The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss
The stories of one of the world’s most beloved children’s authors are both imaginative and entertaining. But a closer look at Dr. Seuss’s stories reveals that many are inspirational as well as instructive. James Kemp has identified as his favorite theologian not Barth or Pannenberg, but the inimitable Dr. Seuss. In this readily accessible resource, Kemp finds parallels between the actions of cats in hats, Grinches, Snitches, Sneetches, and other Creachas and lessons found in Scripture. Thus, as the author shares his enthusiasm for the creativity and wisdom of Dr. Seuss, both the meaning and the relevance of many Bible passages come to life.
The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss Leader’s Guide
The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss has been one of Judson Press’s best-selling books in recent years. Its many lessons can be taught simply enough for children to understand, yet they are profound and significant enough to contribute to the spiritual growth of adults. This leader’s guide offers readers the process of applying these lessons in their own walks of faith. Multi-age and intergenerational in scope, participants will have numerous opportunities to share their testimonies:
•What people in our lives, for example, remind us of Horton the elephant, whose faith cannot be shaken?
•In what ways are we more like the Grinch who stole Christmas than we care to admit?
•How can we fight the temptations faced by those image-conscious Sneetches, who were a bit too fond of comparing themselves to others?
This study guide has been developed for use among four age groups:
•Younger children
•Older children
•Youth
•Adults
The Parables of Dr. Seuss
This breezy and engaging book will delight the Dr. Seuss fan in all of us. Robert Short looks at spirituality in the stories of children’s book author and illustrator Theodore “Dr. Seuss” Geisel, arguing that Geisel was “a first-class Christian thinker.” The book explores Green Eggs and Ham, Horton Hears a Who, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and others.
Short writes in the introduction, “When I first became acquainted with his books and was struck by the many parallels I saw between his work and what is said in the Bible and by Christian faith, I considered these similarities to be merely ‘happy accidents.’ Today I still see these parallels as ‘happy,’ but I’m now convinced that they are not merely ‘accidents.'”
Exploring religion in film, the spirituality of television shows, and meaning found within popular culture.
Disclaimer: Images and videos of movies, television shows, books, album covers, actors and/or singers are the sole property of the media’s respective production company, distribution company or artist. SSOL-POP and SSOL makes no claim of ownership of these images or videos and encourages users of SSOL to purchase these items from legitimate retailers.
The Gospel According to Harry Potter
One of world’s newest heroes is Harry Potter; the coming-of-age wizard who stars in J.K. Rowling’s imaginary world. Featured in a decade-long stream of novels and movies, the child wizard has generated a massive following and is now an undeniable part of popular culture.
Consider these resources to explore the religious and spiritual themes in Harry Potter.
The Gospel According to Harry Potter: The Spiritual Journey of the World’s Greatest Seeker
In this inspiring consideration of the spiritual themes in the popular Harry Potter series, well-known Christian author and Harry Potter fan Connie Neal explores the world of magic and mystery created by J. K. Rowling alongside the stories and grand themes of the Bible. Contrary to those who reject the series as a threat to the Christian faith, Neal demonstrates how the lessons in Harry Potter not only echo many of the stories in the Bible but reinforce the central messages of Christianity. This revised and expanded edition explores all seven installments in the Harry Potter series.
The Gospel according to Harry Potter: Leader’s Guide for Group Study
A companion to the best-selling The Gospel according to Harry Potter: Spirituality in the Stories of the World’s Most Famous Seeker, this ten-session study, appropriate for youth and adults, explores the religious themes that are prevalent in the popular series of children’s books and films. Each session recommends scenes from the DVD and video releases of the first two Harry Potter movies, along with corresponding passages from the books, to facilitate discussion.
God and Harry Potter at Yale: Teaching Faith and Fantasy Fiction in an Ivy League Classroom
Who would have believed it? Studying Harry Potter at Yale University? To learn about Christian theology?
But it happened! ‘God and Harry Potter at Yale’ is the story of the controversial course, ‘Harry Potter and Christian Theology,’ its teacher, the Rev. Danielle Tumminio, and what she taught and learned from her brilliant undergraduate students. They explored the heights of theology and literature for answers about eternal questions of faith, revelation, salvation, and what it means to be human. Come to the American Hogwarts in New Haven to join these Ivy League Seekers and their guide as they examine the stories of the Chosen One and Dark Lord for a greater understanding of the Potter novels and life’s mysteries.
Exploring religion in film, the spirituality of television shows, and meaning found within popular culture.
Disclaimer: Images and videos of movies, television shows, books, album covers, actors and/or singers are the sole property of the media’s respective production company, distribution company or artist. SSOL-POP and SSOL makes no claim of ownership of these images or videos and encourages users of SSOL to purchase these items from legitimate retailers.
