The Will Spencer Podcast

Will Spencer

The Will Spencer Podcast is a weekly interview show featuring extended discussions with authors, leaders, and influencers who can help us make sense of our changing world today. I release new episodes every week on Friday.

  1. 3D AGO

    The Puritans: Physicians of the Soul — J. Stephen Yuille

    Dr. J. Stephen Yuille joins Will Spencer for a conversation on one of the most misunderstood traditions in Christian history: the Puritans. Often caricatured as cold moralists, the Puritans were in fact pastors of the heart — “physicians of the soul” who endured suffering, cultivated the affections, and pursued holiness with seriousness that still challenges believers today. In this episode we explore Puritan spirituality, the role of suffering in spiritual formation, mentorship across generations, and the importance of devotional reading from past centuries. We also discuss why many modern Christians instinctively sense something missing in contemporary faith and how the Puritan tradition offers a deeper inheritance. If you are seeking a faith that is thoughtful, lived, and capable of bearing the weight of suffering, this conversation offers a rich introduction to Puritan theology and spirituality. Mentorship and clarity for men: https://willspencer.co/mentorship Topics DiscussedThe Puritans and the life of the affectionsPastors as “physicians of the soul”Suffering and spiritual formationMentorship across generationsDevotional reading and learning from “dead men” GUEST LINKSReformation Heritage Books — https://www.rhb.org The Heart Taken Up - BUY HERE Holy Meditation by Thomas Manton - BUY HERE RESOURCES MENTIONEDGeorge Swinnock — The Blessed and Boundless God Puritan Treasures for Today Bundle 🌟 The Will Spencer Podcast was formerly known as "The Renaissance of Men." FOLLOW & CONNECThttps://willspencer.co/mentorship Will Spencer Podcast Home Substack Twitter/X YouTube Instagram Support the Show SPONSORS Mentioned in this episode: Biblical Mentorship for Men If you’re a man who knows something needs to change — not because life is “too hard,” but because you’ve been drifting, avoiding responsibility, or lacking direction — Will Spencer’s Biblical Mentorship for Men is a disciplined, Scripture-based process focused on clarity, responsibility, and spiritual depth. This is not therapy. It’s not self-help. And it’s not about numbing pain. It’s about learning how to suffer well, lead yourself, and live faithfully. You can book a free Clarity Call to...

    59 min

  2. FEB 13

    The Mystical Survival of Extremism

    Modern extremism did not survive by remaining political. It survived by becoming mystical. In this episode, Will Spencer examines how post-war extremist movements transformed themselves into a religious worldview built on myth, mysticism, and occult hierarchy. Rather than remaining tied to historical regimes or discredited ideologies, these movements deliberately rebuilt themselves through myth, mysticism, and occult spirituality—rejecting Christianity while absorbing pagan mythology, cyclical cosmology, and hierarchical visions of reality. Continuing the Book Club reading of Black Sun by historian Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, this session explores how post-war figures reshaped extremism into a transnational religious system; how symbolism and ritual replaced politics; and how popular culture later helped mythologize and sanitize these ideas, allowing them to persist beneath the surface of modern life. Will also reflects on why many Christians misdiagnosed this phenomenon as merely political or reactionary, failing to recognize it as a rival spiritual framework—and why that failure of discernment mattered. This episode is part of an ongoing Book Club devoted to slow, serious reading for Christian spiritual and intellectual formation in an increasingly disordered culture. In this episode, you’ll hear:How modern extremism survived after World War II by becoming mystical rather than politicalWhy myth, symbolism, and occult hierarchy replaced ideology and policyHow pagan mythology and cyclical cosmology displaced biblical creation and linear historyThe role of post-war figures who reshaped extremism into a transnational religious worldviewHow popular culture helped mythologize and sanitize evil for later generationsWhy many Christians misdiagnosed these movements as merely political or reactionaryWhat it means to recognize extremism as a rival spiritual framework, not just an ideologyWhy discernment requires asking what spirit is animating this, not simply who is in power Purchase Black SunAmazon: https://a.co/d/06mG32IX Join the Book ClubIf this episode resonates, the full discussion continues in my Book Club, where we read difficult books slowly and seriously for Christian spiritual and intellectual formation. You can learn more and join at willspencer.blog 🌟 The Will Spencer Podcast was formerly known as "The Renaissance of Men." FOLLOW & CONNECThttps://willspencer.co/mentorship Will Spencer Podcast Home Substack Twitter/X YouTube Instagram a...

