Podcasts: 10 of the best to help you learn, laugh and pray

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Podcasts have been around for about 10 years. In the aftermath of the hugely popular 'Serial' in the last two years, they've become one of the most talked-about forms of media.

From large professional broadcasters to smaller productions, the sheer range of things out there mean we have the world at our fingertips. Some of the most popular podcasts now have millions of subscribers.

Here is a list of 10 podcasts covering various genres – some of them featuring specifically Christian themes, others simply with fascinating content – for you to enjoy...

Godpod

Produced by St Paul's Theological Centre in London, Godpod features theologians Graham Tomlin, Mike Lloyd, Jane Williams and others talking about God, theology, life and much more. It's just hit 100 episodes, so there's a great back catalogue. Find it here.

Guardian Long Read

Want to know more about Russia's electronic propaganda, Richard Dawkins sabotaging his reputation or the millionaire who rescues migrants from drowning? The Guardian long read has consistently fascinating investigations into a huge variety of topics. Find it here.

The Liturgists

The Liturgists podcast features worship leader and musician Michael Gungor and his friend 'Science Mike', as well as an array of guests like Rob Bell, Rachel Held Evans and Don Miller. They talk about art, science, faith and more. The episodes dealing with the loss and refinding of faith are especially poignant. Find it here.

West Wing Weekly

One of the best TV shows of the last 20 years has just got its own podcast. Cast member Joshua Molina is going to watch though every episode and then podcast about it. It may seem like a very geeky thing to do – and let's face it, it is – but for fans, it'll be essential. Find it here.

Unbelievable?

With nearly 10 years of archives, Unbelievable? is a treasure trove of discussions between Christians and non-Christians. Sometimes the discussion is with a person of another faith, sometimes with an atheist. It covers science, the Bible, ethics, philosophy and more. Well worth subscribing. Find it here.

Philosophy Bites

Another long-running podcast in which guest philosophers join Nigel Warburton to talk about their area of expertise. The podcasts are pretty short so just give you a flavour of the topic. Dipping into the large back catalogue will certainly expand your horizons. Find it here.

Timothy Keller Sermons

Podcasts can be a great source of inspiration and guidance. Many of the more tech-savvy churches now podcast their teaching from Sunday services and conferences. Tim Keller is widely renowned as one of the world's best preachers, and this podcast gathers many of his classic sermons. Find it here.

In Our Time

Large broadcasting organisations like the BBC offer their radio proagrammes as podcasts, which means comedy, documentary, sport and current affairs podcasts are in plentiful supply. In Our Time is a long-running discussion programme about a different fascinating topic each week. Find it here.

Invisibilia

Similarly, NPR offers large swathes of its speech programming in podcast form. Invisibilia has only had a short run of one season so far, but it proved great listening. Investigating the hidden forces that act upon our daily lives, the show will make you see things from a new angle. Find it here.

Pray As You Go

This podcast from the Jesuits in Britain is an excellent way to end the day. It takes the historic spiritual practice of 'examen' into the 21st Century by providing you with Scripture, prayers and silent time to reflect on the good and bad aspects of your day – as well as musical interludes. Find it here.