Dr. Beth Allison Barr: The Rise of the Pastor's Wife and the Diminishment of Women's Ordination

In this episode, we talk with Regent alum, Dr. David C. Wang, a pastor, psychologist and professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. We discuss trauma and its manifestations in our lives, in the church and theological institutions. David offers helpful insights and practical implications for those in pastoral ministry and anyone who walks alongside trauma survivors. He shares the gifts traumatized people bring to our churches and suggests ways of being with one another (and ourselves) in our pain.Note: In this conversation, we touch on issues related to trauma, spiritual trauma, and adverse childhood experiences. Please take care and decide whether this is helpful listening for you today.BioDr. David C. Wang is the Cliff and Joyce Penner Chair for the Formation of Emotionally Healthy Leaders at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He is a licensed psychologist, pastor, and editor of the Journal of Psychology and Theology. David has a PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Houston. He also holds a Th.M. in Spiritual Theology from Regent College. Dr. Wang oversees the Seminary Formation Assessment Project, a program funded by the John Templeton Foundation, which is conducting longitudinal empirical research on the human and spiritual formation of students enrolled in various North American seminaries. Dr. Wang's multivocational career reflects his commitment to integrating psychological principles with spiritual formation to foster emotionally healthy leadership within the Christian community. His academic and applied work has focused on the holistic formation of Christian leaders, emphasizing emotional health and resilience alongside intellectual and spiritual development.Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter

In today’s conversation, the last in our Women in Theology series, we catch up with Regent’s own Library Director and Professor of the History of Christianity, Dr. Cindy Aalders. Cindy has recently published her thesis as a monograph, The Spiritual Lives and Manuscript Cultures of Eighteenth-Century Women (2024). In this conversation, we delve into the archives and lives of Methodist, Baptist and Anglican women in the eighteenth century, seeking to understand their friendship, kinship and spiritual development as demonstrated in their letter-writing and diary entries. Cindy’s work highlights the significant impact of women in relational spheres and religious communities. These women invested deeply in intergenerational friendships and spiritual kinship as they sought to be faithful to God. Cindy reminds us that we can learn much from them today as we strive to support one another in an increasingly isolated world. Cindy also shares her upcoming summer class, Children and Spiritual Identity (June 30–July 4).BioDr. Cindy Aalders is the Director of the John Richard Allison Library and Associate Professor of the History of Christianity at Regent College. She earned a Bachelor of Science from The King's University, a Master of Christian Studies and a Master of Theology in Spiritual Theology from Regent College. She completed her Doctor of Philosophy in History at the University of Oxford in 2014, focusing her research on eighteenth-century British women's spiritual lives and manuscript cultures. Cindy’s doctoral thesis, The Spiritual Lives and Manuscript Cultures of Eighteenth-Century English Women, was recently released by Oxford University Press. She has just returned to Regent from research leave, where she focused on girlhood and religious life in the long eighteenth century, digging through various archives in the process!Cindy's PublicationsThe Spiritual Lives and Manuscript Cultures of Eighteenth-Century Women (2024)To Express the Ineffable: The Hymns and Spirituality of Anne Steele (2009)Previous Podcast AppearancesChild Centred Theology and the Spiritual Formation of Children in the 18th CenturyCalled to Be Friends (with Dr. David Robinson)Friendship Recentred (with Dr. Maxine Hancock)Puritan Treasures (with Jenny-lyn de Klerk)Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter

In our second in this mini-series on Women in Theology, we sit down with a powerhouse in the world of the History of Christianity, Dr. Beth Allison Barr. In her return to the podcast, Beth discusses her new book, Becoming the Pastor’s Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman's Path to Ministry. Starting with Peter’s wife and walking through early church, Medieval, and Reformation history, we explore the evolving and shifting roles of women in the church. We also examine the roots and implications of contemporary complementarian theology and its influence on the rise of the pastor’s wife as a position of power in the church. Beth focuses on the history within her tradition, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and reveals the sobering reality of unaddressed clergy abuse which coincided with the revocation of women’s ordination in the SBC in the 1980s.Beth’s book is releasing on March 18, 2025 and will be available in the Regent Bookstore as well as other good bookstores.Note: This episode references clergy abuse and domestic violence. Please take care and determine whether this is beneficial listening for you today. BioDr. Beth Allison Barr is the James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Her research focuses on women and religion in medieval and early modern England, with particular attention to vernacular sermons and devotional literature. In her work, she also examines how the advent of Protestantism affected women in Christianity and explores medieval perceptions of women in religious literature across the Reformation era. PublicationsBecoming the Pastor’s Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman's Path to Ministry (2025)The Making of Biblical Womanhood (2021)The Pastoral Care of Women in Late Medieval England (2008)Previous Podcast AppearancesThe Cost of Forgetting Women in Church History (April 2024)Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter

We're kicking off Season 6 with a mini-series on Women in Theology! In this episode, we hear from Dr. Janet Soskice, who delivered the 2025 Laing Lectures at Regent (Feb 4-6, 2025) on the topic "God and Creation: An Urgent Teaching for Today." In this engaging conversation, Janet shares about her time as a Regent student, her work on the doctrine of creation and the names of God, and her experience as a woman in theology. BioDr. Janet Martin Soskice is the William K. Warren Distinguished Research Professor of Catholic Theology at Duke Divinity School. Raised in the West Kootenays in British Columbia, Dr. Soskice studied at Regent from 1973-74, before completing her Doctor of Philosophy in the philosophy of religion at the University of Oxford. Dr. Soskice spent over three decades at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Divinity. Her scholarly work focuses on the intersection of Christian theology and philosophy, with particular interests in religious language, the doctrine of creation, and the role of women in religion. Some of Dr. Soskice's Publications:Naming God: Addressing the Divine in Philosophy, Theology, and Scripture (2023)Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels (2009)The Kindness of God: Metaphor, Gender and Religious Language (2007)Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter

The Regent College Podcast will be back soon with a new producer and co-host, Rachel Hanna. In this introductory conversation, Rachel shares about the role the podcast played in her journey to Regent, the ways in which she has integrated theological study with her existing academic background, and hopes for the next season.Stay tuned over the next few weeks for new episodes with current and visiting faculty, alumni, and students.Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter

In this episode, we turn the mic around to interview Christina Zacharias-Aji, Regent College Podcast producer and student. Christina reflects on her journey at Regent, her love for the Old Testament, and the challenges of navigating faith, mental health, and community. She shares highlights from her time on the podcast, including meaningful series like peace in Israel and Palestine, and offers heartfelt insights into what she’s learned along the way.Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter

In this episode, we explore the fascinating topic of embedded genres in the New Testament. Jeannine discusses how recognizing literary forms within Scripture—like hymns, parables, and poems—can deepen our understanding of its message. We dive into case studies, the relationship between genre and theology, and the practical implications for preaching, teaching, and personal study. Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter

In this episode, we delve into the profound theme of divine presence in the Old Testament. Drawing from his extensive teaching and research, Matt explores how God’s presence is depicted in Scripture—from the Garden of Eden to the Tabernacle and Temple, and into the prophetic visions of restoration. We discuss how these ancient texts challenge and shape our understanding of God’s nearness and transcendence. Whether you’re wrestling with questions of faith, longing to experience God’s presence, or seeking fresh insights into the Old Testament, this conversation is full of wisdom and hope.Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter

In this episode, Dr. Tom Wright joins us to discuss his latest book, Jesus and the Powers, co-authored with Michael Bird. Tom explores how Jesus’ teachings challenge worldly power structures and reframe our understanding of politics and authority. He unpacks the New Testament’s depiction of “the powers” and what it means for Christians navigating the complex intersections of faith and government today. From the role of the church in society to contemporary issues, this conversation offers profound insights for living faithfully in a world marked by power and division. Join us for a timely discussion on the revolutionary implications of Jesus’ kingdom.Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter

In this episode, Dr. Jesse Nickel discusses his latest book, A Revolutionary Jesus: Violence and Peacemaking in the Kingdom of God, which examines Jesus's perspective on violence and its implications for his followers. We explore how Jesus's teachings and actions present a vision of God's reign defined by peace, contrasting with the eschatological violence prevalent in Second Temple Jewish expectations. Jesse also shares insights into how this understanding challenges contemporary Christian praxis and the church's role in peacemaking today. Regent College Podcast Thanks for listening. Please like, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice and share this episode with a friend. Follow Us on Social Media Facebook Instagram Youtube Keep in Touch Regent College Summer Programs Regent College Newsletter