Apocalypse and Authenticity Conference

Last updated on: September 25, 2016 at 7:14 pm By James F. McGrath

There’s going to be a conference about apocalypse in popular culture at the University of Hull next summer. Daria Pezzoli-Olgiati and Robert Geraci will be the keynote speakers. Here’s the call for papers: The aim of this conference is to explore the themes of the apocalypse and authenticity – either separately or jointly – in popular culture, their theological and religious roots, as well as their socio-cultural, political, and economic relevance. We welcome submissions that explore a broad range of topics... Read more

Test Your Memory of the Memory Conference

Last updated on: September 25, 2016 at 3:49 pm By James F. McGrath

Chris Keith and Steve Walton drew attention to the videos that have been made available of the papers read at the conference about memory and Jesus at St. Mary’s University. I’m delighted these have been made available, since I wanted to attend the conference but was unable to. But what I’d really like is for conference attendees to see what they think they remember, perhaps write it down, and then watch and listen to the videos to see if their... Read more

Theology and Science Fiction is Now Available!

Last updated on: September 26, 2016 at 9:28 pm By James F. McGrath

My author copies of Theology and Science Fiction (in the Cascade Companions series) arrived today. Since it is just out, it is still listed as out of stock on Amazon. But it is available at a significant discount through the publisher’s website. Read more

Trolley Problem Memes

Last updated on: September 26, 2016 at 10:21 am By James F. McGrath

I mentioned the possibility that “The Skittles Problem” might replace “The Trolley Problem” as the go-to illustration in ethics classes. I am now almost certain that it won’t – unless we get as many amazing Skittles problem memes as there are trolley problem memes. Take a look at this sampling below, which is just a collection of a few of my favorites. I’ll start with the ones that intersect with science fiction. But the last trolley problem meme is also funny for me... Read more

Does Being Exist?

Last updated on: September 25, 2016 at 4:49 pm By James F. McGrath

It was about 8 years ago that I blogged about the strange question that is involved in debating God as understood by a wide array of liberal, existentialist, panentheist, pantheist, and/or mystical religious people. “Does being exist?” seems to be a self-evidently odd question. But for those who think of God as the ultimate, all-encompassing reality, whatever the attributes thereof may be, one can only say “that God does not exist” if one, in essence, denies reality – which is... Read more

#TheBirdIsTheWord

Last updated on: September 25, 2016 at 12:49 am By James F. McGrath

While talking with Shayna Sheinfeld and Meredith Warren in Italy this summer, they suggested that it would be fun to organize a conference panel in which all the papers had the same title, with only the subtitle differing. The common title that we started with was “The Bird is the Word.” I can’t remember the ones we came up with then, but I have done my best to produce some new ones. How’s this for a conference panel? McGrath, James F.,... Read more

Crowdsourcing Creation in Popular Culture

Last updated on: September 22, 2016 at 10:33 am By James F. McGrath

Having just submitted an article that I had been working on, I am shifting to my next projects which will be a focus of attention in coming months. One of them is a reference article on creation in popular culture. I thought I would ask for input from a wider community, not in producing the article itself, but in making sure I don’t miss anything as a result of which TV shows, works of literature, movies, songs, and other products... Read more

All Lives Matter?

Last updated on: September 23, 2016 at 6:08 pm By James F. McGrath

Theology and Science Fiction Cover Sneak Peek

Last updated on: September 22, 2016 at 10:31 am By James F. McGrath

You’ve gotten a sneak peek at the inside. Here’s a glimpse of what’s going to be on the outside of my next book. First, the front cover: And then here are the endorsements from the back: Read more

The Skittles Problem

Last updated on: September 22, 2016 at 6:45 am By James F. McGrath

I apologize for the language in this Facebook post, but it seemed worth sharing. I could see the Skittles problem replacing the trolley problem as the go-to ethics thought experiment in coming years… Read more