “Where the Tech Are We?” and then moves into some listener mail in defense of dams. Is hashtagging on Facebook a good idea? Is Facebook a good idea? And why does Jeff hate dams so much? All this and more on Worldview Academy’s official podcast!
Faithful listeners will remember that last year Radio Worldview host Jeff Baldwin was preparing to teach a senior-level class called “The Art of the Short Story,” and he asked for advice from fellow faculty members Mark Bertrand and Jay Winslow. Now both Mark and Jay rejoin Jeff to discuss how the class went, what the best stories were, and why on earth anyone would want to read Henry James. A must for all lit fans!
That’s right! Radio Worldview has finally returned — no thanks to Bill Jack. While Bill is off gallivanting around the country with his Worldview Academy faculty team, Host Jeff Baldwin’s team has picked up the slack. In this episode, WVA faculty member and famous crime novelist Mark Bertrand is officially promoted to the exalted position of “Co-host” and, rather than getting drunk with power as you might expect, acquits himself nobly. Jeff and Mark settle in with a new segment of Roadkill Cafe and then begin a long discussion about architecture and the long-overlooked Arizona artifact known as Arcosanti.
It seems unfair to include Edison in the title of this episode, since our discussion of his biography is unrelated to the debate over homosexual unions and the nature of bigotry — but as usual, your hosts follow some rabbit trails. They begin with listener mail and a discussion of the definition of bigotry, which leads to a discussion of the foundation for pluralism in America. And then, briefly, Jeff and Bill talk about what Bill is reading now, and the life of America’s greatest inventor.
Would you like your Radio Worldview hosts to respond to listener mail? So would Jeff! Unfortunately, co-host Bill is feeling especially random in this podcast, and so it begins with a discussion of the zombie movie “Warm Bodies” (no kidding!), and then transitions into a discussion of the new country song “She Loves Me Like Jesus.” Eventually Jeff is able to steer Bill back to the task at hand, and they respond to an excellent listener e-mail about suffering. Then Jeff is taken to task for his attitude toward Massachusetts and France. A rousing episode!
Bill is back! After a one-show hiatus, Worldview Academy’s Bill Jack returns with a vengeance, taking time immediately to chip in his two cents about the last podcast — including an odd rant about Thomas the Train. Although co-host Jeff Baldwin does not want to rehash the discussion of “selling out” from the previous show, Bill won’t let it go. Eventually, they move on to listener mail and a discussion of the role of question-asking in apologetics.
The answer to our question seems obvious, doesn’t it? But our guest co-host, Micah Gibson, cheerfully argues that (in the right context) “selling out” can be not only a good business decision but also a good creative decision, at least as long as you want to maintain an audience for your art. Co-host Jeff Baldwin has always admired Bill Watterson for refusing to license Calvin plushies or anything else, but Micah says that may be a mistake. All this, and a rousing discussion about one of the worst books Jeff has ever read!
If you listened to the last podcast, you know that host Bill Jack was starting to stir up trouble, suggesting that cities use water more efficiently than rural communities. And if you know co-host Jeff Baldwin, you know that any assertion of urban superiority rubs him the wrong way. In this episode, Jeff and Bill duke it out, trying to determine how Christians should view water, and especially sharing water in arid places like the American West.
Co-hosts Jeff Baldwin and Bill Jack are back with a more focused episode of Radio Worldview — discussing the biblical view of allocating the most important natural resource, water. Naturally, it takes them awhile to get there; first Jeff talks yet again about the Super Bowl and then Bill makes a prediction about the next “holy grail” for the American media. But once they get rolling, the conversation gains steam nicely — leading inexorably to a discussion of the tension between rural and urban areas.
As longtime listeners know, sometimes Radio Worldview just needs a show to clear the decks. It would be inaccurate to suggest that this episode has a theme — unless you count random segments and trivia and movie commentary as a theme. Bill leads off with a “Roadkill Cafe” segment, and then Jeff chimes in with his opinions about the movie “Brick.” Later, both hosts discuss what they’re working on now. Add a dash of Super Bowl trivia and some discussion of President Lincoln, and you’ve got the hodgepodge we call “Playing Catch-up.”
