//podcastplus.net/feed/rev-dereks-ruminations~303d4256 Ever since I became a Christian in the 80s, one thing that has always fascinated me is the interaction between Theology and Literature. In these podcasts, I share with you some of my thoughts on books that I have read, or that I am reading. Join me on my journey as I continue to explore how Theology and Literature interact. Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:55:43 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/32429398/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-04-29%2F5a53a642c9a5fbc0fd65490a583f9141.m4a In a first for me, here, I give my thoughts on a first time read. 'Blind Faith' whilst having a lot of the hallmarks of Ben Elton's style, humour and concerns, is also a deeply dark book. Listener discretion is strongly advised. This is not an episode for children to hear. Themes of sex, infant mortality, anti-vaxxers, a Theocracy, Global Warming and reality TV are all here in Elton's dystopian future London. Unless otherwise indicated, below, sounds and music from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com Blackadder II episode 1 'Money' sampled from here Brave New World on Amazon or Abe Books --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/derek-mcclean4/message Fri, 30 Apr 2021 02:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/32429398/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-04-29%2F5a53a642c9a5fbc0fd65490a583f9141.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/29785087/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-03-25%2F96ac8f4f75db010b7039f13ccf26ca8d.m4a Frankenstein is a book which has come to dominate the popular imagination like few others. Thanks, largely, to the movies and TV series, serious and comedic, that have been inspired by it. In this episode I look at some of the themes of this book, including: Are there limits to Science? What does it have to say about the Nature/Nurture debate? Perhaps, together, we can learn more about what it means to be human. Unless otherwise indicated, below, sounds and music from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com 'Alive' sampled from the movie, ' Frankenstein ' (1931) 'De Niro' and 'De Niro 2' sampled from the movie ' Mary Shelley's Frankenstein ' (1994) 'I am your god' sampled from Red Dwarf Season 1 episode, 'Waiting for God' (1988) 'Blind Faith' from Amazon, here or from Abe Books, here Books mentioned in the episode: 'Nightmare: the birth of Horror' by Christopher Frayling, here Doctor Who Comic story, The Life Bringer!, entry, here 'The Jews: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices... Fri, 26 Mar 2021 03:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/29785087/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-03-25%2F96ac8f4f75db010b7039f13ccf26ca8d.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/29785087/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-03-25%2F96ac8f4f75db010b7039f13ccf26ca8d.m4a Frankenstein is a book which has come to dominate the popular imagination like few others. Thanks, largely, to the movies and TV series, serious and comedic, that have been inspired by it. In this episode I look at some of the themes of this book, including: Are there limits to Science? What does it have to say about the Nature/Nurture debate? Perhaps, together, we can learn more about what it means to be human. Unless otherwise indicated, below, sounds and music from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com 'Alive' sampled from the movie, ' Frankenstein ' (1931) 'De Niro' and 'De Niro 2' sampled from the movie ' Mary Shelley's Frankenstein ' (1994) 'I am your god' sampled from Red Dwarf Season 1 episode, 'Waiting for God' (1988) 'Blind Faith' from Amazon, here or from Abe Books, here Books mentioned in the episode: 'Nightmare: the birth of Horror' by Christopher Frayling, here Doctor Who Comic story, The Life Bringer!, entry, here 'The Jews: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices... Fri, 26 Mar 2021 03:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/29785087/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-03-25%2F96ac8f4f75db010b7039f13ccf26ca8d.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/27047608/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-03-25%2Fe84df48628755e2240c02e041469f647.m4a In this episode I explore this work by the late, great Terry Pratchett. It is a book full of the usual fun and mischief of Pratchett, and he focuses his sights on Religion and Philosophy. As with the best of his books, Pratchett has a 'punt' at Religion and Philosophy but leaves us with a respectful wondering at what it means to be human.  Additional sounds and music from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com 'Mirror' is from the audiobook, ' Guards! Guards! ' by Terry Pratchett, read by Nigel Planer ' Bring out your dead ' and ' Flagellants ' both sourced from YouTube clips of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' 'Socrates' sourced from 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' on You Tube, here Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' from Amazon, here or from Abe Books, here Pratchett's 'The Light Fantastic', from Amazon, here Pratchett's 'The Thief of Time', from Amazon, here Pratchett's 'Eric', from Amazon, here Pratchett's article, 'The God Moment' is found in 'A Slip of the... Fri, 26 Feb 2021 03:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/27047608/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-03-25%2Fe84df48628755e2240c02e041469f647.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/27047608/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-02-24%2F6eb0809de7eba78960703280046a9f6e.m4a In this episode I explore this work by the late, great Terry Pratchett. It is a book full of the usual fun and mischief of Pratchett, and he focuses his sights on Religion and Philosophy. As with the best of his books, Pratchett has a 'punt' at Religion and Philosophy but leaves us with a respectful wondering at what it means to be human.  