Backwoods Belief

How to Raise a School Shooter - Inside the Audrey Hale Journal Sep 16, 2024

The journal of Audrey Hale, the Covenant School (Nashville) shooter, was recently released. Despite not being the purported manifesto it was billed as the document does give an intimate look inside the mind of a brutal spree killer.

To learn what we can from it, namely how Hale was formed and how we can prevent more like her, we brought on David Harris - author of an excellent explainer article on the Hale journal for TruthScript.

This one is pretty dark, full of material you won't want your kids listening to with you. But it is important so let's get going.

Ben Zeisloft on Abortion Abolition and Voting Trump Jul 25, 2024

We've got one of the best reporters working visiting the Backwoods on this one. He's talking to us about Abortion Abolition, Christian faithfulness at the ballot box, and voting Trump (or not).

We're aiming for more light and less heat on this one. Did we do it? Hit play and let us know.

Shadow Elders in the Church Jul 19, 2024

Despite a church's stated polity it is often the case they are governed by a secret body of Shadow Elders.

We'll talk about who these Shadow Elders are, how to know if they control your church, and what to do about it in this episode.

SBC, PCA, and What Makes the Difference Jul 12, 2024

The Southern Baptist Convention and Presbyterian Church in America recently had their yearly get-togethers.

The SBC meeting was a disaster for conservatives. The PCA meeting was a win for conservatives.

What made the difference? And what does this say about contemporary evangelicalism?

Hit play and find out!

Christianity is Self-Referential Apr 25, 2024

The guys from The Backwoods welcome you out to a good ol' grab-bag episode touching on some recent controversies in Reformed Evangelicalism.

Big takeaway: Christ is Lord and therefore it is ok to say it.

Valuing Our Forefathers & God's Good Design with Michael Clary Mar 13, 2024

Michael Clary comes out to the Backwoods to discuss gratitude for Godly forefathers and his book, God's Good Design for Human Sexuality.

From Michael Clary:

American Reformer - Scorning Our Forefathers

Book - God's Good Design: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Guide to Human Sexuality

Institutional Bravery (The Talk) Feb 16, 2024

Can we build institutions that don't move Left over time? Can we prevent existing organizations from doing so?

Here's some resources on creating and keeping important groups conservative.

The Charles Haywood Interview Jan 25, 2024

We're pleased to welcome Charles Haywood out to the Backwoods. This interview is wide ranging and we hope you enjoy listening to it half as much as we enjoyed recording it.

----

Read Charles at The Worthy House

Life in the Objective Room Jan 08, 2024

You live in The Objective Room.

If you know what that means then you know we have to figure out how to live faithfully in there. If you don't? Hit Download, press Play, and we'll catch you up.

---

C.S. Lewis' Essay "The Inner Ring"

The Dorean Principle with Conley Owens Dec 20, 2023

We're talking to author Conley Owens about his book The Dorean Principle and how we fund ministry in modern evangelicalism.

The Virtue of Hate Dec 04, 2023

Loving something necessarily involves hating what would destroy it.

Not convinced? Come on out to the Backwoods and we'll explain.

-----

Michael Clary's Thread on Evangelical Tone Policing

Follow Backwoods Belief on X

In Praise of Cultural Christianity Oct 23, 2023

Cultural Christianity takes a lot of criticism in the fashionable circles of Evangelicalism. Far from a negative, though, it is far preferable to the alternatives.

We'll get into all the reasons and ramifications on this episode of Backwoods Belief.

Friend Zone Christianity Oct 02, 2023

On this journey to The Backwoods we're talking about why evangelicals (among other groups) are self-loathing and if anything can be done about it.

Our launching point is this American Reformer piece by Stiven Peter titled Against the Loser Mentality: Victory Comes by First Overcoming Evangelical Leadership.

Big Eva's Special Sin with Dr. Jared Moore Sep 12, 2023

Why does Big Eva have such an affinity for same sex attraction? The answer, perhaps surprisingly, goes back to the difference between the Reformed approach to sin and Rome's.

We're talking to Dr. Jared Moore about his forthcoming book, The Lust of the Flesh. Dr. Moore's work really devastates institutional evangelicalism, prompting a lot of unneeded anger but little of the needed repentance. What you'll find in Lust of the Flesh (and this episode) is a whole lot of the Bible-saturated, morally unafraid, unfashionable truth that is in such short supply today.

--Links--

Follow Dr. Jared Moore on X

You Should Be Conspiracy Theory Maxxing Sep 06, 2023

You best start believing in conspiracy theories, Backwoods Believer... you're in one!

At this point it is a matter of Christian faithfulness.

------ Mentioned in the Episode ------

Ben Zeisloft reveals that Francis Collins is the one talking to a demon.

Should Gilder Really Be Gilded? Aug 07, 2023

The George Gilder controversy coming out of Moscow continues to rage. Is this a matter of overreaction - as the brothers in Moscow are saying - or is there a good reason to think Gilder isn't the right thinker to recover?

