Wisdom Calling

About Wisdom Calling

On the Wisdom Calling podcast, Dr. Tony Wolfe meets listeners at the intersection of theology, culture, and leadership with critical commentary on contemporary issues and cultural trends. Dr. Wolfe is the Executive Director-Treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. He holds degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (PhD, ThM), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (DEdMin), Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (MAR), and Lamar University (BM).

Publisher

Dr. Tony Wolfe

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

13 Aug 2026

Latest episode

7 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

7 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Nov 2026

   Ep. 06 "The Deep Blue Wave: Republican Party Referendum and Democratic Gravity Shift"

   Democratic Candidates delivered a sweeping upset to Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections. In this episode, Dr. Wolfe surveys significant results and offers seven critical trends to watch over the next two years as both parties work toward the 2028 presidential election.SOURCES:Bailey, Phillip M., Rebecca Morin, and Miles J. Herszenhorn. “James Talarico wins Texas Senate race in a massive flip for Democrats.” USA Today. November 4, 2026. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/11/03/texas-senate-election-results-talarico-paxton/92479135007/.Bidgood, Jess. “These Wins Could Mint a New Generation of Democratic Stars.” New York Times. November 4, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/04/us/politics/democratic-newcomers-congress.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share.Buchwald, Elizabeth. “What sparked Wall Street’s crazy sell-off?” CNN Business. November 6, 2026. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/11/06/investing/tech-selloff-explainer.Chesterton, G.K. The Everlasting Man. England: Hodder & Stoughton in London, 1925.“Chris Van Hollen says he won’t reject DSA endorsement but ‘certainly not seeking’ it: Full interview.” NBC News. April 23, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/chris-van-hollen-says-he-won-t-reject-dsa-endorsement-but-certainly-not-seeking-it-full-interview-268738629574.Klein, Ezra. Why We’re Polarized. new York: Avid Reader Press, 2020. Levy, Marc. “Democrats capture governorships in Texas and other GOP-controlled states in rebuke to Republicans.” WRAL News. November 4, 2026. https://www.wral.com/news/ap/7d58b-democrats-press-to-win-a-majority-of-governors-offices-in-midterms-after-power-struggles-with-trump/.Lincoln, Abraham. “Gettysburg Address.” November 19, 1863. https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbpe.24404500/?st=text.Miller, Alex, Paul Steinhauser, and Elaine Mallon. “Abdul El-Sayed delivers major blow to GOP in Michigan after bruising Senate race.” Fox News Politics. November 4, 2026. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/abdul-el-sayed-delivers-major-blow-gop-michigan-after-bruising-senate-race.Moore, Elena. “5 DSA candidates are elected to the House in a historic night for their movement.” Iowa Public Radio. November 3, 2026. https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/2026-11-03/5-dsa-candidates-are-elected-to-the-house-in-a-historic-night-for-their-movement.Osborne, Mark. “Head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council takes shot at U.S. in wake of election.” CBS News. November 4, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-trump-midterms-strait-of-hormuz/.Pager, Tyler. “Vance Blames Iran War for G.O.P. Losses, Distancing Himself From Trump.” New York Times. November 4, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/04/us/politics/vance-iran-war-midterms-trump.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share.Sinkewicz, Michael. “Ted Cruz says ‘blue tsunami’ took over Texas after Democrats swept statewide races.” November 5, 2026. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ted-cruz-says-blue-tsunami-took-over-texas-after-democrats-swept-statewide-races.Towfighi, John. “Dow has best post-midterm elections day in 44 years as Democrats take control of Congress.” CNN Business. November 4, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/11/04/investing/us-markets-midterm-elections.Vance, JD. Twitter @JDVance. November 4, 2026, 10:38 AM. https://x.com/JDVance/status/2118004988433641835.Washington, George. “President George Washington’s First Inaugural Speech.” National Archives. April 30, 1789. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-george-washingtons-first-inaugural-speech.

2. 