Additional sounds and music from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com 'Mirror' is from the audiobook, ' Guards! Guards! ' by Terry Pratchett, read by Nigel Planer ' Bring out your dead ' and ' Flagellants ' both sourced from YouTube clips of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' 'Socrates' sourced from 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' on You Tube, here Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' from Amazon, here or from Abe Books, here Pratchett's 'The Light Fantastic', from Amazon, here Pratchett's 'The Thief of Time', from Amazon, here Pratchett's 'Eric', from Amazon, here Pratchett's article, 'The God Moment' is found in 'A Slip of the... Fri, 26 Feb 2021 03:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/27047608/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-02-24%2F6eb0809de7eba78960703280046a9f6e.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/27047608/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-03-25%2Fe84df48628755e2240c02e041469f647.m4a In this episode I explore this work by the late, great Terry Pratchett. It is a book full of the usual fun and mischief of Pratchett, and he focuses his sights on Religion and Philosophy. As with the best of his books, Pratchett has a 'punt' at Religion and Philosophy but leaves us with a respectful wondering at what it means to be human.  Additional sounds and music from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com 'Mirror' is from the audiobook, ' Guards! Guards! ' by Terry Pratchett, read by Nigel Planer ' Bring out your dead ' and ' Flagellants ' both sourced from YouTube clips of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' 'Socrates' sourced from 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' on You Tube, here Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' from Amazon, here or from Abe Books, here Pratchett's 'The Light Fantastic', from Amazon, here Pratchett's 'The Thief of Time', from Amazon, here Pratchett's 'Eric', from Amazon, here Pratchett's article, 'The God Moment' is found in 'A Slip of the... Fri, 26 Feb 2021 03:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/27047608/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-03-25%2Fe84df48628755e2240c02e041469f647.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/25990591/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-01-31%2F51fea39495617985273cef70367cac87.m4a With apologies for the technical glitch meaning a restriction in platform availability, now, sorted - In this episode I begin to explore themes in 'Horns' by Joe Hill, and I look at key theme's such as the Horns, themselves, alongside some reflections on Ig's Hell, and the Fire Sermon. Part 2 will finish the exploration of this novel. Additional sounds from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com Paradise Lost by John Milton: here The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe: here Horns by Joe Hill: here --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/derek-mcclean4/message Sun, 31 Jan 2021 12:03:21 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/25990591/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-01-31%2F51fea39495617985273cef70367cac87.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/25990591/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-01-31%2F51fea39495617985273cef70367cac87.m4a With apologies for the technical glitch meaning a restriction in platform availability, now, sorted - In this episode I begin to explore themes in 'Horns' by Joe Hill, and I look at key theme's such as the Horns, themselves, alongside some reflections on Ig's Hell, and the Fire Sermon. Part 2 will finish the exploration of this novel. Additional sounds from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com Paradise Lost by John Milton: here The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe: here Horns by Joe Hill: here Sun, 31 Jan 2021 12:03:21 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/25990591/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-01-31%2F51fea39495617985273cef70367cac87.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/23173023/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-01-13%2F62d4381d5187247ecdcdb6e705f3b835.m4a In this episode I finish my brief exploration of the themes in 'Horns' by Joe Hill, and I look at key theme's such as the relationships between Ig, Lee and Merrin, the significance of a cross, and the key point of the Treehouse of the Mind. Additional sounds and music from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com Terry Pratchett's 'Small gods' from Amazon, here or from Abe Books, here --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/derek-mcclean4/message Sat, 30 Jan 2021 03:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/23173023/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-01-13%2F62d4381d5187247ecdcdb6e705f3b835.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/23173023/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-01-13%2F62d4381d5187247ecdcdb6e705f3b835.m4a In this episode I finish my brief exploration of the themes in 'Horns' by Joe Hill, and I look at key theme's such as the relationships between Ig, Lee and Merrin, the significance of a cross, and the key point of the Treehouse of the Mind. Additional sounds and music from Zapsplat: https://www.zapsplat.com Terry Pratchett's 'Small gods' from Amazon, here or from Abe Books, here Sat, 30 Jan 2021 03:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/1914fca8/podcast/play/23173023/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-01-13%2F62d4381d5187247ecdcdb6e705f3b835.m4a