Worldview Media Podcast with Gordan & Joyce Runyan: Recent Episodes
Reconstructionist Radio
Welcome to the Worldview Media Podcast with Gordan and Joyce Runyan. Where current entertainment media are analyzed, by looking through the covenant lens provided by the Bible. You know, God is the original and greatest storyteller. So it is important for Christians to study the art of narrative, and use it for God’s glory, in the advancement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. This is a production of Reconstructionist Radio.
The WVM team takes backstage passes into the dressing room of classic rock band, Queen, with this well-acted movie about the life of front-man Freddie Mercury. We explore thematic issues of sexual sin, emotional use/abuse, and the loneliness that always results from rebellion.
Join the WVM team on an actual road trip as we podcast from our van, and dodge cows on the way to “Vegas, baby!” and discuss the recent Star Wars tragedy. Travesty? Tragedy? You decide.
To help a small town that can’t (or won’t) help itself, the WVM team straps on the irons once again, in what is probably a suicide mission, to discover worldview themes and preaching in The Magnificent Seven.
The WVM team travels back to the days of high-water pants, drive-in diners, and Leave it to Beaver, to bring you the true (sort of) story of Ray Kroc, the founder of the McDonald’s empire.
The WVM team braves many dangers this week, including a fire demon, a drunk Valkyrie, the loss of an eye, and a busted hammer to bring you worldview nuggets from a garbage planet, for Thor: Ragnarok.
The WVM team braves a PBS Masterpiece Theater offering staring Benedict Cumberbatch, a movie with two, or possibly three, partial plots that all go nowhere and end in the middle. And it’s as lovely as it sounds, while managing to substitute depression for the lack of story arcs.
The WVM team joins a cast of characters harassing Charles Dickens as he tries to write “A Christmas Carol.” Some surprisingly good fodder for worldview discussion in an otherwise boring movie.
The WVM team learns to view time non-linearly and talk to space octopi in search of worldview nuggets.
The WVM team travels to twisted old England, and a dark manor house that is home to a family that falls somewhere between the ones on “Roseanne” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” It’s the film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel, a study in human depravity, the corrupting nature of riches….and murder.
The WVM team braves dangerous drug lords, corrupt cops, angry river campers, and Johnny Cash’s brother to bring out the worldview nuggets and storytelling pointers in N.D. Wilson’s “The River Thief.”
The WVM team watches Priceless, an ambitious, independent flick that delves into the world of human trafficking without rolling around in the muck.
The WVM team is joined by comics consultant, Dylan Sanchez, as we travel to a secret, African kingdom to see why and how a ridiculous superhero movie is causing so much stir with both the Alt-Left and Alt-Right.
The WVM team rides along with Christian Bale and his intrepid band as they head from New Mexico to Montana, transporting dangerous cargo in dangerous times. Who are the Hostiles and what made them so angry? Have any of the Hostiles ever stayed at a hostel? These and many other burning questions, answered!
The WVM team joins a quest for the Holy Grail that involves interaction with an old woman named Brian; Tim the Wizard; and the Knights who say Nee. No, wait. Wrong movie. But this one’s good, too.
The WVM team takes an extended stay at a cabin in the Virginia woods, to learn how to build a campfire, eat wild berries, and stab a man in the throat so that he makes no noise. We look at worldview issues in the Michael Keaton film, “American Assassin,” which also stars some really dreamy guy no one’s ever heard of.
On this holiday/family edition of WVM, the full five-member team is home for the season to talk about a movie that has become a family tradition in the Runyan home on Christmas Eve. We have a resident expert witness on the source material, as well: English major, Jordan, who just spent a semester diving deeper than anyone wants to into the Dickens classic.
The WVM teams takes a luxury ride through the snowy alps, and encounters…murder! Agatha Christie’s novel comes to life in a star-studded film that bucks all the trends and ends up presenting quite the dilemma about justice and how to get it.
The WVM team travels back to the Underside to take on a giant smoke monster and a pack of ill-tempered demodogs, all to bring you the nostalgic 80’s goodness and worldview nuggets from the new season of the Netflix hit.