   27 Oct 2026

   Ep. 05 "Millennials Ascending and the Great Disruption"

   Millennials are ascending to leadership positions & influence in every field. How can today's leaders think critically about raising up tomorrow's? SOURCESAnderson, Jenny. “Are Millennials More Likely Than Their Parents to Think Women’s Place is in the Home?” Quartz. April 3, 2017. https://qz.com/946816/millennials-are-more-likely-than-their-parents-to-think-womens-place-is-in-the-home.Balint, Balazs. “Millennial Dads are Spending More Time with their Kids than Ever, and Many Say it is Giving Life Deeper Meaning.” Yahoo!Creators. August 29, 2026. https://creators.yahoo.com/lifestyle/story/millennial-dads-are-spending-more-time-with-their-kids-than-ever-and-many-say-its-making-life-feel-more-meaningful-161038740.html.Barker, Evan. Nothing Left: Confessions of a Democratic Operative. New York: Threshold Editions, 2026. Browley, Jasmine. “Millennials Are the Most Educated Generation—So Why Are They Still Struggling?” Forbes. November 30, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasminebrowley/2025/11/30/millennials-are-the-most-educated-generation-so-why-are-they-still-struggling/.Burge, Ryan. The Vanishing Church. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2026. Cameron, Hugh. “Republicans All But Erase Trump From Campaign Ads as Midterms Near.” Newsweek. October 20, 2026. https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-erase-trump-campaign-ads-midterms-12592634.Desilver, Drew. “Age and generation in the 119th Congress: Somewhat younger, with fewer Boomers and more Gen Xers.” Pew Research Center. January 16, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/01/16/age-and-generation-in-the-119th-congress-somewhat-younger-with-fewer-boomers-and-more-gen-xers/.“Do Young Adults Still Believe in Marriage?” Barna. April 27, 2026. https://www.barna.com/research/gen-z-marriage-delay/.Fiorina, Morris P. “Party Sorting and Democratic Politics.” Hoover Institution. Accessed October 22, 2026. hoover.org/sites/default/files/research/docs/fiorina_party_sorting_and_democratic_politics_4.pdf.Guynn, Jessica. “The Balanced Life and Work. Now More Women are Quitting. Here’s Why.” USA Today. February 1, 2026. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2026/01/29/women-leaving-workforce-caregiving-responsibilities/88370584007/.Hastings, Reed and Erin Meyer. No Rules Rules: NETFLIX and the Culture of Reinvention. New York: Penguin Press, 2020. “How Much has the U.S. Government Spent this Year?” Accessed October 22, 2026. https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/federal-spending/.Jones, Jeffrey M. “New High of 45% in U.S. Identify as Political Independents.” Gallup. January 12, 2026. https://news.gallup.com/poll/700499/new-high-identify-political-independents.aspx.Lichtenberg, Nick. “’Work Hard, Stay Local, and the System will Reward You’; the Boomer Credo is a Gen X Betrayal and a Millennial Pipe Dream.” Fortune. June 16, 2026. https://fortune.com/2026/06/16/millennial-boomer-generational-contracts-workplace-report/.Lucchese, Michael. “These Republicans Aren’t’ Running on Trumpism. They’re Running from It.” The Washington Post. October 20, 2026. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/10/20/republican-midterm-rhetoric-tells-truth-about-unpopular-trump-polices/.“New Year, New Business Formation: Startup Trends for 2026.” InCorp. August 24, 2026. https://www.incorp.com/resources/knowledge-base/startup-trends-2026.Taylor, John. “Why Millennials and Gen Z are Ditching Denominations—and What Happens Next.” June 9, 2025. https://relevantmagazine.com/faith/church/why-millennials-and-gen-z-are-ditching-denominations-and-what-happens-next/.“The Economist YouGov Poll: August 28–31, 2026.” https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/econTabReport_yVe1kKt.pdf.“Time Series/Trend Charts.” United States Census Burea Business and Industry. Accessed October 23, 2026. https://www.census.gov/econ/currentdata/?programCode=BFS&startYear=2005&endYear=2026&categories[]=TOTAL&dataType=BA_BA&geoLevel=US&adjusted=1&notAdjusted=1&errorData=0#line199.

3. 

