Eh, if you are dropping a forward monastery, redemption is probably in the cards either way. The lack of range is a huge issue though.They have a max of 6 range, so a counter tower should stop them in their tracks. I think "trushing" with fortified churches is a red herring personally. 6 range also means the building itself is helpless against mangonels, and redemption is expensive so not the most practical solution either.
It's a nice little bonus for protecting your monks and stacking relics could be an OK defense vs scouts, but then your relics are all right next to your opponents base which is less than ideal