Guest Daniel Nayeri joins Jessica to talk about their shared love for Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes. In the discussion, a theory is posited that as we move towards a more and more visual culture (i.e., graphic novels, prestige television, and YouTube), Calvin & Hobbes marks the ascendancy of that visual medium and the decline of the traditiona…

Alan Paton's novel is widely regarded as a source of hope and endurance amid pain and significant suffering. As The Scandal of Reading continues season 3's theme about the Fruits of the Spirit, Claude Atcho interviews author S.D. Smith, who arrived in South Africa when Mandela was released from prison and left when he became president. S.D. Smith s…

The search — what is it and why does it matter? Claude and Austin tackle this important theme from Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer Whether you are reading along with us or simply want to know more about this important novel, join us as journey through this novel. Be sure to check out our Lit Pulpit Facebook group where you can ask questions and share …

To start this new season of Lit Pulpit, Claude and Austin recap lessons from James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain, look back at important themes in the novel, discuss and interpret John’s conversion experience, and announce the next book for Lit Pulpit. About the Host Claude Atcho: Claude is the Vicar (Planting Pastor) for the Charlottesville…

This week's Fruit of the Spirit is Love. This week's guest author is medievalist, Grace Hamman. The two discuss the work of Jesus through Medieval Eyes by Julian of Norwich. Revelations of Divine Love, by Julian of Norwich Jesus through Medieval Eyes, by Grace Hamman Information on the Host: Jessica Hooten Wilson is a Senior Fellow at Trinity Forum…

The Fruits of the Spirit theme continues for Season 3 with acclaimed author Phillip Yancey. Together host Jennifer, the duo discuss the devotionals of John Donne (1571 - 1631 A.D.), a cleric in the Church of England and the exhibited virtue of patience. Where the Light Fell: A Memoir by Phillip Yancey Information on the Host: Jessica Hooten Wilson …

Shemiah Gonzales talks with Jessica to kick off Season 3 of The Scandal of Reading to discuss the edited collection of Joy: 100 Poems. Shemiah is working on her own book called, Undaunted Joy and the pair discuss the constant debate on how to define "joy" that eludes the academic and the lay person. Joy: 100 Poems, edited by Christian Wiman Informa…

After 400 episodes, we've reached the end. But before we go, Kevin and Sarah have a conversation about their ethos of faithful movie criticism, bringing the podcast full circle to a conversation Kevin and Wade had with Josh Larsen (Think Christian, Filmspotting, Fear Not!) in the earliest days of the podcast. This is our final weekly podcast episod…

Kevin and Sarah retire to the drawing room, where they'll be getting to the bottom of the mystery of both this week's movies. First up is Kenneth Branagh's A Haunting in Venice, Kenneth Branagh's third installment playing and directing a Hercule Poirot mystery. For the Watchlist, Kevin chooses Robert Altman's 2001 murder mystery of manners, Gosford…

This week, Sarah and Kevin review Bottoms, the latest from director Emma Seligman about a pair of high school seniors (Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri) who start a fight club to try to impress girls. For the Watchlist, Sarah introduces Kevin to Howard Hawks's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. We're launching a Seeing and Believing Substack! Subscribe HERE!.…

Kevin and Sarah catch up with an indie movie they missed earlier this spring, Laurel Parmet's The Starling Girl. For the Watchlist, Kevin introduces Sarah to Guillermo Del Toro's 2001 ghost story The Devil's Backbone. We're launching a Seeing and Believing Substack! Subscribe Here! Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email at see…

Sarah and Kevin explore a dystopian sci-fi story in the form of Landscape with Invisible Hand, the latest movie from Cory Finley adapted from an M.T. Anderson novel of the same name, about a pair of teens who live under a vaguely benevolent alien occupation that's drained the planet of its jobs and resources. For the Watchlist, Sarah and Kevin talk…

Sarah and Kevin vs. Dracula...on a boat. This week, they review The Last Voyage of the Demeter, an adaptation of a chapter from Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. For the Watchlist, Kevin continues the theme of "danger on a boat" with his choice of Wolfgang Petersen's 1981 film Das Boot. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email at see…

Kevin and Sarah dive into the sewers with the titular teens from the new animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Then, Sarah and Kevin enter the magical world of Miyazaki's 2004 film Howl's Moving Castle. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email at [email protected] Follow us on Twitter @SeeBelievePO…

Mad science is afoot in this week's double feature. First up, Sarah and Kevin get to the bottom of the new Netflix mystery/comedy/science fiction thriller They Cloned Tyrone, starring John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx as a trio investigating strange goings-on in their neighborhood. For the Watchlist, Kevin introduces Sarah to one of his f…

The heat of summer is here. Kevin and Sarah brave forest fires as they review Christian Petzold's latest movie Afire, about a writer who can't seem to finish his latest manuscript while on vacation. Then, they take on a listener Patreon pick by reviewing the 2022 Irish Best International Feature Oscar nominee, The Quiet Girl. Have thoughts about th…

