Star Trek: Discovery and Picard

Everywhere we look today, people are afraid. And fear makes us do ugly things – all justified by a need for safety and security. The new flagship Star Trek series – Discovery and Picard – inhabit a fearful universe as well, and they invite us to choose to boldly go with them somewhere better: a world of love and freedom. How can we begin that journey, grounded in God’s love for us that drives out fear?

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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Symbols are powerful. What do you feel when you see a Christmas tree? Or an American flag? What about your favorite band’s logo? Of course, the most powerful symbols mean different things to different people. The cross for many of us is a symbol of liberation and hope. But for many others, it’s a symbol of oppression and violence. How do we reclaim the cross for the sake of our neighbors? Surprisingly, Sam Wilson’s journey in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier offers us some clues!

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The Kindness of Ted Lasso

What’s the difference between nice and kind? Between gullible and kind? Between being a doormat and being kind? It’s easy to get this fruit of the Spirit wrong, so we get some help from everyone’s favorite football coach, Ted Lasso.

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The Mandalorian, Legalism and Love

Star Wars is no stranger to religious themes, and The Mandalorian is no exception. What happens when Mando’s strict code contradicts itself? Will he choose law or love? The Mandalorian’s way of mercy illustrates for us Jesus’ own injunction to choose mercy over sacrifice. This is a teaching with real-world consequences!

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