JUST FYI POD: Conversations about Culture, Ideas, and Life

During the first season of JUST FYI POD: IDEAS, my cohost Clark Elliston and I will countdown our ten favorite works of theology. On today’s episode, Clark will discuss Friedrich Schleiermacher’s 1799 book ON RELIGION: SPEECHES TO ITS CULTURED DESPISERS (ÜBER DIE RELIGION: REDEN AN DIE GEBILDETEN UNTER IHREN VERÄCHTERN), while I will examine NATURAL THEOLOGY—a compendium of two landmark 1934 texts, NATURE AND GRACE (NATUR UND GNADE) by Emil Brunner and NO! ANSWER TO EMIL BRUNNER (NEIN! ANTWORT AN EMIL BRUNNER) by Karl Barth. Schleiermacher, Brunner, and Barth are all major figures in modern theology. Buckle up, then, for a lengthy discussion of why their works still matter today! For further details, links, and more, please go to cbarnett.substack.com. As ever, please consider liking, rating, reviewing, and sharing!

The main task of JUST FYI POD: CULTURE’s first season is to explore the “20 Most Spiritually Significant Films of All Time.” On this episode, authors Christopher B. Barnett and Amy Welborn continue their discussion—this time focusing on the #6 film on their respective lists. Amy begins with Federico Fellini’s 1954 drama THE ROAD (LA STRADA), while Chris follows with an examination of Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 drama MAGNOLIA. These are two classic films from two celebrated auteurs, both of which explore the stubbornness of sin (particularly masculine sin) and the hope (or is it the need?) for divine redemption. As ever, see cbarnett.substack.com for more details, including relevant links, clips, etc. Please like, rate, comment, and share!

During the first season of JUST FYI POD: IDEAS, my cohost Clark Elliston and I will countdown our ten favorite works of theology. On today’s episode, Clark will discuss Helmut Thielicke’s A LITTLE EXERCISE FOR YOUNG THEOLOGIANS (1962), while Chris will examine Jacques Ellul’s ANARCHY AND CHRISTIANITY (ANARCHIE ET CHRISTIANISME, 1988). See cbarnett.substack.com for additional details and links, not to mention essays and podcasts. As ever, please consider liking, rating, reviewing, and sharing!

The main task of JUST FYI POD: CULTURE’s first season is to explore the “20 Most Spiritually Significant Films of All Time.” On this episode, authors Christopher B. Barnett and Amy Welborn continue their discussion—the time focusing on the #7 film on their respective lists. Amy begins with the Oscar-winning historical drama A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS (Fred Zinnemann, 1966), while Chris turns to one of Martin Scorsese’s late-period classics, the epic drama SILENCE (2016). Both films confront the reality of religious martyrdom, albeit in different historical eras and from different cultural-theological perspectives. As ever, see cbarnett.substack.com for more details, including relevant links, clips, etc. Please like, rate, comment, and share!

During the first season of JUST FYI POD: IDEAS, my cohost Clark Elliston and I will countdown our ten favorite works of theology. On today’s episode, I will focus on DEATH AND IMMORTALITY (TOD UND UNSTERBLICHKEIT, 1968), written by the German Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper (1904-97). Meanwhile, Clark will examine THE DOORS OF THE SEA: WHERE WAS GOD IN THE TSUNAMI? (2005), penned by the American Orthodox theologian David Bentley Hart (1965-). See cbarnett.substack.com for further details and links, not to mention other essays and podcasts. As ever, please consider liking, rating, reviewing, and sharing!

The main task of JUST FYI POD: CULTURE’s first season is to explore the “20 Most Spiritually Significant Films of All Time.” On this episode, authors Christopher B. Barnett and Amy Welborn continue their discussion—this time focusing on the #8 film on their respective lists. Amy examines Akira Kurosawa’s 1952 classic IKIRU (生きる), while Chris ponders John Michael McDonagh’s 2014 drama CALVARY. The former is set in the crowded yet often anonymous streets of Tokyo, the latter in the beautiful yet haunting expanses of western Ireland. Both films, however, poignantly explore some of the most elemental questions of human life: why do we become unhappy, and what will it take to recover meaning and purpose in our lives? As ever, relevant links are provided below. Please like, rate, comment, and share!

JUST FYI POD is now effectively two podcasts in one: (i) JUST FYI POD: CULTURE with Amy Welborn, which is now approaching the 15th episode of its inaugural season, with a current focus on “spirituality and movies;” and now (ii) JUST FYI POD: IDEAS with Clark Elliston, which is getting underway on today’s episode. In this introductory podcast, Clark and I will discuss life at the University of Oxford “back in the day” (including some tall tales from the basketball court!), the Protestant-Catholic tension in our friendship, and why a podcast on “academic stuff” may actually matter. Yet, most importantly, we will preview our upcoming series—again, hosted here—which we have pithily entitled “Our Ten Favorite Theological Works.” Don’t touch that dial! And, if you haven’t already, please give JUST FYI POD a “follow” and consider leaving a kindly review for your humble hosts!

Authors Christopher B. Barnett and Amy Welborn continue to countdown the most spiritually significant films of cinematic history. On this episode, they discuss and debate the #9 film on their respective lists—for Chris, Stanley Kubrick’s dystopian satire A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971); for Amy, Andrew Niccol’s sci-fi drama GATTACA (1997). As always, please listen, rate, and comment. For more details, see cbarnett.substack.com and subscribe for free.

Authors Christopher B. Barnett and Amy Welborn continue to discuss the most spiritually significant films of all time. On this episode, they breakdown the #10 film on their respective lists: Chris turns his attention to Gabriel Axel’s 1987 drama BABETTE’S FEAST (BABETTES GÆSTEBUD), while Amy opts for Harold Ramis’s 1993 comedy GROUNDHOG DAY. As always, please listen, review, and comment. For more details, see cbarnett.substack.com.

Authors Christopher B. Barnett and Amy Welborn endured the holidays and now resume their countdown of the 20 most spiritually significant films of all time. On today’s episode, they both concentrate on Woody Allen’s 1989 drama-comedy CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS. It’s dark film made by a controversial auteur. So, how is it “spiritually significant”? Tune in and find out! As always, please give us a “follow” and consider leaving a a glowing 5-star review. See cbarnett.substack.com for more details and content.