Barbenheimer is upon us. Sarah and Kevin review two new releases this week: Christopher Nolan's biopic about the father of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer, followed by Greta Gerwig's romp about a Barbie having an existential crisis. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email at [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter @…

Sarah and Kevin's mission, which they chose to accept, is to review the latest entry in the Mission: Impossible series. Will Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie pull it off once again? For the Watchlist, Kevin and Sarah square off over differing interpretations of Satoshi Kon's dreamlike movie Paprika. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? S…

Kevin and Sarah don their adventuring gear and go exploring with Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny...but does this franchise belong in a museum? For the Watchlist, Sarah and Kevin discuss Peter Bogdanovich's 1971 film The Last Picture Show. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email at seeingandbelievingcapc@g…

Alien-invasion movies are perfect for exploring the question of who humanity is when they're at their worst. First up, Kevin and Sarah review Wes Anderson's latest movie Asteroid City, which juxtaposes lonely humans against an even lonelier universe as they try to make a connection with the unknown. For the Watchlist, Kevin introduces Sarah to the …

This week, we review a pair of movies about coming of age and learning to live with yourself. Pixar specializes in stories that revolve around this topic, so naturally Kevin and Sarah were interested to examine their latest release, Elemental, to see if it holds up against the rest of Pixar's offerning. Then, Sarah introduces Kevin to Kelly Fremon …

Kevin and Sarah take on horror-adjacent movies in two different flavors this week. First up, they review The Blackening, a comedy that aims to puncture common tropes about Black characters in horror movies. Then, Kevin picks Jeremy Saulnier's much more serious film Green Room, about a punk band fighting for their lives, for the Watchlist segment. H…

It's spring, and romance is in the air. Sarah and Kevin each fall for Celine Song's debut feature Past Lives, about two childhood sweethearts reconnecting decades later. For the Watchlist segment, Sarah introduces Kevin to the Merchant/Ivory adaptation of Edith Wharton's A Room with a View. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an ema…

Kevin and Sarah are both fans of the surprise 2018 movie introducing Miles Morales, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It's been five years, and we've been waiting to see if the new sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse can live up to the promise of the original. Then, Kevin and Sarah take on Paul Verhoeven's satire, RoboCop. Have thoughts abo…

Kevin's a fan of the first two movies in Paul Schrader's unofficial "Men with Guilt" trilogy. Sarah's a little less enamored of those movies overall. Will the two be able to agree on the third film in Schrader's trilogy, Master Gardener? Then, Sarah introduces Kevin to Elaine May's work via her Watchlist pick, Mikey and Nicky. Have thoughts about t…

In this bonus episode, Sarah and Kevin review Kelly Reichardt's latest movie, Showing Up, in which Michelle Williams plays an artist trying to hold it together as she prepares for a show. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email! Follow us on Twitter @SeeBelievePOD Follow us on Letterboxd Support the Seeing & Believing Patre Lea…

Sarah is watching Aliens in the Big Apple so Kevin and special guest Chris Williams cover the 10th entry in the The Fast and the Furious saga, Fast X. After the high octane review the pair return to 1947 for the watch list segment to discuss Jacques Tourneur's film noir classic, Out of the Past. All this, plus listener feedback in episode 382. Lear…

In Episode 5, Claude and Austin continue the discussion of “Gabriel’s Prayer” in James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain. In this discussion they explore the concept and practice of forgiveness and how Gabriel's domineering and toxic character is influenced by forgiveness. Whether you are reading along with us or simply want to know more about t…

Sarah and Kevin dive back in to the MCU with their review of James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Is it a worthy capper to the trilogy? Then, they take on another colorful dystopia, this time in the form of Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 anime film Akira. Tickets for Sarah's screening of Aliens at the IFC Center in New York City Have thoughts about…

In Episode 4, Claude and Austin discuss religious power, toxic faith, and the complications of conversion by looking at “Gabriel’s Prayer” in James Baldwin’s Go Tell in on the Mountain. Whether you are reading along with us or simply want to know more about this important novel, join us as we journey through this novel. Be sure to check out our Lit…

Kevin and Sarah clash over Nida Manzoor's action/heist/drama mash-up Polite Society! When the dust settles, they take the time to explore societal clashes of a different flavor with the 1936 romantic comedy My Man Godfrey, starring William Powell and Carole Lombard. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email! Follow us on Twitter …

Cornelius "Neal" Plantinga Jr. joins Austin to discuss one of the most celebrated novels in American history, The Grapes of Wrath. The pair discuss the ability of John Steinbeck's novel to comment on systemic corruption and evil in the American dream during the Great Depression of the 1930's. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck The Scandal of Rea…

Kevin and Sarah never read Judy Blume's beloved 1970 book Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret when they were kids. Now that they've had the opportunity to catch up with the story via Kelly Fremon Craig's adaptation, was it worth the wait? Then, Sarah introduces Kevin to Agnes Varda's beloved film, Cléo from 5 to 7. Have thoughts about the movies w…

This week, Sarah and Kevin review Ari Aster's newest film, Beau Is Afraid, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Then, Kevin and Sarah discuss Henry Selick's masterpiece Coraline. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email! Follow us on Twitter @SeeBelievePOD Follow us on Letterboxd Support the Seeing & Believing Patreon Learn more about your…

