53: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Sunday Morning Matinee

On this week’s episode of Technicolor Jesus, Matt and Adam talk death, the wild west, advent, and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. In our first segment, Justification by Faith, Matt and Adam discuss what Joel and Ethan Coen’s new film, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs has to do with life, ministry, theology and the world. Released on Netflix, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs tells six separate stories of the wild west connected thematically by questions of life, death, and human agency. In the second segment, Preaching to the Choir, Matt and Adam ask how The Ballad of Buster Scruggs might aid the understanding the lectionary texts for Advent 2, Year C. Specifically, Zechariah’s song provides a rich background for talking about promise, finitude and potential. Finally, in the last segment, Postludes, Adam rants about the NSA’s favorite elf and Matt reflects on the movie that got away. So get out your cowboy hats and spurs, it’s time for another episode of Technicolor Jesus.