Why My Hopes are Flying High for Tomorrow’s DC FanDome Virtual Event
| E. Stephen Burnett, Aug 21

Join Me Tonight on the Realm Makers Livestream: How Can Stories Help Us Long for Heaven?
| E. Stephen Burnett, Jul 9

Quotes and Notes: Should Christian Fantasy Include Magic?
| E. Stephen Burnett, Jul 8

Quotes and Notes: Putting Pop Culture in its Place
| E. Stephen Burnett, Jul 8

Join Me at the Realm Makers June 25 Livestream: How Can Stories Help Us in Traumatic Times?
| E. Stephen Burnett, Jun 22

Yes, Marriage and Family are Still Normative and Good Gifts for Today’s Church
| E. Stephen Burnett, Jun 18

Why My Hopes are Flying High for Tomorrow’s DC FanDome Virtual Event

All the film-critic “super apostles” said #TheSnyderCut and Ben Affleck’s return were “pipe dreams.” What else could happen? Here are my predictions for #DCFanDome.

E. Stephen Burnett | Aug 21, 2020 | No comments |

At great risk to my personalal Brand®, I’ve become quite known for my advocacy of #ReleaseTheSnyderCut.

What is that? Why, I’m glad this imaginary reader asked. After 2017’s DC superhero team-up film Justice League (a.k.a. “Diet Avengers”) faltered in theaters, I joined the ranks of fans calling for the real one. We wanted the real movie that oft-dismissed director Zack Snyder intended before he left the production under weird/bad circumstances.

Anyway, you likely know the story. If not, you can catch up with all of it here and in this Fantastical Truth podcast episode.

To sum up: Fans won big, and the victories haven’t stopped. Even in a terrible year, we’ve learned that:

Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a.k.a. Justice League: The Snyder Cut, will arrive in 2021.
The film will step back two degrees from the lackluster theater edition: it won’t be that, or Snyder’s earlier “compromised” version.
Justice League, a la Snyder, may arrive on HBO Max in a massive multi-hour film format, or in a miniseries format with chapter divisions.
Already, the promise of The Snyder Cut has urged many other hopes, including: Ben Affleck’s return as Batman, or other director’s cuts released.
Among other, er, suggestions, fans suggest David Ayer’s original, pre-tampered Suicide Squad come out, or even Joel Schumacher’s old Batman Forever from the mid-1990s starring Val Kilmer!

This week in other Bat-news, director Matt Reeves revealed the logo and concept art for The Batman (2021), starring Robert Pattinson. I say: the more Batmen, the merrier.

One Bat-dream has already come true. Just yesterday, Variety announced Ben Affleck will return as Batman. He will suit up at least once more, for The Flash (2022). That a film that already promises to cinematically commission the DC “multiverse” in which all the different actors/heroes/adaptations are all declared canon.

Tomorrow’s DC FanDome virtual conference event (which is open to anyone) promises to bring even more goodness for super-friends, including:

Zack Snyder’s brand-new teaser for the long-delayed Justice League film/miniseries.
A new trailer for Wonder Woman 1984 (also delayed too long this year, because of virus shutdowns).
Early official announcements about sequels to Aquaman and Shazam!, and Shazam! spinoff Black Adam.
First footage and/or props from Matt Reeves’s new-continuity Bat-film The Batman (2021), starring Robert Pattinson.
First footage from James Gunn’s soft reboot/sequel The Suicide Squad, and early looks at Andy Muschietti’s solo intro for The Flash.

With the Marvel Cinematic Universe sadly sidelined this year by (1) lost story momentum after Avengers: Endgame, and (2) delayed theatrical releases, DC is owning 2020 so hard that it’s making me consider fulfilling my long-delayed promise to start defending Marvel as the underdog!

DC FanDome, Aug. 22, 2020

My predictions for DC FanDome tomorrow

I have, and could again, consider several ways such fan responses reveal the grace-meets-idolatry mess of popular culture.

For now, however, I just want to act as a Christ-redeemed fan myself. I wish to extend a little fandom joy I’ve felt in an otherwise very hard week.

Also, I want to gamble: with these soft predictions for tomorrow’s event. Of course, these are just speculations. I know so much better, however, than to pretend these crazy fan theories won’t happen. Why? Because it’s the year 2020. All the “wise men” of this age said #TheSnyderCut was impossible, and it happened. All the same “super-apostles” of FilmTwitter scoffed at Ben Affleck returning as Batman, and now that’s real too.

Why, then, couldn’t all these fan-dreamed announcements also occur?

1. Zack Snyder will hint at/promise more Justice League.

Zack Snyder will at least strongly hint that Justice League: The Snyder Cut will not be the last film in his long-planned and –delayed series. He may even directly promise that, based on wildly enthusiastic fan response, he will indeed be able to finish the Justice League series.

2. Henry Cavill will appear, and they’ll announce he will finally return as Superman.

Snyder, and/or the directors/stars of Shazam! or Black Adam, will help announce that Superman actor Henry Cavill will certainly return. He’ll star in one or more of the following:

Sequel films or series to Justice League: The Snyder Cut
A solo Superman film or series of films (this is Cavill’s hope for sure)
Guest appearances or supporting roles in Shazam!! 2 and/or Black Adam.

3. Ben Affleck will appear, and they’ll hint at/promise he will return as Batman in other films.

While Cavill stayed quiet during the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut activism, Ben Affleck jumped right into it. A tweet from his official account, on Nov. 17, 2019, made the movement go crazy and granted it legitimacy. Affleck eagerly supports Snyder. It was only after the Justice League (2017) mess that he reluctantly stepped back from a solo Batman film some years ago. Now, Affleck has recovered from some life issues and against all odds seems eager to play Batman again. Will The Flash (2022) mark his last appearance, or could he be open for even more?

I predict that Affleck will at least appear in Snyder’s panel discussion to discuss Justice League: The Snyder Cut. But they may also hint at/promise:

Affleck could return in sequel films or series to Justice League: The Snyder Cut
Affleck could indeed return for a nobledark Batman miniseries exclusively for HBO Max.

4. Ray Fisher, who plays Cyborg, will appear (confirmed) and they’ll hint at a movie or series.

Fisher’s role as Victor Stone, who becomes Cyborg, was infamously cut short in the Joss Whedon–repurposed Justice League (2017).¹ But Snyder has long wanted to focus on Fisher as “the heart of” his Justice League. Fisher will literally be portraying a black man whose sports career is ended at his transformation into a cyborg. Alien technology threatens to take over his body and soul. Some fans speculate that Fisher will not only showcase that unique struggle, but effectively portray a superhero who has a disability.

5. Believe it or not, they could even do a thing with Ryan Reynolds.

This one’s further out there (ha ha!). But I’d like to make this wild construct: that coy #TheSnyderCut supporter (and unfairly maligned Green Lantern star) Ryan Reynolds will reclaim the Green Lanterns’ ring in some capacity, including one or more of:

A starring role as Hal Jordan in an HBO Max Green Lantern Corps. “buddy cop in space”-style series
A guest star/cameo/supporting role as Hal Jordan in Justice League: The Snyder Cut (rebooted continuity from the 2011 franchise attempt)
Perhaps he could even have a voice acting role as Hal Jordan in a Green Lantern Corps. animated film or animated series.

6. Miscellaneous predictions:

Henry Cavill (Superman) and Zackary Levi (Shazam!) could share a virtual screen, joking about the body-double oddness concluding Shazam!
Ryan Reynolds could “crash” the thing, maybe even Snyder’s panel. He may lend his Deadpool-like flair to lighten Snyder’s “dark” emphases.
At long last, everyone will go all-in with the “multiverse” concept. This means film actors may appear alongside TV actors of the same roles.
Examples: You could literally see (confirmed guests) Pattinson and Batman Forever star Val Kilmer appear with Affleck, for a Bat-panel.
Oh, and more announcements will follow in the newly announced second day of DC FanDome, confirmed as Saturday, Sept. 12.

To be updated, sometime after we see whether (or how) I was right!

Fisher has since even challenged Whedon, former DC films executive Geoff Johns. Fisher claims Whedon acted unprofessionally and even abusively, enabled by others. That investigation is pending. And it’s very interesting to go back, now, and see articles like this one swearing that (based on Very Inside Studio Sources) that Fisher will never, ever play Cyborg again. ↩

Join Me Tonight on the Realm Makers Livestream: How Can Stories Help Us Long for Heaven?

Join E. Stephen Burnett to smash some idols while exploring the God-exalting gift of fantasy that reflects eternity.

E. Stephen Burnett | Jul 9, 2020 | No comments |

Save your spot now for my livestream with Realm Makers tonight, July 9. It starts at 8 p.m. Eastern (7 Central).

Fantastical stories can show us amazing worlds. But might these turn our hearts toward earthly beauties and away from the future Jesus promises? Join E. Stephen Burnett to smash some idols while exploring the God-exalting gift of fantasy that reflects eternity.

This classic Betty Lukens flannelgraph scene is surprisingly biblical (except: New Earth will include far more variety in skin tones and garment choice).

I’d love to hear what kinds of stories prepare your imagination for eternity. Our poll at Crowdcast asks:

Have stories with fantastical worlds drawn your heart to long for Heaven?

Yes, all the time

Yes, sometimes

I don’t think so

No, they haven’t

The livestream feed will also be mirrored on Facebook. But by joining us on Crowdcast, you’ll be able to interact in chat with other viewers and with me. We’ll have question-and-answer options and everything. Crowdcast can also send you a notification when we’re about to go live.

Quotes and Notes: Should Christian Fantasy Include Magic?

Explore these biblical quotes and notes for E. Stephen Burnett’s July 11 workshop at SoCal Christian Writers Virtual Conference.

E. Stephen Burnett | Jul 8, 2020 | Enter your password to view comments. | Series: SoCal Christian Writers Conference 2020

Quotes and Notes: Putting Pop Culture in its Place

Explore these biblical quotes and notes for E. Stephen Burnett’s July 11 workshop at SoCal Christian Writers Virtual Conference.

E. Stephen Burnett | Jul 8, 2020 | Enter your password to view comments. | Series: SoCal Christian Writers Conference 2020

Join Me at the Realm Makers June 25 Livestream: How Can Stories Help Us in Traumatic Times?

I’d love to hear what kinds of stories you prefer during traumatic times.

E. Stephen Burnett | Jun 22, 2020 | No comments |

Save your spot now for my livestream with Realm Makers this Thursday, June 25. It starts at 8 p.m. Eastern (7 Central).

When we groan with God’s anguished creation, what creative works help us work through our sense of trauma? Let’s explore, with biblical faith and sensitivity, how imagination helps us seek healing.

I’d love to hear what kinds of stories you prefer during traumatic times. Our poll at Crowdcast will ask:

What kinds of stories most often help you during traumatic times?

Lighter, relaxed stories

Darker, complex stories

Some lighter, some darker stories

The livestream feed will also be mirrored on Facebook. But by joining us on Crowdcast, you’ll be able to interact in chat and with yours truly. Crowdcast can also send you a notification when we’re about to go live.

Yes, Marriage and Family are Still Normative and Good Gifts for Today’s Church

Some Christians do idolize marriage and other gifts of God. But the solution isn’t to ignore or minimize his gifts’ original good purpose.

E. Stephen Burnett | Jun 18, 2020 | No comments |

This article from Kevin DeYoung is raising some concerns, and some ire, on the Twitters.

DeYoung suggests “It’s Time for a New Culture War Strategy.” Among his most seemingly concerning statements, he writes:

Here’s a culture war strategy conservative Christians should get behind: have more children and disciple them like crazy. Strongly consider having more children than you think you can handle. . . .

Do you want to rebel against the status quo? Do you want people to ask you for a reason for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15)? Tote your brood of children through Target. . . .

The future belongs to the fecund. It’s time for happy warriors who seek to “renew the city” and “win the culture war” by investing in their local church, focusing on the family, and bringing the kingdom to bear on the world, one baby at a time.

Among DeYoung’s readers’ criticisms:

What if you can’t have kids?¹
He shouldn’t say “culture war”; it’s combative.²
But the Church makes marriage and family an idol!
But the Church makes marriage and family an idol!
Did we mention the Church makes marriage and family an idol?

So, does the church make marriage and family an idol, or … ?

I jest a little. But those last three salient points keep recurring in some Christian articles and rhetoric. That includes one 2018 article at a website for which I’ve written and that I overall respect. Unfortunately, however, the author had some very wrong ideas, perhaps best summarized by this statement:

Marriage should not be the norm that orients the communal life of the church, and Christians have an opportunity to show the world a better way rather than falling into the same obsessive focus on finding our Prince or Princess Charming.

At the time that article appeared, I replied at length with gentle pushback. This I’ll edit and expand below. But first I must make the pushback not-so-gentle: The writer’s first statement (and much of the article) are flat wrong and even unbiblical. Marriage should be a great norm that orients the communal life of the church.

Abusis non tollit usum: abuse [of a good thing] does not disqualify proper use.

Yes, Christians can certainly show the world a better way. In all our families and churches, we must include single people as they are, image-bearers of God. We must refuse to idolize or obsessively focus on good gifts like marriage and child-bearing. Instead, we must recognize that we live in a groaning world when it is not always possible for everyone to do this. And to be sure, we must reject the simpering romanticisms of the “Prince(ss) Charming” images, which (as no few articles and marriage-retreat hosts have reminded us) come from shallow stories, not the Bible.

However, we cannot insist that “the biblical norm of marriage” = “obsessive focus / idolatry.” This is a false equivalency: treating a biblical idea the same as one’s personal experience with the twisted version, in order to reject both at once. That’s not a biblical approach to any idolized gift, any more than we would reject the goodness of food because some people are gluttonous.

God made gifts like marriage, which are made holy by God’s word and prayer.

Leaders of the early church, faced with the charge that they have idolized marriage, repent and give proof by burning all their devotionals and conference workbooks by Dennis and Barbara Rainey (artist’s conception).

In fact, the apostle Paul makes this very point about abuses of good gifts, such as food and marriage:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

(1 Timothy 4:1–5, emphases added)

This is a sound proof-text when confronting Christians who seem caught between the icon / iconoclast divide about anything, be it:

Food and feasting,
Marriage and family,
Stories and creativity,
Celebrations of holidays.

Regarding the twisting of marriage, I can’t help seeing the direct clash between the apostle Paul’s correction and some teachers today.

They say: the Church idolizes marriage; therefore, we should not see marriage as especially holy.³
Paul says: false teachers forbid marriage; therefore, we must make it holy by God’s word and prayer.

Paul insists that marriage, like all good gifts, is made holy by these actions. He doesn’t feel the need to give an inch toward those false teachers who might have, even then, insisted that earthly things like marriage (and food) were just too important to the early church, and should therefore be forbidden (or at least strictly regulated). Instead, he takes his rebuttal right back to the source: God’s creation and intent for these good gifts.

Bad experiences really hurt, but they can also lead us into legalism.

Did some Christians then, as some Christians now, idolize these good gifts? Sure.

But if we base our response on reacting to the sin—rather than proactive reminders about God’s intentions for the good gifts—then we err. And we may even err in ways that Paul might describe as “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons”!

Even more strangely, we err in ways that we ourselves have seen aplenty, whenever Christians of the past have thrown out gifts like certain music genres, games, visual storytelling (like TV or movies), and even specific foods and drinks. From the outside, we can immediately see that they’re being reactive and not biblical. So it’s time to apply this wisdom more consistently. Yes, we must do this, even if Christians we’ve known in the Church Back Home have annoyed us, or even made us suffer, by idolizing good gifts and frowned on us for being different.

After all, how do you think those anti-movies, anti-recreational-drinking Christians got that way? They didn’t just make up their legalisms to be legalistic. They often had profoundly tragic backstories about bad experiences: a child read Harry Potter and got into witchcraft, or an uncle grew addicted to alcohol and physically abused his wife.

Those stories are real and terrible. But even those abuses do not disqualify proper use of good gifts.

If we disclaim marriage, we must also disclaim Christians making culture.

I direct this part toward Christians who believe in specific cultural redemption work. If we believe these slogans:

Because the church often makes marriage into an idol, we probably need to stop being so focused on marriage.
But if the church makes popular culture into an idol, then it’s still good for us to view popular culture in redemptive ways.

This collapses into self-contradiction when you realize this big truth:

The Bible commands both family-making and culture-making all at once in the Cultural Mandate. If you reject one gift as hopelessly idol-corrupted, then you must also reject the other gift.

Here’s what I wrote in 2018 (with some editing).

Some popular culture and real-life people (including Christians) make marriage and family into an idol.

Marriage is still normative for Christians.

So is filling the Earth (with children).

So is making and engaging culture (including popular culture). In fact, marriage and family and stewardship and cultural creation are all inexorably tied together in the Creator’s original command (Genesis 1:28).

If you can’t do any of these for various reasons—say, because your family keeps you from culture participation or your missions work keeps you from starting a family—that’s a real and genuine exception. You’re no less valuable to our Savior and his Commission!

Still, it’s dubious for us to go on about “idols.” We might as well go on at length about how “some Christians” (e.g. “people in my admittedly limited experience with the Church”) are making an idol out of either “cultural engagement” or “engaging popular culture.”

Do some Christians make an idol out of popular culture engagement? Yes. I’ve seen it happen a lot. Is this the majority view among Christians? Probably not. Yet in either case, claiming “this isn’t normative”—either about marriage or about making or engaging culture—is simply (at best) a vague statement or (at worst) not a biblically accurate statement.

Final concessions

When we read DeYoung’s article or any other reminders about God’s good gifts, they will certainly raise many questions:

What about that Church Back Home that did idolize marriage/children, and treated me as a pariah?
How then should Christians address smaller, localized idolatries versus the greater idolatries of our culture?
Should we try, in all our articles and materials about good gifts, to address every possible idolatry of those gifts?

The first two questions likely call for general biblical principles, applied in specific ways for specific situations.

However, for that third question, I heartily answer: no. That’s because no article or book or interaction can possibly account for everyone’s experience, struggles, or account of idol-abuses. It might seem easier in the information age to expect all the information at once. But not even a biblical chapter or book can fulfill such an expectation. Rather, we must rely on someone’s whole body of work (past, present, and future) for reassurance that they’re aware of the idolatrous risks, and can and will address them in other articles or interactions.

That’s why, despite DeYoung’s very casual tone and the brevity of his article, I overall trust him to offer balanced perspectives. He seems quite aware of potential abuses. In this exact article, however, he’s simply chosen not to address them. That’s not a failure of biblical teaching. It’s simply a decision to focus on one theme. That’s a creative decision. Other books and articles can offer different focuses.

I think we should show him grace. And let’s show grace to other writers who remind us about God’s good gifts without always giving “equal time” to warnings about the gifts’ corruptions. I’ve asked the same when I write about God’s good gift of imagination, without always devoting similar wordcount (in the same article or post, etc.) to imagination’s misuse. And so I request the same grace here. If necessary, we can have further discussions in the comments sections or on social media. After all, that’s another good gift in the Church, with all our gifts and warnings not to idolize these gifts: graceful interaction and presumed goodwill in all our relationships—marriage and otherwise.

DeYoung mentions this in brief, but singleness / infertility exceptions aren’t his focus here. Those familiar with his whole body of work know he’s among the first to directly disclaim idolatrous expectations among evangelicals. ↩
Among the criticisms, this one seems the oddest. DeYoung is literally subverting the “culture war” definition. He contrasts the typical definition, of waging battles in politics and government, and recommends we instead do peaceful things like having families and discipling children. I realize the term “culture war” may itself alarm some Christians. We have a host of images for “culture war” in our heads. However, if we cannot gaily use and subvert these terms, irrespective of our own trigger points, we’ve no hope of effective evangelism. This mission often requires subversion. For example, the apostle Paul could speak freely about “gods” plural in Acts 17, on his way to make a point about the one true God. If his audience included Christians who felt offended by him seeming to presume multiple gods did exist, then Paul’s evangelism would not have gotten far. ↩
Some may say this approach to marriage is not the same as “forbidding.” I agree that it is not the same, but these are both still on a spectrum of legalism. At one end of the spectrum is the accusation, “This thing is an evil idol, and no Christian should be allowed to do it.” At the fainter, more-moderate end of the spectrum is the gentler reminder, “Well, it may not technically be wrong, but alas, Lots of People are making it into an idol. (And therefore you must see that thing as not especially good, and perhaps even a step away from the Very Serious marks of faith, such as monk-like chastity, or evangelism, or justice advocacy.)”Both these responses are on the spectrum of legalism. We’ve seen much the same when Christians don’t outright forbid, say, fantasy stories or certain foods/drinks, but just raise their eyebrows and let you know those things are just not very spiritual. ↩

Local Blogger Gives ‘The Screwtape Letters’ A Modern Spin for Today’s Uncertain Times

If C. S. Lewis’s satirical demon Screwtape was around in today’s modern contemporary present, what would he say to us now?

E. Stephen Burnett | Apr 30, 2020 | 1 comment |

My dear Wormwood,

It is unfortunate that, here in the 21st century, I cannot write you any more correspondence. You see, I actually absorbed you back in 1942 at the conclusion of letter thirty-one.

Your affectionate uncle,

Screwtape¹

P. S.: “Fortunately I have no doubt that many aspiring manufacturers of what the humans call ‘memes’ are well suited for the task of impersonating the otherwise inimitable writing style of the Lowerarchy.” ↩

UPDATED: Today I’m Teaching at Teach Them Diligently: What’s the Point of Popular Culture and Why Should Parents Care?

You can register to hear my talk: What’s the Point of Popular Culture and Why Should Parents Care?

E. Stephen Burnett | Apr 29, 2020 | 1 comment |

Today, I’m helping with Teach Them Diligently’s virtual conference for Christian home educators!¹ You can register for this amazing event to hear my talk: What’s the Point of Popular Culture and Why Should Parents Care?

For Christian parents, all these movies, shows, games, music, and beyond can feel overwhelming! Is there any point to all this popular culture, and why does it exist in God’s world in the first place? In this course, E. Stephen Burnett (coauthor of The Pop Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for Christ, with Ted Turnau and Jared Moore) uses gospel perspective to discern the biblical purpose of popular culture. Then we discover five fantastic questions to help you and your kids explore stories and songs for God’s glory together.

Of course, that’s inspired by themes from my first book, The Pop Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for Christ (by Ted Turnau, Jared Moore, and myself).

The Pop Culture Parent releases Sept. 7, 2020 from New Growth Press.

Many others are also speaking at Teach Them Diligently, like filmmaker Stephen Kendrick, or the authors of Trim Healthy Mama.

Here’s the event description:

Have you always wanted to attend a Teach Them Diligently event but have never been able to? Now you can!! With meet-ups, a LIVE Exhibit hall, recorded workshops, live sessions, and too many other elements to mention, this will be as close to a TTD event as we can make it by streaming to your home. Register now and join us for the coolest virtual homeschool event ever!

In the original timeline, this week I would have visited Louisville for Together for the Gospel, then Cincinnati for Great Homeschool Conventions. ‘Tis amazing how events can shift so suddenly—cf. James 4:13–15. ↩

Join Thursday’s Live Webcast: How Did You First Find Fantastic Fiction?

This Thursday, April 21, I’m hosting a webcast for Realm Makers, inspired by reader stories about how they first discovered fantastical tales.

E. Stephen Burnett | Apr 20, 2020 | No comments |

This Thursday, April 21, I’m hosting a webcast for Realm Makers.

Realm Makers hosts several such gatherings, anticipating the annual conference in July.

All these times are EDT:

April 21 at 2 p.m.: Journey through Narnia with Matt Mikalatos
April 23 at 8 p.m.: How Did You First Find Fantastic Fiction? (mine)
April 24 at 12p.m.: Bookmarked by Realm Makers
April 25 at 8 p.m.: Realm Makers Membership Promo

My fantastic fiction theme is inspired by listener and reader feedback in this Fantastical Truth podcast episode. Click over to reserve your spot! You can also set up auto-reminders for the webcast start at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

By the way, no, the Realm Makers conference has not been cancelled!

You can still sign up, choose classes, and plan meetings with mentors, including myself.

Realm Makers 2020 conference

Get a Free Chapter from My First Book, The Pop Culture Parent (Coming Fall 2020)

The Pop Culture Parent releases Sept. 7, 2020, but you can get a free chapter early at ThePopCultureParent.com.

E. Stephen Burnett | Apr 18, 2020 | No comments |

My first book releases Sept. 7, 2020, but the website is live as of yestserday.

Visit ThePopCultureParent.com to explore my upcoming book release with Ted Turnau and Jared Moore: The Pop Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for Christ.

Back cover description
Author intros: Ted, Jared, and myself
Advance reader endorsements
More advance reader endorsements

Even better:

Get a free chapter: Five Simple Steps to Engage Popular Culture with Your Children

Preorder from:

Amazon

New Growth Press

The Gospel Coalition store

ChristianBook.com

About this book

The Pop Culture Parent equips mothers, fathers, and guardians to build relationships with their children by entering into their popular culture–informed worlds, understanding them biblically, and passing on wisdom.

This resource by authors Jared Moore, E. Stephen Burnett, and Ted Turnau provides Scripture-based, practical help for parents to enjoy the messy gift of popular culture with their kids.

By engaging with their children’s interests, parents can explore culture while teaching their children to become missionaries in a post-Christian world.

Subscribe free. Get every issue.

Find Christian fantastical novels

Find fantastical Christian reviews

Dust “Nothing is as it seems, and wishing on stars will get her nowhere in this delightfully twisted sequel to a classic.” —Lorehaven

The Vault Between Spaces “The Vault Between Spaces is an inventive fantasy with heart for its religion and its characters.” —Lorehaven

Let the Ghosts Speak “Although often grim, Let the Ghosts Speak gives a captivating read of murder, mystery, and spirituality.” —Lorehaven

Sponsored Review: The Light Unbound “Ambitious in scope and relentless in speed, this novel concludes C. S. Wachter’s saga on a high note.” —Lorehaven

Daily articles from SpecFaith

Operation Grendel Cover Reveal Rebecca LuElla Miller, Sep 22

2020 Spec Faith Fall Writing Challenge Rebecca LuElla Miller, Sep 21

Let’s Talk About Race and Racism. Part 5: Scientific Racism Travis Perry, Sep 17

An Acquittal Shannon McDermott, Sep 16

Get the Fantastical Truth podcast.

Ep. 34: How Has Lorehaven Been Questing Through the Great 2020 Pandemic? Fantastical Truth, Sep 22, 2020

Ep. 33: How Does Portraying Fantastical Characters Develop Christian Character? | with Julie Novak Fantastical Truth, Sep 15, 2020

Ep. 32: What Five Questions Help Us Engage Popular Culture for God’s Glory? | The Pop Culture Parent, part 2 Fantastical Truth, Sep 8, 2020

Ep. 31: What If Popular Culture Was Actually God’s Idea All Along? | The Pop Culture Parent, part 1 Fantastical Truth, Sep 1, 2020

Find more from Christian creators

The Pop Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for Christ Now available from New Growth Press

Why My Hopes are Flying High for Tomorrow’s DC FanDome Virtual Event E. Stephen Burnett, Aug 21

Join Me Tonight on the Realm Makers Livestream: How Can Stories Help Us Long for Heaven? E. Stephen Burnett, Jul 9

Quotes and Notes: Should Christian Fantasy Include Magic? E. Stephen Burnett, Jul 8

Why My Hopes are Flying High for Tomorrow’s DC FanDome Virtual Event | E. Stephen Burnett, Aug 21

Join Me Tonight on the Realm Makers Livestream: How Can Stories Help Us Long for Heaven? | E. Stephen Burnett, Jul 9

Quotes and Notes: Should Christian Fantasy Include Magic? | E. Stephen Burnett, Jul 8

Quotes and Notes: Putting Pop Culture in its Place | E. Stephen Burnett, Jul 8

Join Me at the Realm Makers June 25 Livestream: How Can Stories Help Us in Traumatic Times? | E. Stephen Burnett, Jun 22

Yes, Marriage and Family are Still Normative and Good Gifts for Today’s Church | E. Stephen Burnett, Jun 18

My predictions for DC FanDome tomorrow

1. Zack Snyder will hint at/promise more Justice League.

2. Henry Cavill will appear, and they’ll announce he will finally return as Superman.

3. Ben Affleck will appear, and they’ll hint at/promise he will return as Batman in other films.

4. Ray Fisher, who plays Cyborg, will appear (confirmed) and they’ll hint at a movie or series.

5. Believe it or not, they could even do a thing with Ryan Reynolds.

6. Miscellaneous predictions:

Share this:

Share this:

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Share this:

So, does the church make marriage and family an idol, or … ?

God made gifts like marriage, which are made holy by God’s word and prayer.

Bad experiences really hurt, but they can also lead us into legalism.

If we disclaim marriage, we must also disclaim Christians making culture.

Final concessions

Share this:

Share this:

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Dust

“Nothing is as it seems, and wishing on stars will get her nowhere in this delightfully twisted sequel to a classic.” —Lorehaven

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Sponsored Review: The Light Unbound

“Ambitious in scope and relentless in speed, this novel concludes C. S. Wachter’s saga on a high note.” —Lorehaven

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