The Plunge with Derek Holser
Episodes
Charlotte's Web, The Finale: Animals in Literature | Elizabeth Hardy
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 5 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featur...
NYT Bestselling Middle Grade Novel: AKU: Journey to Ibra | Micah Johnson
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to a bonus episode, special edition of The Plunge. Today's guest is Micah Johnson, author of the New York Times Bestselling Middle-Grade Novel...
Charlotte's Web, Part 3: Animals in Literature | Elizabeth Hardy
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 4 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featur...
Charlotte's Web, Part 2: Animals in Literature | Elizabeth Hardy
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 3 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featur...
Charlotte's Web, Part 1: Animals in Literature | Elizabeth Hardy
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 2 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories feat...
The Wind in the Willows: Animals in Literature | Landon Loftin
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode One in our series Animals in Literature. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions and meaning found in stories featur...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: SMEAGOL | Leah Holser
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Eighteen in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation explores the transformation of Smeagol into Gollum, and ...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: SAURON | Turner Burnett
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Seventeen in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation shines the spotlight on the dark lord himself, SAURON. ...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Gimli & Boromir | Chris Tansey
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Sixteen in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation shines the spotlight on two central characters in the F...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Faramir | Landon Loftin
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Fifteen in our series entitled Tolkien's Greatest Characters. Today's conversation features returning guest Landon Loftin, who e...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Elrond | Chris Skaggs
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 14 of our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation features Chris Skaggs, sharing a host of delightful insights a...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Cormallen + Fatty Bolger | Michael Ward
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Thirteen of our series entitled "Tolkien's Greatest Characters. Today's conversation features Dr. Michael Ward, discussing his fant...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Gandalf | Alison Milbank
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Twelve in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series! This episode is a delightful defense of the glory and goodness found in that ...
Advent Interlude: The Implications of the Incarnation | Jordan Daniel Wood
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to our Advent interlude, as we take a one-episode hiatus from our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. I was recently in Nashville and took ...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Samwise Gamgee | Brenton Dickieson
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Eleven in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation features Brenton Dickieson. Brenton is a return...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Eärendil | Taylor Crandall
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Ten in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series. Joining me today is Taylor Crandall. Taylor is a thoughtful and insig...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Éowyn | Holly Ordway
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Nine of Tolkien's Greatest Characters. Joining me for today's fabulous conversation on the shieldmaiden of Rohan, the e...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Treebeard | Eugene Terekhin
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Eight in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series. Today's episode features Eugene Terekhin. Eugene is a philologist, p...
Halloween Interlude: George MacDonald's Imagination | Jordan Daniel Wood
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to our Halloween interlude, as we take a one-episode hiatus from our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. I was recently in Nashville and t...
Tom Bombadil: Tolkien's Greatest Characters | Brian Zahnd
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Seven in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation is enlightening and uplifting, a discussion of the whimsica...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Aragorn | Robert Hulett
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Six in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series. Today's conversation is an inspired yearning for the true nobility within it us al...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: PIPPIN | Bradley J. Birzer
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Five in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series. Today's conversation is a wide-ranging one, featuring the hobbit prince, Pippin...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Frodo's Dreme | Bret van den Brink
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Four of Tolkien's Greatest Characters. This week's episode is an insightful presentation of The Sea Bell, or Frodo's Dre...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Bilbo Baggins | Thalia Toha
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Three of Tolkien's Greatest Characters. This week's episode is a lively conversation about Bilbo Baggins, the meaning a...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: Frodo Baggins | Dr. Andrew Snyder
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Two of Tolkien's Greatest Characters. This week's episode is an inspiring discussion of Frodo Baggins, the humble hobbit thrust i...
Tolkien's Greatest Characters: The Narrator | Dr. Sørina Higgins
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode One of our mega-series entitled Tolkien's Greatest Characters. Each week for the next sixteen weeks, we will host a conversation ...
A Child of God Perhaps: Cormac McCarthy | Joel J. Miller
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"He moves in the dry chaff among the dust and slats of sunlight with a constrained truculence. Saxon and Celtic bloods. A child of God much like yours...
A Pint with Derek | Hosted by David Bates
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode flips the script. Turns the tables. I recently sat down with David Bates, host of Pints with Jack, a popular YouTube channel featurin...
Broken & Beloved: The Human Series | Bethany Dearborn Hiser
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Seven in The Human Series: Season One. Today's guest is Bethany Dearborn Hiser. Bethany currently works as the Director ...
World Without End: The Human Series | Justin Bryeans
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Six of The Human Series. Today's conversation features Justin Bryeans, a dear friend and a kindred spirit. Justin Bryeans is ...
The Soul of Psychology, 2: The Human Series | Dr. Don Lichi
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Five of The Human Series. I continue my conversation with Dr. Donald A. Lichi entitled: "The Soul of Psychology, 2." Dr. Don...