Alan Noble joins Jessica to discuss the 20th century Elliot's process of looking back into his tradition as the means of of writing poetry. The pair focus on The Four Quartets with an emphasis on the final of the four poems, Little Gidding while setting the stage of T.S. Elliot's life and situation during the writing of what is considered by many, …

Kevin and Sarah sink their teeth into a pair of vampire movies. First up is Renfield, which is loosely based on characters from Bram Stoker's Dracula, and which features Nicolas Cage as the vampire. Then, Sarah introduces Kevin to one of her favorite movies, Kathryn Bigelow's 1987 vampire/Western film Near Dark. Have thoughts about the movies we re…

Associate Professor of Sociology Angel Adams Parham joins Claude to provide historical context to the life of poet Phillis Wheatley. The pair take a fresh look at Wheatley's most influential work, On Being Brought from Africa to America and discuss why a widely held perception of the poem's meaning may not be as accurate when put into the context o…

Kevin and Sarah take the opportunity to let their nerd flags fly as they review Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. They continue the swordplay with their Watchlist pick, the 1998 film The Mask of Zorro. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email! Follow us on Twitter @SeeBelievePOD Follow us on Letterboxd Support the Seein…

In Episode 3, Claude and Austin discuss Part 2 “Florence’s Prayer” and the way that time functions in Baldwin’s novel, drawing out the intergenerational dynamics that move people towards or away from God’s grace. Whether you are reading along with us or simply want to know more about this important novel, join us as journey through this novel. Be s…

Do video games count as good art? That's what Kevin and Sarah want to know as they reviewTetris, a dramatization of the efforts to purchase the rights to distribute the game of the same name. Then, they review a Patreon pick, the Oscar-winning 1984 film Amadeus. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an email! Follow us on Twitter @See…

Mary W. McCampbell joins the show to talk about Graham Greene's novel, The Power and the Glory. Themes discussed by Jessica and Mary in the show revolve around the "Whiskey" priest's overt sinfulness as well as the gifting to be able to see the wretchedness of other human beings with the ability to love them. Books Referenced: The Power and the Glo…

Sarah and returning guest Abby Olcese find themselves reviewing not one but two adrenaline-soaked action movies this week. First, they take on John Wick: Chapter 4, the latest in the action/revenge franchise starring Keanu Reeves as a lone assassin against the rest of the world. For the Watchlist segment, Abby and Sarah discuss Walter Hill's 1979 f…

Writer, Author, and ThD student Kaitlyn Schiess joins Jessica to talk about their love for Dorothy L. Sayers' Zeal of Thy House and her works on human flourishing. Topics the duo discuss within Sayers works include how we relate to our vocations with the labels of "Christian" applied to a brand, the dignity of vocation that is not expressly "minist…

In this bonus episode, Sarah and Kevin sit down with Chris Staron of Truce Podcast to discuss Inherit the Wind, a 1960 drama about the Scopes Monkey Trial. This episode is part of the Truce Podcast's ongoing series about Christian fundamentalism. Click to find out more about the Truce Podcast Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send us an e…

Sarah and Kevin find themselves in survival situations this week. First up is the new movie 65, starring Adam Driver as a space traveler who crash lands on Earth...in the time of dinosaurs. For the Watchlist segment, Kevin introduces Sarah to Robert Redford's solo outing as a desperate, resourceful sailor in the 2013 film All Is Lost. Kevin and Sar…

Claude and Austin discuss their impressions of the Baldwin’s cast of characters and the critical importance of setting–the world, the church, and streets–in the opening sections of the novel. Is Baldwin’s depiction of a toxic Christianity a fatal critique of the faith or a critical gesture toward true religion? How does place and setting factor int…

Kevin and Sarah spend this week contending with morality and the heavy questions of faith...which, to be honest, they do every week, but this time both movies they're reviewing are explicitly about religion. First up, they journey to the heart of Iceland in Hlynur Pálmason's new film Godland. For the Watchlist segment, Sarah and Kevin have a conver…

On this special episode, co-host Claude Atcho turns the tables and interviews Jessica Hooten Wilson regarding her forthcoming book, Reading for the Love of God. Jessica recounts her love and unique way of consuming literature in her formative years while she was attending college for theology and literature and how the two disciplines influenced ho…

Kevin and Sarah strap on their boxing gloves and go a few rounds with the latest Rocky sequel, Creed III. For the Watchlist segment, Kevin and Sarah discuss one of Kevin's favorite movies, Raging Bull, and the ways that it demonstrates Martin Scorsese's ability to make sophisticated religious films. Have thoughts about the movies we reviewed? Send …

D.L. Mayfield joins host Jessica Hooten Wilson to discuss the life and writings of the self proclaimed anarchist writer and social worker who renounced material possessions to live a life of a pacifist activist for the poor along with her opposition to capitalism and communism. Books Referenced: Unruly Saint: Dorothy Day’s Radical Vision and its Ch…