   13 Oct 2026

   Ep. 04 "Christa Pike, the Death Penalty, and the Elusion of Justice"

   The failed execution of Christa Pike on Sept. 30, 2026 is a horrifying event. But this story is not about Christ Pike; it's about Colleen Slemmer. Today, we turn our attention to the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer by Christa Pike and her friends; the botched execution attempt of Pike September 30, 2026; and the moral, cultural, and theological questions that lie in the background of both. SOURCES: Austin, Jane. “Law professor says Christa Pile is one of only two people to survive a full execution.” WLT8 Knoxville, TN. October 8, 2026. https://www.wvlt.tv/2026/10/09/law-professor-says-christa-pike-is-one-only-two-people-survive-full-execution/. “Christa Pike, Child Rape Victim, Faces Execution for Crime She Committed as a Teenager.” Cornell Law School. Accessed Oct. 10, 2026. https://dpw.lawschool.cornell.edu/advocacy/christa-pike/. Churchill, Winston. “Economic Situation.” Official Report of Debates in Parliament. HC March 12, 1947. Vol. 434 cc1332-449. https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1947/mar/12/economic-situation. “How Tennessee’s failed execution of Christa Pike unfolded, minute-by-minute.” Associated Press, October 1, 2026. https://www.courthousenews.com/how-tennessees-failed-execution-of-christa-pike-unfolded-minute-by-minute/ Howe, Amy. “Superme Court allows for execution of only woman in Tennessee’s death row.” September 30, 2026. https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/09/supreme-court-allows-for-execution-of-only-woman-on-tennessees-death-row/. Jones, V. S. Vernon, transl. “The Wolf and the Lion.” In Aesop’s Fables. New Delhi: FP Classics, 2004 (p. 102)Kirk, G. S. and J. E. Raven. The Presocratic Philosophers. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1957. (pp.119–120). Osborne, Mark and Emily Mae Czachor. “Christa Pike released from hospital, back in prison following botched execution in Tennessee, lawyers say.” CBS News. October 10, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/christa-pike-released-hospital-back-prison-botched-execution-tennessee/. Otterman, Sarah, Hurubie Meko, and Debra Kamin. “How Cornell Punished Each of the 7 Men Accused of Sexual Assault.” New York Times. October 5, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/nyregion/cornell-men-university-discipline.html. Sisak, Michael R. and Willingham, Leah. “Cornell gang-rape accuser was ‘misled’ about criminal investigation, her lawyer says.” PBS News. October 8, 2026. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/cornell-gang-rape-accuser-was-misled-about-criminal-investigation-her-lawyer-says. Tobin, Lali. “TOBIN: Cornell Cannot Ask Women to Trust an Institution That Has Given Them Reasons Not To.” The Cornell Daily Sun. October 10, 2026. https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/10/vlmg6316yiky. Waddick, Karissa. “A moment or movement? Inside Cornell student activists’ fight.” USA Today. October 10, 2026. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/10/10/cornell-jane-doe-sexual-assault-allegations-what-next/92152806007/. Walker, Andrew T. “What the Modern State Gets Wrong About Execution.” National Review. October 2, 2026. https://www.nationalreview.com/2026/10/what-the-modern-state-gets-wrong-about-execution/.

4. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Ep. 03: "What's Real Anymore?: AI's Ontological Agenda"

   In a world where intelligence, creativity, and even seemingly relational interactivity can be artificial… What is real? How do you know? And how is all of this affecting us as individuals and as a culture? Today, we entertain three AI-specific ontological paradigms surrounding (1) meaningful relationship; (2) utopian states; and (3) artificial consciousness. SOURCES:Blur Studios. https://blurstudios.ai.Frenkel, Sheera, Eli Tan, and Dustin Volz. "Iran and China Create First-of-Their-Kind Autonomous A.I. Influence Campaigns." The New York Times. September 18, 2026 (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/technology/iran-china-autonomous-ai-influence-campaigns.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share).Graylin, Alvin and Louis Rosenberg. Our Next Reality. Hachette, UK: John Murray Business, 2024.Kass, Zach. The Next RenAIssance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2006. Nguyen, Nicole and Julie Chang. "AI and the Blurring of Reality." The Wall Street Journal. August 8, 2026 (https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-and-the-blurring-of-reality-480c24da?st=gAvNhU.)Nguyen, Nicole. “When AI Grandmas Go Viral, What Even Is Reality Anymore?” The Wall Street Journal: Tech News Briefing. August 1, 2026 (https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/tech-news-briefing/when-ai-grandmas-go-viral-what-even-is-reality-anymore/9459b7a8-407b-452f-830b-5426fc3fe7fa).Pearcey, Nancy. Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault on Mind, Morals, and Meaning. Nashville, TN: B&H, 2017.Royle, Oriana Rosa. “Teen boys are choosing AI girlfriends over real ones for 'maximum control, zero rejection'—experts say it could make them unemployable.” Yahoo!Finance (originally published in Fortune). April 17, 2026 (https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/teen-boys-are-choosing-ai-girlfriends-over-real-ones-for-maximum-control-zero-rejectionexperts-say-it-could-make-them-unemployable-070400872.html).Schaeffer, Francis A. Escape From Reason. London: Inter-Varsity Fellowship, 1968.Thacker, Jason. The Age of AI. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2020.

