Something Old, Something New

If you’re jumping on the comic book craze, collecting everything from Spiderman to Watchmen, there’s still a good chance you’re reading the buggy whip version of the medium. Gone are the days when a comic had to be printed on that old fashioned stuff, what do you call it again? Ah, yes…paper. The computer has [...]

Southern Baptists & Palmetto Family Council Confront Cock Fighting

Yesterday, the Palmetto Family Council and the Southern Baptist Convention released a video addressing the terrible practice of cock fighting. According to the Humane Society of the United States, ”the blood sport is widespread in South Carolina because of the weakness of the state’s anti-cockfighting law and consists of roosters fighting to the death while spectators gamble on the [...]

Restorative Justice, Restorative Culture

Take justice and give forgiveness. These are the ideas behind restorative justice. These are the themes of the movie Take. In the film starring Jeremy Brenner and Minnie Driver, on the day before his execution, the criminal (Renner) comes face to face with the mother (Driver) of the boy whose life he took. It is [...]

Can Television Make You Poor?

It can, if it contributes to making you pregnant. This may seem a stretch, but bear with me. As the economy continues to strain families and push some from the edge, one of the contributing factors to poverty that is often overlooked is cultural … the role of entertainment media in the shaping of attitudes [...]

Christmas Tree of Life

“There are two ways through life, the way of nature and the way of grace” begins Terrence Malick’s film The Tree of Life. The history of the Christmas tree is uncertain, but the most likely origin story is that when the Church banned “mystery plays” in the 16th century, the “Paradise tree” (the tree of life and the [...]

The Cover and Title Page

While the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is for many a time of joy (though in our fast paced culture perhaps not one of peace) – for my family the warmth of Thanksgiving and the delight of Christmas is greatly tempered by the sadness of loss. For just over a year ago, between Thanksgiving and [...]

The Muppets

It’s time to meet the Muppets—again. After an 11-year hiatus, Jim Henson’s lovable characters return to the big screen in a film that is more of a stroll down memory lane than it is a reintroduction of Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the gang.

Peace That Transcends Understanding

“Anxiety is born out of having something to lose.” – Jeff Nichols I took my wife to the film Take Shelter recently to see how its writer, Jeff Nichols, unpacks his and our society’s angst through a parable of a family at the brink. The film follows the journey of a working class family haunted by [...]

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