Holy Curiosity with Kat Armstrong Christianity Today

Dinah and the Samaritan Woman have been interpreted many different ways by founding church fathers and theologians, and we inherit those interpretations. Kat welcomes Biblical scholars Drs. Beth Allison Barr and Sandra Glahn to process the interpretations of these early theologians–known as the Patristic fathers, and reformation leaders.
Dr. Sandra Glahn is a Professor of Media Arts and Worship at Dallas Theological Seminary and author of more than 20 books. Dr. Beth Allison Barr is an expert in Medieval History, and her book The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth was a bestseller and began a larger conversation in recent years about the role of women in scripture and the church. 
Episode Content Warning: This episode contains content related to sexual assault. 
QUICK LINKS:

Give feedback, ask questions, and download a free learning guide on Kat’s website


The In-Between Place by Kat Armstrong: Kat’s book about the Samaritan woman.


Dr. Sandra Glahn: Vindicating the Vixens book


Dr. Beth Allison Barr: The Making of Biblical Womanhood book

Norfleete Day

Virtual Museum of Women in Christianity

Find Kat online:

Instagram: @KatArmstrong1

Website: Katarmstrong.com


The Storyline Project: thestorylineproject.com


Production Credits:

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper

Senior Producer: Matt Stevens 

Producer: Leslie Thompson

Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill

Audio Editing: Kevin Morris


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Kat is joined by Cheryl Luke, a pastor and communicator, for a vulnerable conversation about how Bible readers need to process the storyline of Shechem. Together, Kat and Cherl expose the complexities of trauma, abuse, and highlight the transformative power of faith. The episode offers a raw conversation, urging listeners to reflect on their own experiences and find hope in the midst of pain.
Episode Content Warning: This episode contains content related to sexual assault. 
Quick Links

Give feedback, ask questions, and download a free learning guide on Kat’s website


The In-Between Place by Kat Armstrong: Kat’s book about Shechem and how Jesus can change our stories.

Cheryl Luke: https://cherylluke.com/


Find Kat online:

Instagram: @KatArmstrong1

Website: Katarmstrong.com

The Storyline Project: www.thestorylineproject.com



Episode Highlights: 

Cheryl opens up about her own life experiences, revealing the complexities of growing up in a broken home and surviving abuse. 

Kat and Cherly discuss the impact of silence surrounding rape, drawing parallels between Dinah's story and Cheryl's own journey. They explore the theme of naming and its significance, emphasizing the power of sharing stories to initiate healing. Cheryl's vulnerability in discussing her past experiences brings a unique depth to the conversation, creating a space for empathy and understanding.

Cheryl underlines the redemptive role of Jesus, portraying him as the ultimate source of healing and hope in the midst of brokenness. 
The episode concludes with a pastoral note, offering guidance to those processing trauma. She offers a poignant reminder: every story matters. And sharing one's experiences can have a ripple effect of healing and freedom.

Holy Curiosity is a production of Christianity Today

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper

Producer: Leslie Thompson

Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill

Audio Editing: Kevin Morris


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Holy Curiosity welcomes Rev. Dr. Jackie Roese again, as well as scholar Dr. Lynn Cohick as they provide a fresh perspective on a disciple of Jesus that’s often misunderstood. Jackie emphasizes the Samaritan woman’s significance as a marginalized figure, facing societal judgment due to her ethnicity, gender, and personal history and Dr. Cohick challenges the misconceptions surrounding the woman, debunking the idea that she was a promiscuous sinner and instead suggesting possibilities such as multiple tragic losses in marriage or societal rejection. The conversation underscores the woman's theological depth, highlighting her role as the first evangelist who effectively brings the gospel to her town. 
Episode Content Warning: This episode contains content related to sexual assault. 

Quick Links:
Give feedback, ask questions, and download a free learning guide on Kat’s website
The In-Between Place by Kat Armstrong: Kat’s book about Shechem and how Jesus can change our stories.
Dr. Rev. Jackie Roese’s The Marcella Project: themarcellaproject.com/
Dr. Lynn Cohick: www.lynncohick.com/
Vindicating the Vixens book
Dr. Norfleete Day
Virtual Museum of Women in Christianity
Find Kat online:
Instagram: @KatArmstrong1
Website: Katarmstrong.com
The Storyline Project: thestorylineproject.com


Episode Highlights
Part 1: Rev. Dr. Jackie Roese
Jackie talks about her visit to Samaria and the significance of Jacob's well in the story and describes the animosity between Jews and Samaritans and the cultural context of the patriarchal society in which the woman lived.
Jackie reinterprets the story, suggesting that Jesus recognized the woman's past suffering, abandonment, and societal rejection and explores how the Samaritan woman's story is relevant to both men and women, addressing power structures and vulnerability in society.

Part 2: Dr. Lynn Cohick
Dr. Cohick addresses the misconception of the Samaritan woman being a prostitute and challenges assumptions about her life.
She discusses the societal context of first-century Palestine and the limited legal standing of women.
Dr. Cohick emphasizes the woman's theological interest and her role in bringing the gospel message to her town and the need to appreciate the Samaritan woman as a great disciple of Jesus.

