exegesis

reviews and commentary

"And there appeared to them tongues as of fire..." The Acts of the Apostles 2:3

Fire from Heaven

By Scott Carlson | October 10, 2002

Burn, baby, burn. Two new books explore the holiness of flames.

"Ian is baptised," from My Big Fat Greek Wedding

My Big Fat Greek Baptism

By Patton Dodd | September 26, 2002

It’s all Greek to them. Sacraments are just obstacles when a family’s tradition is at stake.

Why I Am Still a Catholic

Keeping it Medieval

By Kathleen Andersen | August 27, 2002

Can Catholics continue to overlook the Church’s crimes and misdemeanors?

Gibson's Reverend Hess: "I will not waste one more minute of my life on prayer!"

Signs of the Father

By Paul W. Morris | August 15, 2002

Has God been reduced to cinematic sleights-of-hand?

Gillian Welch, by James McKelvey, 2001

The Revelator

By Bill Baue | June 24, 2002

Gillian Welch is no holy roller, but she’s not lying when she sings about God.

Shoes

Sex, Shoes, and California Zen

By Philip Ryan | May 2, 2002

Growing pains and hanky panky at the San Francisco Zen Center.

Love Me Do

Love Me Do

By Isaac Lipfert | February 13, 2002

A meditation on love songs and the rhetoric of True Love.

The Ringwraiths

The Lord, and the Rings

By Paul W. Morris | January 12, 2002

Can Hollywood answer the perennial question: Who was Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings?

He's much taller in person.

In Pop We Trust

By Patton Dodd | December 21, 2001

Has Tom Cruise abandoned Scientology for Bob Dylan?

Oblivions

Who Do You Love: The Gospel of Punk

By Isaac Lipfert | June 8, 2001

Never mind the bollocks, here’s the Oblivians, evangelists of the holy party.

"Untitled" by Jeremy Brothers for KtB

Resisting the Invitation

By Sarah Stockton | May 23, 2001

So you’ve asked Christ into your heart… What if he has other plans?

"Morning's Glory," by Heather Longprè

The Unbearable Lightness of Seeking

By Cornel Bonca | April 30, 2001

In Allegra Goodman’s new novel, a hair-to-her-hips camp counselor gets religion, but never really gets it.

Get your Durga Puja greeting cards

Rain from the Ganges

By Josh Valle | March 3, 2001

Fear and enlightenment at a Hindu goddess festival.

Dante, not a cannibal.

Hannibal Lecter’s Harrowing of Hell

By Peter Manseau | February 16, 2001

From the Inferno to Paradise with a cannibal pilgrim.

Jew Like Me

Jew Like Me

By Peter Manseau | January 8, 2001

Undercover in Brooklyn’s mosh pit of piety.

Jesus Gonna Strip You Naked

Jesus Gonna Strip You Naked

By Jeff Sharlet | November 13, 2000

“I had on the hot pants, I said I wuz for sale! But Jesus wasn’t buyin.”