Resources by Joseph W. Smith III

Think About These Things: Five Christian Questions on Art

Do you sometimes leave a movie feeling totally bowled over—only to find that the next day you can’t quite explain why you thought it was so great? Have you ever dragged friends and family to a film you loved, and then suddenly realized with horror that it wasn’t appropriate or worthwhile? If so, then you’ve […]

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Saturday, 01 September, 2018 by Joseph W. Smith III
Hail, Symbolism! Spiritual Themes in the Coen Brothers’ Latest Film

Despite strong reviews and an impressive cast, Hail, Caesar!—the latest film from Joel and Ethan Coen (Fargo, True Grit, No Country for Old Men)—made only $30 million at the box office and hasn’t really scored with viewers. This is a shame, since it’s one of last year’s most fascinating films, particularly from a Christian standpoint. […]

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Wednesday, 01 November, 2017 by Joseph W. Smith III

Popular Posts

The Meaning of “God”

Jan 22, 2021

Modernity, Pluralism, and Doubt Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of Charles Taylor’s monumental A Secular Age was the simple observation that modern believers and unbelievers experience the world in much the same way. Whether raised by a homeschooling family who taught you to be a six-day creationist, or the child of an irreligious couple in San […]
Unhappily Married or Happily Divorced? The False Dilemma

Jan 25, 2021

Whatever we believe the Scriptures say about legitimate grounds for divorce, the assumption that marital dissolution should not be common among those who claim to follow Christ and Biblical teaching is reasonable. The pertinent passages recognized in the New Testament at most allow for divorce and remarriage only for egregious violations of the marital covenant […]
Biblical Nonconformity

Feb 19, 2021

Nonconformity is all the rage. Our culture applauds rebellion against social norms and encourages boldly standing apart. Sometimes this nonconformity is minor. It looks like fuchsia hair, living in a tiny house, eating only fruit and veggies. Other times nonconformity is something more extreme. The most immediate example is gender nonconformity. Biologically sexed males and […]
The Model for Christian Manhood: Introduction

Jun 16, 2021

When I used to lead women’s ministry at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, I helped organize our yearly Women’s Retreats. The men, however, never had Men’s Retreats. They had Men’s Advances. Retreats, as they saw it, were for sissies. Nevermind that the larger church adopted the concept of retreat from Jesus’s example in the Gospels. […]

Think About These Things: Five Christian Questions on Art

Hail, Symbolism! Spiritual Themes in the Coen Brothers’ Latest Film