    1h 43m

  3. FEB 6

    DR. GREG GIFFORD – What Therapy Can’t Say: Moral Limits and Modern Counseling

    What happens when therapy has no way to say a goal is wrong? In this episode, Will Spencer is joined by Dr. Greg Gifford to examine a foundational assumption of modern therapy: that counseling exists to help clients achieve their chosen goals, but without a shared account of moral truth. The conversation begins with a simple but unsettling question: What if a client’s goal is immoral, destructive, or sinful? If therapy cannot judge goals, what kind of formation is actually taking place? From there, Will and Greg explore the difference between mind and brain, the rise of diagnosis-based identity, the authority of the DSM, and why Christians often adopt therapeutic categories without examining the worldview beneath them. This is not an argument against care or compassion. It is a call for discernment, and for recovering a moral and biblical account of the inner life that modern therapy is structurally unable to provide. CONNECT WITH DR. GIFFORDListen to Transformed on Fortis+ or wherever you get your podcasts: https://fortisplus.org/tabs/listen/podcasts/34123 Buy "Lies My Therapist Told Me": https://a.co/d/01NGgZk5 Check out the Fortis Institute YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Fortis.Institute Learn more about Transformed Biblical Counseling Centers: https://transformedbc.com/ 🌟 The Will Spencer Podcast was formerly known as "The Renaissance of Men." FOLLOW & CONNECThttps://willspencer.co/mentorship Will Spencer Podcast Home Substack Twitter/X YouTube Instagram Support the Show SPONSORS Mentioned in this episode: The Will Spencer Book Club A guided reading community for men and women who want to slow down, think clearly, and understand the deeper intellectual and spiritual roots shaping our moment. We read demanding books together and discuss them live — not to signal intelligence, but to form judgment. Our first book: "Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism, and the Politics of Identity" by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke. Learn More About "Black Sun"

    49 min

  4. JAN 30

    The Occult Religion Behind Modern Extremism

    What looks like online extremism, grievance politics, or internet trolling is something much older, and much darker. In this episode, Will Spencer shares audio from the first two sessions of his Book Club reading Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism, and the Politics of Identity by historian Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke. The discussion explores how Nazism functioned not merely as a political movement, but as a religious system, complete with ritual, myth, demonology, and a vision of racial salvation. Drawing from history, theology, and personal experience, Will explains how neo-Nazi movements reorganized almost immediately after World War II, how figures like George Lincoln Rockwell and Julius Evola fused politics with occult spirituality, and why many modern online movements cannot be understood politically alone. This conversation is about spiritual formation, discernment, and clarity—and why Christians must take the religious roots of extremist ideologies seriously. Topics CoveredWhy Nazism functioned as a religious system, not just a political ideologyHow extremist movements regrouped immediately after World War IIGeorge Lincoln Rockwell’s mystical “conversion” and American neo-NazismJulius Evola, occult philosophy, and anti-Christian spiritual elitismHow grievance politics distorts spiritual developmentWhy these ideas persist in modern online masculinity cultureThe personal and relational cost of extremist belief systems Books MentionedBlack Sun — Nicholas Goodrick-ClarkeAmerican Veda — Philip GoldbergThe Myth of Mental Illness — Thomas SzaszThe Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment — Jeremiah BurroughsThe Christian Mind — Henry BlamiresWeird Scenes Inside the Canyon — Dave McGowan About the Book ClubThe Book Club is a private reading group where we work through serious books slowly and carefully, not for hot takes, but for Christian spiritual and intellectual formation. The goal isn’t information alone, but depth, clarity, and long-term stability in a culture designed to keep us reactive and distracted. Learn more and join at willspencer.blog Production NoteThese conversations were recorded live on Zoom and lightly edited to remove long pauses. Audio quality is not studio-perfect. The substance of the discussion is the focus.

