Beast & Bible explores the intersection of the “monstrous”, religion, and popular culture. Informed by academic thought, each episode features accessible dialogue that doesn’t fall into sensationalism, conspiracy theories, or the pitfall of becoming blind pop culture apologists. Instead, this show reveals how the study of monsters can help us become better people - maybe even better people of faith.
Monster Book of Monsters Part 1 (with 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 Notes
Brandon Grafius | https://sojo.net/biography/brandon-grafius
Book | Reviewed in this series | God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible by Esther J. Hamori - https://a.co/d/818uyKN
Book | Reading the Bible with Horror by Brandon Grafius - https://a.co/d/90CLkH4
10/21/2024 • 34 minutes, 39 seconds
The Dark Side of Disney 4: Light in the Shadows (with Terry Lindvall)
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
10/14/2024 • 48 minutes, 16 seconds
The Dark Side of Disney 3: Haunted Mouse (with Terry Lindvall)
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
10/7/2024 • 34 minutes, 46 seconds
The Dark Side of Disney: Welcoming Foolish Mortals
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
https://a.co/d/3t7no3g
9/30/2024 • 29 minutes, 41 seconds
Sneak Peek - They Also Served: Unvisited Tombs
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
3/29/2024 • 7 minutes, 35 seconds
Panic Attack Part 2: How the Satanic Panic Turned Us into Monsters with Joseph Laycock
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.
7/24/2023 • 34 minutes, 21 seconds
Panic Attack Part 1: How the Satanic Panic of the 1980s Made Us Monstrous with Joseph Laycock
Dr. Pierce speaks with expert Dr. Joseph Laycock to pull back the curtain on why there's so much panic about the satanic.
7/10/2023 • 33 minutes, 50 seconds
Beast and Bible Update - June 26, 2023
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."
6/26/2023 • 29 seconds
$6.66: The Mark of the Beast w/ Dr. Jon Paulien
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 the Adventist Book Center Website
Video Series | GPS - God’s Prophetic Surprises on Loma Linda Broadcasting Network (LLBN)
6/12/2023 • 54 minutes, 45 seconds
Witch Way Did She Go? Part 2: Dr. Laurence Turner on the Witch of Endor
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.
5/29/2023 • 32 minutes, 35 seconds
Witch Way Did She Go? Part 1: Dr. Laurence Turner on the Witch of Endor
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.
5/15/2023 • 33 minutes, 20 seconds
Beast and Bible Update - May 1, 2023
Beast and Bible will return on Monday, May 15.
5/1/2023 • 18 seconds
State of the Dead Part 2: Exhuming the Adventist/Spiritualist Discussion with Dr. Michael Cambell and Greg Howell
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.
4/17/2023 • 32 minutes, 54 seconds
State of the Dead Part 1: Exhuming the Adventist/Spiritualist Discussion with Dr. Michael Campbell and Greg Howell
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 1.
Show Notes
Resource | Ellen White's Writings (Books, Articles, Letters and more)
Book | Supernatural Entertainments: Victorian Spiritualism and the Rise of Modern Media Culture by Simone Natale
4/3/2023 • 32 minutes, 39 seconds
The Biblical Slasher Part 2: Exploring Judges 19 with Dr. Rahel Wells and Dr. Brandon Grafius
Dr. Pierce speaks with two scholars about an early slasher story...and it's in the Bible. Dr. Rahel Wells and Dr. Brandon Grafius share their takes on the tragic story of the woman in Judges 19.
This is Part 2.
3/20/2023 • 22 minutes, 57 seconds
The Biblical Slasher Part 1: Exploring Judges 19 with Dr. Rahel Wells and Dr. Brandon Grafius
Dr. Pierce speaks with two scholars about an early slasher story...and it's in the Bible. Dr. Rahel Wells and Dr. Brandon Grafius share their takes on the tragic story of the woman in Judges 19.
This is Part 1.
3/6/2023 • 19 minutes, 6 seconds
Interview with a Scholar II - Monster Theory with Dr. Jeffrey Cohen
In Part 2 of Interview with a Scholar, Dr. Seth Pierce and Dr. Jeffrey Cohen talk about how religion intersects with Monster Theory.
Show Notes:
Find Dr. Cohen on Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/jeffreyjcohen
Or on his website: https://www.jeffreyjeromecohen.com/
2/6/2023 • 22 minutes, 29 seconds
Interview with a Scholar I - Monster Theory with Dr. Jeffrey Cohen
In this episode, Dr. Pierce interviews the preeminent scholar on Monster Theory, Dr. Jeffrey Cohen.
This is Part 1.
1/23/2023 • 33 minutes, 34 seconds
Monster Map
In this episode, Dr. Pierce walks us through the basics of monster theory and how to "read" monsters in sacred and popular texts.
Works Mentioned
The Hobbit (TV Movie 1977)
The Hobbit narrated by Nicol Wilianson (1974 Vinyl)
“The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins” by Leonard Nimoy
Monster Theory: Reading Culture by Jeffrey Cohen
Brahm Stroker’s Dracula (1992), directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Dracula (2020)
Prey (2022)
Predator (1987)
Jaws (1975)
Jaws 2 (1978)
Jaws 3-D (1983)
Hereford Mappa Mundi
Jurassic Park (1993)
Alien (1979)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
12/12/2022 • 21 minutes, 22 seconds
Coming October 31st: Beast and Bible
A podcast about monsters, religion and pop culture hosted by Dr. Seth Pierce. Dropping October 31st - Halloween and Protestant Reformation Day.
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