The Pugcast

Today the Pugs are pleased to welcome Ryan Lauterio of The Maker Institute of Richmond, Virginia onto the show! Ryan is an academic and artist who taught at Virginia Commonwealth University and is now the Chief Executive Officer of The Maker Institute. The mission of the Institute is to develop Gospel-gripped, theologically minded, adept culture makers who faithfully seek to glorify Christ in all things. The Pugs enjoyed a free ranging conversation about the arts generally speaking and the current state of arts education.

Learn more about The Maker Institute: https://themakerinstitute.org/

The Builder documentary referenced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z74o1Ld5eUE

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This week, the Pugsters are excited to welcome poet, priest, and theologian Malcolm Guite to the show. Chris leads off the conversation with Mariner, Guite’s biography of Samuel Taylor Coleridge which uniquely among studies of Coleridge brings out the importance of his return to Trinitarian Christianity to his life. The conversation uses Coleridge’s life and work as a jumping off point to move on to other topics, including Lewis’s concept of joy and the nature and importance of imagination. It’s a fascinating discussion with a fascinating individual, and we think you’ll find it as stimulating as we did.

Follow Malcolm Guite on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MalcolmGuitespell

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After the last episode on Anselm didn’t get to his theory of the atonement, our resident historian Glenn decided we needed to go back and take another look at Anselm. But along with Anselm’s satisfaction theory, the guys look at a wide range of other ways Christians have understood the atonement over the past two millennia. Particularly at the beginning of Holy Week, this is a good time to broaden our thinking about the atonement and come to a deeper appreciation of what Christ has done for us.

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On today's episode Tom introduces Saint Anselm, one of the most influential Western theologians whose impact remains significant on Western Christianity in particular. The pugs discussion of this founding teacher of scholastic Christianity lead into some of the riches of Christian history and theology, as well as into such fascinating territories of faith and reason, the ontological proof of God in particular, and the nature of the atonement. The relevance of the Saint for engaging our times is also discussed from many important angles.

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Today Chris presents Rusty Reno's thesis from his book, Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism, and the Future of the West. Reno's thesis is that since WW2 western leaders and intellectuals have worked to weaken natural affections that call for loyalty and sacrifice. The weak gods used to promote the program have been weakening and we now live in a world in which the old affections are growing stronger. The Pugs reflect on this development--both in hope, but also with a little caution.

Order Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism, and the Future of the West:  https://www.regnery.com/9781684512690/return-of-the-strong-gods/

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The Pugsters take a walk on the weird side with a conversation on UFOs (or, as they are now called, UAPs), AI, and quantum computing as interrelated parts of a new, emerging religion that Glenn calls Technopaganism. There's a whole lot going on in these areas and a lot of it is very strange. Join us as Glenn takes us through a survey of some of the terrain using the work of professor of religion Diana Pasulka as a jumping off point. But be prepared for a lot of things that don't fit the way we've been taught to see the world!

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On today's show Tom, Glenn, and Chris trace the theological heritage of historic Christian and Reformed moral theology as it drew upon and developed natural law thinking as one resource for moral wisdom and engagement with culture. As we address moral challenges of our age, we have a rich heritage in our faith, from the early Church through various Protestant and Reformed lines, to draw upon as we aim to unpack biblical ethical wisdom in our time. The natural law tradition is one such line which the Reformed line classically embraced and developed in light of its core theological insights. The pugs enjoy a lively conversation around this important contribution to moral theology.

The Right Use of Moral Philosophy by Pierre de La Place: https://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Sources-Modern-Economics-Ethics/dp/1949011062

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Today the Pugs are pleased to interview Brian Suave' and Benjamin Garrett about their new book, Haunted Cosmos. It's a fun and free-ranging interview about a cosmos that is more than just "stuff." During the conversation the question, "Why are Reformed believers seemingly less willing to entertain the ongoing activity of angels and demons in our world?" is considered, along with many other fascinating questions. Tune in and prepare to hear a discussion that discusses fairies, cryptids, and aliens and what we should make of them. Fun!

Order Haunted Cosomo: Doing Your Duty in a World that’s Not Just Stuff: https://www.newchristendompress.com/cosmos

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Today Chris shares some of his work on artificial intelligence and the prospects for a wholesome humanism. The question he's attempting to answer is, "Is it possible to preserve permanent things such as traditional family life when the technology we have developed can easily tears wholesome life to shreds?" In other words, is dystopia inevitable, or can we have an apple pie American wholesomeness and still have rocket ships? Join us for a little science fiction fun!

Support the Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8

Catch our documentary ‘A Pugcast Pilgrimage: Lewis, Oxford, and Our Postmodern Age’ at https://youtu.be/7OYYuK2Y7d0

Today the Pugs interview Jeff Shafer about the brave new world of children without biological parents. What happens when children become products that we assemble from the gene pool and sell to the highest bidder? We don't have to wonder, it's already here. Jeff is a lawyer and the director of the Hale Institute. His recent lecture, "Machine Anithumanism and the Inversion of Family Law" was published on a couple of prominent Substacks and came to the attention of Tom and Chris at a recent Hale Institute event they both participated in. Tune in a learn about the talk that has Matthew B. Crawford and N. S. Lyons buzzing. Our scientists are up to some disturbing antihuman stuff.

Read Machine Antihumanism and the Inversion of Family Law at https://theupheaval.substack.com/p/machine-antihumanism-and-the-inversion

Learn more about the Hale Institute: https://www.haleinstitute.org/

Support the Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8

Catch our documentary ‘A Pugcast Pilgrimage: Lewis, Oxford, and Our Postmodern Age’ at https://youtu.be/7OYYuK2Y7d0