What happens when a marriage isn't a partnership, but a proving ground for patriarchal power? In this episode, psychotherapist Bethany Jantzi (Free From Control) joins us to expose a dark reality within high-control religious circles: the idea that a wife is a "training ground" for a man's leadership. We discuss how the domestic sphere is often used as a laboratory for men to practice "authority" and "dominion," effectively turning women's lives into stepping stones for male ego and spiritual status. We explore the psychological toll of being a "helpmate" used for a man's development, and how to break free from the cycle of religious grooming.

Welcome to Remedial Theology: Mattie Mae and Meghan Take TheoBros Back 2 School.

The TheoBros have been loud, confident, and very wrong—and Mattie Mae and Meghan are handing out syllabi. In this episode, we take on Josh, who argues that Paul is the most "gender-based guy ever" (whatever that means) and tries to make the point that naturally women should stay home and men should provide. Spoiler: the theology and science doesn't hold up.

Class is in session. Egos will be bruised. Homework is mandatory.

In this episode, we sit down with author Amanda McCracken to explore the "purity to limerence pipeline"—where religious expectations of "the one" collide with the addictive rush of romantic obsession. We discuss how waiting for a soulmate can inadvertently prime us for a life of chronic longing rather than real connection. Join us as we deconstruct the spiritual and feminist implications of choosing fantasy over the grounded, messy reality of being known.

Today's episode with Halley Kim explores the intersection of birth, power, and the Divine. Moving away from the "God in control" narrative, we dive into feminist theology, spiritual trauma, and the midwifery model of "power with." It's time to stop waiting to be saved and start realizing that the power to bring forth new life—and a new world—has been within us all along.

Welcome to Remedial Theology: Mattie Mae and Meghan Take TheoBros Back 2 School.

The TheoBros have been loud, confident, and very wrong—and Mattie Mae and Meghan are handing out syllabi. In this episode, we take on Dale, who argues that women shouldn't vote and tries to use the Bible to defend his position. Spoiler: the theology doesn't hold up.

Class is in session. Egos will be bruised. Homework is mandatory.

Wellness, faith, and "just asking questions" have become gateways to extremism. In this episode, The Conspiracists author Noelle Cook breaks down why some women are being radicalized in plain sight—and why shame, facts, and debunking keep failing.

In this episode, I interview Katherine Douglass and Brittany Tausen of Love Your Neighbor about how psychology helps explain why so many churches struggle with empathy, accountability, and actual love—especially in times of political polarization and social harm. We talk about trauma, reactivity, power, and why unexamined theology often protects institutions instead of people.

In this episode, we speak with Sara Billups the author of Nervous Systems about anxiety as an embodied, collective experience shaping our bodies, churches, and politics. We explore spiritual and somatic practices that calm chronic stress and help us move toward grounded, compassionate, and faithful engagement with the world.