The Soul of Psychology, 1: The Human Series | Dr. Don Lichi
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Four of The Human Series. I'm joined by Dr. Donald A. Lichi for "The Soul of Psychology, 1." Dr. Don is a licensed psycholo...
Radical Acceptance: The Human Series | Dr. Heather Huckett
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Three of The Human Series: Radical Acceptance. Today's guest is Dr. Heather Huckett, a psychotherapist with a PhD in Clinica...
Lifespan Integration and Restoration: The Human Series | Sarah Kardelen
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Two of The Human Series: Lifespan Integration and Restoration. Today's guest is Sarah Kardelen (she/her), a licensed ment...
Formation, Identity, Sexuality: The Human Series | Margaret Fay
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode One of The Human Series: Formation, Identity, Intimacy, and Sexuality. Today's guest is Margaret Fay, a Licensed Profes...
The End is Music: George MacDonald for Every Generation | Stephanie Staples
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the final episode in our series George MacDonald for Every Generation. Joining me today is Stephanie Staples, a Nashville based sing...
Legacy: George MacDonald for Every Generation | Erik Ritschard & Jenni Cannariato
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Seven in our series George MacDonald for Every Generation. Joining me is a father-daughter duo: Erik Ritschard and Jenni Cannar...
George MacDonald for Every Generation: Aging & Death | Kerry Dearborn
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 6 in our series George MacDonald for Every Generation, Aging & Death with Kerry Dearborn. This episode is dedicated to my f...
Hospitality & Community: George MacDonald for Every Generation | Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Five in our series George MacDonald for Every Generation. Today's episode features Dr. Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson, renowned G...
George MacDonald, Matchmaker: Jenni & Thomas Cannariato
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Four of our series, George MacDonald for Every Generation. Today's episode is entitled "George MacDonald, Matchmaker". That'...
Transition & Vocation: George MacDonald for Every Generation | Amanda Vernon
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 3 in our series George MacDonald for Every Generation. This episode features a new friend to the Plunge, Amanda B. Vernon. A...
Boy to Man: George MacDonald for Every Generation | Bret van den Brink
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Two in our series George MacDonald for Every Generation. This episode focuses on the journey every one takes from childhood to ea...
Childhood: George MacDonald for Every Generation | Julie Canlis
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode One in our series George MacDonald for Every Generation. This episode features Julie Canlis and Leah Holser. Today's conver...
All Things New: Jordan Daniel Wood | Part Two
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode two of two featuring Jordan Daniel Wood, Assistant Professor of Theology at Belmont University. In this conversation, Jordan ...
All Things New: Jordan Daniel Wood | Part One
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode one of two, featuring Jordan Daniel Wood, Assistant Professor of Theology at Belmont University. In this conversation, Jordan...
Relentless Curiosity: Owen Barfield | Derek Holser
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the final episode in our 12-part series on Owen Barfield: The First and Last Inkling. Today's episode is short and sweet. It's just a...
An Irresistible Imagination: Owen Barfield | Landon Loftin
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode eleven in our twelve part series on Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling. Today's episode features a conversation wi...
The Rise of Romanticism: Owen Barfield | Jeffrey Hipolito
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the tenth episode in our twelve part series on Owen Barfield: The First and Last Inkling. Today's conversation features Jeffrey Hipol...
Love & Consciousness: Owen Barfield | Stephen Dunning
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode nine in our twelve epiose series on Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling. Today's conversation features Stephen Dunnin...
Eager Spring: Owen Barfield | Laura Van Dyke
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode eight in our twelve episode series on Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling. Today's episode features Laura Van Dyke, P...
Barfield and BBQ: Owen Barfield | Nate Hile
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode seven in our twelve episode series on Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling. Today's episode features Nate Hile, creato...
The Middle Way: Owen Barfield | Owen A. Barfield
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode six in our twelve part series on Owen Barfield: The First and Last Inkling. Today's episode features Owen A. Barfield, the on...
The Poetic Life: Owen Barfield | Michael Di Fuccia
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Five in our Twelve Episode series on Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling Today's episode features Michael Di Fuccia, ...
A Material Word: Owen Barfield | Michael Di Fuccia
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Four in our Twelve Episode series on Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling In today's episode, Michael Di Fuccia, Dir...
Beyond the Veil: Owen Barfield | Eugene Terekhin
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Three in our 12-week series: Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling In today's episode, Eugene Terekhin, a philologist, ...
Seers Of A New Age: Owen Barfield | Max Leyf Treinin
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode Two in our 12-week series: Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling In today's episode, Max Leyf Treinin, a certified R...
Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling | Introductory Episode
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to our newest series. Owen Barfield: The First & Last Inkling. This episode provides a brief introduction to Barfield's life and wor...
Lightglider Origins: Technology, Faith, and Virtue
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is a special bonus! Joining me is my good friend and co-author of Bryce and the Lost Pearl, the first book in the Lightglider Origi...
