Articles Archive for April 2008

In Praise of Video Games
Posted in Games on 30 April 2008

Richard Clark finds something to like in an underrated pastime.

The Failure of Christian Hip Hop
Posted in Music on 29 April 2008

In his debut post, Scott Schultz finds that where Christian hip-hop fails, Mos Def succeeds.

Grand Theft Auto IV: Boycott or Buy?
Posted in Games on 28 April 2008

Alan Noble gives Grand Theft Auto a chance.

Confessions of a First-Time American Idol Viewer
Posted in Music, Television on 25 April 2008

Carissa Smith just watched her first episode of American Idol… and she’s really into it.

What Do We Truly Like About American Idol?
Posted in Music, Television on 23 April 2008

Ben Bartlett rains on our American Idol parade, but we probably deserved it.

Podcast #25: Should Christians Cast Down their (American) Idols?
Posted in Music, Podcast, Television on 22 April 2008

About three weeks ago, Ben and I sat down and discussed American Idol, including the morality of American Idol’s infamous audition episodes, whether or not Christians should embrace and support Idol Gives Back, and more. Also, we give out our Christ and Pop Culture Awards for Voting Shows.

The Case for Simon Cowell
Posted in Music, Television on 21 April 2008

David Dunham kicks off CAPC’s American Idol week by praising honest evaluation in an age of “Idol” words.

Expelled: Anyone Listening? Anyone? Anyone?
Posted in Film on 18 April 2008

Carrissa Smith may not be as crazy about Expelled as you are.

Don’t Judge This Movie By Its Cover
Posted in Film on 17 April 2008

Bill Reichart wants us to know it’s okay to watch Lars and the Real Girl.

Reviewing: Christ and Culture Revisited
Posted in General Culture on 16 April 2008

Here at Christ and Pop Culture, we don’t want our readers to think we just sit around watching movies and arguing about visual morality. We like to read, too, and thought it might be helpful to review the latest book on the interaction between our faith and our spot in history. Here, then, is my review of D.A. Carson’s, “Christ and Culture Revisited.”

What To Do About Embarrassingly Bad Popular Christian Music
Posted in Music on 15 April 2008

Alan Noble shares some practical ways for Christians everywhere to help improve the state of Christian music.

Forgiving Willoughby
Posted in Literature, Television on 14 April 2008

The recent Masterpiece Theatre version of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility gave the harshest portrayal I’ve ever seen of the character Willoughby, who seduces, impregnates, and abandons a young girl. This leads me to ponder two things: (1) Why, in our era of “tolerance,” does Willoughby suddenly get the shaft?; and (2) Is it important for us, as Christians, to forgive fictional characters?

Enjoying Culture without Being Consumed, Part 2
Posted in General Culture, Literature on 11 April 2008

Alan Noble concludes a two-part series on how we can keep from getting carried away by this whole Pop Culture thing.

Enjoying Culture without Being Consumed
Posted in General Culture on 10 April 2008

Alan Noble begins a two-part series on how we can keep from getting carried away by this whole Pop Culture thing.

Dan’s Real Life is A Lie
Posted in General Culture on 9 April 2008

Ben Bartlett on why Dan’s advice industry should go on hiatus for a while.

Podcast #24: Pop Culture’s Startling Lack of Restraint – Sexuality and Nudity
Posted in General Culture, Podcast on 8 April 2008

If there’s one thing that most of us can agree on, it’s that popular culture has gone too far in the area of sexuality. For the sake of freedom of speech, showing off beauty, and putting to use “what God gave ya’”, men and women have bared it all. And we all know what this is really all about.

Trouble in Narnia
Posted in Film, Literature on 7 April 2008

The more I hear about the upcoming Prince Caspian film (to be released May 16), the more worried I am about it. First, there was director Andrew Adamson’s promise (clearly supposed to excite us) that the movie would be “battles all the way through.” Then there was the screenwriters’ post on the official film blog indicating that they would be exploring the psychological difficulties faced by the Pevensie children as they deal with the transition from being Kings and Queens in Narnia to being schoolchildren in England. Blech.

Spring What?
Posted in General Culture on 6 April 2008

We’ve already got quite a few excellent articles queued up for this coming week. Expect them to begin early tomorrow. In the meantime, Tony Kummer over at Said at Southern has tagged me for the Spring Reading Days Meme.

Slings and Arrows, Smells and Bells
Posted in Television, Theater on 3 April 2008

Over the past couple of years, with the aid of Netflix, I’ve been working my way through the Canadian television series Slings and Arrows. The show focuses on the on-stage and off-stage lives of the New Burbage Festival, a sort of fictionalized version of the Stratford Festival in Western Ontario. In real life and on the show, the Festival’s main fare is Shakespeare, and each season of Slings of Arrows centers around a production of a Shakespearean tragedy: Hamlet (Season 1), Macbeth (Season 2), and King Lear (Season 3).

Has Bill O’Reilly Overstayed His Welcome?
Posted in Television on 2 April 2008

Bill Reichhart on the dangers of a 24 hour news cycle.