The WVM team journeys way beyond the Neutral Zone and finds a rather smarmy clone looking to make trouble for the whole galaxy. But with the help of a 24th century dune buggy we escape the fray, not to mention the threat of a naked wedding, to bring you some worldview nuggets from the last of the Next Gen movies.
The WVM team travels to the Briar Patch in search of metaphasic particles that will extend our lives and restore our youth. So…that didn’t work out, and we’re still old. But here’s a discussion of worldview related themes from the movie.
We survive a night of carousing with Dr. Cochrane by the jukebox, and an invasion of robot-zombies, to bring you some really interesting worldview themes in this eighth installment of the Star Trek cinematic franchise.
The WVM team manages to escape the Nexus of Ultimate Joy long enough to deal with reality and bring you the spicy worldview nuggets preached in this episode of the Star Trek cinematic franchise. It was…fun.
The WVM team analyzes the poor man’s Mary Poppins, and uncovers some cool parallels with Biblical theology in this 2005 parable about extreme naughtiness and its consequences. As a bonus, we get less ugly as we go.
The WVM team takes one for the team, by watching the Netflix series, The Defenders, so that you don’t have to. You’re welcome.
The WVM team journeys to a bygone era of NYC, y’know, when all the inhabitants were zoo animals, and the theater was a gala extravaganza of light, sound, and magic. We follow unscrupulous theater owner, Mr. Moon, as he makes a last ditch effort to revive the dying Moon Theater by holding a giant singing competition, which brings in sad-sack contestants from every corner; from every genus, and species.
The WVM team is joined by two more on this special holiday edition, as we deal with government agencies, scavengers, teenage angst, high school politics, nagging Tony Stark cameos, and a bad guy called the Vulture. All to bring you an analysis of thematic/worldview content, and how it is preached to us.
Fresh off a long vacation in the mountains of Asia, in which we had a bit of airplane trouble and met some nice men from another dimension, the WVM team is back in town. Shoeless, yes. Homeless, yes. But still with a fully charged I-Pod, and a mission to fight The Hand, by faithfully exposing the worldview that lies behind Marvel’s newest Netflix series, “Iron Fist.”
With help from a homicidal robot from the future who has been re-programmed so as to be mostly nice, the WVM team takes the Wayback Machine to three decades ago and goes on a hunt for the worldview that is preached to the masses through the Terminator franchise. Who owns the future? Who controls history? Sarah Connor? Cyberdine Systems? James Cameron? The Arnold? We cannot be stopped in our quest for answers–you can only hope to slow us down.
The WVM team steals a canoe made of coconut fiber and heads out beyond the protective reef, to brave threats of tiny, hairy pirates; destructively stupid chickens; materialistic crabs; and, petulant, childish gods for the sake of finding jewels of worldview nuggets and getting them to their proper place…your ears.
The WVM team tackles the genre of the modern Romantic Comedy, theoretically anyway. One team member has written a full-length screenplay in that genre, and this allows us to discuss the 7-point standardized structure for such a beast; even as one of us wonders whether redeeming the genre is a fail from the outset, from a risk/reward standpoint. He learns his place quickly though. How can we promote a Christian worldview through the vehicle of the Romantic Comedy, while avoiding sap, cheese, and preachy-ness?
The WVM team manages to stay just ahead of the Alliance, taking risky jobs among the border planets, willing to travel the whole darn ‘Verse in search of the worldview that lies behind the popular, single-season Sci-Fi series, “Firefly.”
The WVM team narrowly escapes government agents seeking to control our super powers; and, feels the pain of the loser at the NSA tasked with monitoring our broadcast. Intriguing worldview issues abound here, including the question of obeying bad government, pursuing vengeance, and the virtues of loyalty and friendship.
The WVM team travels back in time to when Alexander Hamilton invented hip-hop, to bring out worldview content in the Broadway musical, “Hamilton: An American Musical.”
The WVM team muscles through a podcast in spite of the fact that Ma got the Consumption, and is on her death-bed. We dig through the old West tent city of Hell on Wheels, looking for worldview nuggets in a lawless frontier railroad town.
