Believe to See

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.

For most of human history, nobody "owned" the great stories. Nobody owned Achilles, Beowulf, or King Arthur. These tales belonged to civilization itself—passed down, expanded, and reinterpreted generation after generation. Every age added something new, and every storyteller helped keep the stories alive. In many ways, the old myths survived precisely because people kept taking up the tale. But today, our greatest myths are often locked behind copyright law and corporate canon. Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and even Middle-earth exist as carefully controlled intellectual property guarded by massive entertainment companies and teams of lawyers. So which approach creates healthier culture? Are stories better protected as private property, or shared as a cultural inheritance? At the digital pub table, we explore the history of intellectual property, the evolution of mythology and fan fiction, and how Christians should think about storytelling, creativity, and what it really means to "own" a story.

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.

Even people who don't follow sports know about the Dallas Cowboys. They're "America's Team." Giant stadiums and superstar players and Super Bowl victories. The team that's always in the news because of drama with their owner. But here's the thing: the Cowboys haven't been to a Super Bowl in 30 years. The images we have about the Cowboys' greatness come from a four-year run between 1992 and 1995. How could such a powerful story emerge from such a short span of winning? Matt invites Luke Moja—his friend and resident 90s sports expert—to the digital pub table to discuss the enduring myth-making and real-life Shakespearean drama that is the Dallas Cowboys.

Ashlee Cowles returns to the digital pub table. She's both an Arts Guild member and one half of the AD Rhine writing duo. Their latest novel, Daughters of Bronze, concludes their retelling of the Trojan War from the viewpoint of four Trojan women. Cowles discusses the ways she grounded the novel in history, and how she was able to find hope—even in the doom of Troy.

To Celebrate the week of Christmas, Believe to See is re-airing episodes from past Christmases . . . Should we say from Christmas Past? "12 Days of Christmas Carol" first aired on December 29, 2020.

Ali Gilkeson is a founding member of Rend Collective. She's also a best-selling children's author. Her latest book, "Keeping the Light," is newly-published from WaterBrook Multnomah. Gilkeson joins the digital pub table to discuss how her background with Rend Collective has influenced her writing. She also explores the enduring symbolic power of the lighthouse. https://www.aligilkeson.com/

When most of us hear " dulcimer," we think of Irish peasants in the Middle Ages. Or maybe that "damsel with a dulcimer" in the poem "Kubla Khan." The actual hammered dulcimer, however, is something else entirely. It's a unique blend of percussion and stringed instruments with ancient roots across the world. And it's capable of creating gorgeous music. Musician and composer Joshua Messick joins the table to discuss all things hammered dulcimer. He's composed ten albums of hammered dulcimer music, and played for the soundtracks of major movies and video games. He explains the hammered dulcimer's unique ability to tell a story through its music.