After a delayed start due to technical difficulties, Ed and I had a great chat about the 2006 film Stranger Than Fiction, a favorite of both of us. The movie stars Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah, and Dustin Hoffman, and has a lot to say about free will, sacrifice, and the power of story.

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A few resources:

* Here’s the hymn Ed mentioned: “Have you heard God’s voice? (Will you walk the path that will cost you much?)”

* On the Nature of Daylight—a beautiful piece that features in countless movies, including Stranger than Fiction and Arrival (the latter of which is a virtual lock for a future episode of PCPH).

* And here’s the picture of Professor Hilbert’s office. Those photos over his shoulder are of a sculpture called Descent of the Spirit which is located, of all places, on the isle of Iona in Scotland. 🤯

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Programming reminders! Later in the summer we’ll be sharing our first Pop Culture Pastors Hour challenge! At Ed’s invitation I’ll be watching the 2003 Battlestar Galactic miniseries, and I invited him to watch the first three episodes of Station Eleven on HBO. (Max? HBOMax? Whatever they’re calling it)

Those episodes of PCPH will drop later in July/August. Join us for some good genre TV and conversations about faith and culture.

It’s summer and it’s HOT. We all need things to look forward to, eh? Today Edward Goode and I check in, share what we’re reading/watching, and preview what’s to come this summer.

First, we’ll be talking about the 2006 film Stranger Than Fiction next Wednesday July 2 at 1 p.m. EDT, giving you more than a week to watch this deep and delightful movie starring Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah, and Dustin Hoffman. Here’s the link, so you can get it on your calendar!

Then later in the summer—our first Pop Culture Pastors Hour challenge! At Ed’s invitation I’ll be watching the 2003 Battlestar Galactic miniseries, and I invited him to watch the first three episodes of Station Eleven on HBO. (Max? HBOMax? Whatever they’re calling it) Those episodes of PCPH will drop later in July/August. Join us for some good genre TV and conversations about faith and culture.

And that’s a wrap! After doing a review of Rogue One in light of what we experienced with Andor, we celebrate the conclusion of a majestic TV series with some hall of fame categories. GOAT of the Rebellion? Most entertaining dinner party guests? Ed and MaryAnn get into all of that and more, including our ideas for best Andor tattoo.

Spoilers for all of Andor, Rogue One, and Star Wars: A New Hope.

A few links and resources:

* The House of R podcast, which has done some marathon-length breakdowns of the show.

* Roger Robinson’s poem shared by Ed, “A Portable Paradise.”

* Dr. Bettina Love, talking about allies, co-conspirators, and the Underground Railroad, which ran on trust.

Steady on, and may the Force be with you!

Thanks to everyone who joined Edward Goode and me for our fourth conversation about Andor. We talked about the power and perils of a human-driven movement; disease, disgust and the rhetoric of dehumanization; the fate of our heroes; and the impact of one small word: TRY.

Spoilers for all of Andor, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi.

Follow Ed at Imago Scriptura.

Here’s the article I mentioned from Sojourners, We Have What We Need to Fix This. And here’s the quote I read:

Plugging into national organizations is always an option. My reservation is that I’ve noticed that people who are trying to do the big thing sometimes are not even doing the [things in their] backyard — and they are overwhelmed because they assume the big thing fixes the backyard. The problem is the backyard left unattended becomes a jungle. There wasn’t a national movement for white Christian nationalism; there were pastors giving voice to those ideas over decades, writing books and on talk radio. Those practices then [coalesced and were] expressed in national politics.

And Nemik’s manifesto is so soaring, it’s worth sharing in full:

There will be times when the struggle seems impossible. I know this already. Alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the enemy. Remember this. Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneously and without instruction. Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy. There are whole armies, battalions that have no idea that they've already enlisted in the cause. Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward. And then remember this. The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that. And know this, the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empire's authority and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege. Remember this. Try.

We’ve got one last episode in this season—a recap of the whole story including Rogue One. We’ll have some fun categories and commemorate the end of this majestic show. Join us Friday at 2 p.m. EDT—link to come.

Steady on… and may the Force be with you.

Thanks to everyone who joined Edward Goode and me for our third conversation about Andor. We drew some historical and scriptural parallels to the show, talked about the communal nature of calling, explored the power of prophetic speech, and lifted up the nature of resistance, full of small moves and tag-team efforts. And much more! This was a meaty episode—fitting for some of the best television we’ve ever seen (just because I’m prone to hyperbole doesn’t mean it’s not true).

Spoilers for all of Andor season 1, plus season 2 episodes 1-9 and the movie Rogue One.

Follow Ed at Imago Scriptura.

A note that I’ll be away next week, so our next episode on episodes 10-12 (the finale) will take place Memorial Day, Monday May 26 at 1 p.m. EDT. (Link to come, but mark your calendars.) We’ll also do an episode on Rogue One.

After that, who knows? There was an upswell of interest in a rewatch (or for MAMD, a first watch) of Battlestar Galactica. Thoughts? Other recommendations?

Steady on… and may the Force be with you.

Thanks to everyone who joined Edward Goode and me for our second conversation about Andor. We talked about the benefits and pitfalls of episodic storytelling, the strength and frailty of human beings, the perils of building a movement, and more.

Spoilers for all of Andor season 1, plus season 2 episodes 1-6, the movie Rogue One, and The Last Jedi.

Here’s the book I mentioned: Preaching in Hitler’s Shadow: Sermons of Resistance in the Third Reich.

And don’t miss Ed’s charming story of adventure for Grogu on May the Fourth!

See you next week! Until then, may the Force be with you.

What a blast. Thanks to everyone who joined Edward Goode and me for our first of four (or more?) conversations about Andor. We talked about gender, power and privilege; the “cost of discipleship”; accelerationism as faithful strategy (or not?); and more.

Spoilers for all of Andor season 1, plus season 2 episodes 1-3, and the movie Rogue One, and a brief reference to The Last Jedi.

See you next week. Between now and then, May the Fourth (and the Force) be with you.

A bonus pod!

Season two of Andor premieres on Disney+ this week, and to celebrate, here’s a standalone pod featuring conversations recorded two years ago during season one of the television show. Special thanks to Derrick Weston and Marthame Sanders for these conversations.

A few spoilers for season one of Andor, but the spoilers are mainly thematic.

Enjoy!

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Contact MaryAnn McKibben Dana at maryannmckibbendana.net.

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