    2h 46m

  5. JAN 23

    Leaving the Manosphere (Part 2): What Happened After the Exit

    What happens after you leave the Manosphere? And why did the movement collapse in the first place? In this episode, Bob the Baptist continues his conversation with Will Spencer about what followed his departure from the Manosphere, and how the online masculinity ecosystem began to fracture and mutate in the years that followed. The discussion moves beyond personal story into cultural and spiritual diagnosis. Will explains how figures like Andrew Tate vacuumed attention and monetized grievance, how ideological energy migrated into more radical online communities, and why movements built on technique, resentment, and audience capture inevitably fail to produce real moral formation. Bob and Will also examine the deeper questions beneath the phenomenon: the difference between power and authority, the limits of psychology and biology as moral frameworks, the cost of public accountability, and why Christian leaders cannot simply borrow the aesthetics of masculinity without inheriting its distortions. Bob and Will explore: Why the Manosphere effectively collapsed after 2022How influencer culture rewards grievance and extremityThe migration of Red Pill ideas into more radical online movementsThe difference between power, authority, and moral formationWhy performative masculinity cannot sustain meaning or disciplineThe social and spiritual cost of leaving identity-driven communitiesWhat a Christian account of masculinity offers instead Part 1 traced how men are drawn into the Manosphere and why it initially felt compelling. Part 2 examines what ultimately exposed its limits — and what replaces it when men pursue ordered responsibility, truth, and accountability rather than dominance or resentment. 🌟 The Will Spencer Podcast was formerly known as "The Renaissance of Men." FOLLOW & CONNECThttps://willspencer.co/mentorship Will Spencer Podcast Home Substack Twitter/X YouTube Instagram Support the Show SPONSORS Mentioned in this episode: One-on-One Mentorship with Will Spencer For men who aren’t lost — but aren’t moving. Mentorship provides structure, clarity, and accountability for ordering your life under responsibility, authority, and long-term direction. 👉 Learn more: https://willspencer.co/mentorship The Will Spencer Book Club A guided reading community for men and women who want to slow down, think clearly, and understand the deeper intellectual and spiritual roots shaping our moment. We read demanding books together and discuss them live — not to signal intelligence, but to form judgment. Our first book: "Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism, and the Politics of Identity" by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke. a...

    1h 53m

  6. JAN 16

    Leaving the Manosphere (Part 1): Why Modern Men Are Searching for Meaning

    What is the Manosphere, and why are so many men drawn to it? In this episode, Bob the Baptist interviews Will Spencer about his journey into — and ultimately out of — the Manosphere, the sprawling online ecosystem of male self-improvement, dating advice, and cultural commentary. The conversation traces how online communities offering guidance on confidence, fitness, success, and identity increasingly became substitutes for real-world formation and authority. From the influence of figures like Jordan Peterson to the rise of influencer-driven masculinity models, the Manosphere reflects a deeper hunger among men for structure, meaning, and direction. Bob and Will explore: How the Manosphere developed and why it expanded so rapidlyThe divide between “inner work” psychology culture and performance-driven masculinityWhy algorithm-driven communities create ideological silosThe dangers of personality-centered authorityWhy biology and psychology alone cannot sustain a moral vision of manhood Part 2 (coming next week) continues the conversation by examining what ultimately exposed the limits of the Manosphere and what a Christian account of masculinity offers instead. CONNECT WITH BOB THE BAPTISTYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BraveNewTube Video: The Dark Trajectory of New Calvinism Video: How the Manosphere Became Mainstream 🌟 The Will Spencer Podcast was formerly known as "The Renaissance of Men." FOLLOW & CONNECThttps://willspencer.co/mentorship Will Spencer Podcast Home Substack Twitter/X YouTube Instagram Support the Show SPONSORS Mentioned in this episode: One-on-One Mentorship with Will Spencer For men who aren’t lost — but aren’t moving. Mentorship provides structure, clarity, and accountability for ordering your life under responsibility, authority, and long-term direction. 👉 Learn more: https://willspencer.co/mentorship The Will Spencer Book Club A guided reading community for men and women who want to slow down, think clearly, and understand the deeper intellectual and spiritual roots shaping our moment. We read demanding books together and discuss them live — not to signal intelligence, but to form judgment. Our first book: "Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism, and the Politics of Identity" by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke. Learn More About "Black Sun"

    2h 2m

  7. JAN 9

    BOB THE BAPTIST - Faithful or Fooled? How Evangelicals Got Caught Between Bad Pastors and Bad Politics