There were so many fun title options for this episode, including “How Long Should We Tolerate Intolerance?” and “Letting France and Massachusetts Sleep in the Beds They Made.” The problem, of course, is that this show deals with far more than a title can express. Should we be surprised to find the champions of tolerance being intolerant? Who are the swine Jesus refers to in Matthew 7:6? Should a Christian ministry choose its battles, or should it go looking for a fight? And is Jeff right to give up on France? Tune in and hear Bill poke Jeff with sharp sticks until he snaps.
Do you live under a rock? Then you probably haven’t heard about the technological advances that co-hosts Bill Jack and Jeff Baldwin will be discussing today on Radio Worldview. Although Bill and Jeff live far from the cutting edge, they occasionally like to discuss technology, like the Up by Jawbone or the new Field Trip app. In this episode, Jeff supplies the “technology” part of our title, and Bill supplies the “paranoia” part. Think of it as a “Where the Tech Are We?” segment that rambles on and on.
What are we reading now? Radio Worldview co-host Bill Jack is fired up about a book entitled Hitler’s Cross by Erwin Lutzer. In this book, Lutzer reminds his readers that many Christians stood by and did nothing as Hitler rose to power and persecuted the Jews. Bill points out that it’s easy to assume, in hindsight, that you would have taken a stand against the Third Reich — but can you really be sure? This leads to a broader discussion of the false sacred/secular dichotomy.
The title of this podcast may not be the best, since “closing the deal” sounds like a term for salesmen. Sharing your faith isn’t like selling a set of encyclopedias, but Christians do need to ask their listeners to act on what they’ve heard. How can you do this in a gracious way? Co-host Jeff Baldwin talks about his most recent experience, and Bill Jack talks about the new evangelism tool he has developed.
Merry Christmas to all our listeners! This edition of Radio Worldview, recorded shortly before Christmas, features host Jeff Baldwin ranting about his two recent root canals, and then explaining to co-host Bill Jack why the new movie “The Hobbit” might actually be better than Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies. Bill and Jeff then consider some of the trailers for unreleased movies like “Pacific Rim” and “Beautiful Creatures,” which don’t offer much hope for the movies in 2013.
Radio Worldview has never claimed to be on the leading edge of news stories or any part of the calendar, so it should come as no surprise that this episode deals primarily with the Christian response to Halloween. Bill and Jeff have been working hard to catch up on listener mail, and one of the last questions deals with our most popular secular holiday. Conveniently, Jeff recently finished reading horror story master H.P. Lovecraft, so this becomes a podcast mostly concerned with ghosts, aliens and witches. Put on a yule log, cozy up under the mistletoe, and listen up!
Everyone knows about Black Friday. But did you shop Small Business Saturday? And should you? Radio Worldview deals with this question, but not before Jeff Baldwin describes his recent backpacking trip to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and Bill Jack raves about another hidden gem in “Roadkill Cafe.” This podcast ends with Jeff’s favorite listener e-mail of all time — an e-mail that Bill promptly crumples up and discards. Just another day at the office for Radio Worldview!
A tardy Bill Jack is better than no Bill Jack at all . . . Right? This podcast begins with your host, Jeff Baldwin, flying solo — always a dangerous proposition, especially when you consider the nerd factor. With no one to get in his way, Jeff cheerfully launches into a prolonged discussion of great books that are overlooked by most secular educators. Finally, Bill arrives on the scene and steers the discussion to “Roadkill Cafe” and a listener e-mail about an overlooked noir movie. Bill has done his homework and watched the movie, so we’re able to recommend it with some qualifications. Special bonus: Jeff makes a crackpot “Where the Tech are We?” prediction at the very end of this episode!
When you see the title of this podcast, you might think that it’s about the cursing that appears in some noir novels — but you’d be wrong. Actually, Jeff has been reading Raymond Chandler, which sparks a long, unscripted discussion of detective noir, including such questions as: Is Batman noir? What about Clint Eastwood as the Outlaw Josey Wales? After this long digression, Bill and Jeff deal with a listener’s question about cussing. In other words, business as usual at Radio Worldview: rabbit trails galore.
It’s been too long! Hosts Bill and Jeff podcast from the Worldview Academy Leadership Camp in New Mexico as they try to catch up with listener mail, what they’re reading now, and the ever-satisfying “Roadkill Cafe.” Was Mohammed visited by a demon? What about Joseph Smith? Why is Islam dying, according to the book Bill is reading now? And what obscure literary figure will Jeff rant about?
