Over the years it has been suggested to me quite a few times that I should produce some regular content in the form of a podcast or vlog. It seems some people enjoy the way that I explain things which is always encouraging for a teacher to hear. Yet it is also intimidating to consider because I follow a few really polished podcasts and have generated regular content in the past, it is a lot of work. One podcast I enjoy, Advent of Computing with Sean Haas, even graciously gives you insights into his process of organizing and preparing that series. I believe what I’m considering here is best taken as a serious project treated it almost like a part-time job (at least in the beginning).

The other struggle I’m having around podcasting is one my thesis director, Dr. Heather Eaton, challenged me with as I neared the end of my doctoral studies – you can be a scholar who writes and engages primarily with academia or you can be one who blogs and engages primarily with the rest of the world through the internet – but both will be too much to do well. I know she was concerned because at the time I was an avid blogger and she wanted me to succeed in whatever direction I headed. This did not preclude blogging, in my mind at least, but her wise advice was to decide what I should focus on going forward. (The teaching part is a non-negotiable for me, I love teaching.)

Freedom Log was my main blogging effort going back to 2005. Something I picked up towards the end of my theology undergrad and followed me until thesis writing took over my life (drops off in regularity around 2010). At the end of that time the thesis writing frankly burned me out and taking on many new courses to develop and teach has not helped. All that is a bit more stable these days even though I’ve had to diversify my teaching due to the lack of theology positions in my city and a college just up the road that is happy to have me teach software development. The big difference for me now is that while I do love the journaling aspect of blogging, what I need to produce is something consistent and somewhat polished (although I expect the polished part will come with doing over time).

So I’ve been starting to gather names of conversation partners and topics that I would like to cover. Following Sean Haas’ cue I have a big old spreadsheet started and I can imagine a few topics that will turn into a series of episodes already. I mentioned this podcast on my personal Facebook page and I am encouraged by the diverse group of people who said they’d be willing listen to and even to participate in recorded conversations on a lot of the topics I am interested in: theological themes especially around how faith is expressed in culture, how as a theologian I approach teaching, my love of games, gamification in teaching, as well as deconstruction and decolonialization of faith. I have at least enough material to keep me going for a while.

I’ve already started scripting episodes and identifying research I will need to do. I have made a Patreon account which I’ll launch at the same time. I even have a good setup for live streaming which I’d love to play around with once I get things rolling. The one thing I’m going to say upfront is that, like the blog, the podcast will be primarily for me. I think that it will be great to have folks come along for the ride, but I need to start there. As people get more involved in the conversations I hope the podcast will generate I expect to cover off topics I cannot even imagine at this point. But the best way I know to keep the momentum is to make something that I will enjoy, even if that is quirky and eclectic.

I’m going to use the blog here as a way of keeping you updated. The first episode will be my partner, Sharon, interviewing me about the podcast. I think it will set the stage for something new and fun. I hope you will join me on this journey.