popular culture

In his 1967 book Israel: An Echo of Eternity, Abraham Joshua Heschel refers to “the jungle of history.” An interesting locution, and apt. A jungle is a place where things seem to co-exist against all…

The cognitive scientist Douglas Hofstadter is well known for his pioneering work on artificial intelligence, his brilliant writing about language and identity, and for his classic, Pulitzer Prize…

Trying to check out her number, trying to run down her line. Operator said that’s priv’ledged information, And it ain’t no business of mine. It’s floodin’ down in Texas, poles are out in Utah, Gotta…

“Fare you well, fare you well I love you more than words can tell Listen to the river sing sweet songs To rock my soul.” ~ From “Brokedown Palace” For many of us who followed the Dead in our younger…

In the days before the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Laudauto Si, the level of hype among the Catholic journalists and religion writers on my Twitter feed approached Star…

“It’s me, it’s me, it’s me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.” - old-time gospel song “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but…

In the attics of my life, full of cloudy dreams unreal. Full of tastes no tongue can know, and lights no eyes can see. When there was no ear to hear, you sang to me. I have spent my life seeking all…

Mark Driscoll used Pacific Northwest aesthetics to kindle an audience for Mars Hill Church’s conservative, neo-Reformed dogma. Now, Seattle’s creative community is tamping him down with wet newspaper…

This is the first in a series—part of an ongoing RD initiative focused on the changing face of American Christianities—that will take a stage-dive into the crowded field of religion and popular music…

We’re running out of Mondays before the Supreme Court hands down its ruling on the constitutionality of marriage equality. Ahead of the expected decision, the polling firm Public Religion Research…