That time again! Click here to check out last year’s guide. And to make sure all the gifts below look their best, we recommend using (w)rapping paper. For the grandmothers and grandmothers-at-heart in your life, or anyone you’d like to thank for being a friend: Golden Girls Clue board game. (“Who ate the last piece […]
In Defense of 2016
This past calendar year, known by many of us as 2016, was nothing if not controversial. Populated as it was by unexpected outcomes, celebrity demises, and global tragedies, the year stands out as, at the very least, memorable. And at the very most? Well, it may be the first time I’ve heard a quartet of […]
One Reader’s Favorite Fiction from 2016
My two favorite entertainments this year were Greg Jackson’s Prodigals – a collection of short stories on seekers at various life stages – and Luca Guadagnino’s A Bigger Splash – a sleek, psychological drama set on a gorgeous Italian island. This post is about books, but I wanted to mention the film because it hasn’t […]
The Top Theology Books of 2016
Another year and there are many, many more books to read. If that statement feels more like a celebration than an arduous demand, this post is for you. I buy an inordinate amount of books each year, so I’m firmly in the former category. Below are the best theology books of 2016, categorized by their […]
The Dirty Deacon’s Top 10 Horror Films of 2016
Disclaimer: Pinning down actual years on films is a tricky endeavor. Some films travel film festival circuits and have limited theater releases well before they’re actually “out”. However, my list below contains the top 10 horror films that had a wide release in 2016, whether it was in theaters or through video-on-demand services. So while films like The Love Witch […]
The Top Ten Films of 2016
Listen, 2016 has been…difficult. From political turmoil to national racial unrest, and the deaths of many beloved pop-icons such as Bowie, Prince, and, most recently, one of the more daring heroines the cine-verse has ever known, Carrie Fisher. But, as Sarah Condon so gracefully pointed out, 2016 wasn’t the worst year ever. As both the enthusiastic cinephile and the […]
Pot Kettle Black: Keeping the Mocking-Score in 2016
A little rundown of what content got traction in 2016 for those looking to while away the post-Christmas coma. Fresh material will be fairly sparse until the new year:
Top Posts
- Why We Are All the Gorilla Mom
- When You Marry the Wrong Person
- Dear Gloria Steinem
- The Mortal Prayers of David Bowie
- Attachment Theory and Your Relationship with God
- Jim Carrey and the Terrible Search for Fulfillment
- Yesterday’s News
- The Ubiquity of Grief (and How I Tried to Climb the Ladder)
- Bumper Stickers and Background Screens
- The Prosperous Gospel of Stage 4 Cancer
Honorable Mentions: Love to the Loveless Shown, 13 Signs of Bad Pastoral Care, But Now We’re Stressed Out, Roses for Your Sin, The Secret History of William Axl Rose [Deluxe Edition], The Gospel’s Steady Work of Reversal
Favorite Whiffs AKA Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time (and Still Does!)
- Smells Like Dream (Teen) Spirit
- Playing It Safe With Consumer Reports
- Kid Kierkegaard Chose… Poorly
- Christmas in Colombia: The Gracious End of FARC
- The Absolutely Fabulous Canterbury Cathedral
Three Most Popular Mockingcast Episodes
- Peter Leithart, Don Knotts & the Orthodoxy of Romance
- Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart (with Robert Jenson)
- Speaking of Faith, Fashion and Friendship (with Krista Tippett)
Most Popular Tweets (From a Post Not Mentioned Above): This one and, the runner-up, this one.
Most Popular Facebook Post (From a Post Not Mentioned Above): This one and then, this one.
Most Downloaded Sermon(s): “The Consistency of Inconsistency” by Jacob Smith, “Prison Break” by Paul Walker, “It Is Finished” by Jim Munroe
Most Watched Conference Talks (Not Given By a Bestselling Author/Musician)
- Exploring the Oddball World of Christian Disco (1975-85) – John Zahl
- Shut Up and Dance With Me – Sarah Condon
- Brand New Me – Ethan Richardson
- The Most Foolish Job in the World – Curt Benham
- Wes Anderson and the Catastrophe of Redemption – David Zahl
P.S. Earlybird rates for the above expire on Jan 1st! Pre-register today.
Five Golden…Themes! What We Loved Talking About in 2016
In lieu of a weekender, today we give you something of a year-ender, 2016’s five golden (or not so golden)…themes. By all means, tell us in the comments what themes you spied in the headlines throughout the past year. 1. Donald Trump. It goes without saying, but nothing frenzied the network television companies and newspaper writers […]
A 2016 Movie Wrap-Up
Here we go! A look into some of 2016’s most-talked-about films… Birth of a Nation. Nate Parker’s film shares a title with D.W. Griffith’s 1915 technical masterpiece, yet inverts the idyllic narrative that championed the victory of white supremacy over the supposed societal dangers of Reconstruction. Where Griffith’s storyline details the violence that ensues when […]
Consuming 2016: Favorite Music, Media, Humor, Books
Okey doke, time for our annual round up of favorites from throughout the year. These are predominantly personal picks, albeit ones with an eye toward Mocking-resonance. TV went live last week. (Click here to check out last year’s list). Music Favorite Discoveries David Bowie 1991-1997. When he died, I first spent some time with his […]
The Best of the Year in Television 2016
Back in November, The Washington Post reported that there is so much TV being produced in America today that Los Angeles is running out of studio space and production equipment. Now, I know you could argue that the scarcity reflects a bottomless appetite for distraction in our culture–that we’re “entertaining ourselves to death”. You’d have a […]
2016 Was Not the Worst Year Ever
Across my newsfeed has rung the proclamation that 2016 was “The Worst Year Ever.” I get it. David Bowie died. Prince went on to his great reward. Half the country voted for someone that people are comparing to Hitler/a cartoon character/a Cheeto. I wish I could buy into the extreme opinion. I love to proclaim […]
