Believe to See

How much Arthurian art have you seen? Chances are, it's more than you think. From medieval illuminated manuscripts to seemingly vague romantic paintings of knights on horseback wooing maidens with flowing hair, join the hosts for an exploration of visual depictions of Arthurian legends across the centuries.

For more than a thousand years, the legends of King Arthur have been retold, expanded, and reinvented. In this episode, we trace the remarkable evolution of the Arthurian legends from the shadowy origins in post-Roman Britain through Saxon England and the French courts, up through Victorian writers and into the modern day. Along the way, we explore how each generation reshaped the legend and why Arthur remains one of the most enduring figures in Western literature. More than the story of a single king, Arthur's journey is the story of how great myths survive: by continually adapting while remaining unmistakably themselves.

What did C.S. Lewis mean when he said that George MacDonald's Phantastes "baptized my imagination"?

Meredith Finch is the writer of the new graphic novel adaptation of Phantastes from Cave Pictures Publishing. We discuss the unique challenge of adapting a dreamlike and deeply symbolic novel into a visual medium, the meaning behind some of MacDonald's most memorable images and episodes, and why this strange fairy tale still speaks to modern readers.

Dovetailing with last week's episode on the ownership of stories, Matt, Mandy, and Sarah discuss the mysterious and oft-maligned world of fanfiction. Is it a silly way for mostly young women to get validation and fix the problems they see in other stories? Or is it a low-stakes environment to hone skills and experiment with identity?

What is fanfiction's appeal and value, and what can it show us about its subjects? Join the digital pub table to learn more about fanfiction and its purpose in continuing the conversation with the works it pays homage to.

What if we've misunderstood the Inklings?

When most of us think of the Inklings, we picture C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien: two brilliant minds meeting in an Oxford pub and changing literature forever. But that's only one part of a much bigger story.

G. Connor Salter joins the Anselm Digital Pub table to discuss his new book, The Other Inklings. It explores the often-overlooked members of the Inklings, and how they shaped Lewis, Tolkien, and the Christian imagination. What emerges is a powerful idea--great stories don't come from isolated geniuses. They come from communities.

We love a good vampire yarn, or speculating about how we would react to a zombie apocalypse. Pop culture loves them too: vampires sexy, zombies scary. But what is the value in telling these kinds of stories? Is there more to it than just Hollywood trying to make more money?

Dr. Amy Hughes, a theology professor, scholar, and author joins the pub table to discuss our favorite supernatural creatures and what they have to say about humanity and God.

OnScript podcast, Dr. Hughes' two books: Christian Women in the Patristic World, and the just-released Gregory of Nyssa on the Resurrected Life.

It's human to want to fit in. And it's human to fail at fitting in. What if our peculiarities aren't necessarily weaknesses to be overcome, but gifts from God that He wants us to use? Join us at the virtual pub table as we discuss the pain of feeling like a weirdo, and the joy of finding our purpose (among our fellow weirdos).

Why do our greatest stories—Chaucer, Shakespeare, and even the Bible—include moments that feel . . . a little crude?

In this episode, we make a surprising case: what we call "toilet humor" isn't just childish—it may actually serve a deeper purpose in storytelling. From the shocking story of Ehud in Judges, to Chaucer laughing at farts, to G. K. Chesterton reminding us to "take ourselves lightly," we explore how humor rooted in the body can humble our pride, reconnect us to reality, and remind us all that we're physical creatures with physical bodies.

Stand-up comedy has become one of our culture's most important artistic forms. And that sounds strange. How can something as simple as a single person telling funny observations and anecdotes be one of our most important art forms? But look around. Stand-up is all over Netflix and other major streamers. Comedians dominate both the podcast arenas and the YouTube clip arenas. They also have an outsized importance in the national conversation on a broad range of culture issues.

How did this all happen? Where did all these comedians come from? Is there a significance to stand-up comedians beyond a few laughs? More fundamentally, how should we, as Christians, view the (surprisingly ancient) tradition of the comedian? Joining us at the table to discuss this issue is Jason Crawford. He's a professor of English at Union University, where he specializes in early modern literature and culture. He has also written a fantastic new book called God's Fools: Saints, Prophets, Martyrs, and the Making of Modern Comedy.