My Favorite ‘Quick to Listen’ Podcasts of 2020

Why someone you love might join QAnon, where the black church is in the Black Lives Matter movement, and why we can’t stop talking about hipster pastors.

Christianity Today December 22, 2020

As a journalist, if I summed up 2020 in one word, it would be disinformation. Part of this year, of course, has been defined by its lack of information. How does COVID-19 spread? How long are people contagious? Is it safe to sing at church? But much of my and my fellow reporters’ efforts have been contending with false claims about billionaires influencing the virus, election hacking schemes, an agenda behind mask mandates, and a little conspiracy theory known as QAnon.

Each week on Quick to Listen, I consider the volume of information that we present. Our episodes on Belarus and Armenia this year took me into parts of the world I knew little about and introduced me to geopolitical spaces I’ve never really had to consider. I realize that the fields of knowledge we bring listeners into are vast and complex, and I’m humbled that so many of you are open to learning this much.

My hope for the show is that we are giving you not only more information but also the tools to fight disinformation, and that you would feel shaped in your ability to ask questions, think critically, and dive into the Bible when you encounter complexity. I aspire to produce a podcast that forms and informs. With that in mind, below are some of my favorite episodes that I believe do both. They are arranged in chronological order from the start of the year forward.

Morgan Lee, Quick to Listen co-host and producer

Check out the rest of our 2020 year-end lists here.

Also in this series

Our Latest

Let the Little Children Hang with Church Grandmas

In our age-segregated society, I’m grateful for the elder saints who counsel and invest in my children.

The Russell Moore Show

McKay Coppins on the Hidden Dangers of Online Sports Gambling

McKay Coppins spent one year and $10,000 of The Atlantic’s money to find out the truth about sports betting.

Quashing Political Violence Requires We Tame Our Tongues

The manifesto of the WHCD shooting suspect was biblically superficial and wrong. It was also unsettlingly familiar.

The Bulletin

Trust in Higher Ed, Marijuana Status, NFL Draft, and West Bank Violence

Public confidence in universities, medical marijuana risk, NFL draft picks, and understanding the Israeli settler movement.

Review

God Didn’t Make a Zero-Sum World

Ian Shapiro argues that democracy depends on spreading the wealth. But Christians are equipped to live in love, not fear.

Excerpt

Competence Is Deeper Than Confidence

David Thomas

An excerpt from Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience.

The Syllabus

In College, AI Is a Friend and Foe

Students discuss how the technology can serve as a learning tool but can also lead to dishonesty and laziness.

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