Christianity Today

A collection of 50 posts

On Movies & Media

So it continues: Are Christians a niche audience?

Readers are responding to my recent article at Christianity Today Movies: Christians as a Niche Market? And, as you might expect, their perspectives vary.

On Movies & Media

"Have We Lost Our Minds?" Readers Say "No!"

My blog post about CT Movies' reviews and the Christian perspective that informs them was republished (in an abridged, revised form) at CT Movies. And now, readers are responding. Perhaps CT Movies is not so out of touch with its Christian audience after all. Check out the letters marked

On Movies & Media

Have We Lost Our Minds?

If you've been reading the CT Feedback page and reading this blog, you've seen a lot of recent criticism, and read a lot of accusations, regarding the philosophy of CT Movies reviewers. Well, my blog post describing our "philosophy" inspired an invitation to share

Through a Screen Darkly

"Through a Screen Darkly" - on CT's front page today!

Through a Screen Darkly is front-page news at Christianity Today right now ... ...and it looks like Rob Moll must have interviewed me somewhere along the way. Sneaky fellow! (Note: You can post comments at the bottom of the interview... and at the bottom of the review as well!) They'

On Movies & Media

The Top Ten Films of 2006, According to Christianity Today

The film critics of Christianity Today Movies have voted. And these are the Cream of the Crop ... the Top 10 Films of 2006. Quite a few critics contributed here, and we all had strikingly different opinions, so it's interesting to see how it all worked out. And hey,

Through a Screen Darkly

From Christianity Today's Review of "Through a Screen Darkly"

So... tonight I learned that Christianity Today reviewed Through a Screen Darkly three weeks ago, and I didn't know about it until today! How did I miss that? Kind of strange, considering I write for them. But, well... wow! Cool! Many thanks to Eric Miller for this generous,

On Movies & Media

"The Nativity Story": Gritty realism? Or sentimental, romantic iconography?

Christianity Today's David Neff, in the new issue: The Nativity StoryThe Passion of the Christ. UPDATE: Here's the link to the whole article, which is, in fact, a very positive review. I posted this excerpt because Neff's point here seems to contrast with others

On Books & Writing

Christianity Today on Wendell Berry

One of my favorite writers, Wendell Berry, is getting some well-deserved attention today from Christianity Today.

On Songs & Albums

Phil Keaggy Speaks the Truth

Here's a revealing interview with Phil Keaggy, where he's saying some of the things about the Christian music industry that I've been saying at Looking Closer for a decade or more. This is just a piece of that article... Keaggy: I don't

On Movies & Media

"The Gospel of Judas" is just an old, stupid heresy...

... and yet, my local newscast jumped on the hype bandwagon tonight, heralding it as "the discovery that is rocking the Christian world." Right. Rocking so quietly as to be almost imperceptible. Rocking so ineffectively that most of the Christian blogs addressing the subject today found the whole affair

On Movies & Media

There He Goes Again: Ted Baehr Slanders Christianity Today On the Air.

Yesterday during the James D. Kennedy Coral Ridge Broadcast, Ted Baehr once again slandered Christianity Today and my colleagues in Christian film criticism. And in the meantime, he either got the facts wrong, or he lied... you decide. From a friend who heard the broadcast: Ted Baehr (who starts the

On Movies & Media

Brokeback Mountain - Reviewed by Christianity Today

Christianity Today Movies has just published a review of Brokeback Mountain. And that's just what it is... A REVIEW. It's not a protest. It's not someone spewing bile about Hollywood's "homosexual agenda." It doesn't include any slurs like

On Movies & Media

I've Got a Golden Ticket to Narnia!

Woo hoo!!! I've just been informed that I have the enormous privilege of covering The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for Christianity Today. And since I'm enormously skeptical about the whole affair, rather than a blindly loyal "Narniac" who's already calling

On Books & Writing

Christianity Today Book Awards 2005

The Christianity Today Book Awards 2005 heap even more praise upon Marilynne Robinson's Gilead. And they also honor Unveiling, a novel by a new friend of mine, Suzanne Wolfe, who I met at the recent Over the Rhine concert at Seattle's Tractor Tavern. Congratulations, Suzanne!

On Songs & Albums

CT on Over the Rhine, the album, the tour, the marriage

Another interview... this time with just Karin ... about saving the marriage, the music, and Over the Rhine.

On Movies & Media

Film Comment Critics Agree with Christianity Today Critics for #1 Movie of 2005

What a strange new world I live in. The critics at Film Comment have voted Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind as the #1 film of 2005. That's the same movie voted #1 by the critics at Christianity Today! In fact, the two groups agree on FIVE of

Interviews

Danny Boyle: The Looking Closer Interview (Feb. 2005)

As Danny Boyle's new film Slumdog Millionaire is cleaning up at this year's various surveys of film critics, perhaps it's a good time to revisit the conversation I enjoyed with Boyle in February 2005 at the release of Millions, which is my favorite of

On Movies & Media

Christianity Today's Readers Pick... Well, Duh....

No surprise here. And, for those who like to play Guess the Oscars, you can compare your picks and preferences with me and my CT colleagues....

On Movies & Media

More Mail for CT's Top 10, and My Visit to an SPU Classroom

A couple of days ago, I posted some of the complaints that have come in to CT Movies about the year-end Top Ten List that they posted. And I replied to those complaints. I also used them as material to enliven my presentation when I guest-taught a class for Dr.

On Movies & Media

Feedback: The good, the bad, and the ugly

CT Movies is getting some feedback on the movies chosen by their critics as the Best of 2004. Here are some examples that editor Mark Moring has posted on the site. I'd encourage you to offer your own thoughts on the list. Send feedback to ctmovies@christianitytoday.com.

On Movies & Media

Christianity Today Movies' Critics Pick the Best of 2004

Man, the CT Movies mailbag is about to fill up. They'd better put on some gloves and masks before they open it. The Cream of the Crop.

On Movies & Media

CT Movies Gets Buried in Pro-F9/11 Mail

I'm already anxious to be done talking about this movie, but this is worthy of note. CT Movies has been swamped by a tidal wave of mail ranting about Peter Chattaway's review of F9/11. Mail like this just proves Michael Moore's claim that

On Movies & Media

Reel News (That Isn't a Typo)

I'm now writing the new movie-news blog at CT, which they've titled Reel News. This mini-blog made its debut today.

On Movies & Media

Now You Can Edit the Violence Out of Movies!

CT Movies posted a point/counterpoint today regarding the new "U-Edit-the-movies" ClearPlay DVD Player, which can be set to filter out cussing, violence, and nudity. There's one article about why it's a good idea. And then there's my article. You may want

On Movies & Media

Sticking Up for Them Cussin' Characters

When I post a review recommending a film that includes harsh language, I almost always hear from somebody somewhere who is aghast that I, a Christian film reviewer, would approve of anything that includes profanity... This week, I get to argue my case at ChristianityTodayMovies.com. Much of my reply