Author Archives: awtraughber

Trapped

Just got back from opening night of M Night Shyamalan’s newest movie, Trap.  So it’s a good time to write out some basic principles that guide my Shyamalan viewing. As a storyteller, Shyamalan has more than earned my trust.  Some … Continue reading

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Teasing a Return to Strange New Worlds

Paramount Plus gave us a nice preview of the still-too-far-off third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds at Comic-Con.  It’s a fun showcase of relational dynamics, which is something the show excels at.  True, the clip spoils the season … Continue reading

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Rings in a Month

We’re one month away from the release of the second season of The Rings of Power at Amazon Prime.  Prime released a full trailer this past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con that gives a way a good bit more than … Continue reading

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What Can Already Be Present

At the end of my reflections on Radner’s Mortal Goods, I mentioned that I was pleased that Benedict of Nursia was brought up as an example for faithful living.  Erik Varden recently posted a reflection on Benedict’s life.  Here’s my … Continue reading

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Benedict and Radner

Reflections on Mortal Goods by Ephraim Radner, Part Seven I find two things particularly encouraging as Radner brings the first major section of Mortal Goods to a close.  He has already laid the groundwork for a conversation about “Christian politics” … Continue reading

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Towards a Beautiful, Virtuous Life

Reflections on Mortal Goods by Ephraim Radner, Part Six Much of the first chunk of Ephraim Radner’s Mortal Goods is an attempt to “get the lay of the land.”  God gives us life to live, but the days in which … Continue reading

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Maneuvering Metaphors

Reflections on Mortal Goods by Ephraim Radner, Part Five About a month ago, back with The Lord of the Rings was back in the theater, I posted some thoughts about the place of metaphors (a piece also inspired by something … Continue reading

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Made in the Midbar

Reflections on Mortal Goods by Ephraim Radner, Part Four One of the first “5-minute finds” that we do in our senior-level class involves the ancient concept of eudaemonia, the term the ancient Greeks used for a good or flourishing life. … Continue reading

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Sojourn

Reflections on Mortal Goods by Ephraim Radner, Part Three The third chapter of Ephraim Radner’s Mortal Goods is one that really sings to me.  After getting the lay of the land as a place and time for “evil days,” Radner … Continue reading

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Letters for Evil Days

Reflections on Mortal Goods by Ephraim Radner, Part Two In the last few weeks of my spring course, we use 1 John as our opening Scripture.  The letter allows for a number of call-backs to both the Old Testament and … Continue reading

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