The WVM podcast team dives into a discussion about a “reality” show where young people hand over the task of finding a mate to their parents. The goal is to meet your new spouse at the altar and get married on the spot. Hilarity ensues. We also discuss a video clip from Disney’s “Aladdin” at the request of a listener.
The WVM team journeys across the pond to merry old England in the mid-20th Century, to the beginning of the reign of Britain’s current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. We find that she has curiously married Dr. Who (Matt Smith) and that no one has noticed the replacement of Winston Churchill with Dick Solomon (Jonathan Lithgow.) A Netflix series surprisingly focused on themes of family and duty, it provides a good deal of worldview content.
The WVM team goes from clue to trap, to chase, to escape, to uncover for our audience an astonishing cache of golden worldview nuggets. In truth, it is probably too much for any one individual to deal with. So listen with a friend.
The WVM team is now the WVM Cutest Couple. We brave a long, boring, and ultimately depressing, British piece of propaganda for the cause of Death With Dignity/Right to Die stuff. Lots o’ big worldview nuggets though. Don’t miss it.
The Worldview Media team escapes the clutches of a rigidly logical serial killer. (Don’t worry: we were only there for like six minutes….) Then we talk about thematic content in the home renovation show, “Fixer Upper,” and how the Gaines family models some pretty handy Christian virtues.
The WVM team emerges from an underground shelter after five half-lives of radioactive decay, into the sunlight of a new world, looking for something called a “liquor store” and a standing Holiday Inn. Then we team up with a girl from Pasadena to load up several trailers full of worldview nuggets.
The WVM team takes refuge in the only remaining kingdom in the whole of England that has not yet been overrun by Danes, Essex. Under the early rule of King Alfred the Great, we witness the intrigue, cunning, conniving, and over-the-top violence, and manage to pull out some interesting worldview nuggets from this BBC original series.
The WVM team takes a wrong turn at Albuquerque and winds up in a Ugandan slum, but makes the best of it with a jug of warm porridge and a travel chess set, to bring you worldview nuggets from the true story of a hometown girl who makes good.
WVM podcast co-host, Momma Joyce, is away on a fancy-schmancy business trip, so the B-team steps up to talk about our favorite comedy TV series. Why are they funny? What makes them work? Do they still manage to communicate moral and worldview themes?
Broadcasting live from just outside the bedroom window of a Fire Nation prince, the WVM team’s collective forehead glows blue as we talk about the popular quasi-anime series, Avatar: The Last Air Bender. Not to be confused with the movie, which is apparently unwatchable for horribleness.
From an island that no man can find unless he already knows where it is, the WVM team braves undead scallywags, Aztec curses, and a critical shortage of rum to bring you worldview nuggets from the flagship installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
The WVM team must deal with planet-sized egos, giant space octopuses (octopi?), and yet another threat to the galaxy in order to bring you this exciting episode. Drax insults a hyper-sensitive girl. Nebula gets her nose out of joint, literally, over her childhood issues. And baby Groot proves more entertaining to watch than any actual person.
From our mobile meth lab in the New Mexico desert, WVM dodges danger from drug lords, Mexican cartel hitmen, the DEA, and the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce to bring you a worldview-centered look at one of widely-acknowledged best shows to ever appear on television.
WVM takes an imaginary trip to a crowded Hawaiian ballroom filled with adoring listeners to air our Guilty Pleasures Special, in which we come clean and confess our love for some objectively bad movies and tv shows.
Hampered by the mental effects of old-age and by chronic Adamantium poisoning, the WVM team nonetheless struggles forward, for the sake of the children, to uncover some tasty worldview nuggets in what probably, surely, almost certainly ought to be, the last installment of the Hugh Jackman Wolverine franchise.
The WVM team discusses our favorite games, including one that almost destroyed our marriage. What sorts of benefits can a family derive from playing games? Gordan goes “Full Nerd” with regard to role-playing games, as we encourage fellow believers to see the field of game creation as yet another area in which Christians ought to be occupying and excelling for the sake of the Kingdom.
The WVM team does a door-to-door search in Storybrook, Maine, to expose the underlying meanings and morals being preached in the ABC Television Network series, “Once Upon a Time.”