The Gospel According to Superheroes
The Gospel According to Superheroes: Religion and Popular Culture
The Gospel According to Superheroes: Religion and Popular Culture offers an intriguing look at superheroes in light of the spiritual and mythological roles they play in our lives. B. J. Oropeza takes you through the adventuresome quest of three comic book eras as you read about the popular narratives of superheroes such as Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, X-Men, Hulk, Wonder Woman, the Fantastic Four, sci-fi film heroes, pulp heroes, antiheroes, and more. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in viewing the superheroes as both sinners and saints instead of mere good guys taking on the forces of evil.
Also consider the following resources:
Do The Gods Wear Capes?: Spirituality, Fantasy, and Superheroes (New Directions in Religion & Literature)
Brash, bold, and sometimes brutal, superheroes might seem to epitomize modern pop-culture at its most melodramatic and mindless. But according to Ben Saunders, the appeal of the superhero is fundamentally metaphysical – even spiritual – in nature. In chapter-length analyses of the early comic book adventures of Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, and Iron-Man, Saunders explores a number of complex philosophical and theological issues, including: the problem of evil; the will-to-power; the tension between intimacy and vulnerability; and the challenge of love, in the face of mortality. He concludes that comic book fantasies of the superhuman ironically reveal more than we might care to admit about our human limitations, even as they expose the falsehood of the characteristically modern opposition between religion and science. Clearly and passionately written, this insightful and at times exhilarating book should delight all readers who believe in the redemptive capacity of the imagination, regardless of whether they consider themselves comic book fans.
Holy Superheroes! Revised and Expanded Edition: Exploring the Sacred in Comics, Graphic Novels, and Film
Spider-Man. Batman. The X-Men. The Fantastic Four. Comic books and the characters they have spawned have become twenty-first-century mythology. Greg Garrett helps us see the profound depth that can be found in the glossy, fast-paced, and often violent world of comics, graphic novels, and the films they inspire. Holy Superheroes! provides extensive discussions of some of our most beloved comic heroes and concludes with an appendix of twenty-five comics and graphic novels for discussion of spirituality and comics.
Graven Images: Religion in Comic Books & Graphic Novels
Comic books have increasingly become a vehicle for serious social commentary and, specifically, for innovative religious thought. Practitioners of both traditional religions and new religious movements have begun to employ comics as a missionary tool, while humanists and religious progressives use comics’ unique fusion of text and image to criticize traditional theologies and to offer alternatives. Addressing the increasing fervor with which the public has come to view comics as an art form and Americans’ fraught but passionate relationship with religion, Graven Images explores with real insight the roles of religion in comic books and graphic novels.
In essays by scholars and comics creators, Graven Images observes the frequency with which religious material–in devout, educational, satirical, or critical contexts–occurs in both independent and mainstream comics. Contributors identify the unique advantages of the comics medium for religious messages; analyze how comics communicate such messages; place the religious messages contained in comic books in appropriate cultural, social, and historical frameworks; and articulate the significance of the innovative theologies being developed in comics.
Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes
From occult underground to superhero! Was Superman’s arch nemesis Lex Luthor based on Aleister Crowley? Can Captain Marvel be linked to the Sun gods on antiquity? In Our Gods Wear Spandex, Christopher Knowles answers these questions and brings to light many other intriguing links between superheroes and the enchanted world of estoerica. Occult students and comic-book fans alike will discover countless fascinating connections, from little known facts such as that DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz started his career as H.P. Lovecraft’s agent, to the tantalizingly extensive influence of Madame Blavatsky’s Theosophy on the birth of comics, to the mystic roots of Superman. The book also traces the rise of the comic superheroes and how they relate to several cultural trends in the late 19th century, specifically the occult explosion in Western Europe and America. Knowles reveals the four basic superhero archetypes–the Messiah, the Golem, the Amazon, and the Brotherhood–and shows how the occult Bohemian underground of the early 20th century provided the inspiration for the modern comic book hero. With the popularity of occult comics writers like Invisibles creator Grant Morrison and V for Vendetta creator Alan Moore, the vast ComiCon audience is poised for someone to seriously introduce them to the esoteric mysteries. Chris Knowles is doing just that in this epic book. Chapters include: Ancient of Days, Ascended Masters, God and Gangsters, Mad Scientists and Modern Sorcerers, and many more. From the ghettos of Prague to the halls of Valhalla to the Fortress of Solitude and the aisles of BEA and ComiCon, this is the first book to show the inextricable link between superheroes and the enchanted world of esoterica.
Exploring religion in film, the spirituality of television shows, and meaning found within popular culture.
Disclaimer: Images and videos of movies, television shows, books, album covers, actors and/or singers are the sole property of the media’s respective production company, distribution company or artist. SSOL-POP and SSOL makes no claim of ownership of these images or videos and encourages users of SSOL to purchase these items from legitimate retailers.
