***Call for Abstracts Extended Until May 1*** Cosmic horror writer H.P. Lovecraft is the paragon of atheistic nihilism in fiction. For many, Lovecraft is diametrically opposed to everything most fundamental to Christianity, and the only way we might fruitfully engage with Lovecraft’s thought would be to categorically reject it. What hath Arkham to do with…
Author: matthewbrake84
Christians Should Set Aside Family Values and Watch Midsommar
By Danny Anderson I wonder if any single idea has corroded American Christianity as much as “Family Values.” If you grew up in Evangelical circles in the past 30-40 years, then the squishy ethos of this concept has permeated most aspects of your life. “Family First” is a mantra that forms our social relations, our…
Is the Force for Everyone or Not?
By Will Rose Let me honest and transparent right up front–I love The Rise of Skywalker. It may even be my favorite of the newest Star Wars trilogy. Yea, the movie hyper-speed skipped all over the place, but from my point of view, it had a lot of places to explore, and a lot of…
Call for Papers: Theology and Tolkien
No proper list of the greatest works of English literature in the twentieth century can exclude the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. His works are not only much-read and beloved, but also Hollywoodized (Peter Jackson), and have launched (or, perhaps, re-envisioned) an entire genre of fiction. As a result, they have made an indelible…
Suits: Salvation through Sin?
By George Tsakiridis Recently, I was a guest on the Protagonist Podcast and had the opportunity to discuss one of my favorite protagonists, Harvey Specter from Suits. The show just finished last year, and is part of the USA Network’s plethora of shows ranging from family friendly to almost family friendly. Suits blends comedy and drama with…
Call for Papers: Theology and H.P. Lovecraft
Cosmic horror writer H.P. Lovecraft is the paragon of atheistic nihilism in fiction. For many, Lovecraft is diametrically opposed to everything most fundamental to Christianity, and the only way we might fruitfully engage with Lovecraft’s thought would be to categorically reject it. What hath Arkham to do with Jerusalem? But this volume will explore Lovecraft’s…
The Good Place & Human Intervention
By Dr. Meredith J.C. Warren Unsurprisingly, I have *thoughts* about Netflix’s The Good Place, human intervention in divine modes of judgement and a little old text called The Testament of Abraham (Some spoilers for season 4). GIF: Judge Gen from The Good Place giving two thumbs-down gestures. If you’re not familiar with The Testament of…
Spider-Man: Far from Home – Nature, Truth, and the Distortion of Reality
By John Tuttle 2019 was a year in which the cinemas were full of tales of superheroes and supervillains, one of which was our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Tom Holland reprised his famous role in Spider-Man: Far from Home, the second installment in Holland’s series of films. In it, he attends a high school field trip,…
Rime Regnant: Arendelle’s Sisters as Church and State in Frozen 2
By Raymond Lam [SPOILERS for Frozen 2 below!!] Ever since Disney captured lightning in a bottle with Frozen (2013), its protagonists Elsa and Anna have been interpreted as a sisterly Yin and Yang, as opposites of one kind or another. What warms the hearts of children and adults alike is how different Anna and Elsa seem, yet…
The Exilic Community and a Better Way in the Mandalorian
By Jake Doberenz The first live-action Star Wars show, The Mandalorian, debuted on Disney+ last November and has mostly received positive reviews. The show follows a Mandalorian, who is nicknamed “Mando” at first, in his bounty hunter endeavors and then in his journey to protect The Child, a cute 50-year-old baby alien dubbed by the…
Pop Culture and Theology 