Graduation Advice…

Visit the link below to read Dr. Bill Leonard’s commencement address to the 2007 graduating class at the Wake Forest University Divinity School.  In it, he adresses Christopher Hitchens’ new book, God is not Good, How Religion Poisons Everything, among others, as required reading for any would-be ministers.

And As You are Going….

Two Interesting Articles…

I came across these two extremely thought provoking articles in The San Francisco Chronicle today. Both get at the changing nature of Christianity in our contemporary culture. Thoughts anyone?

Bringing the Faith to American Christians

Reflections on Poverty and Climate Change

The Resurgence of Religious Cinema

I recently worked on a project on the resurgence of religious cinema in the United States and linked it to the religious responses to early American cinema that focused on “moral uplift” and the educational and spiritual benefits of the cinema. After briefly tracing this history, I examined five recent films that fit what I believe to be a contemporary example of “moral uplift.” The films are The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, End of the Spear, One Night With the King, Nativity Story, and Amazing Grace. [Read more]

For the Grey’s Fans…

I do not watch “Grey’s Anatomy,” but I realize that so many people do.  A friend directed me to this interesting article which is a feminist critique of the show.  Despite my ignorance of the show, the author’s comments are persuasive.  Comments, Grey’s fans?

The New Modern Woman, Ambitious and Feeble

A Robotic Christ?

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

I realize that there are numerous films that I should have seen by now but have not. I will not name the more severe cases for fear of ridicule; however, I will admit that I had never seen The Iron Giant (1999) until yesterday when I watched it at a fundraiser for Oakland’s Children’s Hospital. I will play the hypocrite here and tell you to do as I say and not as I did. If you have not seen this film yet, rent it. [Read more]

Not Your Parents’ Evangelicals

Here is a great article that follows up on our post about Dr. J. Matthew Sleeth’s lecture on evangelicals and environmentalism. This article focuses on the changing moral vision of many young evangelicals across the country. Great news to be sure.

Evangelicals Push for Social Change

Too Much?

I remember seeing the earliest extended previews of Spiderman 3 that included clips of the film’s three villains, “New Goblin,” Venom, and Sandman. My first thoughts were, “This is going to be amazing.” Over the past week, I noticed that earlier reviews were less enthused than I would have expected. This gave me pause, and I thought, “Three villains…this could be bad.” Unfortunately, some of the reviews and my latest fears were right. Spiderman 3 loses all the “spiritual punch” that the first two films contained and resorts to re-hashed series of web-slinging fights and a plot line that tends to forget the very spectacle it wants to offer with three villains in one film. [Read more]

Aronofsky’s Ark

As if making a film about eternal life, The Fountain, wasn’t enough, director Darren Aronofsky is planning on tackling global extinction…or at least a great flood. Check out this Guardian interview about his plans to direct Noah’s Ark. I’m intrigued.

Just Say Noah

Jesus and Film

Here’s an interesting, brief introduction to Jesus films. The lecturer’s comments on how we envision Jesus in light of on-screen representation are helpful.

Blessed and Cursed

With the imminent arrival of this year’s first “summer” blockbuster, Spiderman 3, I wanted to return to the first two Spiderman films and examine the ways in which they speak to issues of identity and vocational calling. As a result, these films offer great points of discussion for teenagers, or anyone else for that matter, who might be struggling with what to do with their lives. [Read more]

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