Theology and the Arts
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Religion-building in Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse
Authors of fantasy novels face a challenging task called “world-building.” This means that they have to create the worlds they write about entirely from the ground up. When their narratives dive into magical dimensions, they have to further create what is referred to as a “magic system” to describe to the readers how the magic is sourced and used. Another interesting puzzle piece that often connects world-building and magical systems in fantasy writing is what one might call “religion-building.” This means that the author has to imagine and create one or more religious traditions through their narratives. While the grounding background behind these novels is rooted in fantasy—not reality—diving into…
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Lessons from Greek Myths
I recently tried counting the number of novels I have read that centre their tales on retelling ancient Greek mythology. I reached over twenty-five, if my bookshelf and memory serve me, with my most recent completion being Hera by Jennifer Saint. Some of my favourite authors in this particular genre include Madeline Miller, Jennifer Saint, and Natalie Haynes. These authors have caught my particular attention because they celebrate their characters with rich complexity and help us see ourselves, their faithful readers, within the ancient heroes and villains alike. Others may disagree, but my record is fairly impressive. Given my experience, I might label myself as someone who is “in the…
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The Saintesses of Manga and Anime
If you happen to stroll through the manga section at a nearby Barnes and Noble or scroll through the anime options on CrunchyRoll, you will likely come across more than one tempting option that features a beautiful saint as the leading heroine living in a fantasy world and falling in love with a dashing duke. I have been an avid anime fan for about four years now, and I have frequented the manga section of my local bookstores more than once, I must admit. I’ve even downloaded the sensational app called Webtoon for a wider range of content (hint: if you like “Hell’s Paradise,” “Tower of God,” or “Solo Levelling,”…
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Insights on Catholic Art through a child’s perspective
Art has held a distinct role in the history and practices of Catholic tradition for centuries. It aids practitioners in feeling a sense of wonder and awe or even a connection to the divine in the world’s best known cathedrals, through the masterful carvings of the marble statues, the delicate designs of the stained glass, or the meticulously detailed paintings covering the walls and ceilings. Catholic art can also be found in local settings, like schools, monasteries, and churches and chapels. Given the popularity and impact of the many works that have been created across history, it is no surprise that religious art has even found its way into the…
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Something must be done, my friend: Reflecting on “I’m Still Here” from a Buddhist view
Mas não vou ficar calado No conforto, acomodado Como tantos por aí É preciso dar um jeito, meu amigo É preciso dar um jeito, meu amigo[1] (Erasmo Carlos – É preciso dar um jeito, meu amigo) Flowing through my mind, these are the words of Erasmo Carlos’ 1971 song “É preciso dar um jeito, meu amigo.”[2] This song is also part of the “I’m Still Here” soundtrack—a Brazilian masterpiece that evokes resistance against military coups and authoritarian regimes. MPB (Música popular brasileira, or Brazilian popular music in English) was an incredible driving force not only in denouncing the horrors of the military dictatorship in Brazil, but also in giving hope…
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Can an avatar be created bad?
This is a question I was recently asked following a presentation on metaverse avatars at a digital conference. It is an interesting concept whether an avatar could be intrinsically evil, but it could depend on the understanding of the avatar concept. Definitions include – In the metaverse an avatar is a representation of the person wearing the headset or operating the computer, but how does an avatar become bad when they are just an image of an individual? Is it similar to films, where the actor plays a role? In films like RoboCop, Star Trek or Star Wars, the machines have turned against their creators and become ‘bad.’ However, is…
