Memento Mori: Theology and The Walking Dead

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1   Negan's Choice Producers' Rationale Is Negan Too Brutal? Negan's Restraint Things Have Changed Is Negan a Governing Authority?   "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." Romans 12:19   "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed." Romans 13:1-7   What 'The Walking Dead' Just Did With Negan Is A Trick They Should Never Pull Again, Forbes Let us know your thoughts: Twitter @MementoMoriCast Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast" Call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

We are back in regular podcasting mode! Just a quick intro to remind you of where we are in the show, why Negan matters so much, and who might not last the night. Let us know your thoughts: Subscribe: <a href="http://apple.co/18zNtLO" target="_blank">iTunes</a> & <a href="http://bit.ly/1Hmk5oA" target="_blank">Stitcher</a> Twitter: <a title="Twitter: Memento Mori" href="http://bit.ly/1EhAueA" target="_blank">@MementoMoriCast</a> Facebook Group: <a title="Facebook" href="http://on.fb.me/1EopP3G" target="_blank">"Memento Mori Podcast"</a> Call us: (571) 336 - 2019. <iframe src="https://www.speakpipe.com/widget/inline/ekp9hmd5waddteo7raf2i1cmnj70pfer" width="100%" height="180px" frameborder="0"></iframe>

"And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths." Zechariah 14:12   Today’s show is dedicated to the simple question of “Who does Negan choose?” during the final moments of the Season 6 Finale.   This is a spoiler-light episode. You will know that certain people survive until the end of Season 6. That may take a little bit of the tension off of the previous episodes, but it’s not a big deal.    Results of the poll What the cast and crew have said Wild speculation about Negan’s choice. Definitive proof from the Bible of a zombie apocalypse   Let us know your thoughts: Subscribe: iTunes & Stitcher Twitter: @MementoMoriCast Facebook Group: "Memento Mori Podcast" Call us: (571) 336 - 2019.  

“The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.” John 10:12   Rick Grimes the Pastor? A Tale of Two Cities: Woodbury and The Prison Father Gabriel’s Denomination Looking Forward to Season 6.5   We are joined by special guest Cody Almanzar, host of The Ordinary Pastor Podcast for a discussion about pastoral and redemptive themes in The Walking Dead.   Let us know your thoughts: Twitter @MementoMoriCast Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast" Call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1   What Makes a Zombie Show Interesting? Religion in the World of The Walking Dead The Theology of Fear The Walking Dead Los Angeles in Protestant History Hopeless Scientists The Military Overrun?   Special guest Gene Gosewehr of ClearLens.org and LetThereBeMovies.com joins us to talk about Season 1 of Fear The Walking Dead.   Let us know your thoughts: Twitter @MementoMoriCast Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast" Call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

"They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. " - 2 Tim 2:18   Personal and Podcast Update Reviews Initial Thoughts on Episode 1 "Pilot"   Let us know your thoughts: Twitter @MementoMoriCast Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast" Call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10     A relatively spoiler free discussion on what we know about Fear The Walking Dead, the spinoff series that begins this summer. Then we address a tweet about spiritual formation by Brian Zahnd that caused some controversy on Facebook.    Origin Story, Sappy Spinoff, or a Creative New Take? Tension Between an Original Work and the Adaptation Weaknesses of Modern Spiritual Formation Orthodoxy *plus* Orthopraxy   Stay tuned past the outro music for a short Avengers discussion.   Ministry Internship in Bulgaria

"Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor 10:31   We are joined by special guest Drew Hood, co-host of the Gotham Central podcast for a discussion about entertainment through a Christian worldview.   In addition to TWD, we discuss changes in the television industry and media consumption.   Why Would a Christian Watch a Zombie Show? Villains in The Walking Dead Should Shane Have Remained the Leader? Cross-Carrying vs. Self-Preservation Nominal Christianity Portrayed on TV How Television is Changing Comics as a Maturing Genre   Let us know your thoughts:   Twitter @MementoMoriCast Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast" Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Call us at (571) 336 - 2019 MementoMoriPodcast.libsyn.com/rss 

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." Psalm 19:1   Narrative is the single most common literary form in Scripture. We were recently critiqued by a host on the Bible Thumping Wingnut Podcast - in this episode we will springboard off that to discuss the importance of engaging with story and how it is fundamental to Christian theology:   Why Watch Things Uncritically? Do We Still Understand Story? Narrative vs. Proposition How We Understand Scripture Do We "Think" Christian? Challenging The World's Values   "God's invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made." Romans 1:20   "The high priest said, 'Are these things so?' And Stephen said: 'Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran ...'"Acts 7   "When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, 'Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!' But he said to him, 'A man once gave a great banquet and invited many ..." Luke 14   "Biblical narratives tell us about things that happened—but not just any things. Their purpose is to show God at work in his creation and among his people. The narratives glorify him, help us to understand and appreciate him, and give us a picture of his providence and protection. At the same time they also provide illustrations of many other lessons important to our lives" (Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, 79)

