Category: Culture
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Advent and Jerusalem
Read more: Advent and JerusalemO come! O come! Emmanuel! And ransom captive Israel; That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear. Advent is a time of mournful waiting. Participants in this season undergo a theatrical embodiment of the struggles of the people of God. In this drama, the Church relives, in a sense, a time…
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The Apocalypse of Santa Claus
Read more: The Apocalypse of Santa ClausAs a scholar of the decades preceding the Great Outage of 2059, I am always intrigued when a “paper” document of such tremendous historical and cultural influence surfaces from the clutter of the past. Rumors of the cultic devotion attributed to pagan deity Santa Claus have circulated through academic circles for years. However, it wasn’t…
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Coco
Read more: CocoCoco was probably one of the best films I’ve seen this year. The animations and cinematics were just mind-blowing. If I remember correctly, a special sneak peek at Disney California Adventure mentioned that there were more than 8 billion lights used in the Land of the Dead scene–CRAZY. Also, I grew up with folks that…
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Complementarianism: Redeeming Conversation
Read more: Complementarianism: Redeeming ConversationThis conversation is, for the most part, generally toxic. It often results in two events: 1) The experience and input of women is generally ignored, disregarded, or chalked up to “merely anecdotal evidence”. 2) There are generally men who get defensive in the conversation. Perhaps a closer look at these three issues are necessary as…
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The Solidarity Bandwidth
Read more: The Solidarity BandwidthWith the unsettling rise of international tragedies also comes the unfortunately now all-too-familiar swell of collective showings of solidarity on social media. In the wake of such horrific events, Facebook profiles have been seen switching en masse to familiar symbols and hashtags displaying strength amid loss: #BostonStrong #HoustonStrong #WeAreManchester #Aleppo #PrayForParis #JeSuisCharlie. So when the Thanksgiving…
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The American Myth
Read more: The American MythThere is a peculiar myth that is cherished by Americans. Dating back prior to the founding of the country, this myth has engrained itself into the very ethos of society. It has been the driving force of the American economy, its judicial system, and as of lately, it can readily be observed in its political…
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Sanctifying Art: Dante’s Pilgrim on the Terrace of Pride
Read more: Sanctifying Art: Dante’s Pilgrim on the Terrace of PrideHaving emerged from the bowels of Hell, Dante and his guide find themselves upon the shores of the fresh and uncharted territory of Purgatory, a mountain surrounded by sea and pure air free from the stench and darkness of the Inferno. From the opening lines of Purgatorio, the poet distinguishes this place as God-graced: the…
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How Not to Seminar Well
Read more: How Not to Seminar WellThe best way to learn how to seminar well is to learn what not to do and, in desperation, avoid those things. Here is a list to help those who may be seminar instructors or participants alike engage in a thoughtful, provocative, and effective seminar. First, we must ask ourselves “what is our goal?” This…
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Changing Sides on Racism – Lessons from the World Series
Read more: Changing Sides on Racism – Lessons from the World SeriesIf you have been watching the World Series, or have simply been online this week, you may have seen the storm that arose after Yuli Gurriel of the Houston Astros rubbed in a home-run off Iranian-Japanese pitcher, Yu Darvish, by slanting his eyes up and referring to him as “Chinito” [Little Chinese Guy]. People of the…
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Why You Should Study The Gift
Read more: Why You Should Study The GiftGifts constitute a critical social role in every culture. Though gifts exist throughout the world, the function, definition, and significance of gift-giving can be radically distinct from culture to culture—even contradictory—such that what we call ‘gift’ may be unrecognizable as gift to another from a different culture. These differences make the topic all the more fascinating to study. Ever…