Christ and Pop Culture
Every week, our writers share some of their favorite finds from around the internet. Check back every week for great articles, insane news items, and interesting diversions.
Drew:
“How Much is a Princess Worth?” Is the Royal Family good for the British Economy?
John Dickerson says that Trump, Obama, and the American Media were all losers in the birth certificate fiasco.
Is a videogame responsible for the most impressive recreation of 1940’s Los Angeles? Ben Fritz says the creators of L.A. Noire have done just that.
Do Tim Keller and Franklin Graham represent two different approaches to politics and the church?
Wendy Kaminer asks whether the SaVe Act trades civil liberties for security on campus?
James K. A. Smith on Rob Bell and the “new universalism.”
Rob Bell and Adrian Warnock debate Love Wins.
NPR is streaming two upcoming albums worthy of your time: Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues and The Antlers’ Burst Apart.
Rich:
For those who have been watching Survivor this season, you’ll be interested in this interview with Matt Elrod. A quote: “God allowed me a path that didn’t require actually playing the game as it is meant to be played.”
That interview is a lot more interesting when paired with this fascinating Kill Screen piece about how our moral perspectives change (or don’t) when we play games.
You better believe this has everything to do with our process here at Christ and Pop Culture: Stuff Christians Like #1001 – Feeling like you should write a blog post about Lady Gaga’s song, Judas, but not knowing how to.
Guys, The Human Spirit’s Way Too Good for Alternate Reality Games.
Sit back with some Lil’ Flappers and refresh this site – over and over. Don’t stop. Never stop.
Slate on the Politics of Parks and Recreation.
Portal 2 came out this week – kind of a big deal. Here’s the best review.
Here’s the guy in charge of Duke Nukem Forever. He’s like, defending it and stuff. Because it’s art.
I always love a good Christ figure. Here are ten! In video games!
Why is Modern Family so darn unfulfilling sometimes?
Minecraft as a landscape painting.
Jason:
George R.R. Martin has finally — finally! — finished A Dance With Dragons. The novel will be hitting shelves on July 12.
While many won’t shed a tear if/when Blockbuster Video finally goes away, Bradford Winters laments the chain’s impending disappearance and its broader significance.
Yes, we all know that pop music all sounds the same, but Simon Reynolds argues that it’s all starting to sound like Ibiza.
“No serious, professional filmmaker ever set out to make a bad movie.”
Alan:
Would you wear a bracelet that read, “I ♥ Boobies”? What if it was to help cure cancer? Surely that’s a worthy reason, right? Peggy Orenstein argues in a Los Angeles Times article that the trend of using sexy slogans to raise awareness about breast cancer is counterproductive.
What are the ethical implications of using robots to fight wars for us, asks the British government?
Need more evidence that this generation is more narcissistic than previous ones? Just turn on the radio. I’m curious what this study would discover if it looked at praise and worship music over the last few decades…
Carissa:
Her.meneutics’s Sharon Hodde Miller responds to Peggy Orenstein on the entertainment industry’s marketing of teen girl “virtue” as a product.
Donald Miller is upset that the church is dominated by scholars. (I have opinions about this, but I’m going to have to wait until finals are over to share them.)
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In