ELSEWHERE: ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Doesn’t Get Religion

Last updated on: August 19, 2013 at 6:40 am By Jason Morehead

Netflix’s prison comedy/drama Orange Is The New Black is the service’s latest hit, following on the heels of House of Cards and the resurrected Arrested Development. (It currently has a score of 79 on Metacritic.) However, for all of its strengths, B. D. McClay argues that the show fails when it comes to representing religion: it presents a deeply caricatured version of religion (and religious adherents) even as it “depends heavily on the residual weight that religion’s cultural trappings can give a... Read more

Is “Hookup Culture” Really a Myth?

Last updated on: August 19, 2013 at 6:05 am By Adam Marshall

A study shows that the Hookup Culture is a myth, kinda. Read more

ELSEWHERE: Cultured Christianity and Its Dangers

Last updated on: August 16, 2013 at 11:25 am By Derek Rishmawy

Brett McCracken wrote a great piece on what it means to be a “cultured Christian” over at Q Ideas, and just put out what looks to be a great book, Gray Matters, that deals with Christian consumption of culture. Trevin Wax from The Gospel Coalition asks McCracken whether all of this can slide into an excuse for unfettered worldliness or uncharitable snobbery. Because navigating the fine line between legalism and license is what CaPC strives for, these questions (and answers) are... Read more

The Case Against “The Case Against Breaking Bad”

Last updated on: August 16, 2013 at 5:47 am By Ethan McCarthy

Should we be more critical of Breaking Bad? Read more

Shaming Sexists and Racists Online as a Form of Justice?

Last updated on: August 16, 2013 at 5:35 am By Jason Morehead

"It is completely impossible for us to forecast the repercussions of our words, even if we intend those words to promote what we consider to be justice." Read more

‘Top Chef: Masters’ Celebrates The Communal Nature Of Art

Last updated on: August 16, 2013 at 5:02 am By Geoffrey Reiter

"The success of the chefs is not based solely on their individual performances; it also derives from the extent to which they have been good mentors and teachers." Read more

ELSEWHERE: Tragic Texts, Tragic Art

Last updated on: August 15, 2013 at 5:20 am By Geoffrey Reiter

Corporate sponsorship. Public service announcement. These are terms that would not seem to go hand-in-hand with great art. Yet consider this half-hour documentary on the dangers of text-messaging while driving, which AT&T commissioned legendary Oscar-nominated filmmaker Werner Herzog to direct. “From One Second to the Next” is a well-made, heartbreaking piece that allows some glimmers of the power of forgiveness. Read more

How the Psychology of Perseverance Can Help us Understand the Cross

Last updated on: August 15, 2013 at 5:16 am By S. L. Whitesell

"Insights into human psychology are relevant to understanding the inner struggle of our Lord" Read more

3 Things I Love About Ashton Kutcher’s Teen Choice Award Acceptance Speech

Last updated on: August 15, 2013 at 7:24 am By Richard Clark

Who knew? Ashton Kutcher is kind of amazing. At least, he is if this acceptance speech at the Teen Choice Awards is any indication: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuBSRC1zpHw Ashton won the “Ultimate Choice Award,” whatever that means. Judging from the speech, it’s probably a kind of “lifetime acheivement award,” where a “lifetime” ends after you’re legally able to drink. I never really cared much for Ashton, mostly because I had some vague idea that he was kind of dumb, and also because if... Read more

Remembering the Signs: God’s Word in a ‘Spell-Mageddon’ World

Last updated on: August 15, 2013 at 4:43 am By Geoffrey Reiter

"We must first 'remember the Signs' and have Scripture sunken so deeply into our being that it can penetrate through the distractions." Read more