Category Archives: Celebrities

Oklahoma tragedy leads to inevitable ‘disappointed God’ theology

Posted on May 22, 2013 by John Hilton

I knew it was coming, although I hoped it wouldn’t. I’m talking about the inevitable “God is disappointed by (the homosexuals, Hollywood liberals, imperialistic America, Obama, etc.).” It’s become pro forma policy for certain evangelists to seize on any tragic … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and media, Celebrities, Culture wars, Elsewhere, Evangelicals | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

George Beverly Shea dies at 104; longtime partner of Billy Graham

Posted on April 23, 2013 by John Hilton

Sad news last week from North Carolina, where George Beverly Shea, Billy Graham’s longtime partner in evangelism, died at 104. A Grammy-winning gospel singer, Shea appeared before an estimated 200 million people at Graham revival meetings worldwide. He also sang … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and media, Celebrities, Evangelicals, Worship | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The tragedy of Matthew Warren and the religion of mental health

Posted on April 9, 2013 by John Hilton

Matthew Warren, the 27-year-old son of megachurch pastor Rick Warren, committed suicide Friday. Warren died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, said Deputy Daniel Aikin, with the Orange County Coroner’s Office. The tragedy raises questions about how churches deal with … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Celebrities, Elsewhere, Science | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Aamir Liaquat: Pakistan’s version of the American televangelist

Posted on April 1, 2013 by John Hilton

I’ve written recently about televangelists and millionaires Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer. The charismatic evangelist is a unique aspect of American faith history, one that predates the television. Back then, traveling preachers like Sam Porter Jones were known as “revivalists” … Continue reading →

Posted in Celebrities, Clergy scandals, Elsewhere, Islam, Pop Culture | Tagged | 1 Comment

‘An evening with C.S Lewis’ coming to Lancaster

Posted on March 28, 2013 by John Hilton

David Payne’s first encounter with the great author/orator C.S. Lewis came as a teenager, when he was given a copy of Lewis’ best-selling book “Screwtape Letters.” Little did he realize that some 40 years later he would be gaining a … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglicanism, Arts and media, Books, Celebrities, Local events, Pop Culture | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Pope Francis dazzles at the Vatican

Posted on March 18, 2013 by John Hilton

He was spontaneous. He was engaging. He was accessible. In other words, Pope Francis was everything Pope Benedict wasn’t during his first formal public appearances Sunday. With a freestyle manner that must have caused anxiety for his security, Francis walked … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholicism, Celebrities | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Joel Osteen to do Hershey; should pastors get rich?

Posted on March 4, 2013 by John Hilton

The Bible is filled with passages related to greed. My favorite is part of Matthew 6:24, which reads: “You cannot serve God and money.” It cuts straight to the point. I’ve written about prosperity theology before and my opinion hasn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Around Pennsylvania, Arts and media, Books, Celebrities, Local events, Pop Culture | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Did ‘Saturday Night Live’ cross the line with ‘Django’ parody?

Posted on February 27, 2013 by John Hilton

A “Saturday Night Live” skit from two weeks ago is drawing sharp criticism in some faith circles. The skit mocks Quentin Tarantino’€™s “€œDjango Unchained,” which was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Christoph Waltz) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and media, Celebrities, Elsewhere, Film, Pop Culture | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Scientology Super Bowl ad generating buzz

Posted on February 6, 2013 by John Hilton

I occasionally get a package from the Church of Scientology and the glossy production and clever wordsmithing are always impressive. Still, the contents always end up in my wastebasket. I don’t believe that Scientology is a legitimate religion. Call me … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and media, Celebrities, Film, Pop Culture | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Super Bowl polling: 27 percent of Americans believe God decides who wins

Posted on January 31, 2013 by John Hilton

OK, confession time. My belief in the Almighty increases when the Dallas Cowboys are playing. Yes, I’ve been known to drop to my knees and pray for a third-down conversion or two. I remember telling friends that it was “in … Continue reading →

Posted in Celebrities, Elsewhere, Pop Culture, Sports | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment