Godcasts: Religious and Spiritual Podcasts

You cannot talk about podcasts without talking about religious and spiritual podcasts, or "Godcasts" as they have affectionately been called. This genre of podcasting is the fourth most popular behind audioblogs, music, and technology. One of the best places to find religious podcasts is at the GodCast Network (www.godcast.org), which was the first podcast network and was started by Craig Patchett. Not all religious podcasts are rebroadcasts of a Sunday sermon (although there are more and more of those popping up every week), and most are not even by priests or clergy. Most are just everyday people talking about a subject that they are very passionate about, even if that means doing so in the Klingon language. What follows in Table 3.6 is a very diverse mix of different religious and spiritual podcasts.

Table 3.6. Popular Religious Podcasts

Host(s)	Podcast	Website URL
Steve Webb	Lifespring	www.lifespringpodcast.com
Ron Stephens	Awaretek	www.awaretek.com
Father Roderick	Catholic Insider	www.catholicinsider.com
Rachel Patchett	Rachel's Choice	www.godcast.org
Joel Anderson	Klingon Word	klingonword.blogspot.com

Lifespring

As one of the very first "Godcasters," Steve has been producing Lifespring since early November 2004. The show is released about once a week, and the typical length is in the 30-to-35-minutes range. The show is G-rated.

"I wanted to do some programming that hopefully non-believers might be interested in listening to more than just a sermon. So I try to make Lifespring somewhat entertaining. I put music in there, I talk about some things of faith, and I just try and make it entertaining for people who might be considering the idea of what is the whole God thing."

Steve Webb, Lifespring

Awaretek

Awaretek was the first podcast for host Ron Stephens, who also hosts the popular Python411 show. This show is released roughly once a week, and the typical length is 20 to 30 minutes per episode. The show is G-rated.

"I cover the big issues of the day, what is really important in life, so it is kind of a philosophy but it has to do with science and technology and trying to find some sort of spiritual angle that is compatible with science and with reason and with logic and then applying that in a practical fashion to what we might do in the present to try to create a better future."

Ron Stephens, Awaretek

Catholic Insider

Arguably the most popular religious podcaster, Father Roderick burst onto the scene in the podcasting world in the spring of 2005 by offering listeners around the world a behind-the-scenes view of Pope John Paul II's funeral. A new show is released 3 to 10 times a month, with an average length varying from 10 to 30 minutes. The show is G-rated.

"Most of the time [it] is just soundseeing, so I would just go out and I [would record]. I was very often in Rome, so that is an interesting place to be. There is lots to see, and I could make a lot of audio documentaries about the churches and the places and the people I met there."

Father Roderick, Catholic Insider

Rachel's Choice

Rachel Patchett is the daughter of podcast legend and founder of the GodCast Network, Craig Patchett. When she first started, Rachel was the youngest podcaster with her own show. Each show has a Bible verse, along with a select music track. A new show is released about two to three times a month, with an average length of about 5 minutes per show. The show is of course G-rated.

Klingon Word

Hosted by Joel Anderson, Klingon Word has a unique concept for a show. This podcast is a great example of how you can bring two things together in a podcast that would never have made it past a program director on radio. In this case, it is the Klingon language and the Bible. The show is released about twice a week and is about 5 minutes in length per episode. The show is G-rated.

Passion for the Godcast

As you can tell from this diverse mix of shows, you do not need to be a priest or clergy member to do a Godcast and have a strong listening base. Also, Godcasts can cover any area of religion or spirituality that you believe in. This is one area in podcasting where if you are not passionate about the subject, the podcast will fail.