There’s been a growing trend, especially among people concerned with global warming, to embrace the “Buy Local” movement. How should Christians feel about it? Does a concern for enhanced community also require a commitment to shop only at quirky, locally-owned stores? Is there something inherently evil about WalMart? And how is all of this related to the “patriotic” assumption that it is better to buy products made in the USA? The issue is complex, and your hosts Jeff and Bill do their level best to tackle it.
Should women lead? There are verses in the Bible that suggest that women should not instruct men in theological matters. Is this just cultural, or does it apply today? Does it have even broader application? What about a woman president? And how can young Christian women encourage young Christian men to take the reins and lead? These questions are raised by a faithful listener, and Bill and Jeff do their best to tackle them. But it’s not all serious! This episode’s edition of “Roadkill Cafe” features one of the most disgusting things Jeff ever had to see Bill eat.
Order is restored to the universe! After a summer apart, Radio Worldview co-hosts Jeff and Bill are reunited, and ready to brag about their recent trip to Alaska. Think some of the other places they’ve discussed in “Roadkill Cafe” are obscure? Wait until you hear about Snow City Cafe. And that’s just the beginning; a segment called “Where the Tech Are We?” follows, and seems to confuse your hosts even more than technology normally does.
Don’t let the title fool you; this episode of Radio Worldview encompasses television shows as well. We begin with Bill Jack discussing two recent, highly-acclaimed movies: Hugo and The Grey. While The Grey is both “nihilistic and blasphemous,” according to Bill, it sketches an accurate picture of the consequences of turning your back on God. After more discussion of worldviews reflected in movies, Jeff tries to defend some recent television shows, including “Alcatraz” and “Life on Mars.” Bill is skeptical.
Radio Worldview hosts Bill and Jeff love tangents, as our regular listeners know, but sometimes they fall a little too in love with tangents; when that happens, you get episodes like this one. What do they discuss? What don’t they discuss? Bill explains why you can’t call “flip-flops” that name anymore, Jeff talks about what he’s reading now, Bill discusses using puppets to reenact courtroom scenes, Jeff outlines his great books reading program for students in the logic stage, both men compare the “strengths” of USA Today with The Wall Street Journal, and then they finally answer listener mail. This leads to a brief but heated discussion about whether you can trust what any candidate says during campaign season.
After another rousing edition of “Roadkill Cafe,” Radio Worldview hosts Jeff and Bill read some listener mail and then dive back in to the presidential election. Can a case be made for voting for Mitt Romney? Ever? Does Rick Santorum have a chance, and does it matter? We know that the presidential election is ultimately in God’s hands, but it still matters how we behave as stewards of our votes. Time to duke it out again!
As long-time listeners know, co-hosts Bill Jack and Jeff Baldwin both live in Colorado, so they are naturally Broncos fans. They would always be thrilled to find a quarterback leading a mediocre team to a 7-2 record, but when that quarterback is an outspoken Christian who seems to understand his faith as a total worldview, they are ecstatic. But does God really care about who wins football games? The national media seems to think the answer is an obvious “no.” Jeff and Bill discuss this, and talk about living out your faith in the glare of the spotlight.
How do you get from Davy Crockett to jurisdiction to the advertising industry? Well, with Radio Worldview it all begins with one good listener question. After Bill and Jeff talk about what they’re reading now (hint: Jeff is learning to love noir), your hosts respond to a question about the role of government. Bill talks more about his experience interviewing protesters at Occupy Wall Street in Denver, and Jeff attacks consumerism. Just another day at the office for Worldview Academy!
That didn’t take long! Radio Worldview’s recent podcast about greedy CEOs and the Occupy Wall Street movement generated immediate listener backlash, as a former staffer took exception to the generalization that CEOs of large American companies tend to be greedy. To no one’s surprise, host Jeff Baldwin is not willing to back down from his initial position. Things get especially interesting as co-host Bill Jack describes his recent interviews with Occupiers in Denver. This episode also features another installment of “Where the Tech Are We?” in which Bill and Jeff discuss the latest — and easiest — way for small businesses to process credit cards.
In this episode of Radio Worldview, hosts Jeff and Bill respond to another wonderful listener question (please keep them coming!). How can Christians who have had immoral earthly fathers — or who never had a father at all — relate to God as our heavenly Father? Is it possible for Christians with supportive earthly fathers to help these other Christians understand the true role of the father? This very serious discussion is preceded by a very flip discussion in the segment “Where the Tech are We?” where Jeff talks about the iPhone’s new personal assistant and Bill reveals breaking news straight from YouTube.
As you can probably guess from the title of this episode, this is another show that includes everything except the kitchen sink. Jeff and Bill respond to a listener e-mail that manages to be vaguely insulting toward them both, followed by Jeff ranting about bad coffee, followed by an episode of Roadkill Cafe that might feature the weirdest thing Bill has ever eaten (and that is saying something). After that, your hosts fill you in on Worldview Academy news and discuss what they’re reading now, which includes a book with the provocative title Don’t Let the Kids Drink the Kool-aid.
After last episode’s critique of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Radio Worldview returns to the topic to discuss the sins at the root of the trouble. Host Jeff Baldwin wants to emphasize the greed of most corporate CEOs, and remind them that by insisting on finding their self-worth in pay and perks they are alienating their employees; host Bill Jack wants to emphasize the envy of the average man and its propensity to undermine excellence. In addition, our latest segment of “Roadkill Cafe” features Jeff’s worst breakfast nightmare — which Bill happily eats.
In a shocking turn of events, three of the four founders of Worldview Academy found themselves in the same room today, with time to record a podcast about a very current event: the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. Worldview Academy Executive Director Randy Sims joins hosts Bill Jack and Jeff Baldwin to discuss the biblical view of money, politics and envy. Should we be concerned about the gap between the haves and the have-nots in America? Is our economic system merely “crony capitalism”? What should the government do to help? These and other questions are discussed after a brief installment of Where the Tech Are We?
Shortly after Radio Worldview’s host Jeff Baldwin defends the honor of his favorite donut shop anywhere — Top Pot Donuts — he confesses that WVA faculty member Mark Bertrand’s newest novel Pattern of Wounds has encouraged him to read more classic mysteries. In the process, he’s discovered some doozies, including one dedicated to G.K. Chesterton. After pontificating to co-host Bill Jack about what he’s reading now, Jeff and Bill answer a listener’s question about Just War Theory. Bill also talks about eating beet sandwiches.
If you feel like you haven’t absorbed a sufficient allotment of “crazy talk” lately, take heart! In this episode of Radio Worldview, co-host Bill Jack returns and restores the balance of power. The show begins with Bill telling a terrific story about Worldview Academy students sharing their faith in San Diego, and then he and Jeff discuss the last Jehovah’s Witness who showed up at Jeff’s door. After a brief discussion of presidential candidates, Bill discusses what he’s reading now: Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides.
In August, Radio Worldview host Jeff Baldwin was asked to deliver the sermon at Christian Family Fellowship in Canon City, Colorado. This sermon concludes the thoughts articulated in our three-part series, What Education is Not. Next week, Bill Jack returns to Radio Worldview, and life returns to “normal.”
As promised, Radio Worldview continues its discussion with Worldview Academy faculty member Brandon Booth about the manifesto You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier. In this episode, we further explore the meaning of the slogan “information wants to be free,” the atheistic “hope” that human consciousness can be stored on the internet after death, the Turing test and what makes a person a person, and the lack of original content on the internet. Eventually, Jeff finds a chance to talk about his one and only novel, Ian, written more than 20 years ago.
Although this may come as a shock, Radio Worldview hosts Jeff Baldwin and Bill Jack don’t know a whole lot about newer technology. Fortunately, one of our camp directors, Brandon Booth, does. In this episode, Jeff quizzes Brandon about a book they both recently read: You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier. Jeff was drawn to the title because he worries about Christians blindly embracing every advance in technology — is there real danger here? While Lanier is not a Christian (he goes out of his way to mock the idea of a Creator), he is acutely aware of some of the failings of the internet, and some of the pitfalls farther down the road.
