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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 |
|
Ron Stephens |
Awaretek |
|
Father Roderick |
Catholic Insider |
|
Rachel Patchett |
Rachel's Choice |
|
Joel Anderson |
Klingon Word |
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.
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.
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.
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.