Blast Off with Interstellar: the Cosmic Force of God’s Love

Last updated on: October 10, 2024 at 12:32 pm By Paul Louis Metzger

This post reflects on the film, Interstellar, and how the God of all-powerful love promises to deliver and preserve us amid the crises of life. It is the fourth in a series of posts reflecting on the interface between biblical-theological themes and pop culture. Here are the first three posts in this series in the order of their appearance: “The Book of Eli: Taking the Bible Seriously in Dystopia“; “Prometheus Unbound: Finding Direction Home”; and “The Biblical Crisis & the Batman: Tragedy and... Read more

The “Dead Christ”: Jesus Assumed Our Humanity To Heal Us

Last updated on: October 5, 2024 at 10:54 am By Paul Louis Metzger

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This post reflects upon the ‘death of God’ and how various depictions in paint, poetry, and prose can either serve to extinguish or enhance faith. Those whose faith will be enhanced through encountering the “Dead Christ” will find that Jesus assumed the very worst of our human condition to bring holistic healing. Friedrich Nietzsche: “God Is Dead” Friedrich Nietzsche wrote in The Gay Science that God is dead and we have killed him: “God is dead. God remains dead. And... Read more

Celebrate Human Dignity through Lament in a Therapeutic Age

Last updated on: March 31, 2025 at 10:15 am By Paul Louis Metzger

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This post reflects on how the therapeutic often overshadows or replaces orthodox Christian spirituality in everyday existence and ecclesial life. If and when that happens, we should seek to ask and answer what difference it will make for evaluating the human condition and human worth in our therapeutic age. I will argue that accounting for human depravity and individual responsibility involving lament leads to a deeper and more enriching form of happiness and celebration of human dignity in the long... Read more

The Biblical Crisis & The Batman: Tragedy and Hope

Last updated on: September 24, 2024 at 5:15 pm By Paul Louis Metzger

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This post reflects on the biblical story of humanity’s crisis or tragedy involving our original rebellion against God and its aftermath in Genesis 3 and 4. I also place it in the context of our contemporary society, engaging The Batman and East of Eden. In our seemingly eternal struggle with the tragic human condition, we often find comfort in tragic and heroic figures who seek to conquer despair and offer hope. Fascination with Tragedy Just like ancient people, we find... Read more

Pay Attention: Epiphanies Appear Suddenly and Unexpectedly

Last updated on: September 17, 2024 at 9:18 am By Paul Louis Metzger

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Do you know what an epiphany is? An epiphany is when suddenly and unexpectedly, someone makes a new discovery or experiences a dramatic realization in the field of science, religion, philosophy, and elsewhere. This post highlights the importance of cultivating a prepared mind that pays attention to epiphanies. Otherwise, we will likely miss them. Epiphanies and the Prepared Mind Scientist Louis Pasteur once made the following assertion: “In the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind.” How prepared... Read more

Prometheus Unbound: Finding Direction Home

Last updated on: September 10, 2024 at 12:49 pm By Paul Louis Metzger

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This post reflects on the biblical story of creation and places it in the context of our contemporary society. Just like ancient people, we are often fascinated with questions of origins. Our answers and their implications can either enslave or free us. May we experience freedom as we find direction home. Biblical Creation Accounts Highlights The Bible is not the only account of the world and humanity’s origins. Various cultures, religious, and scientific theories account for our origins and place... Read more

Beyond Excarnation to Incarnation in Daily Life

Last updated on: September 15, 2024 at 7:30 am By Paul Louis Metzger

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It is one thing to believe in the incarnation. It is quite another to live it out. Of course, from an orthodox Christian vantage point, there is only one incarnation—Jesus of Nazareth, who is the eternal Word who became human flesh and blood (John 1:14). And yet, the Christian is called to participate through God’s Spirit in Jesus’ embodied life. In other words, love is active and embodied. This post highlights the importance of embodiment for various domains of life.... Read more

How to Live to the Full: With Great Expectancy

Last updated on: September 9, 2024 at 12:51 pm By Paul Louis Metzger

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I have found that approaching life with great expectations often leaves me feeling empty. In contrast, approaching life with great expectancy fills me with a sense of wonder and hope. One’s perspective can make a huge difference. This post is on contrasting the two approaches and choosing the latter. A Life Full of Expectations or Expectancy? My pastoral counselor Tom Schiave shared the following line recently with his congregation, Gateway Church in Portland, Oregon: “Instead of living a life full... Read more

Faith’s Ferment: Fostering Resilience in a Secular Age

Last updated on: September 15, 2024 at 8:20 am By Paul Louis Metzger

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This post reflects upon the following question: What import do the Christian community and theological reflection have for shaping religious experience and fostering resilience in a secular age? A similar question could be asked on behalf of other religious traditions. In this post, I will limit it to my Christian path. The Secular Age: A Multi-Faceted Migration It is well-documented that we live in a secular age. Charles Taylor’s magisterial work, A Secular Age, explains in detail how the West... Read more

The Book of Eli: Taking the Bible Seriously in Dystopia

Last updated on: August 29, 2024 at 7:20 am By Paul Louis Metzger

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This post reflects on the film, The Book of Eli, and the importance of preserving, properly interpreting, and applying the Bible to our lives today to guard against a dystopian future. It is the first in a series of posts reflecting on the interface between biblical-theological themes and pop culture. The Book of Eli and Biblical Illiteracy I was reflecting on the film, The Book of Eli, the other night. Like in the movie, it’s almost as if we are... Read more