New Episodes!
We are two ordinary Christian guys who feel compelled to call men back to true Masculinity. Through raw conversations between a Protestant and a Catholic, we seek Manhood Restored.
About Manhood Restored
Mighty Men of Valor (that’s you!): We invite you to pull up a chair and have a listen—just as if we were talking over cold beers (or hot coffee!). Be entertained, be inspired, be challenged. Then, join us, and let’s get down to some restoration!
Ben Neff
Co-Host
Chad Stolly
Co-Host
Chad Stolly was also a middle school teacher, but got out long before Ben did. He is ONLY an insurance salesman in his five-generation family-owned agency. Podcasting is a welcomed distraction from the always-selling-insurance reality that is his day job. He too is married to his wife of nearly 20 years and is obviously the Catholic because he has 7 children (not just 4).
Recent Episodes
November 2023 Election in Ohio – State Issues 1 and 2 (RANTS!)
BONUS episode –
Chad & Ben take turns RANTING about Issues 1 and 2 on the Ohio Ballot this November 7th, 2023. (Share this episode around with friends and family!)
Chad rants on Issue 1 (up through minute 10:52), specifically calling out Catholics. What did the Archbishop of Cincinnati do on Respect Life Sunday, what was his promulgation on Issue 1, and what does that mean for the consciences of voting Catholics?
Ben rants on Issue 2 (from minute 10:52 till episode’s end), bringing to light facts now known about the commercialization of marijuana from other states who’ve implemented it. What are those facts as it relates to public health and safety, what are the actual tax benefits, and how does the ensuing proliferation of dispensaries impact local communities?
SHOW NOTES:
Archbishop Schnurr’s homily: Listen to Archbishop Schnurr’s Respect Life Sunday Homily! – St. Francis Seraph Parish (sfsparish.org)
Text of Issues 1 and 2: Ohio State Issues 1 and 2 (ohiosos.gov)
Episode 110- Protestant vs. Catholic Debate on Faith Alone
The gloves come off (!) in this doozy of a debate episode. If you thought our debate on baptism (episode 70) was juicy, then here’s one that’ll surely keep your attention to the end! It’s the ever-ancient, ever-new battle between Protestants and Catholics, hashed out by friends, Ben and Chad: are we, or are we not, saved by faith alone? (Spoiler alert: they’re still friends when it’s over!)
Chad dings the bell and comes out of his corner wearing the proverbial “plus works” trunks, while a well-trained Ben enters the ring wearing trunks that sport the letters “OSAS”. While beginning cordially and both still standing by the end, the two make a good mess of things in the middle! How do Protestants read James chapter 2 when it teaches that faith without works is dead? Can Catholics have any assurance of their salvation if they’re constantly worried about the severity of their sins and the meagerness of their works? And what role, in the end, does the phrase “faith alone” play in the life of a Christian?
SHOW NOTES:
Ben’s referenced Mike Winger video on James 2: The Debate Over James 2: Catholic or Protestant View – YouTube
Chad’s referenced Trent Horn podcast on faith and works: The Not-so-Simple Protestant Plan of Salvation – YouTube
Episode 109- Rite of Passage Ceremonies for Boys with Steven Arms
Steven Arms is the co-author of “Milestone to Manhood”, a book about the Rite of Passage tradition his family created for a whole generation of boys who were coming of age as young men. In the book, he talks about his own Rite of Passage weekend and reflects on how it shaped him into the man he is today. He then shares how fathers can organize Rite of Passage events for their own sons. Steven lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, Emily, and is the proud father of three young children.
Chad is the Master of Ceremonies for this episode, as Ben lends a hand as a co-host and–most definitively–a man (and WHAT a man is he!). The two pick their guest’s brain, hoping to adapt and adopt his insight for their own son-rearing efforts. What is a Rite of Passage historically, and why is it that there doesn’t seem to be one for boys living in western society? Why is a formal, pre-planned ceremony so important – can’t the transmission of manhood between father and son happen organically and over time? Does a Rite of Passage ceremony actually make a substantive difference in the life of a man?
SHOW NOTES:
Book website (full w/resources): Milestone to Manhood | Rite of Passage
Episode 108- Working in the Woke Workplace
With its many and far-reaching tentacles, it’s no longer a matter of if the Giant “Woke-topus” finds you, it’s a matter of when. It’s coming for your kids in the subtle themes of the latest Disney movie, and during the not-so-subtle drag queen story hour at the local library; it’s lingering between the big game during every commercial break, and soon (if not already) parading down your small-town main street in the month of June. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, here it also comes… to a workplace near you.
Ben leads the confrontation with this stinking cephalopod with the hopes of putting it to bed once and for all; and Chad, as salty as ever, comes along with a soothing voice as co-host, coaxing it back into its cage. The two untangle the messy (and confusing) subject of workplace wokism. Should something as simple as mutual respect between co-workers conquer the day, no matter the issue at hand? What freedoms and rights are guaranteed to someone in a workplace setting, and how ought a conflict between two competing freedoms be resolved? And what is the Christian’s responsibility when put in situations at work that push their conscience to the edge?
Episode 107- What is a Man?
Imagine leftists trying to make a documentary of their own by this episode’s same title, like some kind of clever rebuttal to Matt Walsh’s wildly successful “What is a Woman?”. And, instead of interviewing extremist liberals, they interviewed average, everyday Americans. One wonders with delight how that might play out? Hint: if it went anything like this episode, it’d end in slap-happy hilarity!
Chad channels his inner Sweet Baby Gang only to end up laughing (and sniffling) the whole episode through as its lead Super-movie-quoter. Ben fails to capture Chad’s point (or keep up with his movie references) but rallies triumphantly at the last second as the gloating cohost. The two try mightily to take this question seriously with (thanks to Ben!) mostly poor results. Why is it that sane, clear-thinking people are made to feel crazy for refusing to ignore biological realities? Can Ben pass the “Are You a Man Test”? And, once and for all, what does the famous ’90s hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa say in their hit song: “Wanna man, wanna man…” or “What a man, what a man…”??
