"What's more real than a person trying to help someone they love?" Steve and Christian watched the new movie, "Free Guy." And they're joined by Paul Haworth on today's conversation. They discuss personhood, freedom, and the world to come. We do more than simply offer reviews. Just like a bee can take good things from flowers (and leave the rest behind), we can learn to take the good things from pop culture as we seek to open ourselves to Christ and His saving work in our lives. It's Orthodox Christian engagement with today's culture. 

Pop Culture Coffee Hour

Episode 171: Free Guy

The girls discuss the Broadway-to-Silver-Screen musical, Dear Evan Hansen. They touch on themes such as the role of social media in trying to be authentic, the complexity of the human person, and the need for community in support. 

Episode 170: Dear Evan Hansen

"You may have noticed, I’m not like normal Dads." Steve and Christian watched the new Amazon Prime series, "Invincible." They discuss identity, power, and responsibility. We do more than simply offer reviews. Just like a bee can take good things from flowers (and leave the rest behind), we can learn to take the good things from pop culture as we seek to open ourselves to Christ and His saving work in our lives. It's Orthodox Christian engagement with today's culture. 

Episode 169: Invincible

The girls discuss Gilmore Girls and touch on themes such as the importance of having a village around you, the significance of place, and above all, unconditional love. 

Episode 168: Gilmore Girls

"I've been where you are. I've felt what you feel. Don't ask me how I know. All I know is I don't want to hurt you. I don't want the throne. I just want you to be okay." Steve, Christian, Christina, and Emma are back for the season 7 premiere of "Pop Culture Coffee Hour." They watched the new Marvel Disney+ series, "Loki." They discuss identity, freedom, and God's irresistible embrace. We do more than simply offer reviews. Just like a bee can take good things from flowers (and leave the rest behind), we can learn to take the good things from pop culture as we seek to open ourselves to Christ and His saving work in our lives. It's Orthodox Christian engagement with today's culture. "Pop Culture Coffee Hour" is hosted by Steven Christoforou, Christian Gonzalez, Christina Andresen, and Emma (Solak) Pcsolyar. 

Episode 167: Loki

"I don’t know about you guys, but, um, you know, I’ve been thinking recently that… that you know, maybe, um, allowing giant digital media corporations to exploit the neurochemical drama of our children for profit… You know, maybe that was, uh… a bad call by us. Maybe… maybe the… the flattening of the entire subjective human experience into a… lifeless exchange of value that benefits nobody, except for, um, you know, a handful of bug-eyed salamanders in Silicon Valley… Maybe that as a… as a way of life forever… maybe that’s, um, not good." Steve and Christian watched Bo Burnham's new Netflix comedy special, "Inside." They discuss the pandemic, feeling trapped "inside," and technology. We do more than simply offer reviews. Just like a bee can take good things from flowers (and leave the rest behind), we can learn to take the good things from pop culture as we seek to open ourselves to Christ and His saving work in our lives. It's Orthodox Christian engagement with today's culture. 

Episode 166: Bo Burnham’s “Inside”

Steve and Christian were asked to keynote the Mid-Atlantic Parish Life Conference, and rather than giving a lecture, they decided to do an episode of Pop Culture Coffee Hour! They discuss the big question of identity and its individual, communitarian, and cosmic sources, doing so through their favorite fictional universes of Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the MCU! 

Episode 165: It’s A Summertime Special! PLC Edition!

"Buongiorno, principessa!" Steve, Christian, Emma, and Christina watched the classic Italian film, "Life is Beautiful." This is our season finale. We'll be back later in the year! 

Episode 164: Life is Beautiful

"Families can be hard, but they're so worth fighting for. They might be one of the only things that are." Steve and Christian watched the new Netflix film, "The Mitchells vs. The Machines." The guys discuss family, belonging, and being corrects vs being connected. Philanthropy Spotlight: Christ's last words to the Apostles were "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all people". Since 1987, OCMC has sent Missionaries and Mission Teams to work, worship and witness around the world. Continue this tradition by joining a Virtual Mission Team. If not you, then who? Find out more at www.ocmc.org 

Episode 163: The Mitchells vs The Machines

"I don’t want to survive, I want to live!" Steve and Christian watched the classic Pixar film, "WALL-E." The guys discuss sacraments, the earth, and magical thinking. 

Episode 162: WALL-E

The girls discuss Joan Didion's essays. They touch on themes such as the power of simply finding God in the world around you, the power of words, and the pain of grief. 

Episode 161: Joan Didion

"Eww." Steve and Christian watched the CBC TV series, "Schitt's Creek." The guys discuss repentance, gratitude, and love. We're shining a light on RIP Medical Debt, a non-profit that uses donor funds to wipe our medical debt from the neediest cases up. Medical debt destroys the financial stability of large segments of America’s most vulnerable communities: the sick, the elderly, the poor, and veterans. It also targets the middle class, driving many families who are barely getting along into poverty. Medical debt isn’t the result of bad decisions. It’s a debt of necessity. Learn more at their website: ripmedicaldebt.org. 

Episode 160: Schitt’s Creek

The girls discuss the novel The Big Finish, and they contemplate themes such as struggling with the passions, how we perceive other people, and the reality that salvation is messy. 

Episode 159: The Big Finish

"That’s what rap is, making the best out of a bad situation, brother." Steve and Christian watched the FX series, "Atlanta." The guys discuss tragedy, comedy, human brokenness, and race in America. Philanthropy Spotlight: At the start of Great Lent, we're shining a light on the important place almsgiving has in the Christian life. 

Episode 158: Atlanta

"What is grief, if not love persevering?" Steve and Christian watched the new Disney+ series in the MCU, "WandaVision." The guys discuss grief, justice, power, and the cross-pressure of Secular3. Philanthropy Spotlight: We're also shining a light on "Philoptochos," the philanthropic arm of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Philoptochos fulfills its mission to “help the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, those with disabilities and the victims of disasters through its National and Metropolis Boards and its 26,000 members and more than 400 active chapters, nationwide. Philoptochos responds immediately to needs and crises and its philanthropic outreach extends to each area of the country and throughout the world. In 2019, National Philoptochos distributed $1.7 million in philanthropic aid. Learn more on their website: philoptochos.org 

Episode 157: WandaVision

The guys and girls talk about pop culture, theology, and whatever else is on their minds in this weekly podcast. They might even make you laugh. Maybe. The guys: Steven Christoforou & Christian Gonzalez The girls: Christina Andresen & Emma Solak “Pop Culture Coffee Hour” is a joint production of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Ancient Faith Radio.

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Pop Culture Coffee Hour

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