5. 

   15 Sept 2026

   Ep. 02: "Wars and Rumors of War"

   Let's dig more deeply into contemporary warfare, specifically the ongoing conflicts between Russian & Ukraine and the U.S. & Iran.SOURCES:Arhirova, Hanna and Barry Hatton. “Russia’s jet-powered drones bring empty Kyiv supermarket shelves and rattle Ukrainians.” Associated Press. August 31, 2026 (https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-jet-drones-supermarkets-db2f55ab0c3bd5d091dd4338d8bd28c8).Brookshire, Richard. Give Me Liberty. New York: Basic Books, 2019.Bush, George W. Decision Points. New York: Crown Publishers, 2010.Chikwanah, Eveline. “Fights erupt over West Africa church property.” UM News. March 28, 2025 (https://www.umnews.org/en/news/fights-erupt-over-west-africa-church-property).Donlevy, Katherine. “Embattled Iranian president admits crippling US sanctions suffocating Tehran: ‘We are in a war situation,.” New York Post. August 29, 2026 (https://nypost.com/2026/08/29/us-news/crippling-us-sanctions-are-suffocating-tehran-embattled-iranian-president-admits-we-are-in-a-war-situation/).“Iranians voice mistrust as criticism of Pezeshkian’s cabinet mounts.” Iran Insight. August 18, 2024 (https://www.iranintl.com/en/202408183910).“Iran’s president ahead of talks: ‘We will not relinquish our right to enrich uranium.’” The Times of Israel, June 21, 2026 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/irans-president-ahead-of-talks-we-will-not-relinquish-our-right-to-enrich-uranium/).Johnson, Mike. “America Is ‘Being Attacked From Within’: Mike Johnson Warns at GOP Convention.” Associated Press. Septermber 10, 2026 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNeh3BNLSBA).MacDonald, Alistair and Oksana Pyrozhok. “The Ukraine Drones That Are Carrying a Bigger Punch, Deeper Into Russia.” The Wall Street Journal. August 31, 2026 (https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/the-ukraine-drones-that-are-carrying-a-bigger-punch-deeper-into-russia-db8a6409).Mann, Toby and Imogen James. “Zelensky says he expects war to continue into winter after talks with US envoys.” BBC. September 6, 2026 (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6248nvqy8po).Pezeshkian, Masoud. “Pezeshkian Says Iran Does Not Seek War, Vows Firm Response to Attacks.” This Is Beirut. August 31, 2026 (https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/news/politics/pezeshkian-says-iran-does-not-seek-war-vows-firm-response-to-attacks).Popli, Nik. “‘I Wouldn’t Call it a War’: Vance Downplays Conflict With Iran, Even as Strikes Continue.” Time. September 3, 2026 (https://time.com/article/2026/09/03/vance-iran-war-press-briefing/).Putin, Vladimir. “Address by the President of the Russian Federation.” The Kremlin, Moscow. February 24, 2022 (http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/67843).“Read Trump’s full statement on Iran attacks.” PBS News, February 28, 2026 (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/read-trumps-full-statement-on-iran-attack).Self, Keith. “Congressman Keith Self Sounds Alarm on Existential Threat of Sharia in America During Fiery House Floor Speech.” November 19, 2025 (https://keithself.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-keith-self-sounds-alarm-existential-threat-sharia-america-during).Shimron, Yonat and Ellie Ashby. “The schism in the UMC ended two years ago; but not in this Dallas church.” Religion News Service. August 28, 2026 (https://religionnews.com/2026/08/28/the-schism-in-the-umc-ended-but-its-largest-church-is-now-embroiled-in-it/#:~:text=Two%20years%20after%20a%20schism,of%20former%20President%20George%20W).Trump, Donald J. “President Trump Delivers Remarks at the Future Investment Initiative.” The White House. March 27, 2026 (https://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/president-trump-delivers-remarks-at-the-future-investment-initiative/, 1:13:06).Walzer, Michael. Just and Unjust Wars. New York: Basic Books, 1977.Zelenskyy, Volodymyr. “On Independence Day, Zelensky Vows Ukraine ‘will always be independent.’” The Ukranian Weekly. August 28, 2026 (https://subscription.ukrweekly.com/on-independence-day-zelenskyy-vows-ukraine-will-always-be-independent/).