    Former pastor Caleb Bobrycki aka "Bob the Baptist" joins Will Spencer to unpack how theology, politics, and culture collided inside modern evangelicalism — and why so many faithful Christians feel stuck in the middle. Description: Former pastor and YouTube creator Bob the Baptist (Caleb Bobrycki) joins Will Spencer for a wide-ranging conversation about how modern Reformed evangelicalism arrived at its current crisis — and why sincere believers are often caught between bad leadership and bad political options. They trace the influence of the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement, purity culture, and American Reconstructionism, and discuss how theological shortcuts and reactionary politics have replaced deeper confessional grounding. Along the way, they examine figures like John Piper, Machen, Van Til, and Rushdoony, and why responding to cultural chaos without first principles leads to repeated mistakes. Rather than choosing sides in today’s church culture wars, this episode asks a harder question: What would real theological reform actually require? Discussion HighlightsWhy sincere Christians often follow bad leadershipHow theology — not just politics — shaped today’s crisisThe legacy of Young, Restless, and ReformedPurity culture as a reaction to cultural driftWhy reactionary movements repeat old errorsThe danger of tribal theologyWhy confessional depth matters for cultural engagement About Bob the BaptistCaleb Bobrycki, known as Bob the Baptist, is a former associate pastor and creator of the YouTube channel Brave New Tube, where he explores evangelical theology, church culture, and political theology through in-depth video essays. His work focuses on helping Christians understand the deeper roots of today’s church controversies while remaining grounded in confessional faith. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bravenewtube T-Shirts: https://bobthebaptist.printful.me/ Patreon: https://patreon.com/bobthebaptist X: https://x.com/BobTheBaptist Email: CanvidFilms‪@gmail.com‬ Watch my viral video with Bob: The Dark Trajectory of New Calvinism Mentioned in this episode: One-on-One Mentorship with Will Spencer For men who aren’t lost — but aren’t moving. Mentorship provides structure, clarity, and accountability for ordering your life under responsibility, authority, and long-term direction. 👉 Learn more: https://willspencer.co/mentorship The Will Spencer Book Club A guided reading community for men and women who want to slow down, think clearly, and understand the deeper intellectual and spiritual roots shaping our moment. We read demanding books together and discuss them live — not to signal intelligence, but to form judgment. Our first book: "Black...

    2h 12m

  8. JAN 2

    EDDIE LAROW - Men Without Roots: Authority, Power, and Masculinity

    Eddie LaRow joins Will Spencer for a wide-ranging conversation about masculinity, rootlessness, and the collapse of moral authority in modern life. Rather than reacting to headlines or personalities, this episode examines a recurring historical pattern: when men lose roots in family, church, and community, power rushes in to replace authority. Drawing on thinkers such as Max Picard, Robert Nisbet, Philip Rieff, and Augustine, Will and Eddie explore why Gen Z men are drawn toward radical politics — and why this crisis did not begin online. The conversation moves through history, theology, and culture to clarify the difference between authority and power, how modern speed distorts the inner life, and why formation requires discipline, community, and time. This is a discussion about responsibility, rootedness, and how men can recover moral clarity in a disordered age. Topics DiscussedWhy many young men feel rootlessAuthority vs. power and why the difference mattersHistorical patterns behind modern radicalizationSpeed, chaos, and the modern inner lifeMasculinity, formation, and disciplineThe Church’s role in restoring moral authority GuestEddie LaRow is an editor and writer whose work has appeared in First Things, Modern Age, and The American Mind. He writes on history, theology, culture, and Generation Z, with a focus on authority, community, and formation. Eddie's LinksSubstack — https://eddielarow.substack.com/ First Things: — https://firstthings.com/archive/?_author=eddie-larow 🌟 The Will Spencer Podcast was formerly known as "The Renaissance of Men." FOLLOW & CONNECThttps://willspencer.co/mentorship Will Spencer Podcast Home Substack Twitter/X YouTube Instagram Support the Show SPONSORS Mentioned in this episode: The Will Spencer Book Club A guided reading community for men and women who want to slow down, think clearly, and understand the deeper intellectual and spiritual roots shaping our moment. We read demanding books together and discuss them live — not to signal intelligence, but to form judgment. Our first book: "Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism, and the Politics of Identity" by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke. Learn More About "Black Sun" One-on-One Mentorship with Will Spencer For men who aren’t lost — but aren’t moving. Mentorship provides structure, clarity, and accountability for ordering your life under responsibility, authority, and long-term direction. 👉 Learn more: a...

    1h 21m
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4.6
out of 5
230 Ratings

About

The Will Spencer Podcast is a weekly interview show featuring extended discussions with authors, leaders, and influencers who can help us make sense of our changing world today. I release new episodes every week on Friday.

Information

  • Creator
    Will Spencer
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    262
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Will Spencer
  • Show Website
    The Will Spencer Podcast

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