The interpretation of the 1961 movie, Splendor in the Grass, as an outright condemnation of the repressive sexual mores of 1920’s small-town America is simplistic. The film presents a nuanced view of sexual passion … The God that Failed: A Meditation on Sexual Passion in Splendor in the GrassRead more
Is the Cross Beautiful?
One of the challenges of a Christian aesthetic or theology of beauty is the cross of Christ. Hymns, paintings and sculptures have its beauty as their subject. Crosses are some of the most beautiful … Is the Cross Beautiful?Read more
The Ph.D. in the Gym
I have a Ph.D. in theology and religion and have had the privilege to teach in leading colleges, universities and seminaries in the United States, Latin America, India and Russia. This week I was in … The Ph.D. in the GymRead more
Misreading a Classic: Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury’s famous novel Fahrenheit 451 is a story about a society in which books are illegal and the job of firemen is to burn books. It has often been misunderstood as a protest … Misreading a Classic: Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451Read more
Good Things Come of Bad: Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein
The universally bad reviews of the movie I Frankenstein, which I have not seen, reminded me of the retelling of the Frankenstein story by Dean Koontz. Although Koontz’s pulp fiction style is not Tolstoy, … Good Things Come of Bad: Dean Koontz’s FrankensteinRead more
