The Monstrous Regiment: Recent Episodes
Reconstructionist Radio
God has created women in His image to build his Kingdom and to have dominion. This podcast calls Christian women to step up to this responsibility, while encouraging men to fight shoulder to shoulder with us, bringing in all of God’s word to bear on every area of life.
Sadly, an area in which the church is still plagued with pagan thinking has to do with the role and capabilities of women as image-bearers and dominion-takers, and yet the Bible describes godly women as “terrible as an army with banners.”
This is not a “Christian Women’s podcast” that limits itself to the key “female” passages like Proverbs 31 and Titus 2, or homemaking tips. We will be applying ALL of scripture to all of life from the perspective of kingdom women.
The Monstrous Regiment features a roundtable of dominion women, from single women to grandmothers, seeking to honor Jesus Christ in applying God’s word fearlessly and faithfully in all callings and seasons of life, both inside and out of the home.
In today’s episode, we had the privilege of sitting down with Shatoyia Bradley, a business owner, fashion designer, writer, editor, wife, and mother for a frank discussion about racism, her experience as a black woman in the church and in America, and loving our neighbors in the context of systemic injustice.
The devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, as the Bible says. But what does this mean for Christians today, and more to the point, what (if anything) can we do about it? Cover some of the basics of spiritual warfare with Suzannah Rowntree in today’s episode!
We know we’ve been on a bit of a hiatus. Y’all may have noticed that there’s been a lot going on! Plus, we have all been busy working hard at our various callings. But we still have a lot to say, and you are not going to want to miss this one.
Join Monstrous Host Elisabeth for a compelling discussion on tribalism: what it is, how it impacts Christian discourse and behavior, and what its implications are in a “culture war”.
Join Monstrous host Elisabeth and special guest Douglas Gresham, author, speaker, and as you will hear, master of many trades, for a moving and inspiring discussion of the life and work of his late mother, poet and novelist (and wife of C.S. Lewis), Joy Davidman.
SUGGESTED READING:
Smoke on the Mountain by Joy Davidman
Lenten Lands: My Childhood with Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis by Douglas Gresham
Jack’s Life: The Story of C.S. Lewis by Douglas Gresham
Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis by Patti
Til We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
In this week’s Monstrous Regiment, Liz will lead a thoughtful discussion on the church and transgenderism: how our behavior should be guided by scripture, as well as some surprising philosophies that have led to the environment in which we now find ourselves.
Monstrous host Toni Kolb and her brother Christ Hutto review a recent talk by The Transformed Wife on the topic of marital rape, and have a frank discussion about the conclusions contained therein.
The phrase “biblical modesty” is bandied about frequently, but what does it really mean and why is it important? Most of us have presuppositions about modesty that are actually the opposite of what the Bible says. In Episode 20, Monstrous host Kate Robinson takes a look at some of the most common myths surrounding “modesty” and what it does and doesn’t mean.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if the church was a safe place to run to for those who have been abused and exploited, and the people of God were wise as serpents, and gentle as doves, able to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted and recognize wolves (EVEN when they’re wearing sheep’s clothing)?
We have to start somewhere. Let’s start by talking about it. Check out Rebecca Robinson and Toni Kolb digging into how to recognize red flags of a predator.
In Episode 13, Monstrous host Elisabeth discusses the the importance of taking an ethical/judicial approach to examining and responding to assault allegations in a charged political climate.
In Episode 12, Monstrous host Toni Kolb interviews Erika Collins, the Sponsorhip Director for Children’s Rescue Initiative, on human trafficking: where it happens, how to recognize it, and what we as Christians can do.
Cheryl and Suzannah are back for part 2 in our conversation about Dorothy Sayers, exploring her views on what is and what isn’t “Christian” art and the importance of finding one’s work as the means to obtaining purpose and meaning in God’s Kingdom.
It seems Christians are constantly exhorted to ignore, subdue, and dismiss emotions. We are told that thinking and decision-making must be, above all, rational. But is this dichotomy Biblical, reasonable, or reven real? In Episode 17, hosts Suzannah and Liz discuss what the Bible says about emotions.
In part 1 of this two-part episode, hosts Suzannah Rowntree and Cheryl Hannah Nicholson discuss the tremendous works and insight of novelist, poet, theologian, and cheroot aficionado Dorothy Sayers.
Whether it’s abortion advocates championing it as a women’s right, pro-lifers treating it as something that happens to women, or abolitionists discussing it as a women’s sin and debating what punishment women should receive for perpetrating it, the abortion debate seems to focus almost exclusively on women. Why is that? Should it be this way? Liz Sachs and Elisabeth Goss dig into whether abortion is a gender-specific sin in this week’s Monstrous Regiment.
Liz explores the idea of service based authority and how it applies in a parenting context in today’s episode.
Many thanks to special guest Tim Yarbrough for joining Cheryl Ann Hannah Nicholson to share his thoughts with us in episode 18.
Every year in Christian circles, there’s an ongoing debate about whether Christians should celebrate the incarnation of Christ on December 25, and what that has to do with ancient pagan idolatry. Joint monstrous host Kate Robinson to take a closer look at the origins of the Christmas holiday, what scripture says about pagan worship, and the implications for us today.
Intrigued by Queen Victoria? Can’t wait for Season 3 of THE CROWN? (Us either). Ruling queens seem to turn up regularly in Christian cultures. Ever wondered why? Join Suzannah Rowntree to find out.
