Thanks to Steven Bauman, frequent Pop Theology reader, for pointing out this article from a British theological think tank called Theos. According to research by Theos, “a quarter of people in Britain confuse the Bible with speeches by Sir Bob Geldof.” Follow the first link for more. Beyond the humor of this research, the article [...]
Traditionally speaking, most serious scholars would scoff at the idea of turning to popular culture for lessons in political discourse, religious consciousness, or educational formation. Yet this is just what Henry Jenkins, a professor of humanities and the founder and director of the Comparative Media Studies Program at MIT, has done in his recent book, [...]
A new book has made an exciting contribution to the on-going study of the relationship between film and religion. Film and Religion: An Introduction by Paul V. M. Flesher and Robert Torry is an example of the kind of serious “religious critique” of films that must take precedence in this field if it is to [...]
Talk about the relationship between religion, film, and pop culture. Two Welsh brothers have taken it one step further. Follow the link for more. Brothers set up Jedi ‘church’ Apparently, they have a website as well: www.jedichurch.com.
Merry Christmas from PopTheology! Read on for the 2007 Christmas message from the Presiding Episcopal Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori entitled “Eyes to See: Finding Immanuel as Immigrant, Wanderer, Child.” May you have a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year.
That’s right. One more week and The Golden Compass hits theaters, much to the chagrin of many Conservative Evangelicals. As you can tell, I can’t wait. In fact, I’ve started re-reading the first book in excited anticipation, even though the film won’t be nearly as good…they never are. Nevertheless, hopefully I’ll compile a top ten [...]
Given the changes that Chris Weitz is making to the adaptation of Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, the religious controversy surrounding the film’s release might be more exciting than the film itself. I am exaggerating here and am anxiously awaiting the film’s release. However, until it arrives in December, I will just have to amuse [...]
Any serious sports fan simply must be familiar with Michael Lewis, the author of two of the most influential contemporary sports books, Moneyball and The Blind Side. Turning to football in The Blind Side, Lewis writes about the evolution of one particular position and juxtaposes it with an equally unlikely story of a poor black [...]
Here is my response to the second chapter of Christianity and the Social Crisis, “The Social Aims of Jesus,” and Tony Campolo‘s reactions to it. I am thankful that Tripp included me in the list of responders to the re-release of Walter Rauschenbusch’s Christianity and the Social Crisis. I admit with some embarrassment that I [...]