"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." Psalm 51:5   We are joined by special guest Len Pettis, co-host of the Bible Thumping Wingnut podcast. In addition to TWD, we discuss Presuppositional Apologetics and Theonomy.   Everything is Returning to Its Natural State Was Season Two the Worst? Hershel and Dale The Craftsmanship of Beth's Death Moments That Moved Us To Tears Presuppositionalism & Theonomy   Recommended in this episode:   Bible Thumping Wingnut (Podcast) The Freed Thinker (Presuppositional Apologetics Podcast) World War Z (Novel) The Booth at The End (Hulu Webseries)   Let us know your thoughts @MementoMoriCast, in our Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast," or call us at (571) 336 - 2019.  

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God" Micah 6:8    Did Rick's Group Cause This? Passion Overtaking Reason Mercy in Three Duels The Diverging Roads of Rick and Morgan How Many Should We Kill? Are We Called to Effectiveness or Faithfulness? Money & Jubilee (Bible, not Marvel) Materialism - Mammon's Lure The Walking Dead is a Sandbox   "We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28   "Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." 1 Timothy 6:9-10   "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:23   "And if he is not redeemed by these means, then he and his children with him shall be released in the year of jubilee. For it is to me that the people of Israel are servants. They are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 25:54-55   "If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount." Luke 6:34   Let us know your thoughts @MementoMoriCast, in our Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast," or call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

Call in and share your thoughts on the Season 5 finale!   You can leave a message at: http://www.speakpipe.com/MementoMoriPodcast (571) 336 - 2019 Search Facebook for "Memento Mori Podcast" Find us on Twitter @MementoMoriCast Email: [email protected]   We are currently planning the off-season. Let us know of any guests we should invite and stand-alone themes to discuss.   Lastly, please leave us a review on iTunes!

"He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." Col 2:15     The Coming Conflict Deanna vs. Rick - Governing Style Living Inside the Same as Living on the Outside What Should Deanna Have Done? What is Safety? "It's their world, we're just living in it" Rick Flips Out Listener Feedback   "God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." 2 Timothy 1:7   "We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28   "Our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2 Timothy 1:10   "In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us." 2 Cor 5:19-20   Let us know your thoughts @MementoMoriCast, in our Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast," or call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord." 1 Cor 12:4-5    Giftings and the Body of Christ Service as a Means to Build Relationships Role of Pastor How the Communities Care for Each Other What's the Deal with Father Gabriel! Do the Creators Understand Christianity? Righteousness and What We Deserve   "God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." 1 Cor 12:24-26   "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13   "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins." Ecc 7:20   "The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" Romans 3:22-24   Let us know your thoughts @MementoMoriCast, in our Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast," or call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." Colossians 3:23   Theology of Vocation Where do we find our identity? Stewardship Metaphor of the horse This is what you worry about?! Dehumanization Depravity What's with the wall?   "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him." 2 Timothy 2:3,4   "There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins." Ecclesiastes 7:20   "Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword." Matthew 26:52   "We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10   Let us know your thoughts @MementoMoriCast, in our Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast," or call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

"There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time" - Mark 10:29-30   Is everything good now? "Be on guard" Do we Christians live in the safe zone? Go to the dark places "Wise as serpents, innocent as doves" Family and the Kingdom of God Did Communism win? What's your 5-year plan?   "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:9   "I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16   Let us know your thoughts @MementoMoriCast, in our Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast," or call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:43-45 Rick's calculus What is hope at this point? You're survivors AND people Dissent with Rick "Just because we're good people ..." Total Depravity Love your enemy Great Commission "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 Let us know your thoughts @MementoMoriCast, in our Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast," or call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

"He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:45 Filler? Struggle to Survive Too many characters Hope Why do we exist? Common Grace/Intervention When do you see someone's character? Hairsuits & Father Gabriel Characterizing Christians Would you drink the water? Do you trust strangers? Let us know your thoughts @MementoMoriCast, in our Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast," or call us at (571) 336 - 2019.

"To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21 Our inaugural episode! A meaningful death? Inevitability/Predestination What does a Christian life look like in this world Forgiveness Hope Is death better? Let us know your thoughts @MementoMoriCast, in our Facebook Group "Memento Mori Podcast," or call us at (571) 336 - 2019.