All articles by Martin Saunders – Page 2
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Archive contentGrey Matter: 50 Shades, pornography and the shaping of our brains
Fifty Shades of Grey hits UK cinemas this Valentine’s day. Six years on from writing a major feature on porn and the UK Church for Premier Christianity, Martin Saunders explores the growing impact of sexually explicit content on modern culture.
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OpinionSerial: the killer podcast that swept the world
You’re either in or you’re out. You’re either: completely absorbed; desperately waiting to find out what really happened with Adnan Syed, Jay and the tragic Hae Min Lee; spending your Thursday lunchtimes ritually clicking the refresh button on Apple’s iTunes store…or you have literally no idea what I’m talking about.
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Archive contentA mission to save mankind
Christopher Nolan’s science fiction epic Interstellar envisions a world beyond our own, in which humankind can save itself.
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Archive contentNo m'Lord: Why doesn't Downton do God?
Downton Abbey is now regularly enjoyed by more than 120 million viewers around the world. But why is a show set in the God-fearing 1920s so reluctant to mention faith?
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Archive contentThe Leftovers
Armageddon is back this autumn. As the Left Behind film hits cinemas, a new American TV show explores what might happen if 140 million people simply disappeared at once. Is this apocalyptic story likely to leave British audiences ‘enraptured’?
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OpinionHave you spotted these 'invisibles' in your church?
In an age that is centred on platform-building and self-promotion, David Zweig’s book Invisibles claims we can make a significant impact while still maintaining an almost invisible profile.
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Archive contentTheology test your worship songs
What happens when you put the lyrics of some of our best-known worship songs under the theological microscope?
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Archive contentVanishing Act
A new book written by a secular New Yorker suggests that our self-promotion culture has its values badly wrong. It might just be the most important message the Church could hear in 2014.
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Archive contentThe Gospel according to Minecraft
Minecraft, a simple construction video game, is sweeping the globe. Why is it so popular, and should we be concerned that millions of people are choosing to spend more time in the game than outside it?
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Archive contentWhy your church should love the World Cup (even if you don’t)
The World Cup is upon us, and – whether or not you like football – there’s much the Church can learn from it.
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Archive contentWhat are we drinking?
The world’s favourite stimulant is available in all shapes, sizes and flavours. So how much caffeine is in a regular serving of your favourite beverage?
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Archive contentCaffeine Nation
It’s the world’s favourite legal drug; you may be sipping at it even as you read this. If so, are you holding that cup of coffee, or is it holding you?
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Archive contentFlood, sweat and tears
Darren Aronofsky’s latest epic has divided Christians; yet it’s a spectacular film sure to provoke discussion. So, just as theologians and children’s workers have asked for generations: what are we supposed to do with Noah?
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Archive contentDeath in Hollywood
Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died in February, is the latest in a long line of troubled celebrities to lose a battle with drug abuse. So why do so many famous people – who seem to have everything – get caught up in the deadly spiral of addiction?
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Archive contentA throne but no Messiah
Can a show full of gratuitous sex and violence and has no 'good' character, have anything to say to the Christian subculture?
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Archive contentA Life Less Misérable
Martin Saunders looks at how blockbuster musical Les Misérables – now out on DVD – can be powerfully harnessed to start conversations about God
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Archive content
What happened next
After 2012 confounded Mayan predictions and turned out to be a feel-good epic, how on earth could the next year possibly live up to it? Martin Saunders looks at how 2013's biggest events unfolded at home, abroad, and within the Church.
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Archive contentFit for purpose
With national obesity rates rising and the fitness industry booming, is there a more sensible middle way?
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Archive content
Playing with Fire
Swipe right if you would, left if you wouldn’t. Thanks to smartphone app Tinder, 21st century speed dating has picked up the pace...
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Archive contentNo more happy endings
A string of dark British TV dramas have proved to be major ratings winners. So why are millions of viewers trading the traditional good-defeats-evil story for something much bleaker?
