Judas…

A host of Jesus films focus specifically on the titular character. The ways in which they do so, however, differ drastically. Emphasizing different gospel narratives, showing or avoiding miracles, casting, location…all of these choices affect the cinematic interpretation of Jesus. Other films focus on supporting characters in the Jesus story and feature Jesus as a supporting cast member, to a greater or lesser degree. These films often explore and develop these characters, ranging from the apostles to Barabbas, and the effect their encounters with Jesus have on them. One more recent example is Judas (2004), a made-for-TV movie that premiered on ABC. [Read more]

Forgive Us Our Trespasses…

Sex scandals have rocked the Christian church throughout the past decade. Whether child abuse in the Catholic church or gay prostitutes in the evangelical Protestant community, parishioners and congregants have, directly and indirectly, fallen victim to their leaders’ sexual indiscretions. The public image of these religious leaders has been irreparably tarnished and so has the secular perception of these religious communities. Many viewers’ perception of Ted Haggard in Jesus Camp changed drastically after his confession of involvement with a male prostitute. Moral crusaders like Governor Eliot Spitzer or Senator Larry Craig, while not religious leaders, certainly draw from Judeo-Christian values for their policies. One of the more significant documentaries to emerge in recent years, Deliver Us From Evil, focuses on one aspect of these sex scandals, the rape and molestation of countless women and children by Catholic priests. Still retaining a 100% approval rating on rottentomatoes.com two years after its release, this is truly one of the most significant documentaries of the decade. [Read more]

Sacred Identities…

Over the past year or so, I have been delving back into the worlds of comic books and graphic novels. A welcome break from more “serious” reading, these genres blend my love of reading and images. As many of you well know, Hollywood is approaching these ready made story boards with a vengeance. As I’ve read more comics and graphic novels, I’ve also been reading about the history of this medium and have found it just as entertaining, especially given its similarities to film history. Both the film and comic book industries have fought opponents who regard their products as trash or as potentially de-moralizing influences. Both industries set up censorship boards to regulate depictions of sex, violence, and crime (although it seems as if comics and graphic novels get away with much more scandalous depictions of said offenses these days).  Finally, both industries have seen Jews play foundational roles in their foundation and maturation with Jews occupying all facets of production from studio executives and publishers to actors and artists. [Read more]

Shining a Light…

The world of theology and film studies may well be the most popular and fastest-growing field in theological education. We have seen a rush of books to the shelves ranging from The Gospel According To’s to Theology and Who/Whatever. Some of these texts offer brilliant interpretations of much-loved films and television programs. Fewer still offer significant contributions to theological study. Even fewer manage to walk that fine where film criticism and theology inform and illuminate one another. Craig Detweiler’s latest book, Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century, is one of those rare texts. [Read more]

We’re Here and We’re Religious, Part 2

It is understandable, though unfortunate, that CNN’s coverage of last night’s Saddleback Presidential Forum was most likely overshadowed by Phelps-mania.  Thankfully, the only event that coincided with this important religious/political discussion was the women’s marathon (zzzz).  Hosted by Pastor Rick Warren, who Time magazine recently called America’s most powerful religious leader, this question and answer session with presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama is just what we need more of in the run-up to the election. [Read more]

Old Time Rock-n-Roll?

This just in from occasional, and hopefully more frequent, poptheology contributor, Richard Lindsay. [Read more]

Two Weeks in August…

I love seasons…I need seasons. It must be part of my spiritual makeup. Perhaps this is why I love sports so much. They are seasonal. Having lived in places as diverse as southern Mississippi and northern California, I have become accustomed to erratic or invisible seasonal changes. You can’t rely on a lengthy spring or fall in Mississippi were the weather simply vacillates between hot and humid and not hot and not humid. I am not necessarily complaining, but there are no consistent high-heat summers or bitterly cold winters here in the Bay Area. So when mother nature balks, sports seasons help enhance the feeling of transition that I have experienced in more seasonal environments. [Read more]

It’s A Hard Knock Life…

Last year, my wife and I got hooked on the HBO Sports series Hard Knocks that offered a behind-the-scenes look at the Kansas City Chiefs training camp.  As a football junkie, the series helped fuel an addiction for me, but we also both enjoyed following the stories of NFL rookies and journeymen trying to make the team and secure a job for the season. [Read more]

Blessed are the Cheesemakers…

I came across this interesting article in an issue of The New Zealand Herald last week on the enduring legacy of Monty Python’s Life of Brian, one of the funniest religious films of all time and John Dominic Crossan’s favorite Jesus film, at least according to Homebrewed Christianity. Check out the link after the jump. [Read more]

Go West Mutants…

The 500th issue of the Uncanny X-Men finds the most famous superhero team moving to San Francisco.  In today’s issue of the San Francisco Chronicle, pop culture critic Peter Hartlaub reflects on the connections between the X-Men and many residents of San Francisco and why this move is a perfect fit.  Follow the link after the jump. [Read more]

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