Kenny and Mike are joined by friend and regular guest Rev. Eric Folkerth to discuss the biopic film of Bob Dylan, A Complete Unkown. Directed by James Mangold, the film stars Timothee Chalamet as Dylan, Ed Norton as Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, and Monica Babaro as Joan Baez.

Based on the book Dylan Goes Electric by Elijah Wood, A Complete Unknown opens as Bob Dylan arrives in New York City and begins his rise in the world of folk music, and the reaction after he became a folk music star when he decides to expand into folk rock music by "going electric." This new direction was introduced and decidedly rejected by the audience at the 1965 Newport Folk Music Festival, and is the climax of the film.

As the film moves toward the Newport clash, it documents Dylan's struggle againstbeing labeled, boxed in, and controlled by the music industry as well as his initial fans. The film also shows Dylan's relationships with Sylvie Russo and folk legends Joan Baez, as well as with Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie.

Episode Guest Eric Folkerth is Sr. Pastor of Kessler Park United Methodist Church in Dallas and is a singer/songwriter and blogger. Eric's website is ericfolkerth.com

Faith Reflected:

Expansive vs. restricted worship, experiences, and understanding of God.

Worship Wars happen when individuals and groups get comfortable and set in their ways of worship and deny the validity of other expressions and languages of worship that may speak better to others.

The benefit of a variety of ways of worship that lead to enriched understanding and experiences of God.

Declaring and accepting purity of worship is a means to control the experience, theological understanding, and faith development of others.

Luke 4 and the resistance to Jesus demonstrating God's love of and working for other people and nations.

The early Church in the Book of Acts also faced this struggle of expansive experiences of worship and understanding of God.

Kenny and Mike review and discuss faith reflected in the Academy Award nominated film starring Adrien Brody. Written, produced and directed by Brady Corbet, the film shows the story of a Hungarian-Jewish holocaust survior, Laszlo Toth (Brody) who imigrates to the United States following World War 2. A renowned architect in Europe, Toth comes to Philadelphia with only a suitcase and an invitation to stay with a cousin who imigrated earlier. After a fallout with his cousin, Toth, living in a shelter, is sought out by industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce) for whom he and his cousin had done work, and was the catalyst for their fallout. Van Buren offers Toth a commission to design a very large civic center and chapel for his hometown outside of Philadelphia.

Following an intermission, the second part of the 3 hour 20 minute film begins with the arrival of Laszlo's wife Erzsebeth (Felicity Jones) and Laszlo's niece Zsofia (Raffey Cassidy) who does not speak and cares for Erzsebeth who is confined to a wheelchair as a result of her time in a concentration camp. The film depicts the struggles the Toth's face rebuilding their lives and relationship after a long separation and in the midst of Van Buren's and societal disdain for them.

Faith Spotted:

Gifts for service to the Church as well as talents in life are given by God. People should be humble in their use and any recognition that comes with the talents and gifts. Gifts to God and communities should be to glorify God and serve the community rather than glorify the individual or family giving it. We are called to be stewards of the gifts and talents God has given us.

We are to be truly welcoming and accepting persons of other faiths and cultures including imigrants and refugees who are fleeing danger and or seeking to start a new life. Welcoming includes offering hospitiality and love to others as we do our neighbors.

Hosts Mike and Kenny discuss the blockbusting film adaptation of Act 1 of the musical Wicked which stars Cynthia Erivo, and Ariana Grande. Directed by Jon M. Chu. Wicked Pt. 1offers the back story of The Wizard of Oz's Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West as well as the Wizard. Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba, a child conceived via an affair with green skin and rejected by her father. Ariana Grande stars as Galinda, born into wealth and influence and seemingly perfect. Galinda and Elphaba become roommates and rivals at Shiz University where both quickly become the center of attention, and eventually friends.

The film features outstanding vocal performances by Erivo and Grande as well as very strong visuals and production design. Jeff Goldbloom co-stars as the Wizard with Michelle Yeoh co-starring as Madame Morrible, the professor of magic. Jonathan Bailey co-stars as the romantic Prince Fiyero.

Faith Spotted:

The question of God in L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Where does evil / wickedness come from? The ability for narratives to cast wickedness on those undeserving of it as well as hide the wickedness and evil of others.

Though our faith teaches we are all born into sin, what roll does environtmental elements and circumstances play in becoming evil/wicked?

All persons are created by and are beloved children of God, therefore as persons of faith we are called to respect and preserve the agency of "others" regardless of their faith or place.

As Christians we can celebrate the defeat of evil and the removal of the threat of evil and wickedness but we are not to celebrate the suffering or death of those who commit evil or wicked acts as this violates Christ's command to love all persons, even our enemies, as well as the command to forgive even one's enemies. While it can seem impossible, we are called to do so and can be empowered by God to do so.

Persons of the Christian faith are not to blame persons or punish them for the sins of others.

Article with novelist Gregory Maguire regarding faith present in Wicked.

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/11/20/q-and-wicked-author-gregory-maguire-souls-saints-religion-oz-249323