Whenever I see that sign at ongoing construction sites, I think, “How condescending.” Well, now I’m forced to eat my words and put up a “Pardon Our Progress” sign of my own. I’ve just found a new theme for poptheology that I really like and will be taking the weekend and the first part of [...]
I also work as a religion consultant for Active Voice, a non-profit media group that uses documentary films to leverage social justice issues. Active Voice is interested in creating or partnering with creative efforts to break through the barrier of polarized arguments around controversial subjects. They constantly pursue efforts that build compassionate bridges between people [...]
In the conclusion to John Ford, Peter Bogdanovich reflects on the director’s career and death. He recalls Jane Fonda picketing the American Film Institute’s presentation of their first Life Achievement Award to Ford because President Nixon was present. Bogdanovich sees a shortsightedness to Fonda’s protest and a timelessness to the director’s work. Though Ford may [...]
So I just finished watching the Compassion Forum on CNN, a political debate between Democractic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama around issues of the role of faith and religion in public policy. First and foremost, I must say that I cringe at the “necessity” of having this debate because on one level it [...]
I’ll admit it. I was more than skeptical when I saw the poster for another Jason Statham movie, especially when the title is The Bank Job. I mean really, how many times does Statham need to play a low-class British criminal? He’s like the James Bond of the London underworld, though not nearly as suave. [...]
It looks like the next month is shaping up to be a John Ford month as I will be working on a project that compares the paintings of the German Romanticist Caspar David Friedrich to the films of John Ford. The similarities between Friedrich’s landscapes and Ford’s settings, along with Friedrich’s influence on other Hollywood [...]
Well, I guess that depends on whether you are carrying the Olympic torch through San Francisco this week, or if you are a Warriors fan anxiously awaiting Thursday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets. It has been a busy couple of weeks out here on the left coast. Deadlines breathing down my neck and a [...]
Charlton Heston died last night at the age of 83. While he was not the first pop culture religious icon, he certainly was the most famous. Just as Jim Caviezle has become etched in the collective religious psyche as the figure of Jesus, few people can think of Moses without conjuring up images of Heston. [...]
Here is some more footage of the GTU panel discussion on sports, religion, and social justice. In this video, you will hear Mike Beckman talk about the Green Bay Packers, Tai-Amri Spann Wilson reflect on his personal experiences with sports, and Emily Joy McGaughy finally adds some female flavor to the panel as she discusses [...]
Below is the footage from a talk that I gave as part of a panel discussion on sports, religion, and social justice. Hope you enjoy it.
