'Lent' is a tale of sin and redemption, of punishment and forgiveness, of power and justice, of certainty and compromise. And no writer of fiction is better at handling such enormous concepts than Jo Walton.
Read More »Religion and spirituality in the original ‘Mass Effect’ trilogy
As in Deism, 'Mass Effect' emphasizes freedom and choice. We can’t expect anyone or anything else to push us to the right action. We are the ones responsible for determining our path, and meaning is in the way there.
Read More »REVIEW: ‘Theology and Science Fiction’ enlightens but needs more detailed analysis
'Theology and Science Fiction' is an accessible overview of how theology and sci-fi “speak” to one another. McGrath writes clearly and explains complex concepts effectively. But the book could have benefitted from more detailed analysis of specific examples from sci-fi to illustrate his points.
Read More »7 spiritual principles that Prince lived by (and that fans can emulate)
In this article let’s look at seven spiritual principles that permeated the music and life of Prince. Regardless of your religion or whether you have one at all, these are principles that cross ideological barriers and promote universal healing and growth, particularly when conveyed by one so widely loved and respected as Prince was.
Read More »‘The Young Messiah’ is capable but doesn’t reach the novel’s heights
The movie adaptation of Anne Rice's 'Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt' covers all the major theological events in the book and is filled with competent acting and directing. But it lacks the sumptuous sensory experience that Rice's beautiful prose brings to the book. Still, the movie touches upon many points both humanistic and religious and would make a good film for families to see together.
Read More »The 10 most spiritual Stephen King books
To the degree that almost all of King's works, to some extent or other, are about redemption and transcending evil, adversity and death, they are all spiritual. But the following books are the ones where we think the spirituality and mysticism come through in the most effective and entertaining ways.
Read More »The end is nigh in ‘The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse’
Originally released in 2012 as a three-book series, Michael Mendheim and Simon Bisley’s The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is being released in omnibus form and it is amazing.
Read More »God is a stark, raving lunatic in Clive Barker’s unsettling ‘Next Testament’
I will read anything by Clive Barker, anything audacious enough to depict God as a central character and Next Testament fulfills both conditions. For me, it is the rare horror comic that manages to be genuinely unsettling at times. Moreover, it's a darn good yarn.
Read More »You are invited to the ‘Afterparty’: there’ll be lots of drugs and gods
Good science fiction is not about the future so much as the present, and Afterparty by Daryl Gregory is good science fiction. It amplifies the societal insecurities of today and projects them into tomorrow without losing track of the human element that drives dramatic storytelling. With elements of a good mystery, Afterparty is full of twists and turns and red herrings on the way to an unexpected and satisfying resolution.
Read More »What the recent ‘Duck Dynasty’ controversy really means
This is where we have come as a society, to the point where even a TV series which is too silly and over-edited to be called a documentary can dominate our national dialog and have us foaming at the mouth, rabid and raring for a fight.
Read More »Awakening the Hero Within Us
Though not usually consciously recognized as such by the majority of the media-consuming community, pop culture is myth in modern guise.The writings in this column, Hero Worship, will help you to see and recognize pop culture as modern mythology and to be able to use it - as all original myth intended - to awaken the hero within.
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