"Thoughts and prayers" is a phrase that creeps around the internet. People wince at its presence as it seems to make light of human suffering. In this second part of the interview with Dr. Peckham on the subject of suffering, the subject eventually turns to Peckham's new book on prayer. In addition to frameworks that help us make meaning of our suffering, how can prayer help us face down the forces of darkness? If you wrestle with the problem of pain in the world you won't want to miss this...

The problem of pain is the horror that haunts people of faith most. The presence of suffering often scares people away from a picture of a loving all-powerful God. How can we hang on to religious hope living in a reality with monstrous miseries? Dr. John Peckham, research professor of Christian theology and philosophy at Andrews University, and author of Theodicy of Love and Why We Pray, joins Dr. Pierce to examine the never-ending nightmare of why bad things happen to good people. Show...

We can't ignore frightening pictures of God or scary stories in sacred texts. How should we approach works that push against our worldviews in ways that make us nervous? Seth and Brandon continue the conversation around Esther Hamori's book God's Monsters and gives pracyical advice for how to approach texts of terror. Show Notes Article | "But the Snake Told the Truth!" | AdventistToday - https://atoday.org/but-the-snake-told-the-truth/ Brandon Grafius |...

The Bible is a book of monsters - and God is the biggest one of them all... At least, that's the contention of a popular new book entitled "God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible." To help unpack this challenging text, Dr. Brandon Grafius, associate professor of Hebrew Bible at Ecumenical Seminary, and horror and theology expert, joins Seth on the podcast. The issues challenge, and possibly horrify, people of faith... Show...

Making merry with the macabre is a Disney hallmark. It may seem inapproriate to some to make silly that which is scary. However, as we conclude our interview with Dr. Lindvall, we see there is a reason to deal with death in a way the de-fangs it. This episode reaffirms some forgotten concepts from the Christian faith when dealing with the "enemy" of death. Show Notes CW Lewis Institute | Terry Lindvall Book | Disney Gothic Shadows

Was Walt Disney a Christian? If so, how does that help explain the dark elements in Disney's media? Dr. Terry Lindvall, C.S. Lewis Chair of Communication at Virginia Wesleyan, draws on his background in Tolkien, Lewis, and communication to set the stage for how we might engage Disney's Dark side. Show Notes CW Lewis Institute | Terry Lindvall Book | Disney Gothic Shadows

Are Disney Parks haunted by unseen forces? Well, sort of. In this second episode of Dark Disney, Seth and Jeffrey explore the iconic Haunted Mansion, what actually lurks in the shadows of Disney's haunted atraction, and what it can teach us about life and faith this side of the grave. Show Notes Central Michigan University | Jeffrey Weinstock   - https://www.cmich.edu/people/JEFFREY-A-WEINSTOCK    Book | Disney Gothic: Dark Shadows in the House of Mouse by Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock -...

Is Disney in league with the Devil? That's an accusation that is heard in some Evangelical corners. While it can't be denied that Disney has some dark content, is it in the service of Satan or something else? In this first of four episodes exploring Dark Disney, Dr. Pierce interveiwes, Dr. Jeffrey Weinstock, one of the editors of a new book entitled Disney Gothic: Shadows in the House of Mouse. Dr. Weinstock is a professor of English language and literature at Central Michigan Univeristy,...

Are you strange and unusual? That seems to be the case not only for the heroine of Beetlejuice but for anyone, especially a Christian, who has an interest in the darker things of life and faith. This episode continues the discussion of horor and faith with Kutter Callaway, taking a special look at the film Beetlejuice in light of the upcoming sequel. What, if anything, is there for religiously minded people to learn from bizarre horror-comedies such as this?   Listen to Kutter Callaway's...

Beetlejuice has returned from the dead after nearly 40 years. But can Christianity and Horror media co-exist? Seth interviews Dr. Kutter Callaway,  the host of Christianity Today's new horror podcast, "Be Afraid!" The conversation explores how and why people of faith engage with a genre that seems antithetical to the Way of Jesus.   Listen to Kutter Callaway's podcast from Christianity today, Be Afraid! https://www.kuttercallaway.com

Monster Season is back. Season 2 of Beast and Bible drops Sept 2.

Hey Monster Hunters! You might like our sister podcast They Also Served, which explores the untold stories of women who impacted American Christianity, Adventism, and the world.  Subscribe over on the They Also Served feed so you don't miss when the first episodes drop in Summer 2024!  Subscribe now: Apple | Spotify |  Google | Podbean App

For years, Christians have tried to create positive alternatives to Halloween. In some cases they have been traumatic, such as the Hell or Judgment House. Other times they have made it cringey by preaching anti-Halloween sermons with misinformation. Yet, some churches have found a way to reach out and have fun. In this final Halloween episode, Dr. Pierce talks with Pastor Michael Halfhill on his church’s popular event known as “Light Up the Dark.” This is the fourth and final episode of the...

When did Halloween take such a dark turn? How did it come to be associated with gory, murderous imagery? In this episode, Dr. Pierce concludes his interview ith Halloween expert Lisa Morton, focusing on the transition from children's holiday to something for adults with a taste for the macabre. This is the third episode of the 2023 Halloween Special.  Show Notes Book | Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween by Lisa Morton Documentary | Hell House | Rent on Amazon, Vudu or view on Youtube This...

Halloween is often considered a tribute to the Celtic Lord of Death…but is it? Where did this holiday come from? Is it a religious holiday or something manufactured by the makers of sweets? In this episode, Dr. Pierce interviews Halloween historian and six-time Bram Stoker award winner Lisa Morton about the history of this spooky Holiday. This is the second episode of the 2023 Halloween Special.  Show Notes Book | Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween by Lisa Morton

Episode 1 of the Beast and Bible 2023 Halloween Special.

Dr. Pierce speaks with expert Dr. Joseph Laycock on how knowing the patterns of moral panics can keep us from being swept up in them.

Dr. Pierce speaks with expert Dr. Joseph Laycock to pull back the curtain on why there's so much panic about the satanic.

We're taking this week off, but we'll be back on July 10 with Part 1 of our episodes on the Satanic Panic. If you want to do some homework, check out Dr. Joseph Laycock's book, "Dangerous Games: What the Moral Panic over Role-Playing Games Says about Play, Religion, and Imagined Worlds."

Dr. Pierce explores perhaps the most horrific pop culture icon taken from scripture, the mysterious number 666 (aka the Mark of the Beast). Dr. Jon Paulien, renowned expert on the book of Revelation, joins the episode to help unravel this beastly number.   Show Notes  Contact | Jonathan K. Paulien, PhD, Loma Linda University Website | http://thebattleofarmageddon.com/  Book |  The Deep Things of God: An Insider’s Guide to the Book of Revelation Adventist Book Center | Jon Paulien’s Books on...

Dr. Pierce interviews Dr. Laurence Turner about a creepy Old Testament story that has caused debate for centuries: when the Witch of Endor summons the "spirit" of the prophet Samuel at the request of King Saul, who was actually doing the talking?  This is Part 1. 

Dr. Pierce interviews Dr. Laurence Turner about a creepy Old Testament story that has caused debate for centuries: when the Witch of Endor summons the "spirit" of the prophet Samuel at the request of King Saul, who was actually doing the talking?  This is Part 1. 

Beast and Bible will return on Monday, May 15. 

Dr. Pierce talks with Dr. Michael Campbell and Greg Howell about the 19th and 20th century American spiritualist movements and how this brought up an important question for Seventh-day Adventists: what happens when you die?   This is Part 2.