Technical note: The first segment sounds like we’re popping popcorn during the recording at times. Yeah. Let’s go with that. Thankfully, as mysteriously as the noise appeared, it went away after the break.
The WVM team enters a kingdom languishing under a curse, awaiting the transformation and return of its master, through self-sacrificial love, so that the inanimate servants may be brought to new life, and see the entire realm transformed from cold, gray stone, to gold. Hmm…
Gordan interviews the Vice President of Chalcedon, Martin Selbrede. Martin is a prolific writer, renowned scholar, novelist, and classical music composer. He is featured in the movie, “The Principle.” Topics range from the relationship between culture and the arts; why Christians need to go back to J.S. Bach and restart from there; and how kingdom-builders ought to approach the task of writing novels.
Links:
Martin G. Selbrede: Concerto for Trumpet, Horn & Trombone, Opus 81 (c) 1994, 2000, 2017
First performed by the Los Angeles Solo Repertory Orchestra on Feb. 13, 1994 at the Hall of Liberty, this so-called Triple Concerto features the three solo brass instruments in contrast with the full orchestra:
- M4A (iTunes AAC link) for the three movements:
https://selbrede.sharefile.com/d-s7ba965b48444eceb * MP3 link for the three movements:
https://selbrede.sharefile.com/d-s9e5d7388b844a469
The WVM team tunnels into murky waters beneath the swampy surface of a tiny island off the coast of Nova Scotia, searching for lost items of inestimable value, worldview-wise. The ark of the covenant? The menorah from Solomon’s temple? Pirate treasure? The original Shakespeare manuscripts?
Meh. No, we’re on the trail of a world-and-life view, lived out in every-day activity.
The WVM team braves wicked government agents, mad scientists, and an icky monster from the Upside Down called a Demigorgon, to bring you an examination of the Netflix original series, Stranger Things. It’s an homage to the 80’s and to every Speilberg movie ever made, designed to span all the possible worlds and dimensions between hilarity and horror. It’s a well-told adventure story blended with a love of camp and cheesiness. (Mmmm, campy cheese.)
The WVM team welcomes a listener into the fun of evaluating the worldview messages present in Mel Gibson’s classic “dude flick,” Braveheart. But is our motivation pure, or some mixture between liberty-loving idealism and personal vengeance? And does it really matter very much once the blood starts spurting?
The WVM team takes a weird, mystical trip through time and space, through new dimensions and other strangeness. (Get it? Strangeness? We’re here all week. Be sure to tip your waitress.) The Marvel Universe takes a turn for the worldview worst in its latest outing, by going “Full Pagan” in Doctor Strange. Lots of people who go Full Pagan don’t come all the way back, y’know. I’m just sayin’.
The WVM team scours the cholera-laden back streets of 19th Century Paris, in search of worldview content (and maybe an unguarded loaf of bread) in the 2012 musical adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic, Les Miserables. Spoiler alert: Wolverine can sing!
Though we’ve been accused of stumbling around blindly, the secret truth is that the WVM team has a powerful worldview sonar that functions even better than physical eyesight. We explore issues of guilt, redemption, and vigilantism as we strive to make our city safe for media consumers.
The WVM team takes a weird, fantastical, somewhat dark tour through, not one but two (count ’em….TWO!) magical chocolate factories producing the famous Wonka brand, a generation apart from each other. Our question going in was, will the intervening forty years between the two movies produce an obvious worldview shift in the classic moral parable of Willie Wonka, little Charlie, and a mysterious, magical kingdom that finds ways to punish bratty children?
The WVM team searches for worldview nuggets like an obsessed man digs for ore in a failed copper mine. This time it is in the Masterpiece Theater presentation of “Poldark” on PBS. Surely, one part of being an honorable man is to have the strength of your convictions and to hold fast to your sense of morality in spite of the consequences. But what if your convictions and your morality have two feet planted firmly in thin air, because you’ve adopted a secularist worldview?
The WVM team digs deep, searching for worldview ore while seeking to avoid various industrial accidents and religious charlatans. We think the Biblical covenant has shown us how to take a Plain-view of modern media, every day of the week and twice on Eli Sunday, using a long straw to drain the whole milkshake.
