On a six-hour road trip this holiday season, much of it through a radio wasteland, I found myself scanning between 88 and 92 MHz; in the US, the location of most NPR and public radio stations. One broadcast that aired continuously throughout my journey, often on two or more stations, was a slow-talking man that sounded a bit like Reverend Lovejoy, laboriously reciting what seemed like the most excruciatingly dull parts of the KJV Old Testament. That’s it … “And Obidiah, first born son of Zebadiah, sayeth to those that gathereth at the temple, let not the Caananites nor the Moabites seweth your fields, nor harvesteth your corn, for their labors are …”
If it weren’t for the religious content, I’d guess it was Harry Shearer’s Le Show. From what I’ve heard of it, it’s basically Reverend Lovejoy reading a newspaper.
I don’t think it’s J. Vernon McGee. The person I heard had a more melodious, less emotionally expressive voice. The accent was solidly Middle American.
Well, that band also includes a whole lot of church radio stations (that band is reserved for noncommercial broadcasting which includes educational, public service AND religious) so you may have come across affiliates of a Christian network.
There are some Christian radio stations that play about 15-30 minute stretches of just Bible reading. The SDA Network LifeTalk and Family Radio Network (Harold Camping’s) do that. Often, the reading is by the late Alexander Scourby.
On the other hand, the late J. Vernon McGee would also comment on & answer questions about Bible passages, not just read them.
Whatever happened to The World Tomorrow from the Worldwide Church of God? I remember listening to that on cross-country trips with my dad long, long ago.
Herbert W. Armstrong passed away in 1985(?) and his son Garner Ted had been excommunicated a few years before, only to start his own Church of God International with its own TV show. When the WWCOG changed its doctrine to Evangelical Christianity (with a very open view on Evolution & Eschatology), that ended its TV presence. Various splinter groups keep the Armstrong message going on TV but none on radio to my knowledge.
Garner Ted was later expelled from his COGI for sexual misconduct (the same reason for his earlier expulsion tho he let it be believed it was for insubordination to his father) & started the GTA Evangelistic Association which I think continues on since his death a few years ago (2003).