Posts by Jordan J. Ballor
June 03, 2019
More than decade after the conclusion of the critically-acclaimed HBO series Deadwood, a finale has been released that brings the gold-rush era drama to a close. The Deadwood film premiered on HBO last week, and fans of the show will find much to remember and appreciate in this conclusion. Continue Reading...
May 24, 2019
An aid to defining ‘capitalism’
I am working on a project now that has to do with the various attempts to reform, redeem, redirect, or otherwise update capitalism. And in so doing, I’m reminded of one of the most incisive, insightful, and relevant passages in all of Catholic Social Teaching. Continue Reading...
May 22, 2019
Game of Thrones and the judgment of history
This week’s episode of Acton Line features a conversation about Game of Thrones with Tyler Groenendal and me. I won’t try to make the case that the show is salutary viewing. Continue Reading...
May 06, 2019
Thanos the revolutionary
After the second weekend of release, the directors of Avengers: Endgame have declared that spoilers are fair game, and so it is time to pick up where some previous reflections left off and explore the villain Thanos’ development from Infinity War to Endgame. Continue Reading...
April 29, 2019
Superheroes and subsidiarity
On the heels of a record-smashing opening weekend for Avengers: Endgame, it seems appropriate to broach the subject of superheroes and subsidiarity, and specifically an intriguing lesson about subsidiarity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Continue Reading...
April 10, 2019
John M. Perkins and the 2019 Kuyper Conference
I have been involved in the Kuyper Conference at Calvin College & Seminary for the last couple of years, and this year’s conference features a number of elements of notable interest. Continue Reading...
March 26, 2019
The Russian Five: ‘You want to be free’
Twenty-two years ago the Detroit Red Wings played the Colorado Avalanche in their final regular season matchup. The Avalanche had defeated the Red Wings in the previous season’s conference finals on their way to a Stanley Cup Championship, and the series included a dirty hit on Wings center Kris Draper, which ended his season. Continue Reading...
March 20, 2019
Captain Marvel’s grit
The latest Marvel film has done well at the box office, and for good reason. It is a solid entry in the MCU, and an introduction to a new character that promises to be central to the ongoing narrative arc following Avengers: Infinity War (some spoilers follow). Continue Reading...
March 13, 2019
Class struggle and the end of identity politics
As the Democratic party in the United States gears up for the 2020 presidential campaign, and a host of candidates announce their entry into the fray, some have observed a (class?) Continue Reading...
March 06, 2019
Christian action in God’s world
This week’s Acton Commentary is adapted from a foreword to a new volume by Acton research fellow Anthony B. Bradley, Faith in Society: 13 Profiles of Christians Adding Value to the Modern World. Continue Reading...