Gray Matter Books

Below is an interview conducted by Gray Matter Books with Author/Editor Jonny Walls about the newly released title The Legend of Zelda & Theology.

GM –  What made you decide to be involved with this book?

JW –  I love Zelda and mythology, and the fact that Zelda’s mythology is so rich. At the end of the day it’s a fun and different way to look at theology. It’s also fun for those who like Zelda or video games in general.

GM –  What about this book makes it important for people to read or be aware of?

JW – Well it could be intriguing for a lot of different people for different reasons. First, obviously, it should be interesting to people who are into video games, good storytelling, or Zelda in general, and interested or curious about theology. This is a good way for people to dip into those things for the first time. If the reader is already a Christian, this is hopefully an interesting new way to look at theology. If the person is already into theology, hopefully this will be a fresh way to approach it. It’s good for gamers and those interested in theology because it appeals to both.

GM –  What do you hope readers will take away from this book after reading it?

JW – I want to dispel misconceptions about Christianity. The idea is to come to something like Zelda, which is very popular, and have it lead into Christianity in its own way. Not that we (the other contributing authors and myself) claim that Zelda is explicitly Christian, not at all. The idea is to take a rich and layered mythology like Zelda’s, which draws from all sorts of different cultures and religions, and see what happens if we look at Christianity in that framework, through that lens. But we don’t mean to superimpose Christianity onto something where it doesn’t belong. So, those who don’t know much about Christianity can get a genuine, unskewed, accurate representation of the faith in open dialogue through something like Zelda, which may be familiar to him or her. Everything isn’t as scary or oppressive as it sometimes seems. Of course, I hope that maybe some curious theologians read this and become interested in playing Zelda, as well.

GM –  How do you think this can or will impact readers or our society/ pop culture in general?

JW – There are so many different possibilities. It’s going to contribute to a conversation that is already starting out. There are pop culture and philosophy books already out there on different shows, books, movies, everything you could imagine. This is going to be another angle to that discussion, taking this area of pop culture and contributing to it.

GM –  How can people take what they received from the book and apply it to (or in) their lives?

JW – This can and will be different for each person. For someone who doesn’t know much about theology, he can learn a lot. For the weathered theologian, he may see a lot of familiar concepts from a different point of view. It can be fun and interesting but it will vary for every single person who reads it.

Gray Matter Books has announced the release of it’s newest title, THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD. The debut release from author, John K. Bucher Jr., the title explores faith and the rise of the vampire in popular culture. THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD will be available in local bookstores and amazon.com.

Pop culture has been consumed by vampires. In the perils of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the rising metaphoric creatures of HBO’s hit show, True Blood , we see culture crying out for transcendence, connection with the supernatural and immortality. If we continue to examine, we can even see many intersections and alignments with the Christian faith. There is Power in the Blood examines God in places throughout this corner of pop culture where perhaps we had not noticed Him revealing His self before.

About the Author

John Bucher is a writer, award-winning filmmaker and culture communicator with a passion for using technology and storytelling to impact the culture.

He has produced film, television and video programming in more than 30 countries around the world including Iraq, Mongolia, China and Morocco and participated in government-sponsored film programs in locations as diverse as Havana, Cuba. His documentary work on AIDS in Africa received both Telly and Omni Awards.

He has served as the head of Communications and Film at Nyack College on both their Nyack , NY and Manhattan campuses and continues to teach in the school’s on-line program. He has served as the Executive Director for the Damah Film Festival, based in Los Angeles, CA., the largest spiritually based film festival in the world.

Currently, John teaches at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center. He also serves as the Director for Story Development for the Global Short Film Network, an international organization producing short films intended to spark spiritual discussions.

His photography has appeared in Rob Bell’s Drops Like Stars. His films have appeared in New York’s NewFilmmakers Festival and LA’s Mockfest. His writing has appeared in Heaven’s Hip Hop Magazine and Christian Retailing. He has taught seminars on story, film and pop culture on five continents.

Finally, John owns Sideshow Media Group, a culture communications company based in Hollywood, California, whose clients have included organizations ranging from Verve Music Group to The US Figure Skating Association to The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to State Farm Insurance to George Clooney.