Now That’s the Truth
March 5, 2010
As far as pop-culture creations are concerned, The Wire is pretty much unbeatable across a number of genres. Most critics worth their salt argue that it is, and will likely remain, the greatest television series in the history of the medium. We’ve yet to see the end of, much less a beginning to, the creative responses that it will likely engender from imitation series to collections of essays and articles about the series cultural impact. Thus far, the greatest response has been The Wire: Truth Be Told by Rafael Alvarez, a comprehensive guide to the series. [Read more]
Hauntingly Beautiful
February 23, 2010
Our newest Pop Theology contributor, Jessica Margrave Schirm (read more about her on the Contributors page), reviews the recent novel, Bloodroot, after the jump. [Read more]
LOST Deserves Better
February 22, 2010
In the latest version of “The Gospel According to ‘Insert-Pop-Culture-Creation-Here,’” Chris Seay turns his attention to Lost. Unfortunately, the book isn’t nearly as compelling as the series itself. Moreover, it left me questioning the supposed brilliance of the series itself. [Read more]
A Pop Theology Conversation with Craig Detweiler
February 18, 2010
This afternoon, I connected with Craig Detweiler over Skype to talk about his latest book, Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games with God. The book is a must read and this video is a must watch. Check it out after the jump. Also, I think I’ve talked him into attending Theology After Google, so if you can make it…go! [Read more]
Is God a Gamer?
February 18, 2010
Theology and popular culture is an ever-growing field with numerous implications for both the church and academia. Churches and professors have embraced the theological/religious/spiritual implications of film, television, and popular culture. However, one of the most popular components of popular culture, video games, have yet to come under exploration for their theological/religious/spiritual implications. Until now. In his latest book, Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games With God, Craig Detweiler has compiled a collection of essays that make it impossible to look at video games the same way again. [Read more]
The Religious Film: A Review
February 5, 2010
In only 156 pages, Pamela Grace sets forth on a bold undertaking to create a new film genre, the hagiopic. In her book, The Religious Film: Christianity and the Hagiopic, she gives a brief description of this new genre and places it in a historical and critical framework but allows her insightful critiques of particular hagiopics to make the case for the genre themselves. [Read more]
The Springfield Reformation: A Review
February 2, 2010
Despite a decline in the overall quality of the past several seasons, The Simpsons still manages to turn out a few funny episodes each season. Over the past decade or so, there have been a variety of texts that take a scholarly approach to the long-running series from philosophical or theological perspectives. The latest, Jamey Heit’s The Springfield Reformation: The Simpsons, Christianity, and American Culture, offers insights into some of the series’ episodes that give a rather prophetic look at contemporary American religion. [Read more]
What the Church Can Learn from Facebook
January 26, 2010
In their book, Transforming Christian Theology for Church and Society, Tripp Fuller and Philip Clayton argue for the necessity of local congregations to connect the work they do with deep, sustained theological reflection. I have been thinking about other areas of life that should be linked with deep theological reflection, and for me one of these areas is popular culture. Another aspect is the changing nature of technology and communication in the culture in which we live. In Thy Kingdom Connected: What the Church Can Learn from Facebook, the Internet, and Other Networks, Dwight J. Friesen provides rich theological reflection on the state of “relationality” today, providing one of the most insightful accounts of how the church not only should be, but truly is, that you are likely to find. [Read more]
On Monsters: A Review
January 14, 2010
Although it might not sound like it, Stephen T. Asma’s latest book, On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears, is one of the most theologically compelling texts I have read in quite a while. It lends a certain credence to my advisor’s frequent assertions that the genres of horror and the supernatural are the last pop-culture strong holds for spirituality and religion. [Read more]
Under Pressure
January 6, 2010
Stephen King is not often known for brevity, and his most recent novel, Under the Dome, is no exception. Clocking in at 1072 pages, it’s a commitment that ends, not too soon, but all too quickly. [Read more]
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