The WVM team discusses three bits of media you might be interested in (or, really want to stay away from.) Two documentaries: The Resurrection of Jake The Snake Roberts and Holy Hell (the story of a cult leader in the United States.) And one clean-comedy, family friendly podcast, which are often hard to find.
The WVM team is joined by the host of The War Room podcast, Bill Evans, to analyze the worldview that underlies his favorite movie of all time, Gods and Generals. This is a very atypical movie that quotes Scripture favorably and portrays devout, Protestant Christians without an ounce of mockery, while even managing to be faithful to the actual events depicted from the “Second War for American Independence.”
In this hefty episode we conclude our analysis of Peter Jackson’s masterful Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies. We have a new answer to the question we ask in section 2 of the Biblical covenant: Who represents the transcendent power? As well as a new over-arching moral dilemma, we finally get to see substantial entries under point 4: Sanctions. This is where everybody gets what they deserve. We also start to answer a listener question about magic in fiction.
Stay tuned for next episode, where we will look at one of our favorites, The Princess Bride.
Is it destiny or mere random chance that we’re reviewing Forrest Gump today? Can it be both? (Um, no, it can’t.) Life can be like a box of chocolates from our point of view, but our God knows the end from the beginning, and He really does have a plan in place, and solid reasons for every decree in whatever comes to pass. It’s like doubles ping-pong on this show with all four contributors at once. Maybe you can listen while you’re running long distances for no particular reason. Is the world of Forrest Gump the same world that God created? The points of the Biblical covenant will tell the tale.
“We take no prisoners in this episode, leaving only weeping and sorrow in our path, as we ransack The History Channel’s popular series, “Vikings.” Just hand over your worldview peacefully, and no blood needs be spilled.
Pillage and plunder (and the occasional rape here and there) imply the unlawful taking of things; but, is it possible this series is covertly handing you something in every episode, in terms of pagan presuppositions?”
It’s often a sticky situation, discerning the underlying worldview that a movie is preaching. In fact, it can drive lesser mortals to climb the walls. In the absence of one our regular podcasters, our oldest daughter, Carmen, swings in to save the day. In this episode, teen outcast (with fabulous hair and super-model good looks,) Peter Parker loses his parents to a shadowy conspiracy; is invisible to girls; gets bitten by a radioactive spider; gains powers; makes way for his uncle to be murdered; befriends a handicapped mad scientist; gets the girl; makes the girl’s dad want to arrest him; fights a giant, angry lizard who only wants to help the human race evolve; remembers to get organic egss for Aunt May; and saves the world.
Our hand-picked, clandestine team of worldview cryptologists has managed to do more than anyone imagined of us, by cracking the Enigma that is The Imitation Game. We made good use of our “touring” through the British landscape during WW2 and have uncovered key elements to the presuppositions that lie beneath this movie, thus knocking a probable two solid years off of your own wondering about it.
We continue our piercing analysis of The Lord of the Rings trilogy with part two, The Two Towers. As always, we’re looking for plot devices, as well as plot holes. We use the 5-point model of the Biblical Covenant as a framework for discerning the worldview presented in the movie. In this second installment of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, we get some more information related to the concept of Transcendence and discover an Ethical theme that differs from the one that ran like a thread through The Fellowship of the Ring.
The latest installment in the X-Men franchise is placed under the lens of the 5-point Biblical covenant structure, and we uncover a fundamental sort of discordant inconsistency in the underlying worldview. But it shouldn’t be surprising: it’s the same inconsistency that most naturalist/materialist atheists seem happy to live with. Good presuppositional apologetic training, then!
WVM uses principles found in the Biblical 5-point Covenant Model as a grid to analyze popular media. Our first victim is the 2009 Chris Pine/Zachary Quinto/J.J. Abrams film, Star Trek. Did the plot fly at Warp 9 or wind up grotesquely mangled in the Transporter? Whoever decided to re-boot the whole universe, should he get the boot instead?
It takes a lot of grit to dissect a John Wayne classic, but we’re just the band of varmints to do it. Not quite as dangerous as traveling into the Indian Territories in search of a killer, granted, but tricky nonetheless. We avoided a Glenn Campbell spanking on the one hand, and a deadly snake pit on the other to bring you a worldview critique that’s tougher ‘n boot leather.
