By Austin Freeman The eldritch fingerprints of H.P. Lovecraft seem to be everywhere–tentacles, myriad eyes, regressive cults, and ancient names excavated from prehistoric monuments, bearing knowledge of forces greater and more terrifying than the soft anthropomorphic gods of the civilized world. From tabletop gaming to young adult comics to flagship television programs, Lovecraft’s great old…
Tag: Friedrich Nietzsche
When Christians are Evil and Black Sabbath are “Moralists”: A Heavy Metal Theology of Retribution
By Jack Holloway Day of judgment, God is calling On their knees, the war pigs crawling Begging mercy for their sins Satan laughing, spreads his wings Oh lord, yeah! The United States had been bombing Indochina relentlessly for years, American troops were burning homes and villages belonging to Vietnamese noncombatants, and were raping Vietnamese women….
A Response to McGrath and Brake: Batman, Joker, and Nietzsche’s Overman
By John MacDonald On episode 36 of the Religion Prof Podcast, Dr. James McGrath and Matthew Brake shared their interpretations of Nietzsche’s overman in relation to the Batman mythos in popular culture. McGrath raises the point that it is young Bruce Wayne’s response to his family tragedy that raises him from the level of the…
Good, Evil, and Boredom in Good Omens
By John MacDonald This article examines the theology/literary sources of the TV show Good Omens from the point of view of the theological/existential/cultural problem of boredom, especially as developed by Ecclesiastes, Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche. Starting around 18:38 of Good Omens Season 1, Episode 6, Beelzebub says to Adam Young, “When it’s over, you’re going to…
Batman, the Joker, and Nietzsche’s übermensch: A Discussion with James McGrath and Matthew Brake
Hello friends! A few weeks ago at the Batman conference at Bowling Green State University, which I discuss with some friends here, I presented a panel with James McGrath on the Friedrich Nietzsche’s übermensch. Specifically, James and I discussed, in conversation with a work by our friend Chuck Robertson, who best fits the description of…
Pop Culture and Theology 