Brace yourself. When Mark Bertrand appeared on Radio Worldview to discuss his newest crime novel, Pattern of Wounds, host Jeff Baldwin was able to interview him for this second episode — but the focus of this show is shockingly nerdy (or not so shockingly, if you know Mark and Jeff). They begin by discussing novelist Henry James — long a source of contention between the two — with Jeff trying to defend his dislike of James by relying on The Art of Rhetoric by Wayne Booth. Then they abruptly switch to a lenghty discussion of Marvel comic books, triggered in part by the new Captain America movie. You’ve been warned: this show will only appeal to lit nerds and comic nerds.
As we celebrate the July release of Worldview Academy faculty member Mark Bertrand’s latest novel, Pattern of Wounds, Radio Worldview host Jeff Baldwin sits down with Mark to find out more. To get listeners up to speed, they begin with his first crime novel, Back on Murder, and then turn to the sequel. Throughout the discussion, they focus on the special problem faced by Christian writers: how can you write a book consistent with your worldview while avoiding preaching and pedantry? Eventually they get down to specifics: isn’t it even harder to write a Christian novel about a serial killer?
Finally! In this episode, Radio Worldview hosts Bill Jack and Jeff Baldwin reach the end of their series about what education is not. (Of course, Bill and Jeff still find time for an episode of “Roadkill Cafe,” but at least they stay on topic for most of the rest of the show.) Their discussion centers around the fourth thing education is not: a danger to the Christian’s faith. Although the modern church often adopts a stance of anti-intellectualism in a mistaken effort to protect Christians from scrutinizing what they believe, thoughtful Christians understand that, in a reality where Christ calls Himself “the Truth,” we have nothing to fear from closely examining our worldview. Thinking hard will not jeopardize your faith — it will galvanize it.
In this second installment of our three-part series, hosts Jeff and Bill talk about two more of the predominant myths about education: (1) Education is a means to an end; and (2) Education is an ivory tower pursuit. Properly understood, education for Christians is an end in itself — part of the lifelong process of sanctification. In addition, because ideas have consequences, a biblical view of education assumes that students are seeking to embrace scriptural ideas to manifest good consequences in history. Such an approach is eminently practical, much more so than flailing around ignorantly and hoping to stumble upon good results.
If you’re looking for a podcast that is all about education, you’re looking in the wrong place. It takes the Radio Worldview team more than 15 minutes to dive into that topic in this episode, as they wind their way from horrible pop songs through Republican presidential hopefuls to refusing to reveal the gender of your child. But once under way, Jeff and Bill find time to talk about the first of four educational myths, namely: Education is salvific. While non-Christians believe that man is basically good and therefore we can educate people to always behave in the right way, Christians have to remind them that sin is real and no man can be redeemed by the classroom, no matter how good the teaching might be.
How should Christians feel about the United Nations? This question is more easily answered if you know that the U.N. just seriously considered extending civil rights to the entity they call “Mother Earth.” Such nonsense leads to a more complex discussion, however: is the modern green movement a trojan horse for people who hate capitalism? And why does capitalism fit with the biblical worldview anyway? Your hosts Bill Jack and Jeff Baldwin discuss these issues, as well as Bill’s new DVD, “Lost in America.”
Long-time listeners know that co-host Bill Jack has always wanted to call our podcast “That’s Crazy Talk.” Never has that title been more appropriate than right now, when Bill and Jeff finish discussing all the crazy talk in Love Wins by Rob Bell. How bad is it? Jeff is so angry that they actually dive right into the topic, with nary a mention of donuts or Colorado or what we’re reading now. Once Bill and Jeff are done with Bell, they take the time to answer a couple of quick questions from listeners. The discussion ranges from Bible apps for the iPod to Thomas Hobbes.
We wanted to entitle this episode “Who Will Take Care of Your Pets After the Rapture?” since this show begins with hosts Bill and Jeff discussing an actual service offered by atheists who promise to care for Christians’ pets after the rapture, and then leads into a discussion of Pastor Rob Bell’s book Love Wins. Since Bell is basically a universalist who expects everybody to ultimately make it into heaven, maybe Christians can’t even count on atheists to take care of their pets. And if the sarcasm in this synopsis is lost on you, just tune in to this episode, sit back, relax, and listen to Bill and Jeff bemoan Bell’s shoddy pseudo-intellectualism.