The Gospel According to Pixar
The Gospel According to Pixar
Beginning with Toy Story in 1995, Pixar Animation Studios has taken American cinema by storm, setting a new standard of excellence in animated filmmaking and earning a fortune in the process. Their movies are both highly entertaining and surprisingly wise, displaying an all-too-rare gift for telling stories which speak about the reality of life and the complexities of the human heart – and making us laugh while doing so. The Gospel According to Pixar looks at how each Pixar film portrays the basic concerns of everyday life and seeks to connect them with a Christian understanding of the world. It touches on themes such as love, identity, fear, freedom, guilt, purpose, and belonging – to name just a few. The Gospel According to Pixar explores these common concerns in hopes of communicating the Gospel in a fresh, persuasive and, above all, fun way. For use with families, churches, and individuals as a teaching series, study guide, or simply as a commentary on these remarkable movies.
Pixar films include:
Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 3
Monsters, Inc.
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
Cars
Ratatouille
WALL-E
Exploring religion in film, the spirituality of television shows, and meaning found within popular culture.
Disclaimer: Images and videos of movies, television shows, books, album covers, actors and/or singers are the sole property of the media’s respective production company, distribution company or artist. SSOL-POP and SSOL makes no claim of ownership of these images or videos and encourages users of SSOL to purchase these items from legitimate retailers.
The Gospel According to Peanuts
Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the rest of the Peanuts gang have enjoyed the kind of success most cartoon characters can only dream about–becoming pop culture icons of the highest order and entering the global consciousness practically as family members.
The “Peanuts” series also has depth! The series collectively touches upon themes of life, love, friendship, grace, forgiveness, loneliness, defeat, disillusionment, happiness, achievement, and many more!
Consider the resources below for more information:
The Gospel According to Peanuts
A serious analysis of Schulz’s warm humanistic philosophy and Christian ethic.
The Parables of Peanuts
this contemporary case for vigorous Christian faith — profusely illustrated by Charles Schulz′s delightful peanuts cartoon strips — sheds more light on the Christian faith and how it is to be lived than many more “serious” theological works, with hundreds of cartoons featuring your favorite peanuts characters Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, And of course, Snoopy (including the earliest red baron strips). This book′s wise observations are as timeless as they are timely. “Short . . .succeeds in making theology enjoyable.” –Christian Century “. . . a real delight from beginning to end. I could not possibly be more pleased.” –Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts.
Peanuts Guide to Life
What do cartoon characters know about life? Plenty, if they reflect the sentiments of the world’s most beloved cartoonist. The late Charles Schulz was the first to use the human condition—rather than action and adventure—as the basis for a comic strip. Peanuts Guide to Life presents Schulz’ classic observations, his most charming counsel—filtered, of course, through his loveable cast of characters. You’ll find them all inside this book—Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Sally, Lucy, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Woodstock—sharing their wry observations and advice.
Peanuts Philosophers (4 vol. set)
Marking the sixtieth anniversary of the comic strip, the classic Peanuts® Philosophers series is back in print with its retro style and timeless nuggets of wisdom preserved. This slip-cased box set includes four miniature hardcover books in which Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Linus deliver their thoughts on an array of their favorite topics. Charlie Brown has a lot to say on loneliness, defeat, and disillusionment. Snoopy philosophizes on dancing, anxiety, and a dog’s life. Lucy discusses happiness, achievement, and little brothers. And Linus’s thoughts encompass meditation, problem solving, and even the art of prudence. There is a lot to be learned from this group of kindergarteners.
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Peanuts (Revised Ed.)
In preparation of Peanuts’ 65th anniversary and upcoming 3-D animated film from Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox, both in 2015, comes this brand new edition of Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Peanuts. Charlie Brown and his lovable gang share hilarious and heart-felt commentary on life, love, friendship, pets, and much more. With a charming redesigned format, beautiful cover design, and featuring artwork and favorite quotes from the original comics, Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Peanuts will teach you how to live life to the fullest.
Short Meditations on the Bible and Peanuts
Robert L. Short, author of the best-selling The Gospel According to Peanuts, presents a book of biblical meditations on everyday life. Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, Woodstock, and friends consider their religious beliefs, and the resulting cartoons offer some delightful insights into life. Short seizes the opportunity to explore these insights one step further, to help us laugh at our own foibles and learn from our own collisions with reality.
Exploring religion in film, the spirituality of television shows, and meaning found within popular culture.
Disclaimer: Images and videos of movies, television shows, books, album covers, actors and/or singers are the sole property of the media’s respective production company, distribution company or artist. SSOL-POP and SSOL makes no claim of ownership of these images or videos and encourages users of SSOL to purchase these items from legitimate retailers.
