The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers
Cathleen Falsani
Zondervan, 2009, 239 pp., $14,99, zondervan.com
Thomas Nelson, 2009, 195 pp., $22.99, thomasnelson.com
The Gospel According to The Simpsons: Leader’s Guide for Group Study
Bigger and Possibly Even Better! Edition
Samuel (Skip) Parvin and Mark Pinsky
Westminster John Knox Press, 2009, 103 pp., $14.95, wjkbooks.com
These new resources explore the deeper regions of contemporary pop culture through some of the best movies and TV shows of recent years.
In the course of 25 years, Joel and Ethan Coen have created 14 acclaimed movies, including Raising Arizona, Fargo, O Brother, Where Art Thou? and 2009’s A Serious Man. Veteran religion journalist Cathleen Falsani says the Coen brothers “have boldly engaged serious existential questions with darkly intelligent humor.”
This book explores the brothers’ upbringing, theology and cinematic craft in fun and insightful chapters that expertly explore each film and probe deeper issues. “Their films are like life itself,” Falsani writes, “full of questions with little didacticism.”
TV’s “Lost” has been around since 2004, but it already has attracted loyal fans such as Houston pastor Chris Seay, author of The Gospel According to Tony Soprano and other books. (The show also has spawned lostuniversity.org, where students can register and study an entire curriculum of scholarly lectures and research about the show.)
While acknowledging that much of what TV offers is cultural junk food, Seay praises “Lost,” saying it “may be filled with stories that inspire us to love God and one another.” He believes the show’s emphasis on mystery over easy answers is a metaphor for the Christian life. If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll love this fan’s thoughtful analysis of the show’s characters, plot lines and philosophical debates.
“The Simpsons,” now America’s longest running TV sitcom, has been honored with many awards and a set of stamps from the U.S. Postal Service. This updated study guide can be used as a companion to Pinsky’s excellent The Gospel According to the Simpsons book (2001, 2007) by those studying the Tao of D’oh!
New chapters cover The Simpsons Movie and new TV episodes exploring subjects such as sects, missionaries, spiritual healing and religious tolerance. This guide can help you turn one of the greatest programs of all time into a companion to your teaching.
