In our world that has become so heavily imbalanced towards ideas like economic growth, efficiency, and hard work, joy is often neglected as something frivolous or superfluous, at best icing on the cake of life. But what marginalized communities know deep down from experience is that joy is far a ‘bonus’. It’s actually at the … Continue reading Apocalyptic Joy: A Reflection for the Third Week of Advent 2025
To say the pop culture year is winding down would be an understatement, as new music and book releases have slowed to a trickle. And, tomorrow is the end of my official 'reading year', as I dedicate the last two weeks of the year to holiday books and re-reading old favourites. Today I'll do my … Continue reading Culture Roundup (December 13, 2025): Beyond the ‘Christmas Canon’
Last week, as we turned the page to a new liturgical year to the start of Advent, we saw how apocalyptic — that is, revelatory, unmasking — times, require apocalyptic measures: not just hope, peace, joy, and love, but apocalyptic — that is, unlikely, tenacious, creative — hope, peace, joy, and love. Today, as we … Continue reading Apocalyptic Peace: A Reflection for the Second Week of Advent 2025
Earlier this Fall, there was about a two-day period when the media was obsessed over a ‘rapture’ prediction by some Christian Fundamentalists that had gone viral on social media. Naturally, these predictions came to nothing. I say ‘naturally’, not only because is the idea of the rapture a pretty new idea with a very weak … Continue reading Apocalyptic Hope: A Reflection for the First Week of Advent 2025
This week I'll do my usual roundup of what I've been listening to and reading before letting you know about a new side-project I've been working on that may be of interest for those who are enjoying these pop culture posts. Roundup Music New music releases are seriously drying up for the year. The only … Continue reading Culture Roundup (November 29, 2025): A New Side-Project
Matthew Root 