This book explores the theological voice of The Simpsons.Initially shunned by many in the Christian community when it made its television debut almost twenty years ago, after four hundred (and counting) episodes, and a feature-length film, few can deny that The Simpsons exhibits an astute understanding of Christianity in American culture. Its critiques of that culture are worth studying in detail. Jamey Heit's "The Springfield Reformation" investigates how The Simpsons blends important elements of contemporary American religious culture with a clear critique of the institutions and individuals that participate in and uphold that culture. Though The Simpsons is clearly a product of American popular culture, its writers offer up a well-planned, theologically informed religious climate in the cartoon world of Springfield. This world mirrors America in a way that allows the show's viewers to recognize that Christianity can hold together a family and a town that is rife with "sin," while at the same time exposing these very shortcomings.Heit focuses on distinct topics such as: god, the soul/the afterlife, prayer, the Christian ethic, evangelism, science versus religion, and faith (particularly in response to the question of why bad things happen to good people). He also explores the connections between various episodes, discussing how these connections, manifest an honest critique of Christianity in America. Engagingly written and guaranteed to appeal to smart, religiously curious fans of the show, Heit maintains that The Simpsons is not only a legitimate theological voice, but also that this voice offers a valuable addition to discussions about Christianity in America.

From 1985 to 1995, the syndicated comic strip Calvin and Hobbes followed the antics of a precocious six-year-old boy and his sardonic stuffed tiger. At the height of its popularity, the strip ran in more than 2,400 newspapers and generated a fan base that continues to run in the millions. This critical analysis of Calvin and Hobbes explores Calvin's world as an intertextual space, revealing a deep reservoir of meanings. Close readings of individual strips highlight the profundity of Calvin's world with respect to a number of life's big questions, including what an individual values, friendship, God, death, and other struggles in life. By engaging with Calvin and Hobbes as more than ""just"" a comic strip, this work demonstrates how the imagination remains an invaluable resource for making sense of the world in which we live.

Moves and counter moves. The Hunger Games series follows the birth of a rebellion that takes on the Capitol's overbearing power. As we read about Katniss's journey from protecting her sister to embodying the hope of those long oppressed, political themes surface again and again. What does it mean to be a responsible political figure when living in a prison state? Who is the most effective political leader in the rebels' midst? This book explores these questions and others as it examines the ways that The Hunger Games series mirrors some of America's political questions. Is President Coin any less problematic than President Snow when it comes to upholding political ideals? Can a culture begin based on an assassination? Political Themes in The Hunger Games Series explores these and other questions as it examines several of the political themes that impact Katniss's journey from volunteer to the symbol of the rebellion. Throughout the analysis in this book parallels to our own politics force us to challenge our own political mindset.

What is evil? How do we understand it in our culture? The thirteen essays in this critical volume explore the different ways in which evil is portrayed in popular culture, particularly through film and novels. Iconic figures of evil are explored, as is the repeated use of classic themes within our intellectual tradition. Topics covered include serial killers in film, the Twilight series, the Harry Potter series, Star Wars, and more. Collectively, these essays suggest how vital the notion of evil is to our culture, which in turn suggest a need to reflect on what it means to value what is good.

When Jesus offers his body as a promise to his disciples, he initiates a liturgical framework that is driven by irony and betrayal. Through these deconstructive elements, however, the promise invites the disciples into an intimate space where they anticipate the fulfilment of what is to come. The Last Supper, symbol of unfinished life and sacrifice, becomes the common thread between John Donne and Emily Dickinson, whose poetics acquire liturgical - and therefore eschatological - features, and body and text become the same. By tracing the displacing and yet co-ordinating theme of the body as a textual presence, Liturgical Liaisons opens into new readings of Donne and Dickinson in a way that enriches how these figures are understood as poets. The result is a risky and rewarding understanding of how these two gurus challenged accepted theological norms of their day.

Synopsis: When Jesus offers his body as a promise to his disciples, he initiates a liturgical framework that is driven by irony and betrayal. Through these deconstructive elements, however, the promise invites the disciples into an intimate space where they anticipate the fulfillment of what is to come. This anticipatory energy provides the common thread between Donne and Dickinson, who draw specifically on the unstable story that unfolds during the Last Supper in order to develop a liturgical poetics. By tracing the implications of the body as a textual presence, Liturgical Liaisons opens into new readings of Donne and Dickinson in a way that enriches how these figures are understood as poets. The result is a risky and rewarding understanding of how these two figures challenged accepted theological norms of their day. Endorsements: "Liturgical Liaisons examines the development of liturgical poetics in Donne and Dickinson. . . . Here is liturgical risk--love must pass through betrayal. Heit offers fresh, imaginative thinking on deeply serious issues." --George Newlands, Glasgow University "An engaging and thoughtful meditation on Christ's body and the Last Supper as a signifier of displaced and deferred meaning, Liturgical Liaisons uses the related disciplines of theology and philosophy to open up the liturgical value of Donne and Dickinson's poetry. . . . This is a fascinating and delicate contribution to the growing academic interest in the relationship between literature and theology." --Linda Freedman, author of Emily Dickinson and the Religious Imagination "Liturgical Liaisons is a sophisticated, luminous interpretation of John Donne and Emily Dickinson's poetry that brilliantly draws on theological and literary methodologies. . . . Whether discussing Heidegger or the Psalms, Derrida or the Last Supper, Heit is a subtle, thoughtful, and ambitious critic. This is a compelling, interdisciplinary, and scholarly book that contributes to a new comprehension of Donne and Dickinson, an inspired conjunction that now seems utterly convincing." --Richard A. Kaye, Hunter College and the Graduate Center Author Biography: Jamey Heit holds his doctorate from Glasgow University's Centre for Literature, Theology and the Arts. He is the author of multiple books and has presented his work at a variety of international conferences.

The night before his death, Jesus shared a final meal with his disciples. Jesus broke bread and poured wine, and thus initiated a sacrament that anchors the Christian faith to this day. Often overlooked in this moment are Jesus' disciples. How did they react to what they witnessed? What were they feeling? By adopting each disciple's voice, "Voices from the Last Supper" explores the different reactions and emotions that Jesus' actions no doubt elicited. Each disciple has the chance to express his feelings as Jesus shares a final meal with them. The doubts, fears, and loyalty that characterize the disciples' humanity now have a voice. "Voices from the Last Supper" encourages readers to explore their own feelings by placing them in the middle of Jesus' final meal before his death.

"If Leonardo da Vinci portrayed the disciples at the Last Supper engaged in disconcerted conversation...Heit portrays each as involved in his own deep and solitary thoughts. Thus, he gives us twelve individual responses, and thereby conveys the truth that we meet Jesus through our own personal experiences, circumstances, and neediness."
-Dr. Donald Capps, William Harte Felmeth Professor of Pastoral Psychology, Princeton Theological Seminary

"Good poetry makes readers think, and this collection made me think a lot. You incorporate psychological insights into the human character with deeply unknowable theological questions: both veins of exploration are big risks. Good poetry is risky."
--Mary Kat White, English Department, Southern Methodist University