Allen Levi on Theo of Golden

The Russell Moore Show

Russell Moore

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.7 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 4 March 2026

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The author of Theo of Golden sits down with Russell in Andrew Peterson’s Chapter House for a conversation on the breakout novel. NO SPOILERS! Watch the video of this episode on YouTube here. Russell is joined by Allen Levi, the author of the breakout novel Theo of Golden, to ask why so many readers are hungry for a story about kindness—and whether such a person could exist outside the pages of fiction. Russell and Allen sit together in Nashville for a conversation based on questions RDM collected from listeners and friends. Without any spoilers, Levi describes Theo of Golden as a book not only about kindness, but about the reason for kindness—an ordinary holiness rooted in the reality of Heaven. Levi’s clear-eyed theology of “glory and grime” found in Golden insists that darkness is real, but it doesn’t get the last word. To close, Russell offers for Allen to share a rare on-air prayer for listeners who are exhausted by suspicion and artificiality. If you’re struggling to see how kindness is worth the cost, or if you’re weary from cynicism, this episode is for you. Resources mentioned in this episode: Theo of Golden by Allen Levi “The Confession” by Leo Tolstoy “Think Little” by Wendell Berry How to Know a Person by David Brooks Keep up with Russell: Sign up for the weekly newsletter where Russell shares thoughtful takes on big questions, offers a Christian perspective on life, and recommends books and music he's enjoying. Submit a question for the show at questions@russellmoore.com Subscribe to the Christianity Today Magazine: Special offer for listeners of The Russell Moore Show: Click here for 25% off a subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This paid message is from Bible Studies for Life, a weekly group curriculum from Lifeway.
0:06.3	Beginning this fall, each weekly session will encourage participants to experience life through a biblical lens,
0:12.4	basing every thought, attitude, and action on the truth of God's word.
0:16.6	From Sunday to every day, you can see biblically and live faithfully.
0:21.0	And right now, you can preview three free sessions at Bible Studies for Life.com
0:25.8	slash adults.
0:31.7	And I said, when I die, I will take this book to Jesus, and I will say, I need this for you.
0:40.8	This is a gift for you.
0:44.0	Hello, this is Russell Moore, and this is the Russell Moore Show, brought to you by Christianity today.
0:49.5	Here, we look for signposts in a strange time by standing fast to what really matters.
0:56.2	Kingdom over culture wars, truth over tribalism, pilgrimage over partisanship, sanity over cynicism,
1:03.0	witness over winning, and Christ over everything.
1:06.3	Today we have a conversation to do just that.
1:13.6	Today, May we have a conversation to do just that. Today's episode is talking to Alan Levi, who is the author of Theo of Golden.
1:20.6	And before we get to the interview, let me just tell you this.
1:23.6	I was in the middle of this interview.
1:26.6	Normally, I try to stay in the flow of the conversation, but there was a moment when I stopped
1:34.1	and thought to myself, you know, this might be my favorite interview I've ever done.
1:41.4	And I had to sort of get my attention back to go forward with the conversation
1:45.0	because I think one of the things you'll find in this is the very reason that this book is
1:53.6	number one this week on the New York Times bestseller list, number one on Amazon right now.
2:00.0	When we recorded, it was number two, but it's number one now. right now when we recorded it was number two but it's
	...

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