In the first two seasons of the HBO series Westworld, human guests pay exorbitant fees to spend time among cybernetic Hosts-partially sentient AI robots-and live out often violent fantasies. In Theology and Westworld, scholars from a range of disciplines within religious studies examine the profound questions that arise when the narrative of Westworld interacts with the study of religion. From transhumanism and personhood to morality and divinity, this book contributes to, confounds, and challenges ideas that are found in the study of religion and philosophy. Taken together, the chapters further our understanding of what it means to live in a world where the hard questions of human existence are explored through the medium of popular culture.

Theology and Wes Craven explores the religious themes in the movies, television shows, and other works of the man who redefined the horror genre with such landmark and notorious films as The Last House on the Left (1972), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), The People Under the Stairs (1991), and Scream (1996). This volume provides a retrospective for his entire career, and then spotlights his most theologically intriguing works in chapters devoted to revealing Craven's narrative intent. This collection brings together established scholars and new emergent voices in academia, including feminist and LGBTQ+ perspectives, who explore Craven's vision in relation to contemporary political, social, and economic issues, especially as they related to children, visible minorities, the excluded, and the disenfranchised. This volume is sure to be appreciated both by academics and horror enthusiasts everywhere.

While still relatively unknown to the general public, early twentieth century American horror author H.P. Lovecraft left an indelible stamp upon popular culture. Images of tentacled horrors, forbidden tomes, and protagonists struggling against the insanity that comes with the revelation of the terrible truth of reality-Lovecraft pioneered all of these. Best known for his short story "The Call of Cthulhu," Lovecraft instantiated his philosophy of cosmicism into every one of his tales. This collection of fourteen essays is the first sustained academic engagement with horror author H.P. Lovecraft from a theological perspective. Covering the major themes of Lovecraft's work such as nihilism, xenophobia, dark cults, and unimaginable horrors beyond the stars, the book is divided into five sections corresponding to each of the divisions of theology: biblical, historical, systematic, practical, and comparative. With responses ranging from admiration to critique, the contributors explore the dark uncharted regions of Lovecraft's dark mythology in the service of theological truth.

Theology and Breaking Bad explores the brutal and seemingly nihilistic moral landscape of the AMC neo-Western crime drama Breaking Bad (2008-2013) with insights into the characters, their struggles, and the moral consequences resulting from their actions. Throughout the book, the contributors find telltale traces of theological themes that have been woven into the storylines by the writers and directors and bring them out for the reader in ten essays that span topics from Greek mythology to the Hebrew Bible, and extend into Eastern and Western Christendom. Readers will find provocative reflections that will add to their appreciation of this show, as well as its spinoff series, Better Call Saul (2015-2022). This volume also advances academic inquiries in such fields as popular culture and theology, hermeneutics, biblical studies, Patristics, film studies, diasporic and colonial studies, and explores such themes as antihero redemption, penance, salvation, and forgiveness. This book will be of interest to both academics and fans alike.

Theology and Spider-Man provides a look at the religious themes present in one of the most popular heroes of the past half-century, Spider-Man. In order to create a systematic theology of Spider-Man, the contributors delve into themes of sin, salvation, and creedal theology, while also addressing liberation theology, Black theology, bioethics, and hermeneutics. This volume balances theological depth with discussion of the comics and films, which makes it a perfect collection for those interested in theology, Spider-Man, or both.

This book details the theology, ethics, and philosophy of the Nobel Peace Prize Laurette Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965). It surveys his entire corpus of religious writings, including his unfinished estate works (Nachlass), and explores the intellectual history behind his distinctive theological synthesis. This book also traces Schweitzer's own intellectual and spiritual development from childhood, to his academic years, and throughout his time at the African medical mission. It also places Schweitzer into dialogue with other Protestant theologians including Martin Luther, Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Thomas Altizer, as well as with contemporary philosophers like Jacques Derrida. The aim is to reveal what a living faith and mysticism can mean for the modern world, and where common ground can be found for traditional and liberal Protestant theology today.