While riding the el to a lunch meeting on Tuesday I listened to Quarks and Creation, an episode of Speaking of Faith. The hour-long interview features host Krista Tippet talking with John Polkinghorne who, among other notable achievements, was a Cambridge professor of physics and is now the Cannon Theologian of Liverpool Cathedral. The man is very, very smart.

This interview defies summation: Polkinghorne talks about physics, the nature of Christ, evil, evolution, the inherent wonder of the universe, and more. Aspects of his theology will trouble some and parts of his science will bother others. However, his belief that both science and faith are necessary to understand the universe is articulated with such humility that most will find plenty of valuable ideas amid any disagreement. I listen to a few podcasts each week, and this is the best I’ve heard in a long time. Let me know if you get a chance to listen.

Related…

• Two additional Speaking of Faith interviews worth listening to: The Ethics of Eating with author Barbara Kingsolver and Evangelical Politics: Three Generations with Chuck Colson, Greg Boyd and Shane Claiborne.