So You Married a Priest? + Beth Allison Barr

So You Married a Priest? + Beth Allison Barr

Author: Religion News Service April 3, 2025 Duration: 49:05
Did you know there are piles of guidebooks meant to help women excel at being the church's first lady? From how to step out of a car when pulling up to church on Sunday, to preparing the perfect casserole, to keeping the kids smiling and still in the front pew. And those dirty dishes in the sink? They could be the talk of the lady's luncheon if you're not careful. On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy dig into the pile of expectations put on pastor's wives — and the idea that his ministry must be her ministry. As a woman newly wed to a priest, Roxy wonders what those expectations mean for her — and which parts of this role to lean into and which to resist. And Katelyn ... well, Katelyn has some new reasons to care too (listen to find out!). We talk with historian Beth Allison Barr about why the role of pastor's wife has evolved in many denominations to be the primary path of ministry for some women. Plus: The Millennial Girl Boss's Guide to Being the Pastor's Wife (as cringe as you'd expect!) GUEST: Beth Allison Barr is the James Vardaman Professor of History at Baylor University. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, "Becoming the Pastor’s Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman’s Path to Ministry," as well as, "The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth." She is a pastor’s wife and mom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Saved by the City, hosts Roxy and Katelyn explore a spiritual journey that defies expectations. Produced by Religion News Service, this podcast delves into their personal experiences of moving from the white evangelical heartland into the heart of a major metropolis, a transition they were told would threaten their faith. Instead of finding a spiritual wasteland, they discovered a complex, challenging, and ultimately enriching landscape that forced them to re-examine everything. Each episode is a conversation about navigating belief in a place where Sunday mornings look different and old certainties are constantly questioned. They talk about the surprising ways their faith has been both strengthened and stretched by urban life, confronting topics from community and service to doubt and belonging. This isn't a theoretical discussion; it's grounded in the real, sometimes messy, day-to-day life of seeking purpose and connection in a city that never sleeps. The podcast offers honest reflections for anyone who has ever felt their beliefs were too small for the world they inhabit, proving that sometimes faith doesn't need to be sheltered to survive-it needs to be tested to truly grow. Tune in for candid stories and insights that resonate far beyond city limits.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Saved by the City
Podcast Episodes
We Asked, You Answered: Why Women Are Leaving Church [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:03
Can you imagine a church without women? Us either. For as long as anyone alive today has been going to church, they've found the pews populated with more women than men. It's long been a given in American society that wo…
Eat the Rich! Jesus Had Something to Say About That + Malcolm Foley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:42
Is it a sin to be a billionaire? What about to own a house when so many are displaced? We're in a real "eat the rich" moment as tech billionaires flaunt their wealth on red carpets and flex their power behind presidents…
The Wedding Industrial Complex [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:20
Were Weddings Always This...Extra?In our parents' generation, most weddings took place in a house of worship, followed by a cake and punch reception in the basement or a local VFW hall, and everyone was decked out in pol…
The Hidden Religion in Your Self-Care Routine + Liz Bucar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:08
The evangelicals were right about yoga (kind of). Meditation, detox cleanses, sound baths, plant-based medicine ... these things were not invented by Gwyneth Paltrow. They did not appear in Brooklyn out of thin air. Many…
What JD Vance and the New Intellectual Right Want [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:43
The Brains Behind the Trump Era Vice President J. D. Vance recently criticized Pope Leo online over his criticism of the war in Iran. It was a bold move for a Catholic convert, but perhaps not surprising, given the large…
It's an AI World, and We're All Just Living In It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:31
Don't worry, ChatGPT told us to just trust the robots...In a shockingly short period of time, AI has gone from tech novelty to a part of our everyday lives. More industries are incorporating AI into daily workflow so tha…
The Stranger Gospel + Bart D. Ehrman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:15
What if Jesus really meant what he said? Like, including all that love your enemy stuff. The better question maybe is what would happen if Jesus's followers believed he really meant what he said — and acted on it? It cou…
The Manosphere and the Gospel of Self-Optimization [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:07
Bro, do you even know your facial thirds? In an era of overexposure, perhaps looksmaxxing was inevitable. Clavicular, the face of this buzzy new internet phenomenon, tells us an uncomfortable truth we probably already kn…
Bible Stories That Scared the Hell Out of Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:47
The Noah's Ark story should come with a content warning. The Beginner's Bible. The Precious Moments Bible. The Jesus Storybook Bible. Children's Bibles remain an incredibly popular way for parents to teach their kids the…