Surprised by Joy: The Great Divorce | Jess Lederman
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the 9th and Final Episode in our series on C.S. Lewis's novel, The Great Divorce. Join us as we explore the ideas presented by Lewis in th...
Surprised by Joy: The Great Divorce | Jess Lederman
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the 9th and Final Episode in our series on C.S. Lewis's novel, The Great Divorce. Join us as we explore the ideas presented by Lewis in th...
The Moment Contains All Moments: A Conversation w/Joel Wentz on Lewis's Great Divorce
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 8 of 9 in our series on C.S. Lewis's novel The Great Divorce. Today's conversation features Joel Wentz. In this episode, Joel...
This Life Is Merely The First Page: A Conversation w/Elizabeth Hardy on Lewis's Great Divorce
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 7 of 9 in our series on C.S. Lewis's novel The Great Divorce. Join us as we explore the ideas presented by Lewis in this fantastic...
Hide No More: A Conversation w/Stephen Dunning on Lewis's Great Divorce
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 6 of 9 in our series on C.S. Lewis's novel, "The Great Divorce." Join us as we explore the ideas presented by Lewis in this fantast...
The Gift of the Magi: A Christmas Interlude
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Merry Christmas from the Plunge! We interrupt our regularly scheduled series to bring you a special Christmas edition of The Plunge. Today's episode...
The Great & Terrible Afterlife: A Conversation w/Karen Scheffler on Lewis's The Great Divorce
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 5 in our 9-part series on C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce. Thank you for joining us as we explore the ideas presented by Lewis in t...
The Curious Case of Clive's Archangelic Letter: A Great Divorce Conversation w/Brenton Dickieson (Episode IV)
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 4 of 9 in our series on C.S. Lewis's novel, "The Great Divorce." Join us as we explore the ideas presented by Lewis in this fantast...
Courage, Dear Heart: A Conversation w/Monika Hilder on Lewis's Great Divorce (Episode III)
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 3 of 9 in our series on C.S. Lewis's novel, "The Great Divorce." Join us as we explore the ideas presented by Lewis in this fantast...
Father and Son: A Conversation on Lewis's Great Divorce (Episode 2)
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcom to Episode 2 of 9 in our series on C.S. Lewis's novel, "The Great Divorce." We will explore and I hope you enjoy, the ideas presented by Lewis...
C.S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce" Introductory Episode: All Aboard to Grey Town
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is the introductory episode of our nine-episode series on C.S. Lewis's novel, "The Great Divorce." We will explore and I hope you enjoy, the i...
The End of Evil: A LILTH Conversation w/Chris Green and Jordan Daniel Wood
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Halloween 2024! Welcome to The End of Evil, the Finale of our 8-part series entitled LILITH: George MacDonald's Tale of Life Through Death. ...
Jesus Is The Multiverse: A LILITH Conversation w/Jordan Daniel Wood
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In Christ himself, eternity and time are one, which means that He himself becomes the bridge from one moment to all other moments. So now all moments ...
A LILITH Conversation with Jordan Daniel Wood: Reality & Theosis
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 6 of the 8-part series exploring the themes, theology, history and culture through with Lilith, George MacDonald's final great novel was ...
LILITH: The Child Against the Vampire of Fundamentalism - A Conversation with John de Jong
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 5 of the 8-part series exploring the themes, theology, history and culture through which MacDonald's final great novel was crafted. Th...
LILIITH: George MacDonald's Tale of Life Through Death, Part IV
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part IV of the 8-part series exploring the themes, theology, history and culture through which MacDonald's final great novel was crafted. T...
LILITH: George MacDonald's Tale of Life Through Death, Part III
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published This is Part III of the latest series from The Plunge, hosted by Derek Holser...
LILITH: George MacDonald's Tale of Life Through Death, Part II
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part II of the latest series from The Plunge, hosted by Derek Holser. This 8-part series will be published weekly and includes exploration of ...
Lilith: George MacDonald's Tale of Life Through Death, Part I
14 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is the introductory episode for the latest series from The Plunge, hosted by Derek Holser. This 8-part series is entitled Lilith: George MacDonal...
C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence, the Final Chapter
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence: The Life & Work of George MacDonald was originally recorded for students of Seapointe College, and is now availab...
C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence, Part IV
28 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence: The Life & Work of George MacDonald was ...
C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence, The Life and Work of George MacDonald, Part 3
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence: The Life & Work of George MacDonald was originally recorded for students of Seapointe College, and is now availab...
C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence, Part II
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence: The Life & Work of George MacDonald was originally recorded for students of Seapointe College, and is now availab...
C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence: The Life & Work of George MacDonald
10 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
C.S. Lewis's Greatest Influence: The Life & Work of George MacDonald was originally recorded for students of Seapointe College, and is now availab...