6. 

   1 Sept 2026

   Ep. 01 - The Death of Dialogue

   Have we become, or are we becoming, a culture that devalues dialogue? And why should we care? In this episode, Dr. Wolfe explains how the 2016 election cycle became a critical pivot point for how we converse. From presidential rhetoric and political discourse to social media interaction and denominational decision-making, the developing trends of echo-chambering, superlatively, rage-baiting, and functional truth are shaping us as a culture (and as sub-cultures). But ancient wisdom calls. Wherever truth is merely functional and revolution is the highest virtue, counterclaims are disruptive to the desired culture-reforming movement, so honest dialogue is cast as immoral. That disruptive, disenchanted polemical style is wholly disinterested in dialogue. The undisciplined tongue is averse to the judicious ear. Those whose claims are laced in flippant superlatives, whose arguments are disrespectfully ad hominem, and whose end justifies their own means… they are not interested in “understanding, but only care to show off their own opinions” (Proverbs 18:2). They work for the death of dialogue in order to amplify the priorities of their positions. This is increasingly evident in every discipline today—political, religious, and otherwise. SOURCES: Browning, Kellen and Matt Zdun. “Online and on the Stump, Democrats Embrace a Four-Letter Word.” The New York Times, April 9, 2026 (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/us/politics/democrats-social-media-profanity-f-word.html).McGurn, William. “The Profane President Trump,” Wall Street Journal, March 23, 2028 (https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-profane-president-trump-178f4333).Stone, Roger. *The Making of the President 2016*. New York: Skyhorse, 2017.Taylor, Charles. *A Secular Age*. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007.Truman, Carl. *To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse*. Brentwood, TN: B&H Academic, 2024. Vance, JD. *Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith*. New York: Harper, 2026.Watkins, Zoe. "Rage-Baiting and the Christian response." Baptist and Reflector, February 9, 2026 (https://baptistandreflector.org/rage-baiting-and-the-christian-response/).Wootson. Cleve R. Jr., Clara Ence Morse, Lydia Sidhom, and Eric Lau. “Profanity is a hallmark of Trump’s second term, a Post analysis finds.” The Washington Post, May 21, 2026 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/05/21/profanity-is-hallmark-trumps-more-combative-second-term/).

7. 

   13 Aug 2026

   Ep. 00 Introduction to Wisdom Calling

   Listen in for a brief introductory to the new Wisdom Calling podcast, officially launching September 1, 2026. In this episode, Dr. Wolfe gives an overview of the purpose of the podcast and its biblical foundation in Proverbs Chapter 9. Our decisions, conversations, and relationships are shaping us both as individuals and as a culture at large. But how are we to know whether the shape we’re taking is positive or negative? In other words, if we end up where we’re headed, will we like who we have become as much as we have enjoyed the freedom of becoming? "Wisdom is not silent. Wisdom is not hiding. Wisdom is not inaccessible. She calls out from the highest points, inviting us all into a life of virtue and meaning, together. That's where I plan to meet you in this Wisdom Calling podcast... right there, at the intercession of theology, culture, and leadership... where we will turn up the volume on timeless wisdom and filter out the noise of the passing moments."

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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