By Matthew Brake I grew up in the 1990s (a time, which I’ve come to realize, is as long ago now as the 1960s were for me back then. I’m struggling to deal with that). And I was raised in the heart of conservative evangelical culture war country. After I became passionate about the Christianity…
Tag: Disney
We Don’t Talk About Burnout: What Disney’s Encanto Can Teach Us About Having a Vocation
By Dr. Jennie Riley A gift bestowed upon an individual by an ephemeral divine being. A gift which gives the recipient purpose and a place in a community. A gift which becomes central to that person’s identity. Take that premise, give it a Disney twist, inject Lin Manuel Miranda’s song-writing, and you’ve got the ingredients…
Reflections on Raya and the Last Dragon Part 2: On Steps of Faith and the Redemptive Power of Charity
By Jeremy E. Scarbrough This is the continuation of a two-part reflectionon themes that stood out to me after viewing Raya and the Last Dragon when it debuted. In Part I, I pondered the worldview-nature of narratives in general and Raya’s fascination with the human condition in particular. I also considered the significance of sacrifice in the film….
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…
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…
Call for Papers: Moral Theology and the World of Walt Disney
Editor: Jeremy E. Scarbrough (scarbrj@phsc.edu) Theology and Pop Culture is seeking contributions for a potential edited volume on Moral Theology and the Musical World of Walt Disney, to be published by Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, an imprint of Rowman and Littlefield. The significant contributions of Walt Disney Studios in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries—to our overall…
Wealth, Status, and Privilege in Aladdin
By Corey Patterson The long awaited live film adaptation of Disney’s Aladdin hit theaters last month and fans have not been shy about voicing their opinions. Some disgruntled moviegoers claim Will Smith’s CGI Genie doesn’t compare to Robin Williams’ rendition, while others bemoan the vast number of scenes from the original script. Personally, I found the film…
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…
Pop Culture and Theology 