In episode three, Middle Earth is put on a slide and examined under the microscope of the Biblical covenant. It’s the first in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring. We uncover a thematic moral precept, which has a lot to say about Tolkien’s view of humanity. Plus, it’s just plain fun talking about one of our favorite movies. Grab some popcorn and enjoy.
In this episode, death comes to Santa Barbara, CA. Pretty much weekly. Who knew it was such a rough place? The WMP team gathers to discuss the USA Network series, Psych. We put, Shawn, Gus, Lassie, and the rest of the crew under the microscope of the Biblical 5 point covenant model to discern the worldview that is being preached, even by a goofy sitcom.
Like scavengers in a post-apocalyptic world looking for cans of something edible, the WVM podcast team stumbles across surprising worldview nuggets as we analyze some startlingly good storytelling from the AMC channel. It’s amazing how a world full of undead flesh-eaters can so easily set up moral dilemmas and questions of sovereignty. When civilization crumbles into dust and ruin, does the notion and right and wrong crumble with it? What happens when shear survival becomes the only over-riding ethical injunction?
Gordan interviews Christian musician and author, John Steinreich, on the topic of music. Must we be in CCM, or a worship band, if we want to serve God through our music? We consider art as a fulfillment of the command to love our neighbors for the sake of Christ. We urge Christian musicians to extend the dominion of Christ even into the area of the performance of music in the public arenas.
Our intrepid hosts discuss two books. One is a popular novel, and one is about how to write popular novels for fun and profit.
The WVM team analyzes an ambitious, independent sci-fi flick that asks a lot of really important questions, but then lacks the presuppositional foundations to answer any of them. What does it mean to be a person? Is “self awareness” merely a more advanced sort of programming than we’ve yet been able to accomplish? Or might there be something more to “intelligence” than merely bits of material interacting in accordance with their parameters?
“We enter the dark and slimy world of Stephen King’s chosen genre by discussing his book on the topic, Danse Macabre. Why is Horror fiction even a thing to begin with? What makes it work? What keeps audiences coming back for more, and for gore?
Our “hot take” on the topic is this: Horror fiction is a genre that can and should be used to the glory of Jesus Christ and the advancement of His Kingdom. We know that’s the opposite of what Evangelicals have always said. That’s why we get paid the big bucks.”
It’s like we’ve lost our minds or something. Like we can’t remember anything long enough to learn from past mistakes. Does even a juvenile, low-brow Rom-Com qualify as worldview preaching? Yes, it does. Every story preaches a worldview, as surely as it has a plot or a theme. We bite down on our mouth-pieces, snap on the chin-straps, and charge ahead with a below-average Adam Sandler movie. And that’s saying something. (On a personal note, though, this was the most fun we have had yet on this podcast. Weird.)
We strap on some bib overalls, give each other bowl haircuts, and call Dad by his first name like we ain’t really related, on our way to dissecting the worldview message being preached in this Academy Award winning snooze-fest starring Gregory Peck. There’s also a small appearance by a very young Robert Duvall. For those keeping score, our last episode also featured a young Duvall. So we’re on a small roll with Duvall, which must end here for the sake of sanity.
As you wish, we accomplish the inconceivable. Using only our left hands, though we are not left-handed, we put the classic, satirical fairy-tale under the microscope of the 5-point covenant model found in Scripture. But that’s nothing, just wait until we get going! So before you leave the farm to seek your fortune, listen in as we uncover worldview secrets more significant than the three terrors of the Fire Swamp.
Coming up in Episode 7: We will review the USA network’s now-finished series “Psych.” Though we will speak in general terms of the whole, we will focus on one episode: Season 2, episode 2 – “65 Million Years Off.”
Like a head football coach pouring over game film to dissect the opposing team, we have picked apart the critically panned 2003 movie with Ed Harris and Cuba Gooding Jr., “Radio.” We wind up disagreeing with the critics, like old men arguing down at the barber shop. No joke here: This is a surprisingly good movie. Our shopping cart is filled with interesting worldview items like Biblical ethics and a willingness to defy human conventions and law-givers.