Believe to See

The podcast of the Anselm Society's Arts Guild. Join host Matt Mellema and a rotation of guests at the digital pub table for conversations about faith and storytelling. “Some things have to be believed to be seen." -Madeleine L'Engle

Effective Christian Characters 02/15/2025

Effective Christian Characters Where Are the “Good Christian” Characters? Too often, the broader culture portrays Christians as narrow-minded hypocrites. We can all imagine plenty of explanations for this. But that leads to a more fundamental question. Why is it so hard to create a character who is both: (1) well-developed and compelling, and (2) a sincere Christian? On this roundtable, the hosts discuss why it’s so difficult to create a “Good Christian” character. They also offer their candidates for best Christian characters in fiction. And in case you’re wondering—yes, Matt dresses up as his favorite Christian character from pop culture. So stay tuned for the big reveal, neighborinos! /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/35291805

"Insert Perfect Title Here" 02/01/2025

"Insert Perfect Title Here" From paintings to novels, titles can guide expectations of viewers and readers, for good or for ill. And for some artists, coming up with a title can be as challenging as making the art itself. Join the hosts at the roundtable as they talk about titles — and “untitles” and subtitles and more — and see how you handle Mandy’s genre quiz! /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/35105575

Art that’s Cool to Hate 01/18/2025

Art that’s Cool to Hate Ever feel like there was a band, tv show, or book that you were “supposed” to hate? Like hating it was required to prove you’re cool and sophisticated? When Matt was in college, that band was Nickelback. And he’s wondered why ever since… Why do we do things like this? Is this a good impulse, or something we should fight against? On this roundtable, the hosts explore the art that’s cool to hate. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/34901755

Can Kids’ Cartoons be Great Cinema? 01/04/2025

Can Kids’ Cartoons be Great Cinema? It never fails. Whenever someone on the internet complains that an animated film is bad, someone else on the internet replies: “It’s a kids’ cartoon. Who cares?” On this roundtable, the hosts discuss whether we should expect children’s animation to be serious art. They do this primarily by analyzing some of their favorite animated films. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/34717190

Solitude and Community 12/20/2024

Solitude and Community Artists need solitude to create (or “conjure”), but we need one another too. Mandy and Matt and Christina discuss finding a balance between these seemingly contradictory needs. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/34558045

SD Smith and the Found Boys 12/07/2024

SD Smith and the Found Boys Author SD Smith has previously joined the Anselm pub table to talk about his classic Green Ember series (an Anselm Society staple), and the Jack Zulu series that he’s writing along with his son. Now, SD Smith returns to the table to discuss his new book, The Found Boys. It’s a middle grade story that touches on a lot of complex issues—racial tension, forgiveness, reconciliation, and more. It’s also a fun and funny adventure. Join us as SD Smith shares the heart and purpose behind The Found Boys. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/34329155

The Hosts Debrief: Naming - We Just Can't Escape It! 11/23/2024

The Hosts Debrief: Naming - We Just Can't Escape It! Matt, Mandy, and Christina gather together to debrief about our . There may be more than a little talk about best and worst fantasy football names and houseplants christened after famous authors, but what can we say? Names matter. And when you sit down to talk about it? You may be startled to discover how much the power of names - ( and the human instinct to name everything from our cars to our kids) - is inextricably linked to the identity God gave you. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/34115886

Sense of Wonder: Delighting in God’s Presence Throughout the Holiday Season 11/10/2024

Sense of Wonder: Delighting in God’s Presence Throughout the Holiday Season Another holiday season is upon us, bringing with it the potential for wonder—or for stress, consumerism, and detachment. Amanda Luedeke and Hannah Oplinger have created a new devotional that walks us from Thanksgiving through the new year, engaging all six of our senses (yes! There are six!). Join Mandy as she talks with Amanda about how we might “reclaim the holidays for [our] heart’s formation and the glory of God”. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/33869817

Halloween: Should Christians Celebrate this Iconic Holiday? 10/24/2024

Halloween: Should Christians Celebrate this Iconic Holiday? Christina didn't celebrate Halloween growing up. But every October, her children parade around the neighborhood trick-or-treating in their favorite super-hero costumes with their buddies, school-mates, and neighbor-friends. So what changed? Christina dives deep into the history and significance of Halloween. Is it an "evil" holiday? Are we "inviting darkness" or participating in "devil worship" by handing out candy in ghoul costumes? Together with Matt and Mandy, she explores how a proper understanding of Halloween fits into the larger Christian story. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/33603717

Flip the Pub Table: Matt Mellema Interview 10/17/2024

Flip the Pub Table: Matt Mellema Interview Matt’s debut middle-grade fantasy novel, Red Rex, is here! Join Mandy and Christina as they talk with Matt about the dream, the process, the plot, the characters, the illustrations — and the footnotes. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/33503677

Obligated to Create? 10/04/2024

Obligated to Create? Calvin and Hobbes may be the greatest comic strip ever. But there’s a problem. Its creator, Bill Watterson, quit after only ten years. At age 38. Did Watterson squander his incredible talent? Matt thinks so. Mandy and Christina aren’t so sure. Together, they discuss whether artists have a responsibility to share their talent with others. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/33336737

Taylor Swift’s Storytelling Power 09/19/2024

Taylor Swift’s Storytelling Power Taylor Swift is the most popular musician since the Beatles. And Matt doesn’t understand. Don’t get him wrong—he doesn’t dislike Taylor Swift. He’s just not the target audience. What he needs is a thoughtful fan to show him the ways of the Swifties. Matt has found that fan in his cousin, Alyssa. She explains the appeal of Taylor Swift as a musician, and the power of Taylor Swift as a storyteller. Can she win Matt over to the Swifties? /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/33127227