We are all familiar with the concept of romantic, or courtly, love. But do we understand where the concept comes from and what it means? In today’s Monstrous Regiment, Suzannah Rowntree and Stephen C. Perks take us on a fascinating journey through history, eschatology, literature, and scripture, as they explore various views of courtly love and and the underlying ideas that have shaped our modern understanding of romance.
Host Liz Sachs gives a brief history lesson on some of the pitfalls faced by human rights movements of the past, and how failure to stay consistent directly contributed to human rights atrocities of today.
Today Monstrous Host Toni is discussing Carolyn Jessop’s book, Escape, the alarming parallels between the cult Jessop emerged from and (seemingly) less extreme views that are widespread in Christian circles, and what we as Christians can learn from her story and others like it.
Is Tolkien a Misogynist? Is Rohan a sexist culture? Did Eowyn give up war to be a wife?
Monstrous host and medieval history scholar Suzannah Rowntree addresses (new wave) feminist critiques regarding everyone’s favorite shieldmaiden.
Today we’ll be defining toxic masculinity, debating the concepts it was invented to describe, and asking whether the term and the reasoning behind it are useful for Christians.
Christians have a history of responding to the occult, or anything that smacks of the occult, with superstitious fear. We need not be afraid of folk magic practices…but we do need to properly evaluate their presuppositions.
Scripture calls the body the temple of the Holy Spirit, but for many people, the body is an object of hatred, shame, or disgust. In today’s episode, monstrous Becky Robinson talks about reconciling ourselves to our bodies and the importance of finding healing and safety therein.
What is Empathy? Is it type of counterfeit love? Is it something the church needs more of or less of? Join Monstrous Host Kate today as we discuss what it means to have empathy and what scripture tells us about it.
Our special guest this week is linguist Sarah Robinson, whose research into the linguistic and cognitive aspects of Nazi propaganda shines some light on the resurgence of fascism and ethno-nationalism in current political discourse.
In a culture that treats children either as inconveniences to be discarded, or as accessories and a means to self-actualization, Monstrous host Toni asks us to take a look at whether we view children rightly, as complete human beings.
In part 1 of our episode on fiction, we discussed the legitimacy of fiction as a Christian pursuit. In part 2, we’re discussing whether unbelievers are able to tell Gospel stories, and what “Christian” fiction really means.
In Episode 15, Monstrous host Cheryl Hannah Nicholson interviews Joseph Foreman about how Jesus overthrows all our ideas of power and authority in the upper room, and what we have to look forward to in the future when we finally grow up.
Let’s talk about the crusades! In Episode 15, Kate Robinson interviews our own co-host Suzannah Rowntree Author about her recently released novel, A WIND FROM THE WILDERNESS, an historical fiction fantasy novel about the first crusade, and we discuss the crusades themselves and what really happened.
Is the old adage true that men and women cannot be friends because the potential for falling into sin is too great? Aimee Byrd, author of “Why Can’t We Be Friends? Avoidance is Not Purity” joins hosts Elisabeth Summer and Rebecca Robinson to shed some light on this topic on this week’s Monstrous Regiment.
Hosts Suzannah Rowntree and Kate Robinson explore John Knox’s pamphlet “The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women” and demonstrate that Knox’s dehumanizing arguments are derived not from an honest reading of Scripture, but from pagan Greek and Roman philosophy.
Is reading and writing fiction a waste of time for Christians, or a worthwhile part of Christian life? Monstrous hosts Suzannah and Kate address some of the superstitions surrounding the fiction in this week’s episode.
What is our responsibility as Christians to the widow and the orphan, and are we as the church fulfilling it? Get ready to get convicted as we glean from the wisdom of special guest Dawn Haines, a true practitioner of pure and undefiled religion.
In which Suzannah, Kate, and Becky try to find a man.
(JUST KIDDING)
Hosts Kate, Rebecca, and Suzannah discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of being a single woman in Christian culture, and the vital importance of individual calling and purpose for single women.
In this episode we cover Social Justice and discuss what justice is, who owns justice, and why we should not be afraid of the name “social justice warrior.” We talk about why this name is not an insult, but a name we should seek to live up to, and expemplify as Christians.
metoo, GamerGate, 4chan, and misunderstanding formal logical fallacies — what might ordinary people have in common with neo-nazi propagandists?
Does the Bible require a rape victim to marry her attacker? Is there a Biblical basis for the concept of consent? Suzannah Rowntree digs deep into Scripture to bring you some surprising answers.
Hosts Liz Sachs and Toni Kolb discuss how the abandonment of God’s law leads to abuse of his image bearers.
In Episode 14, hosts Kate and Rebecca discuss how the sins of adults always roll down onto the children, and the responsibility of Christians to take the heart of Jesus toward children seriously.
In Episode 5, host Cheryl Ann Hannah Nicholson and guest Laura d’Vaida discuss Laura’s experiences in the home, the church, and the marketplace, and how she became an anti-patriarchal, anti-feminist, dominion-taking woman.
Elisabeth Goss and Rebecca Robinson discuss everyone’s favorite blog on what men prefer in women and what dangerous messages are hidden in it.
In part three of our overly long and yet somehow still only surface-deep discussion of manipulative discourse, we finally address the patriarchal foundations of fascism. What does “Cultural Marxism” vs “Western Civilization” have to do with incels, Ancient Roman sexual ethics, and magic sperm?