Episode 16: "What does healthy masculinity look like?" with Al Stewart

The last 50-60 years have brought unprecedented change when it comes to understanding, and re-writing our understanding, of gender roles in society. Today’s episode is not so much going to look at all the aspects of gender we could cover, but we want to zero in on manhood and masculinity. Being a man has always brought a range of advantages and power dynamics that we’re coming to understand more and more, but there also challenges that we’d do well to try and dig into as well.

Today we have Al Stewart who has recently written a book on masculinity, called The Manual: Getting Masculinity Right. I’m privileged to call him a friend and someone that I’ve admired and worked alongside over my time with Third Space and City Bible Forum. He’s currently the director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, and has extensive experience in Christian ministry. We don’t tend to get pastors on this show much, but he’s learnt a lot about blokes over the last few decades, and has plenty of great insights.

Other References:

• Bridge Street Fellowship is the Sydney chapter of our National Men's Fellowship
• "Middle-aged men are among the loneliest in Australia. What could help to change that?" by Nick Baker and Isabelle Summerson for ABC Australia (13/7/23)
• Jordan Peterson’s ‘letter’ to the churches
• The New Manhood: Love, Freedom, Spirit and the New Masculinity by Steve Biddulph
• The Men We Need: God's Purpose for the Manly Man, the Avid Indoorsman, or Any Man Willing to Show Up by Brant Hansen
• The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes by Nancy Pearcey
• "The growing need for ‘lazy time’ amongst Aussie men" by McCrindle Research (2016)
• Additional infographic by McCrindle
• Back to Episodes