Encouraging Our Young Storytellers 09/07/2024

Encouraging Our Young Storytellers We all have young storytellers in our lives. Maybe it’s a first-grade nephew drawing comic books in crayon. Maybe it’s a teenage granddaughter writing her first short story. How can we best encourage them? Millie Florence is here to help. The 21-year-old author is about to publish her third novel. She gives insight on fostering a love of stories with the kids in our lives. Learn more about Millie’s work at: /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/32953902

The Power of Naming 08/23/2024

The Power of Naming In this conversation, Cultivating founder Lancia Smith joins Christina and Evangeline to discuss the power of naming and its impact on our identity and relationships. They explore how naming can be an act of love and reclamation, allowing us to see and be seen. They also discuss the importance of naming our fears and how it can take away their power. They emphasize the need for humility, listening, and recognizing the belovedness of others. They conclude by highlighting the role of myth-making and storytelling in reflecting eternal truth. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/32719317

Jacoby Elliott Interview: How Beauty Can Point Us Back to God 07/27/2024

Jacoby Elliott Interview: How Beauty Can Point Us Back to God Matt and Mandy interview fellow Anselm Guild member Jacoby Elliott, who is a musician, writer, and visual artist. Jacoby talks about his desire to make beautiful things and how a longing for beauty helped point him back to God. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/32311552

Interview with Jane Scharl 07/20/2024

Interview with Jane Scharl Mandy interviews poet, playwright, and critic Jane Scharl to discuss poetry. Learn more about Jane at https://jcscharl.com/ /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/32222502

Dune 06/29/2024

Dune Matt, who has never been able to get into Frank Hebert's classic science fiction Novel Dune or the films adaptations, brings Brian Brown and Peter Houk to the digital pub table to convince him of the merit of Dune. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/31940207

Interview with Jody Collins 06/20/2024

Interview with Jody Collins Matt interviews Jody Collins about poetry, and why people should like poetry and it shouldn't be so hard to do so. Find Jody at and writing on Substack at /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/31831247

Interview with KC Ireton 06/14/2024

Interview with KC Ireton Matt interviews short-story author KC Ireton, discussing KC's work and journey as an author. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/31749392

Impactful Art from Childhood 05/18/2024

Impactful Art from Childhood Mandy, Matt, and Christina discuss impressions made on them as children by different forms of art, why they made an impression on them, and how it impacts them to today. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/31362342

Loving Our Neighbors Through Our Art 05/11/2024

Loving Our Neighbors Through Our Art Christina, Mandy, and Matt discuss the question, “How do we love other people with our art?” /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/31238082

Interview with Rachel Shinnick 05/03/2024

Interview with Rachel Shinnick Matt interviews Rachel Shinnick, author of YA Fiction novel Moon Thief. They discuss what led Rachel to writing her first novel, how she saw God working in the process, and the various trials of getting published for the first time. They discuss what it looks like to value artistic pursuits while also embracing and embodying Christian values as an artist. Learn more about Rachel and Moon Thief at https://www.rachelshinnick.com/ /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/31120363

Interview with Sylvie Vanhoozer 04/20/2024

Interview with Sylvie Vanhoozer Matt interviews author Sylvie Vanhoozer. Find out more about Sylvie at https://www.theartoflivinginseason.com/ /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/30908648

Literature Remixes 04/06/2024

Literature Remixes Matt, Mandy, and Christina talk about literature remixes. What is a literature remix? Take a well-known and beloved story - a Shakespeare play, a Jane Austen novel, fairy tale - and retell the story in a whole new setting. What makes a good remix? What makes a bad one? And what is it about some classic stories that compel us to keep remixing and retelling them over and over? /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/30706018

Disney Reboots 03/29/2024

Disney Reboots Matt, Mandy, and Christina discuss Disney movie live-action reboots and whether any (or perhaps some) of the reboots are justified. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/30598843

Yearning in the Lives of Christians: Interview with Amy Lee 03/22/2024

Yearning in the Lives of Christians: Interview with Amy Lee Matt and his wife, Danielle, interview fellow Anselm Arts Guild member Amy Lee and discuss Amy's new book "This Homeward Ache" and discuss what it means that God has set eternity in the hearts of man and how longing influences our lives. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/30507193

Limitations as Artists 03/02/2024

Limitations as Artists Matt, Christina, and Evangeline discuss the concept of limitations as artists. While limitless possibilities may seem like what is needed to create, perhaps the best way to create is not boundless possiblities, but limits. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/30196338

Interview with Brandy Vallance: Symbols and Symbolic Language 02/24/2024

Interview with Brandy Vallance: Symbols and Symbolic Language Evangeline and her brother Dr. John Case Tompkins sit down with Brandy Vallance to discuss symbols and symbolic language and their relationship with the Christian imagination. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/30088328

Interview with G Connor Salter 02/17/2024

Interview with G Connor Salter Matt talks with writer G Connor Salter about his recent article on the classic book and movie The Princess Bride. Connor suggests how the author William Goldman’s Jewish American heritage influenced The Princess Bride. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/29993128

Cynical Literature 02/09/2024

Cynical Literature Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline discuss cynicism in literature and what makes the difference between a good cynical story and a bad cynical story. /episode/index/show/believetosee/id/29878853

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