Podcast recommendation: Good Christian Fun
The only downside about one of my new favorite podcasts, Good Christian Fun, is that it's a little hard to describe exactly what it is. It sounds like the kind of show that's designed to proselytize to non-believers or to speak only to Christians, but neither of those are the case. Instead, the podcast features two funny people discussing Christian pop culture with a loving but still-critical eye. Hosts Kevin T. Porter (Gilmore Guys) and Caroline Ely grew up in Christian households and describe themselves as "tour guides through the weird and hilarious world of faith-based entertainment." Each episode features the duo and a guest discussing a specific element of Christian pop culture, from movies like Kirk Cameron's Fireproof to musicians like Steven Curtis Chapman.
Whether you're a Christian familiar with the pop culture in question or someone like me who's just curious about strange subcultures, there's something to enjoy in Good Christian Fun. Porter and Ely both bring affection, empathetic points of view to the show. They're curious and non-judgmental about the topic of faith, but they're also more than happy to criticize the Christian culture they examine-both from an artistic standpoint and from a moral one. Ely, in particular, is interested in the way mainstream Christian culture treats women and the podcast is currently running a series focused on the (often problematic) notion of "Biblical womanhood."
Mostly, however, Good Christian Fun is just a fun, funny examination of a weird subset of pop culture. For instance, the recurring segment "The Hunt for the Worst Christian Song of All Time" has introduced me to some hilariously terrible music. And like a lot of the best podcasts, the show thrives on its hosts' chemistry as much as anything else. Though I don't have firsthand experience with most of the Christian culture the show discusses, I still enjoy listening to Porter and Ely break it all down anyway.
You can listen to Good Christian Fun wherever you get your podcasts or learn more on the show's website and Twitter account.