Author Archives: davetcourt

One of the things JD Lyonhart argues in his book MonoThreeism: An Absurdly Arrogant Attempt to Answer All the Problems of the Last 2000 Years in One Night at a Pub, is that every argument that exists between religious and non religious thinkers ultimately is rooted in the same conundrum that frames the idea ofContinue reading “Being and Becoming: Navigating a Necessary Conundrum in the West”

Film Journal 2023: Margrete den første (Margrete: Queen of the North)Directed by Charlotte Sieling Margrete: Queen of the North is made all the richer for the films apparent obscurity. Both the subject matter, which weaves a storied exploration of one of history’s most mysterious and fascinating Queens, and in the films release, which managed toContinue reading “Film Journal 2023: Margrete den første (Margrete: Queen of the North)”

Film Journal 2023: Sound of FreedomDirected by Alejandro Monteverde As a film it was fine. As a faith based film (and yes, in case it’s not clear it certainly qualifies as such) it’s a cut above the normal quality one might expect. Everythings on point when it comes to going straight for the emotions. TheContinue reading “The Sound of Freedom and The Problem of Polarizing Politics”

Film Journal 2023: Insidious: The Red DoorDirected by Patrick Wilson Prior to the release of The Red Door the only film from the franchise I had seen was the first one. So I decided to do a marathon over the last two days, culminating of course with the latest entry. If someone had told meContinue reading “Film Journal 2023: Insidious: The Red Door”

*note the parallel references to Isaiah that tell the fuller story of “faith” in light of the exile and the hoped for messianic expectation. Taken together, verses 37-39 don’t refer to some predetermined election to salvation and damination, belief and unbelief. In both Isaiah and John these words are speaking into a present state ofContinue reading “Isaiah, John and the Hopeful Work of Unbelief”

Checking in at the halfway point to see how things are shaping up for my working list of top films of the year. Best, favorite, I know there is a distinction. But for me those lines get blurred fairly quickly when I’m sitting down and looking through which titles must be represented. Perhaps a betterContinue reading “Top 12 Films at the Halfway Point: Film Journal 2023 (And The Best of the Rest)”

This is two posts in one: Post #1 I know this is a lot verses, but I wanted to outline the flow of the early chapters of Genesis in terms of it being a story about God’s promise. Note how each of the stories is marked by an act that leads to something contrary toContinue reading “The Genesis of Creation, The Problem of Violence, and God’s Revealing Work of Goodness”

Here is a philosophical idea I have been playing with lately. Mostly in response to questions I have been grappling with and which others have posed to me. It has to do with how we measure or lay claim to the value of a life. Or perhaps more specifically, the question of a meaningful life.Continue reading “The Measure of a Life: The Philosophical Quandry of Meaning”

Film Journal 2023: The CovenantDirected by Guy Ritchie It took a little bit for me to wrap my head around Guy Ritchie taking on something this serious and this studied and dark. The first half of this film, which is where it really shines, goes a long ways in proving this marriage can work. ItsContinue reading “Film Journal 2023: The Covenant”

Film Journal 2023: ElementalDirected by Peter Sohn The Good Dinosaur is not among my highest rated Pixar films, but to this day it remains one of my favorites. It trades the typical complexities of Pixars more legendary titles for simple storytelling, drawing out themes not through conceptual designs and intricate storytelling devices but through employjngContinue reading “The Elementals of the Parent-Child Relationship: Finding Fatherhood in Pixar”