Holy Curiosity is a production of Christianity Today
Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper
Producer: Leslie Thompson
Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill
Audio Editing: Kevin Morris
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kat welcomes Dr. Tim Mackie to trace Shechem, from Genesis to John. Dr. Mackie–one of the creators of The Bible Project– traces Shechem's narrative thread, revealing places in the Bible carry profound meaning for ancient and modern Bible readers. Together, Kat and Tim uncover God's storytelling genius, showcasing Shechem as a location repurposed by many Biblical authors for literary impact.
Episode Content Warning: This episode contains content related to sexual assault. 
QUICK LINKS:

Give feedback, ask questions, and download a free learning guide on Kat’s website


The In-Between Place by Kat Armstrong: Kat’s book about Shechem and how Jesus can change our stories.


Mountains Bible study by Kat Armstrong


Valleys Bible study by Kat Armstrong

The Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/

Find Kat online:

Instagram: @KatArmstrong1

Website: Katarmstrong.com

The Storyline Project: www.thestorylineproject.com



Episode Highlights:

The discussion kicks off with Genesis 12, where Abram and Sarah first encounter Shechem. Driven by God's promise, Abram builds an altar at the Oak of Moreh, marking Shechem as a place of divine encounter and blessing.

However, the narrative takes an unexpected turn in Genesis 34, exposing Shechem's darker side—a crime scene that contrasts starkly with its initial promise.

Kat and Dr. Mackie highlight the biblical pattern of children intensifying the failures of their parents. Shechem becomes a recurring backdrop for betrayal and tragedy, as seen in Genesis 37 with Jacob's sons. The contrast between Jacob's reaction to Dinah's violation and Joseph's presumed death raises crucial questions about silence and societal values.

The discussion touches on cultural practices and patriarchal dynamics, shedding light on the biblical authors' intention to expose broken aspects of humanity. Dr. Mackie emphasizes the importance of recognizing the discomfort these narratives evoke and the biblical authors' deliberate attempts to challenge societal norms.

Dr. Mackie unveils additional references to Shechem in Deuteronomy and Joshua, highlighting its symbolic significance in Israel's covenant journey. 

​​The conversation also touches on the multi-generational aspect of Shechem, illustrating how choices made over generations contribute to the challenges faced by the people of Shechem. It’s a place of both divine promise and human brokeness.

Kat and Tim express the profound significance of Jesus choosing to engage with the Samaritan woman at the well with an intentional visit to Shechem. 


Production Credits:
Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper
Producer: Leslie Thompson
Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill
Audio Editing: Kevin Morris
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Kat Armstrong interviews Dr. Diane Langberg, a renowned psychologist and trauma expert, shedding light on the challenges of addressing abuse in the Scriptures. Dr. Langberg has sat with, and counseled, countless victims of trauma, violence, rape, and war. She’s studied people groups who’ve been crushed, oppressed and enslaved. She’s explored the sewer system of suffering and written to tell of it. And she doesn’t back down or hold back.
Episode Content Warning: This episode contains content related to sexual assault. 

Diane doesn’t worry about hurting the Church’s image because God doesn’t need us to protect his reputation.
QUICK LINKS:


The In-Between Place by Kat Armstrong: Kat’s book about Shechem and how Jesus can change our stories.

Dr. Diane Langberg: Home


Diane’s book, Redeeming Power


Find Kat online:

Instagram: @KatArmstrong1

Website: http://Katarmstrong.com


The Storyline Project: The Storyline Bible Studies


‌
Episode Highlights: Here are the questions Kat asks Dr. Langberg‌

Why aren't there more messages about Dinah's story from our pulpits?

Why is abuse of power significant, and how does it play out in Scripture?

Why is Jacob's passivity instructive to Christians?

Why should someone feeling hopeless, due to systemic and cultural failures in Dinah's story, remain hopeful?

Why do you believe Christendom has been seduced by power?

How can pastors and communicators teach Scripture passages that contain stories of abuse with care and dignity, ensuring they protect victims in the pews?

Why has the Samaritan Woman's story been foundational to your work in supporting abuse survivors?


Production Credits:

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper

Producer: Leslie Thompson

Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill

Audio Editing: Kevin Morris


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Part 1 of the Shechem Storyline welcomes Rev. Dr. Jackie Roese to explore the stories of two women, Dinah and the Woman at the Well. Despite living centuries apart, these two women are connected through their hometown, Shechem. This episode explores the lingering effect that pain and trauma can have on a place. And it’s about how Jesus brings redemption to places of pain and brokenness in Bible times and in our lives as well.
Episode Content Warning: This episode contains content related to sexual assault and suicide. 
QUICK LINKS:

Give feedback, ask questions, and download a free learning guide on Kat’s website


The In-Between Place by Kat Armstrong: Kat’s book about Shechem and how Jesus can change our stories. 

Dr. Rev. Jackie Roese’s The Marcella Project: https://www.themarcellaproject.com/

Find Kat online:

Instagram: @katarmstrong1

Website: www.katarmstrong.com


The Storyline Project: www.thestorylineproject.com

Episode Highlights:

Genesis 34 tells the harrowing story of Dinah, Jacob's daughter, who suffers an assault in Shechem.

Dinah's silence, and her father's passivity highlights this ancient society's indifference to violence against women.

Shechem in the Old Testament and Sychar in the New Testament, are the same place in the Bible. 

Dinah and the Woman at the Well both experienced significant events in Shechem.

Rev. Dr. Jackie Roese shares insights from leading a tour to Samaria, and the importance of respecting stories of women who’ve faced marginalization and vulnerability like Dinah and the Woman at the Well.
Production Credits:

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper

Producer: Leslie Thompson

Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill

Audio Editing: Kevin Morris


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices