Esther’s story isn’t the tale of sweet obedience your Sunday School teacher told you. It’s a complex, political, and feminist **narrative about women navigating power in a patriarchal system.

In this episode of Bow Down, Reese and Dennis unpack the Book of Esther through a feminist and deconstructionist lens, exploring Vashti’s revolutionary “no,” Esther’s strategic “yes,” and what both reveal about women, autonomy, and power in faith communities.

In this episode, we explore…

• Why Vashti’s defiance still scares the church
• How Esther’s silence and strategy challenge purity culture
• The “obedience” myth and Christian control narratives
• Why deconstructing scripture is an act of liberation

Welcome to Bow Down! a podcast by The Cohere Collective that discusses esoteric and empowered feminism every week. Subscribe for more feminist deconstruction conversations that challenge faith, reclaim spirituality, and center women’s voices!

Be a part of the Collective and tune in to Bow Down! every week.

To work with Reese: https://www.thecoherecollective.com/coherent-design

To work with Dennis: http://heartstoybox.com

Follow The Cohere Collective:

https://www.instagram.com/thecoherecollective/

https://www.tiktok.com/@thecoherecollective

For more information, head to www.thecoherecollective.com

To support The Cohere Collective, head to https://www.thecoherecollective.com/support

References and Resources:

Read The Book of Esther: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther 1&version=NIV

Marion Ann Taylor, Professor of the Old Testament at Wycliff College and Author of “Esther” in “The Story of God Bible Commentary,” on Vashti: https://youtu.be/f6QGxfZ0SIo?si=ALqpnXcOARYgEsta

With empowered Coherence,

Dennis and Reese