The Dark Theology of Stephen King: The Galli Report

What to Do with Imprisoned Women’s Kids? | White, Green, and Red Martyrdom | [View online]( [Give Now]( Advertisement [The Galli Report]( [Home]( [Podcast]( [Subscribe]( Friday, July 13, 2018 The Dark Theology of Stephen King It’s appropriate, I suppose, to note an article about Stephen King [on the day]( that has been associated with superstition, bad luck, and therefore dread. Only the last association connects with King, of course, the master of horror fiction. But he is much more than that. Douglas Cowan has penned [America’s Dark Theologian](sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1530893840&sr=1-1&keywords=america%27s+dark+theologian), the first full-length treatment of the religious themes in King’s work. The book is [reviewed here]( by Mockingbird founder David Zahl, which means the review comes with Zahlian insight. Zahl notes that King is no friend of Christian faith, but that isn’t the whole story: Of course, an aversion to organized religion does not imply an aversion to grace. The heroes in King’s books are nearly always broken people: physically frail, alcoholic, disabled, marginalized, and lonely, who against all odds carry the day. In It, the motley group of kids who do battle with the forces of darkness dub themselves The Losers Club. Even his villains are regularly rendered with compassion. And what to make of the fact that good nearly always triumphs, often through some sudden, unpredictable reversal of fortune? What to Do with Imprisoned Women’s Kids? The recent border controversy has made us all aware that the issue at heart is bigger than immigration policies. This article by [historian Katrina Gulliver suggests]( it’s long been a problem for which adequate solutions seem to be wanting: With the issue of children being detained by immigration authorities in the news, it is worth remembering that around 2,000 babies are born in American prisons every year. Many of them stay there and spend their first months living inside a correctional institution. This is a modern problem, born of our current climate of incarceration and contemporary views on parental rights and custody—and it’s one that nobody has been able to solve fairly, despite 150 years of trying. White, Green, and Red Martyrdom [“How Irish Monks Saved the World (from the Dark Side)”]( reminded me of the heroic and courageous ways Christians have lived the faith. This article comes from a Catholic website, The Catholic Gentleman, whose motto you’ve got to love: “Be a man. Be a saint.” The Apostle John—Fly Fisherman Speaking of virtue—and since it’s summer—here’s [a brief reflection]( on one of my favorite past times, along with a vision of the type of fisherman I’d like to be: Fishing is one of those hobbies whose enthusiasts are eager to help newcomers. They are infinitely patient, and they take almost as much delight in evangelizing and catechizing as they do worshipping at the altars of their piscine gods. Ask a friend or coworker or acquaintance who loves to fish if you can tag along—you will be happily obliged. In this vein, I never tire of quoting Norman Maclean, from the opening of [A River Runs Through It](sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1530894851&sr=1-1&keywords=a+river+runs+through+it): In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing. We lived at the junction of great trout rivers in western Montana, and our father was a Presbyterian minister and a fly fisherman who tied his own flies and taught others. He told us about Christ’s disciples being fishermen, and we were left to assume, as my brother and I did, that all first-class fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were fly fishermen and that John, the favorite, was a dry-fly fisherman. Grace and peace (and happy fishing), [Mark Galli] [Mark Galli] [Mark Galli](mailto:GalliReport@christianitytoday.com) Editor-in-Chief, Christianity Today Advertisement More from Christianity Today [God’s Crowdsource in East Harlem]( [CT Pastors]( [God’s Crowdsource in East Harlem]( This church is building relationships and contributing to economic shalom by supporting local businesses. José Humphreys [Read More]( [A Degree of Contention at Christian Schools]( [News]( | [CT Magazine]( [A Degree of Contention at Christian Schools]( Rise of honorary degrees raises concern about misuse of “Dr.” in ministry. Kate Shellnutt [Read More]( [What a Conservative Court Means for Christian Unity]( [Quick to Listen]( [What a Conservative Court Means for Christian Unity]( White evangelical leaders applaud SCOTUS nominee’s religious liberty credentials. That’s not necessarily the litmus test for their brothers and sisters of color. 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