Em is back after a 6 month hiatus, to talk about the intersection of religion, patriarchy and early human civilization and how humans learned to use fear to control individuals and large groups of humans. This episode discusses several important talking points that will be hashed out even further in episodes to come. She also mentions the book The Patriarchs: The Origins of Inequality by Angela Saini (2023, Beacon Press Books). For some interesting content on early humans, Netflix currently has some quality documentaries you can check out. Thanks for listening and welcome back. The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote   Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com

The conclusion of a two-part series about one of the most famous women evangelists in the early 20th century; Aimee Semple McPherson. Even though she spent many of her formative years in the Foursquare denomination, Em knew little to nothing about its founder. After pouring over biographies, newspaper articles and photo archives she wove together a narrative that proves opposing truths can be held in tension, while stumbling upon some of the earliest rumblings of modern Christian Nationalism.  Work Cited  Epstein, Daniel Mark (1993) Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson, Harcourt Brace & Co. New York, NY. Sutton, Matthew Avery (2007) Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA https://www.newspapers.com/paper/los-angeles-evening-post-record/25683/ https://www.newspapers.com/paper/the-pasadena-post/22474/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aimee_Semple_McPherson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_in_the_1920s#:~:text=Plentiful%20job%20openings%20attracted%20heavy,million%20between%201920%20and%201929. Photo Archives: https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=aimee+semple+mcpherson&search_field=all_fields The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote   Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com

In this episode, Em begins the story of one of the most famous women evangelists in the early 20th century; Aimee Semple McPherson. Even though she spent many of her formative years in the Foursquare denomination, Em knew little to nothing about its founder, until now. After pouring over biographies, newspaper articles and photo archives she wove together a narrative that proves opposing truths can be held in tension, while stumbling upon some of the earliest rumblings of modern Christian Nationalism.  Work Cited  Epstein, Daniel Mark (1993) Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson, Harcourt Brace & Co. New York, NY. Sutton, Matthew Avery (2007) Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA https://www.newspapers.com/paper/los-angeles-evening-post-record/25683/ https://www.newspapers.com/paper/the-pasadena-post/22474/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aimee_Semple_McPherson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_in_the_1920s#:~:text=Plentiful%20job%20openings%20attracted%20heavy,million%20between%201920%20and%201929. Photo Archives: https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=aimee+semple+mcpherson&search_field=all_fields The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote   Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com

As promised, we’re back for season 4. This week Em tackles a very specific aspect of purity culture, the taboo and stigma of differently-gendered friendships in evangelicalism. She answers the age old question: can people of different genders be friends without the desire to “hook up”? Among other things. As always, just a reminder this is just for funsies, if you’re struggling in your own romantic partnership please seek the advice of a licensed professional if you are able.  The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote   Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com

In this last episode of season 3, Em shares some updates on the format of the podcast moving forward as well as a piece of writing chronicling the intersection of autistic special interest, trauma and mental health. Thank you to all of the listeners for your kindness, enthusiasm and patience over the last few years, y’all are the best. We’ll be back for season 4 on Tuesday, Oct. 17th!  The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote   Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com

In this week’s episode, Em gets vulnerable about her own journey of self-discovery as it relates to autism, ADHD and religious trauma. She shares some of her own research as well as that of professionals, interpreting it through the lens of someone who grew up in white evangelical spaces. *Important note: Em is not a mental health professional and nothing in this episode should be taken as medical advice. If you or someone you know is in crisis, there are people who can help. Contact your doctor or see the list of resources below.  Books mentioned in this episode: Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodivergence by Devon Price, PhD.  Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price, PhD.  Mental Health Resources: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline https://988lifeline.org Talkspace Online Therapy - Online Therapy & Medications https://www.talkspace.com/ Autistic Self Advocacy Network https://autisticadvocacy.org On Reddit: the group r/AutismTranslated The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com

In this episode Em sits down with author & scholar Audrey Clare Farley to talk about her latest book, Girls and Their Monsters and the intersections of gender stereotypes, mental health research and American political history.  "Audrey Clare Farley is a writer, editor, and scholar of twentieth-century American culture with special interests in science and religion. She earned a PhD in English literature at University of Maryland, College Park, and now teaches history at Mount St. Mary’s University. She is the author of The Unfit Heiress: The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt and Girls and Their Monsters: The Genain Quadruplets and the Making of Madness in America, which was named a New York Times Editors’ Pick. Audrey’s essays have appeared in the Atlantic, New York Times, Washington Post, and many other outlets. She lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania." https://audreyclarefarley.com/ The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote   Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com

In this episode, Em and Matt (aka thesnarkygent) discuss the rest of the story of Jim Elliot and his fellow missionaries who were famously killed in Amazonian Ecuador in 1956. Over the years the facts were blurred or obscured by evangelical leaders so as not to tarnish the “good work” of foreign missionaries, and few have dared to set the record straight. This is the second episode in a 2 part series covering the events leading up to their death, the incident itself and what happened afterward–with analysis on its impact on evangelical culture and doctrine, white Christian Nationalism and beyond. If you just stumbled upon this podcast for the very first time today, it's highly recommended that you go back and listen to Part 1 first, or this episode will be very confusing.  Work Cited  Long, Kathryn T. (2019) God in the Rainforest: A tale of martyrdom and redemption in Amazonian Ecuador, Oxford University Press, New York, NY.  https://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/exhibits/Ecuador1956/02.1%20Elliot%20.htm https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/jim-elliot-no-fool-11634862.html https://www.imb.org/2019/04/22/after-jim-elliot-good-bad-ugly/ Guest Info Matt aka TheSnarkyGent https://twitter.com/thesnarkygent The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote   Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com

In this episode, Em invited her friend Matt (aka thesnarkygent) to hear the story of Jim Elliot and his fellow missionaries who were famously killed in Amazonian Ecuador in 1956. Over the years the facts were blurred or obscured by evangelical leaders so as not to tarnish the “good work” of foreign missionaries, and few have dared to set the record straight. This is the first in a 2 part series covering the events leading up to their death, the incident itself and what happened afterward–with analysis on its impact on evangelical culture and doctrine, white Christian Nationalism and beyond.  Work Cited  Long, Kathryn T. (2019) God in the Rainforest: A tale of martyrdom and redemption in Amazonian Ecuador, Oxford University Press, New York, NY.  https://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/exhibits/Ecuador1956/02.1%20Elliot%20.htm https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/jim-elliot-no-fool-11634862.html https://www.imb.org/2019/04/22/after-jim-elliot-good-bad-ugly/ Guest Info Matt aka TheSnarkGent https://twitter.com/thesnarkygent The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote   Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com

In this episode, Em sits down with her good friend Missa about what it's like living with neurodivergence in a belief system that rarely admits there even is such a thing. From the roots of ADHD, to the stereotypes of the 80's and 90's, to the stigma around mental illness and seeking mental health care outside of the church- they discuss the many ways in which evangelicalism negatively impacts diagnosis and treatment and the obstacles they've faced as women in that belief system when they are clearly not neurotypical. Guest Info: https://twitter.com/HaarstadMissa Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/timeline.html https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17630858/ https://cripcamp.com/   The Life She Wrote https://linktr.ee/thelifeshewrote   Credits: Original music by R. Scott Okamoto rscottokamoto.com