Religion and spirituality podcasts, often called "Godcasts" or "Cyber Sermons," cover a wide array of faith-based topics, with Christianity being the most common. Influenced by televangelism and early radio broadcasts, the genre experienced rapid growth in 2005; for instance, the Vatican began offering podcasts of its radio programs, and Pope Benedict XVI even hosted his own show that year. These podcasts provide an accessible alternative to attending live services, allowing pastors to connect with their congregations and evangelize to a global audience, with some hosts reaching listeners on every continent. Figures like Reverend Mark Batterson have compared their impact on the church to that of the printing press on Bible distribution. Though predominantly Christian, the genre also features New Age, Jewish, and Buddhist content, consistently emerging as one of the fastest-growing and most popular podcast categories.