TheARTology: Recent Episodes
Vincent Nel
Putting the art back into theology by finding God in the movies. Join Vincent Nel as he delves into the mysteries that movies reveal about ourselves and God. Featuring guests, deep dives and thoughtful discussions, each monthly episode will center around a theme and explore movies from an artistic and theological perspective.
What does it mean to wonder, to live in awe? How can we access and practice a sense of wonder in our lives? What role do movies play in all of this?
Special guest Marcus Smith (host of BYU's Constant Wonder podcast) joins Vincent in a thoughtful discussion about living with wonder.
Movies discussed in this episode:
- A River Runs Through It
- Babette's Feast
- Marcel The Shell With Shoes On
- The Tree Of Life
Books referenced in this episode:
- In The Disquiet by Vincent Nel
- Say Yes by Scott Erickson
- The Idea Of The Holy by Rudolf Otto
Why is it that many men struggle to express their feelings or forge intimate friendships with other men? What will it take to break free from societal norms and embrace the beauty of platonic love and friendship?
Let's unravel the layers of the male psyche and discover the true art of the bromance.
Films explored in this episode:
- Close
- I Love You, Man
Screenwriter and Story Developer Kiel Murray has a conversation in which we talk about her career, her faith, and her experience writing strong female characters over the last 30 years for various animation studios like Pixar, Disney, and Skydance.
Movies discussed:
- Brave
- Cars
- Cars 3
- Raya and the Last Dragon
- Luck
Other topics discussed:
- The Creative Process
- Feminism and female representation
- The Confidence Gap
- The Bechdel Test
An exploration into depression (the emotional kind, not the financial kind). How is depression represented in modern cinema, how do we reconcile our personal experiences with these portrayals, and how do we make it through despite them?
Movies explored in this episode:
Aftersun
The Hours
It's Kind Of A Funny Story
I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want: two guys with accents discussing the merits of Spice World: The Movie. And a zigazig ah.
Article referenced in this episode: https://www.vulture.com/2018/01/spice-world-20-years-later-is-weirdly-relevant.html
"What is grief if not love persevering?" - WandaVision
An exploration into the nature of grief, how it is represented in film, and the devastating effects of it on our personal lives.
Movies explored in this episode:
Manchester By The Sea
Ordinary People
"There is always something to love, even in a stupid stupid universe where we have hot dogs for fingers."
A deep dive into the film "Everything Everywhere All At Once."
Somewhere between suffering and prosperity we find the truth and reality of our lives with God. Let's explore two polar opposite films starring Andrew Garfield to better understand this idea:
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Silence
Thank you to CornerstoneSF for help in producing this podcast. www.cornerstonesf.org
What do we leave behind when we die? How do we measure a meaningful life? Are we living “our best lives” - or is there something more to be found, in the midst of the ordinary?
Movies discussed in this episode:
It's A Wonderful Life
Synecdoche, New York
tick, tick... BOOM!
Additional resources: https://ronrolheiser.com
Thank you to CornerstoneSF for help in producing this podcast. www.cornerstonesf.org
What does it mean to hope? When the dark comes crashing through, when you need a friend to carry you, and when you're broken on the ground, where will hope be found?
A deep dive into the movie "Dear Evan Hansen."
Thank you to CornerstoneSF for help in producing this podcast. www.cornerstonesf.org
Single? Married? Fan of romantic comedies? The quest for love is something that plagues and intrigues us all...
Movies explored in this episode:
My Best Friend's Wedding
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
When Harry Met Sally
Thank you to CornerstoneSF for help in producing this podcast.
The masculine within is called forth from the masculine without. Only the love of a father can open the door. But what do we do when we don't have the love of father to show the way?
Movies explored this episode:
A Perfect World
Animal Kingdom
Billy Elliot
Boy A
Thank you to CornerstoneSF for making this podcast possible. www.cornerstonesf.org
Are you the kind of person that sees signs, sees miracles? Or do you believe there are no coincidences? Join me as I share my story of faith and the doubts I encountered while watching my favorite science fiction movies.
Movies explored in this episode:
Arrival
Contact
Deep Impact
Interstellar
Signs
Thank you to CornerstoneSF for producing this podcast.
At the intersection of art and faith, God is speaking to us. Yet there is a divide between our experiences in these two worlds. Can we bridge the gap?
Thank you to CornerstoneSF for producing this podcast and for their belief in art as a way to share the love of God. www.cornerstonesf.org