By Carina Julig Though he is not a ‘Christian musician,’ indie singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens has built a cult following among Christian listeners, and his haunting music has a deeply religious quality. Stevens’ ethereal songs frequently convey musings about faith, while at other times, he is directly talking to God. Religious imagery is especially prominent in…
Author: matthewbrake84
2017: Top Five Posts
I want to thank all of the people who have made the inaugural year of this blog possible. Of course, without you, the reader, there would be very little point to this project, which attempts to make theology accessible to the wider public. To our contributors, we literally could not do this without you. Thank…
The Children Everyone Was Waiting For
By Roberto Mussinatto There are a few days left before Christmas, and we can already feel in the air this soft joy and sense of waiting which make Christmas different from any other celebration in the year. We feel like something we were looking for is ready to come; it seems like nature feels it, too….
Asgard and the Kingdom of God in Thor: Ragnarok
By Corey Patterson [SPOILERS!!!] If Marvel fans were expecting a continuation of the dark tones from the sequel to Thor and Thor: The Dark World, they would find themselves in a losing bet. The latest installment, Thor: Ragnarok, brings to life a world of color and humorous scenes, more akin to Guardians of the Galaxy…
Is God Funny?
By Alison Downie, PhD Is God preposterous to you? He is to me. But let me explain: The God I work daily to trust bears no resemblance whatsoever to the “God” many Christians preach about and the “God” so many reject as absurd. The endlessly essential theological question is: What sort of God is being…
The Psychoanalytic Structure of Daredevil’s Catholic Guilt
By Ritchie Savage, PhD In The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, the classical sociological theorist, Max Weber, attempts to make a distinction between his ideal types of Protestantism and Catholicism, and the capacity for the former, not only to embody the movement toward rationalization in history, but also the attention toward capital accumulation….
Movie Review: White God
By Katy Scrogin and Cláudio Carvalhaes Starring: Zsofia Psotta, Sandor Zsoter, Szabolcs Thuroczy, Lili Monori, Laszlo Galffi and Lili Horvath. Genre: Drama, Foreign Directed By: Kornél Mundruczó Release Date: March 27, 2015 Website: http://www.magpictures.com/whitegod/ Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpYaY7ulTEc Who would have guessed that a revolt of dogs in Budapest would be a metaphor for our times? Kornél Mundruzcó’s…
Re-engineering the Bible: Samson, Delilah, and the Grateful Dead
By Bruce Chilton The story of Samson and Delilah, Samson’s last paramour among many unsuitable women (Judges 16:4-31), has attracted painters such as Rubens, poets such as Milton, and even the film-maker Cecil B. DeMille. (He cast Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr in the title roles in his 1949 film.) Bob Weir with the Grateful…
Spider-man and Kierkegaardian Love
By Corey Patterson Marvel Comics fans undoubtedly remember the pivotal moment in Peter Parker’s life that led him to become the crime-fighting hero we know as Spider-Man. They recall how his Uncle Ben was murdered by a criminal Peter could have stopped in an earlier confrontation, but chose not to. All of these events would…
Call for Papers: Fordham Pop Culture & Theology Graduate Student Conference
Fordham Theology Graduate Student Conference: “Pop Culture and Theology” Friday, April 20, 2018 at Fordham University Rose Hill The Theology Graduate Student Association invites graduate students in theology, Bible, religious studies, ethics, and related fields to submit abstracts that explore the relationship between popular culture and theology from classical as well as contemporary perspectives. For…
Pop Culture and Theology 