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The Biblical Mind is dedicated to helping its audience understand the deep structures of Scripture. It is published by the Center for Hebraic Thought, a hub for research and resources promoting biblical literacy and the intellectual world of the Bible.
Hollywood, Scripture, and Politics: Joan Didion and the Power of Story (Alissa Wilkinson) Ep. #207
The Biblical Mind
47 minutes 54 seconds
1 month ago
Hollywood, Scripture, and Politics: Joan Didion and the Power of Story (Alissa Wilkinson) Ep. #207
What do Hollywood, Joan Didion, and the Bible have in common?
More than you’d expect. In this episode, New York Times film critic and author Alissa Wilkinson joins Dru Johnson to discuss the life, work, and worldview of Joan Didion, one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century. Wilkinson’s new book, We Tell Ourselves Stories, explores how Didion made sense of chaos through narrative—and what her work reveals about faith, trauma, politics, and cultural memory.
Together, Alissa and Dru explore Didion’s insight that stories are not just entertainment; they are survival mechanisms, tools we use to impose order on a chaotic world. But is that all Scripture is—just another human-made narrative? Wilkinson offers a careful reflection on the limits and power of storytelling, showing how Didion’s work can challenge both Christian belief and secular mythmaking.
They also dive into conspiracy theories, the fusion of politics and Hollywood, and the rise of nostalgia as a cultural sickness. From John Wayne to 9/11 to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this episode traces the invisible threads between the stories we inherit and the truths we cling to.
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Chapters:
00:00 Exploring Joan Didion's Influence02:10 The Chaos of Life and Storytelling05:08 The Impact of California on Didion's Work08:15 Didion's Perspective on Conspiracy Theories11:24 Hollywood's Political Landscape and Didion's Critique14:26 The Intersection of Politics and Entertainment17:29 Didion's Views on Feminism and Fixed Ideas20:26 The Role of Nostalgia in Storytelling23:24 The Modern Political Narrative26:17 Conspiracies and Their Impact on Society29:27 The Nature of Truth in Storytelling32:10 Didion's Legacy in Film and Media35:20 The Future of Storytelling in Politics
The Biblical Mind
The Biblical Mind is dedicated to helping its audience understand the deep structures of Scripture. It is published by the Center for Hebraic Thought, a hub for research and resources promoting biblical literacy and the intellectual world of the Bible.
