RTB at 30: How the Podcasts Evolved

RTB at 30: How the Podcasts Evolved

Shortly after running into the newfangled term “podcast” in the mid-2000s, RTB launched its first digital media offering, Science News Flash, on September 26, 2007. Concurrently, we also featured Straight Thinking and I Didn’t Know That! Together, the three podcasts enjoyed a seven-year run before they were replaced by the trio of Apologia podcasts in 2014.

Science News Flash allowed scholars Hugh Ross, Fuz Rana, and Jeff Zweerink the chance to immediately report on breaking science discoveries that carried apologetics implications. When we discovered that a popular news outlet had picked up a hot science topic, we would hop into the studio to record a 15-minute episode that would post later that day. Straight Thinking featured philosopher-theologian Kenneth Samples explaining logical principles and ordered thinking, and how it applied to apologetics, science, theology, and everyday life. I Didn’t Know That! served as the Q&A podcast. Listeners sent their questions via email, and we would select a few to be answered weekly.

One of my favorite memories doing these podcasts happened on the Alaska Cruise in 2011. We decided to record I Didn’t Know That! live on the ship, complete with a “stump the scholar” segment and audience questions. It was fantastic, and we “rocked the boat” so to speak.

Those three podcasts have now “evolved” into the Apologia family of Scientifica, Ex Libris, and Imago Dei, which Monthly Partners can subscribe to at https://www.reasons.org/explore/type/apologia-premium. Or, you can listen to the archives free at https://www.reasons.org/explore/type/apologia-free. We trust that you have found these equipping resources helpful. Thank you for your faithful listenership and please stay tuned. Our podcasts are still evolving—by intentional design!