Jonathan Ryan's Blog, page 45

Advent: The Catholic Church IS the Rebellion

A few days ago, I was talking about the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One (which I loved) when someone asked, rather sarcastically, if Jess and I see Sick Pilgrim as our own “little rebellion” against the Catholic Church. I responded, without thinking too deeply about my answer, “Why would I want to rebel against [Read More...]

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Jesus Frankenstein: Mary’s Baby and Mary Shelley’s Hideous Progeny

“I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on.” So cries Frankenstein’s monster at the end of Mary Shelley’s most famous work, published in 1818, when the author was just 21. In her introduction to the 1831 edition, Shelley attempts to answer the question “so frequently [Read More...]

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Dark Devotional: Fourth Sunday in Advent: Listen to the Misfits

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah56:1-3A, 6-8 I’m a misfit, especially as a person of faith. I’m a Pentecostal Episcopalian, who’s never given up being Pentecostal (even though that is really not cool in the academic and literary circles I run in), and I haven’t yet been baptized Episcopalian (to the confusion [Read More...]

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Adventures of an Agnostic in the Weird World of Catholicism

When my roommates first told me that they were going to get time off their Purgatory sentence by going to confession, praying for the Pope’s intentions, and walking through a holy door in a church downtown, I didn’t know what to do with my face. I asked a lot of questions that night. I’m [Read More...]

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The Artist’s Fiat: An Interview with Sister Sinjin

I’ve been listening to Sister Sinjin’s new album, Incarnation, as a daily Advent prayer, and I was so inspired by their dark-folk-Medieval vibe that I wrote this essay last week about women and suffering and art and faithinstead of the album review that I’d set out to write. Sister Sinjin is Elise Erikson Barrett (vocals, [Read More...]

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Advent, the Apocalypse: A Constant Uncovering of the Eyes

I grew up in the Baptist tradition, and though we celebrated Advent, I didn’t know much about it, other than that it was the countdown to Christmas, which meant a new horde of G.I. Joe toys to war with, tons of food to eat at my grandmother’s house, and that we got to play with [Read More...]

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Dark Devotional, Third Sunday of Advent: Waiting on Hope

Be strong, fear not! Here is your God –Isaiah 35 I don’t know much about Advent. Either all we ever did was light candles when I was growing up or I didn’t pay attention to the sermons at our Baptist church that time of year. All I know is that there are five candles [Read More...]

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Mothers, Artists, and Pain: Moon River and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

My maternal grandfather was born on December 8, 1912, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. I barely remember him now, only that he was a heavy smoker and a Wild Turkey drinker, that he wore thick-lensed, heavy black-framed glasses that would be hip today, and that he often growled at my complaining grandmother to [Read More...]

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Holy Crap! A Bad Gift Guide for Catholics

It’s Advent season, which means you’re probably scrambling around trying to find a white elephant Christmas gift for that office party no one really wants to attend. Have you ever thought “I wish I could give a gift that would offend just about everyone while making sure no one asks me to do this stupid [Read More...]

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Feast of St. Nicholas: Slap a Heretic Day. Or Why Are We Hitting Ourselves?

Tuesday is the feast day of St. Nicholas and as usual, the story of him slapping Arius in the face during the Council of Nicea is making the rounds on social media. To be honest, I used to think the story was funny and I applauded the spirit. That is, get so passionate about truth [Read More...]

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