Let's take a look at Gilder's own writings to see if a clear answer emerges.

When It Is Time to Take Away Grandpa's Keys Jul 31, 2023

How do you transition from one generation of leaders to the next? Specifically, what are the pitfalls and, conversely, what are the best practices?

We're taking a look at Al Mohler, John MacArthur, and Doug Wilsons as paradigms to learn from when the time comes to give the next generation the reigns.

AD Robles on Jolly Culture Warring Jul 14, 2023

We welcomed AD Robles out to The Backwoods to talk about the importance of taking a cheerful approach to our cultural nonsense. We also get into how to avoid blackpills, what to do if you end up taking one, and whether or not real anger can be part of the program.

--Links--

Follow AD: Twitter /// Gab

Follow Ben: Twitter /// Gab

Follow Jeff: Twitter /// Gab

Christians in The Great Sort Jul 07, 2023

It is time to think intentionally about where your faith can thrive? If you need to go, why not go somewhere good?

We're joined by Joshua Abbotoy and William Wolfe of Ridge Runner to talk about Christians living through the great sort and the kind of places they should look to land.

-------

Follow: Joshua Abbotoy, William Wolfe, and Ridge Runner on Twitter

Institutional Bravery Jun 30, 2023

Can you cultivate a family, church, or other institution that is conservative and doesn't drift leftward over time?

---Mentioned in the Episode---

He Holds Them in Derision: Godly Mockery

The Three Offices of Christ Jun 23, 2023

Jeff couldn't record this week so instead here's to a short lecture Ben delivered last October on the three offices of Christ and how this doctrine affects our daily lives.

Return of the Gods - How Pride Becomes a New National Identity Jun 12, 2023

You saw the Air Force saluting the Pride Flag? You saw the White House hang the Pride Flag in the dominant position over the U.S. Flag?

How did we get here? The answer lies in a (fairly) new book from a strange author.

More importantly, what do we do about it?

Hit play on this episode and find out!

-------Links-------

The Theology Pugcast: The Return of the Old Gods

Naomi Wolfe: Have the Ancient Gods Returned? (Substack article available via Brownstone Institute)

Get Involved: Month of Prayer and Fasting

Allie Beth Moore? May 26, 2023

You likely know Allie Beth Stuckey recently decided to take on the Trad Life movement. In the course of doing so she waived several red flags in front of folks with eyes to see. We're going to get into it and explain why this is more important than a passing social media controversy.

God is Frustrating Alliances May 12, 2023

Signs indicate God is supernaturally frustrating alliances - among the good guys.

That (somewhat chilling) reality is the subject of this episode of Backwoods Belief - the guys will show you how to see this pattern and why this seems to be God's providence for us.

Also: what should we do when this is what God is doing?

Press play and find out!

On Misunderstanding That Hideous Strength with Gavin Ortlund (Part 2) May 04, 2023

Here's Part 2 of our review of a review, Gavin Ortlund's (a quintessential Made to Order Man) on C.S. Lewis' That Hideous Strength.

And the reason? Ortlund serves as a test case, demonstrating how important the themes of the book are for believers in this hour.

---

Ortlund's full review can be seen here.

Part 1 of this 2-part series is here.

On Misunderstanding That Hideous Strength with Gavin Ortlund (Part 1) Apr 28, 2023

On this episode the guys are trying something different: Reviewing a review, specifically Gavin Ortlund's (a quintessential Made to Order Man) review of C.S. Lewis' That Hideous Strength.

And the reason? Ortlund serves as a test case, demonstrating how important the themes of the book are for believers in this hour.

---

Ortlund's full review can be seen here.

Smooth Talkers and Unstable Women Apr 17, 2023

Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.

These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself “truth.” They get exploited every time and never really learn. These men are like those old Egyptian frauds Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking, defying truth itself. But nothing will come of these latest impostors. Everyone will see through them, just as people saw through that Egyptian hoax.

Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of 2 Timothy 3:1-9 is pretty great. On this episode we're talking about how Paul's caution to Timothy explains our cultural moment as we look at the feminine version of The Made to Order Man failure.

------------

Mentioned in the Episode (and must-read, despite Roberts' later compromises): A Crisis of Discourse - Part 2: A Problem of Gender by Alastair Roberts

The Made to Order Man Apr 11, 2023

Welcome to Late Stage Attractional Evangelicalism!

Here's your fresh new leader, The Made to Order Man - he's just what the world has been waiting for. Good news: he's already in mass production so get your copy today!

Mentioned:

Steven Wedgeworth - What is Effeminacy?

Can Anyone Say Ben is Wrong?

Christianity on the Margins Apr 03, 2023

The institutions and leaders we thought would serve as guiding lights have spent the last three years failing at every opportunity. Christians who believe what the church has always believed on critical issues like sexuality and human nature are derided by the same institutional set with every fashionable derogatory term.

What is a sincere Christian of conviction to do?

Welcome to Backwoods Belief. Get comfortable on the margins, on the frontier - that's where the future of Christianity will be found.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected