In this episode, I combine my exploration of religion and entertainment as I discuss recurring religious themes in literature, movies, and television. I also explore ways in which authors can portray people of faith in a positive light. This material is based on a lecture I gave in my writing seminar under our mentor, award-winning science fiction author David Gerrold.

Links of Interest for this episode

“The Red Badge of Courage” (1894 novel) by Stephen Crane: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_Badge_of_Courage

“The Citadel” (1937 novel) by A.J. Cronin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Citadel_(novel)

“South Pacific” (1949 Broadway musical) by Rodgers and Hammerstein: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pacific_(musical)

“Tales of the South Pacific” (1947 book) by James A. Michener: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_the_South_Pacific

“Cyrano de Bergerac” (1897 play) by Edmond Rostand: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrano_de_Bergerac_(play)

“The Phantom of the Opera” (1910 novel) by Gaston Leroux: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(novel)

“Love Never Dies” (2010 musical) by Andrew Lloyd Webber: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Never_Dies_(musical)

“The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” (1950 children’s novel) by C.S. Lewis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion,_the_Witch_and_the_Wardrobe

“The Greatest Story Ever Told” (1965 film) by George Stevens: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greatest_Story_Ever_Told

“The Outsiders” (1967 young adult novel) by S.E. Hinton: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outsiders_(novel)

“The Outsiders” (1983 film) directed by Francis Ford Coppola: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outsiders_(film)

“Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999 film) by George Lucas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_Episode_I_%E2%80%93_The_Phantom_Menace

“Blade Runner” (1982 film) by Ridley Scott: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_Runner

“Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan” (1992 film) by Nicholas Myers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_II:_The_Wrath_of_Khan

“Star Trek: The Search for Spock” (1984 film) by Leonard Nimoy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_III:_The_Search_for_Spock

“Short Circuit” (1986) by John Badham: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Circuit_(1986_film)

The New Testament: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament

“Stranger Things” (2016-2025 TV series): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Things

The Apostles’ Creed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostles%27_Creed#:~:text=descended%20into%20hell%2C%20rose%20again%20from%20the%20dead%20on%20the%20third%20day%2C

Johnnycake death scene from “The Outsiders” (1986):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZmMklpMKlw

Enneagram Personality Typology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enneagram_of_Personality

Resurrection scene from “Short Circuit” (1986 film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xPu59_MHQ0

Disciples on the road to Emmaus Luke 24:13-35 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/24?13

“Greater love…” John 15:13 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/15?13

Mr. Spock’s death scene from “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHAOWLhrxhQAdditional links available on our website at https://contemplating-life.com/?p=596

For more episodes: https://contemplating-life.com/

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife

Where to listen to this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/contemplatinglife

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFRYfZfNjHL8bFCmGDOBvEiRbzUiiHpq

In my last episode, I confessed that I had misidentified which translation of the Bible I was using. In this episode, I take a deep dive into various translations to figure out how I got confused about which version I was using.

Links of Interest for this episode

Handout materials for this lesson: https://www.patreon.com/posts/notes-for-106-in-149707860

Dating the Bible on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dating_the_Bible

Biblical Aramaic on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Aramaic

Septuagint on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septuagint

Vulgate on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulgate

Luther Bible on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Bible

King James Version (KJV) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_James_Version

Papal encyclical “Divino Afflante Spiritu” at the Vatican website: https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_30091943_divino-afflante-spiritu.html

Papal encyclical “Divino Afflante Spiritu” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divino_afflante_Spiritu

Confraternity Bible (CCD) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confraternity_Bible

New American Bible (NAB) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_American_Bible

Preface to the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) at USCCB gives history of its development: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/preface/0

Lectionary on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lectionary

New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_American_Bible_Revised_Edition

“Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation” at the Vatican website: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html

Contemplating Life – Episode 94: https://contemplating-life.com/?p=508

Contemplating Life – Episode 104: https://contemplating-life.com/?p=580

New American Standard Bible (NASB) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_American_Standard_Bible

New American Standard Bible (NASB) at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB

“Dynamic and Formal Equivalence” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_and_formal_equivalence

Revised Standard Version (RSV) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Standard_Version

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Revised_Standard_Version

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Revised_Standard_Version#NRSV_Catholic_Edition_(NRSV-CE)

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Revised_Standard_Version#NRSV_Updated_Edition_(NRSVue)

Jeremy Steele on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/jeremy-steele-pastor

"Unbelief" podcast. January 11, 2026 and where I'm interviewed by Skeptic Pastor Jeremy Steele: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Z7IVARYBRJddJBShHnuNC?si=_mggk3OTQj6AVdq_73A9FA

New International Version (NIV) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_International_Version

English Standard Version (ESV) on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Standard_Version

Article about the upcoming Catholic American Bible (CAB): https://ascensionpress.com/pages/the-catholic-american-bible

For more episodes: https://contemplating-life.com/

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife

Where to listen to this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/contemplatinglife

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFRYfZfNjHL8bFCmGDOBvEiRbzUiiHpq

This is the fourth and final part of my very brief overview of the Old Testament. We continue with our look at Old Testament prophets and how to connect their stories to our present-day experiences.

Links of Interest for this episode

Handout materials for this lesson: https://www.patreon.com/file?h=143872709&m=566923521

New American Bible at the Vatican website: https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_INDEX.HTM

New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) at the US Conference of Catholic Bishops: https://bible.usccb.org/bible

New American Standard Bible (NASB) at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB

Elijah’s Saga 1 Kings 16:29 through 18:26 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/16?29

Song “You Went the Wrong Way, Old King Louie” Allan Sherman on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdSzgJiR4_I

Luke 4:22-24 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/4?22

Matthew 13:57 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13?57

Mark 6:4 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6?4

John 4:44 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/4?44

Jeremiah 1:4-10 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/1?4

Isaiah 6:1-8 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/6

Song “Here I Am, Lord” by Dan Shutte on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3SHkMN3V9tVlbeub0D2QIp?si=103c192441024a48

The Jonah story Jonah 1-3 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jonah/1

Jeremiah 5:30-31 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/5?30

Exodus 3:11-12 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/3?11

Exodus 18:7-12 (NABRE): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/18?7

General reference links for this series.

List of episodes of this podcast dealing with religion: https://contemplating-life.com/blog/category/religion/

RCIA/OCIA on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Christian_Initiation_of_Adults

Catechism of the Catholic Church on Vatican website: https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

For more episodes: https://contemplating-life.com/

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/contemplatinglife

Where to listen to this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/contemplatinglife

YouTube playlist of this and all other episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFRYfZfNjHL8bFCmGDOBvEiRbzUiiHpq