Editor’s Note: Guest blogger Benjamin Griffin offers his thoughts on the Church of Metal. A fan of a broad range of music, Benjamin has blogged for Pop Theology before, writing on “The Quest for Contemporary Christian Music that Doesn’t Suck.” He has a keen perception for the sacred shining through the secular, and adds his voice as a Millennial to our continuing discussion on what attracts or repels young people about church. No Reason Church Can’t Be a Metal... Read more
Set-Up: Duck Commander employee Godwin says he wants to buy a hot tub (with speakers) and needs the boys to help him find it and move it to his house. Phil has Willie’s kids over and tries to teach them a lesson in patience. Hilarity Ensues: With a $200 budget, Godwin’s options for a hot tub are limited. As Willie says, “I’m not sure you can afford the speakers but you could park... Read more
Based on our travel experiences last year, I frequently think about creating a “reality series” that focuses on drinking cultures around the world. It’s not a terribly new idea, but Three Sheets was too “drunk,” and alcohol is always second to Anthony Bourdain‘s food obsession. Thankfully, a new book by Lawrence Osborne, The Wet and the Dry: A Drinker’s Journey, begins to get at the aesthetic and intellectual depth of the kind of pop-cultural studies I’d like to pursue through alcohol cultures... Read more
Season 4, Episode 2 “So You Think You Can Date?” Set-Up: Duck Commander employee Martin lets slip that he has a date, and this becomes fodder both for jokes from the Robertson men and a makeover from the Robertson women. Phil is stuck with the granddaughters and has to find a way to entertain them before they drive him crazy. Hilarity Ensues: Led by Willie’s wife Korie, Willie, Jase, and the Robertson wives go... Read more
Welcome to the first entry in a regular blog on the A&E series Duck Dynasty. This show about a bearded redneck family and their multi-million dollar duck call business has become the unlikely king of cable ratings and has even beat broadcast giants like American Idol. The show is filmed in West Monroe, Louisiana, and its combination of backwoods humor and sprinklings of Christian family values have made it must-see TV in the Red States. I walked into... Read more
There’s not much I can add to Ryan Parker’s review of Elysium. I probably liked the film better than he did, but also thought it came up short on story. Some of the reactions to Elysium have been in the form of conservative backlash to its obvious liberal populist message. I’d like to address some of those reactions in responding to some comments on the film put forth by fellow Patheos blogger, Rebecca Cusey. I’m highlighting Cusey’s review not because... Read more
There were few films that I was as anxious to see this summer as Neill Blomkamp‘s Elysium. Richard and I loved Blomkamp’s breakout film, District 9, and wrote about it extensively here at Pop Theology. I’m disappointed to say, that in my opinion, Elysium is a less-than-stellar sophomore outing. In this post, I’ll talk about my frustrations with the film. In a subsequent post, Richard will give both his own reactions to the film and his responses to the conservative backlash to it.... Read more
Rule #1 in blogging: Controversy = Clicks. Since we re-launched PopTheology.com on Patheos, we have gotten no stronger response after the initial rollout than with my post commenting on the piece on CNN’s Belief blog by Rachel Held Evans describing what Millennials want in a church. A repost by a friend at my PhD alma mater led to a rip-roaring discussion thread on Facebook. And the comments on the blog itself were also thoughtful and articulate. Mostly, the comments were... Read more
Amid all the industry panic over big blockbuster flops this summer, a handful of profitable, low-budget indie films are reminding us that compelling stories still matter more than special effects laden tentpole productions. Along with films like Mud and The Way Way Back, I’ll now add Fruitvale Station to my list of favorite films this year. (more…) Read more
An interesting article by reformist evangelical and author Rachel Held Evans has been making the rounds on blog posts and Facebook. Evans speaks about her experience as a consultant to evangelical churches that are wondering why Millennials are leaving organized religion. Evans rolls her eyes at churches that think they can win back Millennials with “hipper worship bands,” “pastors in skinny jeans,” and “an updated Web site that includes online giving.” A lot of her suggestions for churches to recapture... Read more
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