By Abigail Bilby Religious scholars argue that the battle between chaos and order has been in existence since before humans were able to conceive of it (Mobley p. 16). Ever since their arrival, humans have carried an obsession with the idea of chaotic beings and events existing in direct conflict with what is considered to…
Sidebar: Everyday Evil and the Visions of 616 Hickory Branch Lane
From our friend Rev. Samuel Blair over at The Chaplain’s Report: “The fatal flaw of the Vision in creating his family and trying to live a normal life is that that he did not see how much evil there was in normal life. The Vision, he recounts to himself, has saved the world 37 times….
EXTENDED Call for Papers: Theology and Game of Thrones
Call for Papers: Theology and Game of Thrones Theology and Pop Culture extending the deadline for abstracts to AUGUST 1 for a potential volume on the work of George R.R. Martin and the world of Game of Thrones. Essays should be written for academics, but avoid “jargon” to be accessible for the layperson. Potentials ideas…
Kingdom Hearts and Learning to Walk in the Dark
By Corey Patterson Right before the start of E3 this year, we were granted with the release date of the much-anticipated Square Enix game Kingdom Hearts 3: January 29, 2019. The franchise has received a massive influx of fans with the multiple installments throughout the years, and it’s showing no sign of coming down. I…
Rick and Morty, the Viability of Religion, and Experiencing the Sacred (or: Show Me What You Got!)
By Matthew William Brake In the episode “Get Shwifty” of Rick and Morty, the acclaimed Adult Swim show known for its sci-fi adventures and nihilistic brand of humor, a giant head (known as a “cromulon”) appears in the sky above Earth with one simple demand: “SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!” This challenge ultimately involves Earth…
Grant Morrison, Final Crisis, and the Power of Apocalyptic Storytelling
By Julie Rivera Anyone that has heard a Grant Morrison interview can deduce that he has some interesting ideas about the world, which he portrays using metafiction, unique storytelling, and spirituality. While Morrison does not identify as a Christian, some of his works reflect Christian themes. His graphic novel Final Crisis uses the idea of…
‘In God We Trump’ – Film Review
From our friend Rev. Leah Schade over at EcoPreacher: “How is it possible for those who profess to follow a savior who preached inclusivity, respect for all peoples, humbleness, and nonviolence to venerate a man whose every Tweet, every speech, and every action flies in the face of our understanding of what it means to…
Free Will: Reality or Illusion? A Debate with Matthew Brake and Professor Gary Andrews
About 2 months ago, I (Matthew Brake) was invited to debate Professor Gary Andrews, a psychology professor at Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville, PA to participate in a debate about the existence of Free Will. Professor Andrews contended that human beings do not have free will, and I argued for a (constrained) free will. The…
What an Old Hollywood Melodrama Taught Me About the Gospel
By Louis Markos At the core of San Francisco (1936; W. S. Van Dyke), as at the core of so many film classics, is a love triangle. Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald), the innocent, devout daughter of a country parson, has come to the Barbary Coast in hopes of becoming a singer. As the story progresses,…
The Power of Narrative Preaching (or: The Pastor as Dungeon Master)
By Rev. Samuel Blair One of the side things I enjoy is playing fantasy roleplaying games with a group of friends online. Destroying giant bees ridden by bow-wielding goblins from the comfort of my office chair is always fun. However they can be very exciting not merely for the fun of fighting but the chance…
Pop Culture and Theology 