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31 Oct 2023 The Crucible (1996) Just the Hosts TRANSCRIPT It's the first years of the Cold War. Fascism has been defeated abroad but a new Red enemy is emerging and the US government is stoking fear among it's citizenry. Neighbour is turning on neighbour; friend on friend; paranoia is spreading. What do YOU do? Playwright Arthur Miller looked to a similar event in American pre-history to produce The Crucible (1953) . Set in 1692, Salem, Massachusetts, the play (and 1996 film adaptation ) explores a witch-hunt that consumed the community. Accusations of witchcraft and consorting with the devil abound, scores are settled, lives ruined. Behind it all, Miller issues a clarion call against McCarthyism, and witch-hunts more broadly. Join the hosts, Joe and Katie, for this two-part discussion of the background to this chilling story, in our Halloween 2023 specia l. Glossary: McCarthyism - An approach to rooting out communism from the United States government, and eventually, from wider American society. It swept the country in the 1950s. Named for Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957), a chief instigator in the hunt for hidden communists and chair of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, McCarthyism , has become synonymous with political witch-hunts. For more information, check out this short video by American Historian Ellen Schrecker: What is McCarthyism? And Why Did it Happen? Red Scare - Paranoia about a growing number of domestic communists threatening national security and social stability. The fear of covert communists manipulating public opinion focused on some industries more than others: Hollywood, universities and public education, labour unions, and the arts. Witch Hunt - The searching out and persecution of people accused of witchcraft. Used colloquially to refer to a similar search for and persecution of people thought to hold subversive or unpopular views. “In times of uncertainty and upheaval witchcraft accusations would increase, and so there were often more witchcraft accusations during times of war and famine. General fears of witchcraft within society could also feed into specific accusations that originated within local community so that somebody disliked by their neighbours might be more vulnerable to being accused.” https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/early-modern-witch-trials/ Halloween - A festival associated with chocolate, pumpkins, and costumes (or, fancy dress). But also with darkness, the dead, and general spookiness. There are many various names for similar festivals observed in different cultures around the world, with roots in Celtic practices, Catholic traditions, and perhaps a little devilry. Learn more about the origins of Halloween and it's connection to Christianity: https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/halloween_1.shtml ; https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/10/the-origins-of-halloween-traditions/ Episode Credits: We don't have a guest join ing us for this episode, but y ou can find the hosts on Bluesky @DrKatieTurner and @JosephScales Citations: Arthur Miller, "Why I Wrote The Crucible " , The New Yorker (21 Oct 1996), pp. 158-164. Arthur Miller, "Are You Now Or Were You Ever? " The Guardian/The Observer (Saturday, June 17, 2000). Gerald Weales, ed. Arthur Miller: The Crucible: Text and Criticism . New York: Viking, 1971. On Senator Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism: A short bio with hyperlinks to learn more is available at Senate.Gov ; The Eisenhower Library has collated many primary sources on McCarthyism / The "Red Scare" ; Journalist Larry Tye provides a comprehensive discussion on Sen. McCarthy's history of antisemitism in his article "When Senator Joe McCarthy defended Nazis "; Tye also authored the book, Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Joe McCarthy ; You can also check out this short video on McCarthy's downfall , or PBS's excellent documentary on McCarthy for American Experience. Louis Menand, "Joseph McCarthy and the Force of Political Falsehoods ", The New Yorker (27 July 2020). On McCarthyism and the Jewish Experience: A couple short articles on Jewish Radicalism and the Red Scare for the Jewish Women's Archive, and on The Jews of the Blacklist for the Jewish Book Council; In Witch-Hunt in Hollywood Michael Freedland argues that McCarthy's attack on Hollywood is best view through the lens of Antisemitism; Joseph Litvak's book, The Un-Americans: Jews, The Blacklist, and Stoolpigeon Culture examines those Jewish American who cooperated (it is Open Access). On McCarthyism and the Black Experience: Amistad Digital Resource (Columbia University) provides a good overview with a few links to primary sources; PBS produced a documentary on The Black Press which includes discussion on the McCarthy era (there is also supplementary information online HERE and HERE ); You can read about Jackie Robinson's testimony before the HUAC in a short article for Time magazine , or read some of his testimony itself at The Digital Public Library of America ; finally, do listen to the Paul Robeson episode of You're Dead to Me with Prof Shana L Redmond, it's excellent! Transcript Coming Soon

Welcome to Gods & Moviemakers, a podcast series that explores the intersection between religion and film, with Katie Turner and Joe Scales. Gods & Moviemakers A PODCAST ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE ON FILM LISTEN WATCH AVAILABLE ON APPLE SPOTIFY ACAST GOOGLE Follow Us @GodMovPod Follow Us on Twitter and Instagram @GodMovPod Like what you've heard? Support us with a Donation

30 Mar 2023 The Green Knight (2021) Just the Hosts TRANSCRIPT The Green Knight (2021) is a surreal retelling of the 14th century poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight . Directed by David Lowery, the film departs from its source material to present a compelling account of a man's mission to become a knight, live up to a legend, and face his own mortality. The King Arthur legend is a fitting end to our season of Chosen Ones - a king who was destined to rule the Britons, fighting the invading Saxons and whom, it is said, will one day return to once again save his people. Yet in this film, we are shown the cost of living up to one's own legend, the ways in which stories are weaved around protagonists, and what being chosen may ultimately mean. Join us as we wrap up Season One of Gods & Moviemakers. We talk about Arthurian legends, representing the past on screen, religion and magic, and of course, chosen ones. Be sure to look out for future releases and announcements concerning holiday tie-in episodes and Season Two, coming late 2023. Episode Credits: We don't have a guest joining us for this episode, but we'd like to thank our listeners for a great first season. You can find the hosts on Twitter @DrKatieTurner and @JosephDScales Citations: Read the full poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight at the Robbins Library . You can also find out more about the manuscript at the British Library . If you're interested in learning about Britain's multiracial past, we highly recommend David Olusoga's Black & British . Check out the book or the documentary series . You may also want to explore: Warwick University Classic Network's overview on "The Evidence for Diversity in Roman Britain "; This amazing reading list on race in medieval Britain; This summary of recent genetics research demonstrating diversity in medieval London; and, the Robbins Library's overview on Sir Palamedes , the Saracen knight of the round table. E. Archibald & A. Putter (Eds), The Cambridge Companion to the Arthurian Legend . (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009). Constance Grady, "The magic, sex, and violence of the 14th-century poem behind The Green Knight. " Vox.com (29 July 2021) Delve into an amazing comparison of The Green Knight with The Last Temptation of Christ: Alissa Wilkinson, "The Green Knight is glorious and a little baffling. Let’s untangle it ." Vox.com (30 July 2021). And make sure to check out our episode on The Last Temptation with Matt Page. For an overview of the Green Man (and its association with "foliate heads"), see: "Green Man " in Simpson, J., & Roud, S. (Eds.), A Dictionary of English Folklore .( Oxford: Oxford University Press). Costume designer, Malgosia Turzanska, provides insight into the decisions behind her beautiful costumes in This Interview with Vogue. Representing the medieval world on film: Salih, Sarah. "Cinematic Authenticity-effects and Medieval Art: A Paradox." in Medieval Film . ed A Bernau & B Bildhauer. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2009). pp. 20 - 39. Religion and Magic: Corinne Saunders has published specifically on religion and magic in Arthurian legend in The Cambridge Companion to the Arthurian Legend . You may also be interested in her book, Magic and the Supernatural in Medieval English Romance . Friend of the show, Andrew Mark Henry , has produced a number of videos on religion & magic for Religion for Breakfast . Read about Merlin the Magician over at the British Library. Finally, you can hear more from Joe about the Witch of Endor in his article, "Uncovering the Dead; Dethroning the King " (co-authored with Ellena Lyell). Transcript Coming Soon

22 Feb 2023 Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) Featuring Dr Piyawit Moonkham TRANSCRIPT When Raya and the Last Dragon premiered in 2021, it gave us Disney’s first South-East Asian princess, and joined a small minority of Western films centring South-East Asian people, culture and society. News of the film, therefore, drew a lot of excitement from SE Asian people (and those with SE Asian heritage) looking for representation in Western media. The film’s reception was more mixed however, with many feeling it just didn’t get things quite right. In this episode, we’re joined by doctoral candidate, Piyawit Moonkham, to talk about Raya and SE Asian representation, specifically, that of the Naga , a semi-divine serpent found in Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain traditions. Join us as Piyawit explains how Naga differ from Western and East Asian dragons, where the Naga myth came from and how it functions in SE Asian belief systems, and how Raya represented this important part of SE Asian culture. Glossary: Heterarchy - A power structure that exists outside or adjacent to established power structures within societies, or within organised groups, in which authority is distributed rather than centralized around one individual / group. ("Power" as broadly understood relating to status, influence or responsibilities) Mythscape - The way in which people understand their surrounding landscape through myth. Episode Credits: Many thanks to Piyawit Moonkham for his time and expertise. Piyawit is a Ph.D. Candidate (ABD)* in Archaeological Anthropology at Washington State University. His research focuses on human use of social space, built environment, and natural landscape through a diachronic investigation of spatial patterns of historical monuments, myths, and local folklores in Northern Thailand and Mainland Southeast Asia. His article “Ethnohistorical Archaeology and the Mythscape of the Naga in Chiang Saen Basin, Thailand” was published last year in Trans-Regional and -National Studies of South East Asia. You can find Piyawit on Twitter @JiwMoonkham *Since recording with us, Piyawit has successfully defended his PhD. Many congrats to Dr Moonkham! Additional Content: Enjoyed what you heard and looking for more? Don't miss our Bonus Chat with Piyawit , where we talk about teaching anthropology with film. Citations: Coming Soon Transcript Coming Soon

1 Feb 2023 Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) Featuring Dr Andrew Mark Henry TRANSCRIPT At first glance, Star Wars appears to be a fictional world built with religion and religious ethos: The Jedi live an ascetic lifestyle (much like Jesus, the Qumran community, Buddhist monks, and other religious orders), they dress kind of like Franciscan monks, they have a temple to gather in, they are guided by prophecy, and await deliverance to a better era by a "chosen one" figure; and let's not forget, Anakin Skywalker is literally the product of a virgin birth. Yet, probe a little deeper and you find most of that world building is only surface-level, falling apart under scrutiny. In this episode, join us as we ask Dr Andrew Mark Henry, What, if anything, does Star Wars have to offer those of us interested in religion? And how could George Lucas have created a better realized narrative? Our conversation focuses on the third installment in the Star Wars saga, Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) - the only film of our season with a failed "chosen one". Glossary: Asceticism - A pra c tice of austere self-discipline, and abstention from certain behaviours and material comforts. Asce ticism can be seen in many religious traditions (practised, for example, by members of Christian monastic orders, within Islamic mysticism, in Jainism, and in some types of Buddhism). However, the specifics of the practic e differ according to the religious group, including which worldly comforts are avoided. Ascetic - One who practises self-discipline, austerity, and abstinence; sometimes, mortification of the body. From the Greek askētēs , meaning "monk". Canon - From the Greek, kanōn , meaning "measuring rod" or "standard". Can refer to a corpus of approved writings (or other works), comprising either (i) writings genuinely considered to be those of a given author; or (ii) writings traditionally considered to demonstrative of a particular genre, culture, nation, language, or set of beliefs. Canon can also refer to: a principle (or, ethics); an ecclesiastical law; an official list of saints; or, a cathedral dignitary. The Christian Bible is considered canon therefore, because it is a collection of texts recognized by an authoritative body (religious leaders) to be genuine or authoritative. However, just as there is no one set of religious leaders in Christianity, there is no one Bible either: The Anglican, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, and Assyrian churches, for example, each have their own canons. For this same reason, the Jewish canon, the Tanakh , differs (in the selection of texts and/or how they are ordered) from Christian Old Testaments. Though the concept of canonicity comes mainly from Christianity, many religious traditions have a set of texts or books given a special authority within that tradition. Deuterocanon - The texts and writings included in the Old Testament canon by the the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, and Assyrian churches, but not included in Protestant canon. Nag Hammadi Library - A set of early Christian and Gnostic texts dating to the 3rd and 4th centuries. Buried in a sealed jar, the library was discovered in the upper Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi in 1945. Gnostic - One who possesses special knowledge of spiritual truth (good and evil) and of the illusory nature of the world, or gnosis . Episode Credits: Many thanks to Dr Andrew Mark Henry for his time and expertise. Andrew is a scholar of early Christianity with a research focus on late Roman magical practices and demonology. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Mind and Culture, a non-profit research centre in Boston, MA. Andrew also manages Religion for Breakfast , a hugely popular YouTube channel dedicated to online religious literacy education. You can find Andrew on Twitter @AndrewMarkHenry Additional Content: Enjoyed what you heard and looking for more? Don't miss our Bonus Chat with Andrew , where we talk about teaching religion with film and the process behind Religion for Breakfast . Citations: Andrew has produced a few videos on Star Wars & religion for Religion for Breakfast , including: How Star Wars Explains New Testament Canon , Star Wars Fan Fiction Explains Early Christian Apocrypha , and Is Jediism a Religion? Vincent A. Olea. "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith ," Journal of Religion & Film: Vol. 9: Iss. 2, Article 14 (2005). John C. Lyden. “Whose Film Is It, Anyway? Canonicity and Authority in ‘Star Wars’ Fandom .” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 80, no. 3 (2012): 775–86. Kevin J Wetmore, The Empire Triumphant: Race, Religion and Rebellion in the 'Star Wars' Films (McFarland & Co, 2005). Kevin J Wetmore, "The Tao of ‘Star Wars’, Or, Cultural Appropriation in a Galaxy Far, Far Away ." Studies in Popular Culture 23, no. 1 (2000): 91–106. Lee Clarke, The Buddhist and Taoist Influences that Underpin the Star Wars Universe . The Conversation (Dec 2002 ) Adam Possamai . "Gramsci, Jediism, The Standardization of Popular Religion and the State ." In Religion and the State: A Comparative Sociology , eds. Adam Possamai, Jack Barbalet, and Bryan S. Turner (Anthem Press, 2011). James L. Papandrea, From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films . (Sophia Institute Press, 2017). - Chapter 3 for Papendrea's discussion of Star Wars Michael Jindra. “Star Trek Fandom as a Religious Phenomenon .” Sociology of Religion 55, no. 1 (1994): 27–51. Sean Guynes and Dan Hassler-Forest, eds. Star Wars and the History of Transmedia Storytelling . Amsterdam University Press, 2018. OPEN ACCESS. Michael B. Charles. “Remembering and Restoring the Republic: ‘Star Wars’ and Rome .” The Classical World 108, no. 2 (2015): 281–98. John S. Schultes. "Any Gods Out There? Perceptions of Religion from Star Wars and Star Trek ," Journal of Religion & Film : Vol. 7: Iss. 2, Article 3 (2003). Timo Tekoniemi. "Editorial In(ter)ventions: Comparing the Editorial Processes of the Hebrew Bible and the Star Wars Saga ," Journal of Religion & Film : Vol. 22: Iss. 1, Article 37 (2018). Transcript Coming Soon

25 Jan 2023 The Matrix (1999) Featuring Dr King-Ho Leung TRANSCRIPT When The Matrix debuted in 1999, audiences were delighted by its use of Hong-Kong style fight choreography (rooted in wuxia and involving mixed martial arts performed, in part, by suspending actors on wires) combined with a new cinematographic style, later known as "Bullet Time". Hollywood was forever changed. But the film was far more than a visual spectacle. Filmmakers, Lana and Lilly Wachowski, produced an action film that was also deeply intellectual, playing with allegory, religion, and philosophy in new ways. In so doing, it prompts age old questions on the nature of reality, and what it means to be masters of our own fate. In this episode, Dr King-Ho Leung breaks down some of the richer metaphors in the film, discusses the protagonist, Neo, as a 'Chosen One' who chooses to be chosen, and demonstrates how The Matrix can illuminate classical philosophical and theological ideas, including: Plato's Allegory of the Cave , René Descartes's theories on the nature of being, and Karl Barth's understanding of Christ. Glossary: Metaphysics - The philosophical study of the nature of being, including what it is to exist . Epistemology - The philosophical study of the nature of knowledge, including the difference between belief and opinion. Doctrine of Election - Being divinely chosen as God's own (either as an individual or as a group). Christology - Literally, 'the study of Christ'. A branch of Christian theology exploring the nature of Jesus as Christ . This is different than studying Jesus as a historical figure. Fallen World - Relating to the Christian concept of "the fall", in which all humanity are believed to live with sin due to Adam and Eve's transgression in the Garden of Eden, when they ate the fruit of the tree. Episode Credits: Many thanks to Dr King-Ho Leung for his time and expertise. King-Ho is Senior Research Fellow at St. Mary’s College, the University of St. Andrews. He was previously Lecturer in Philosophy and Theology at the University of Chester. His work has been published in journals including Philosophy, Modern Theology, Studies in Christian Ethics, and Theory, Culture & Society. He is currently completing a book on the understanding of philosophy as a spiritual practice and its relation to contemporary conceptions of secularity. You can find King-Ho on Twitter @kingholeung . Citations: King-Ho Leung, Uploading Our Souls Online , TedX James L. Ford, "Buddhism, Christianity, and The Matrix: The Dialectic of Myth-Making in Contemporary Cinema ," Journal of Religion & Film. Vol. 4, No. 2 , Article 1 (2000). Matt Lawrence, Like a Splinter in Your Mind: The Philosophy Behind the Matrix Trilogy (Blackwell, 2004) Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation (University of Michigan Press, 1994). Marcy Cook, "Decoding the Transgender Matrix: The Matrix as a Transgender Coming Out Story " The Mary Sue (19 Apr 2016). LeiLani Nishime, "The Matrix Trilogy, Keanu Reeves, and Multiraciality at the End of Time " in Mixed Race Hollywood , Beltran and Fojas, eds. (NYU Press, 2008). Predrag Milidrag, “Platonism, Cartesianism and Hegel’s Thought in the Matrix Trilogy ”. Filozofija I društvo/Philosophy and Society 24.4 (2013). Alex E. Blazer, “The ‘Matrix’ Trilogy and the Revolutionary Drive through ‘The Desert of the Real .’” Literature/Film Quarterly 35, no. 4 (2007): 265–73. Russell JA Kilbourn. “RE-WRITING ‘REALITY’: READING ‘THE MATRIX .’” Revue Canadienne d’Études Cinématographiques / Canadian Journal of Film Studies 9, no. 2 (2000): 43–54. Catherine Constable, Adapting Philosophy: Jean Baudrillard and “The Matrix Trilogy . (Manchester University Press, 2009). Why The Matrix Is a Trans Story According to Lilly Wachowski , Netflix Film (4 Aug 2020) THE MATRIX - Really That Good , FilmBob - A YouTube review of The Matrix from a film criticism point of view, with reference to some of the themes discussed in our episode. Transcript Coming Soon

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