Although Othello is accused of using witchcraft to woo Desdemona, it is actually a story that causes her to fall in love with him. At the invitation of Desdemona's father, Othello recounts his life “from year to year, the battles, sieges, fortunes” of his days: his enslavement among his enemies, his travels through foreign lands, his daring escapes. The story leaves Desdemona in tears. As Othello sums up: “She loved me for the dangers I had passed. / And I loved her that she did pity them. / This is the only witchcraft … [Read more...] about Faithful Presence: The Justice of Story
storytelling
Faith Across The Multiverse Book Club Event
Beginning September 30th, join us for a grand conversation on Faith across the Multiverse: Parables from Modern Science with author, Andy Walsh. Yes, that's the weekly ESN science blogger! Since Andy's part of our network, I thought I'd ask him a few quick questions: … [Read more...] about Faith Across The Multiverse Book Club Event
Science Corner: Sympathy for the Bedeviled
Last week's post on Avengers: Infinity War generated interest in a follow-up, so we're returning to the Marvel universe. Again, I've avoided spoilers, but I'll understand if you want to play it safe and wait until you've seen the film. It's perhaps a strange thing to say about a 2 hour 40 minute movie so full of stars it threatens to collapse into a black hole, but I feel Avengers: Infinity War was missing something. Both earlier Avengers films made time to consider the plight of folks who don't have alliterative … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Sympathy for the Bedeviled
Science in Review: Thor, Thanos and Theology
The following is a reflection on superhero storytelling inspired by Avengers: Infinity War. I have done my best to avoid spoilers, but if you know nothing about the film's story and want to keep it that way until you see it, you may wish to save this for later. What does it look like to have a theology but not a religion? The answer may now be showing at a theater near you. Avengers: Infinity War, the 19th and latest installment in Marvel's ambitious serial storytelling project, advances the metaphysical aspirations … [Read more...] about Science in Review: Thor, Thanos and Theology
Story, Lent and The Life of Pi
Last week I wrote about The Oscars and Lent. I wrote that these two phenomena share more in common than is usually suggested. Today I want to move in for a closer look--at the stories themselves. If this annual cultural ritual in honor of story (The Oscars) is so telling of our culture's condition, and if we, as critically thinking Christians, want to understand and thus impact our culture, it may do us some good to examine its favorite stories. The Life of Pi is one such story. With four Academy Awards, The Life … [Read more...] about Story, Lent and The Life of Pi