The Brothers Zahl Mockingbird

The brothers reconvene for a special one-off on the merriest day of them all. Look for Season 3 in the new year. Recommended and referenced resources include:



Poetry: "The First Coming" by Madeleine L'Engle, "Journey of the Magi" by T.S. Eliot, "For the Time Being" by W.H. Auden, "Descending Theology: The Nativity" by Mary Karr

Movies: The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Holly and the Ivy, Children of Men, 8-Bit Christmas, The Holdovers, Midnight Clear (but also Joyeux Noel, some details of which John mixes into his description)

Television: Call the Midwife Christmas Special, "How We Used Christmas Lights to Fight a War" TED Talk by Jose Miguel Sokoloff, "Christmas Story" The Andy Griffith Show (S1:E11)

Artwork: "Winter Landscape" by Caspar David Friedrich

Books: The Haunted Man by Charles Dickens, Martin Luther's Christmas Book

Music: The Animals Christmas by Jimmy Webb

Songs: “Jesus Christ” by Big Star, “Christmas Was Better in the 80s” by The Futureheads, “Sock it to Me Santa” by Bob Seger & the Heard, “Christmastime Is Here Again” by The Flirtations, “Let’s Get It Together this Christmas” by the Harvey Averne Band, “Always in a Manger” by Paul Westerberg, “O Holy Night” by Duvall, “Silent Night” by Richard Hawley, “Thankful Heart” from A Muppet Christmas Carol, “Santa Claus Is Coming” by The Harmony Grits, “Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by Annie Lennox, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, “Once in Royal David City Bells” by Sufjan Stevens, “What Child Is This?” by Carrie Underwood, “The Decree” by Art Garfunkel, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Bob Dylan

The long-awaited second season kicks off with an extended episode about the Good Shepherd himself, Jesus of Nazareth. Recommended and referenced resources include:



Quotations: from Charles Dickens' The Life of Our Lord, JD Salinger's Franny and Zooey, an interview with Zadie Smith, and WH Auden in The Chimera
Books and Literature: The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary by David F. Ford, “The Gardener” by Rudyard Kipling, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, The Crucifixion by Fleming Rutledge, Dominion by Tom Holland, Kingdom Grace Judgment by Robert Farrar Capon, Unapologetic by Francis Spufford, “The Dog in the Red Bandana” by Ray Bradbury, and “Inscription Under a Roadside Crucifix” by Victor Hugo
Movies: The Gospel According to St Matthew (1964), Pier Pasolini dir.
Artwork: Duccio's Maesta
Songs: “I Love You (Bollydub)” by Razor n Tape, “Gospel Rappin” by New Testament Youth Group, “Jesus is Waiting” by Al Green, “Look at What the Light Did Now” by Flo Morrissey and Matthew E White, "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars, “Simon Peter” by Sphinx, “Wonderful Savior” by Mavis Staples, “O Sacred Head Sore Wounded", “They Hung Him on the Cross”, “Crazy Boy Master” by JAZ & Bertie, “Resurrection Shuffle” by Tom Jones, “Jesus Is Here Today” by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, “Jesus” by The Velvet Underground, “Way Out Jesus” by Sammy Johns, “When He Was No One” by Swamp Dogg, “I Knew Jesus (Before He Was a Star)” by Glen Campbell, “He’s Alive” by Dolly Parton


Click here to listen to a playlist of the available tracks on Spotify.

What are we doing when we pray? In the second episode of the second season, John, David, and Simeon venture a few theories (and a bunch of stories). Referenced and recommended resources include:



Quotations: Frank Lake's Clinical Theology, The Long Text of Julian of Norwich (Chapter 43), "Eleven Addresses to the Lord" by John Berryman
Books and Literature: Help Thanks Wow by Anne Lamott, The Lord's Prayer by Wesley Hill, Lit by Mary Karr, Augustine's Confessions, Showings by Julian of Norwich, The Collects of Thomas Cranmer by Paul Zahl and Frederick Barbee, "Collect for the Fourth Sunday After Easter", "For the Time Being" by WH Auden
Movies: The Apostle _(1997), _Little Boy (2015)
Artwork: Das Vaterunser by Max Pechstein
Songs: “10 9 8 7” by Armand Duchies, “Dervish Chant” by African Head Charge, “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” by The Smiths, “Come Talk to Me” by Peter Gabriel, “Make The Woman Love Me” by Dion, “Cleopatra” (JAZ edit 2), "Acid Rain" by Galaxy II Orchestra, “Talk to the Lord” by Natalie Bergman, “Let Us Pray” by Elvis Presley, “You Are My Dream” by Kamagni, “Lords Prayer” by Marvin Gaye, “Our Prayer” by The Beach Boys, “I Pray” by Blossom Child


Click here to listen to a playlist of the available tracks on Spotify.

This one could also be called Freedom. Or possibly Fruit. Maybe even Living. Recommended and referenced resources include:



Quotations: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, Calvin and Hobbes, "Ode to Failure" by Allen Ginsberg
Books and Literature: Young Eliot by Robert Crawford, Show Your Work by Austin Kleon, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, The Space Trilogy by CS Lewis
Movies and Podcasts: Get Back (2021) dir. Peter Jackson, The Well of Sound
Songs: “Problem Child” by The Beach Boys, “Walking on Thin Ice” by Yoko Ono, “Underwater” by Harry Thuman, “I’m so Afraid” by Fleetwood Mac, “Tri-Tra-Trallula” by Joachim Will, “A Ist Wieder Da” by Robert Gorl, “Learn How to Fail” by The Replacements, “The Fear in My Heart” by Luc Van Acker, “Can You Picture That?” By Electric Mayhem, “Xanadu” by Olivia Newton-John, “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, “Jazzburger” by Loukas Thanos, “Reader Meet Author” by Morrissey, “Deadlines and Commitments” by The Killers, “Manhattan Jungle” by Per Tjernberg, “Perfumed Garden” by Rah Band


Click here to listen to a playlist of the available tracks on Spotify.

Depression isn't the only form of mental illness touched upon in this episode, which doubles as a rumination on agency and affliction more generally. Fortunately, it's lot more fun than it sounds! Referenced and recommended resources include:


Quotations: "The Planet Trillaphon As It Stands In Relation to the Bad Thing" by David Foster Wallace, Frank Lake's Clinical Theology
Books and Literature: The Poems of William Cowper, "The Depressed Person" by David Foster Wallace
Movies and Television: You're the Worst (2014-2019), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Pollyanna (2003), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Songs: “Christmastime Is Here Again” by Vince Guaraldi, “What Is Sadness” by Device, “Fear of Ghosts” by The Cure, “Give Mi Wings” by Rod Stewart, “Stop in the Name of Love” by The Supremes, “I Don’t Want to be a Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself)” By Dynasty, “Waking the Witch” – Kate Bush, “Doctor Doctor” by Thompson Twins, “Going Round in Circles” by The Keeper, “The Sun Always Shines on TV” by A-Ha, “Where There is Faith There Is Hope” by Chairman of the Board, “Please Read the Letter” by Robert Plant and Allison Kraus, “Pressure Time” by Vendetta Palace, “Baahubali” by Khoya Hain, “Dancing with the Aliens” by Fab, “Jesu Lover of My Soul”, “I Don't Want to Get Over You” by The Magnetic Fields, “Switching Off” – Elbow, “The Next Right Thing” from Frozen 2

"Jesus saves" reads the bumper sticker. But what does it mean? This one is about soteriology, past, present, and future. Referenced and recommended resources include:



Quotations: Who Will Deliver Us by Paul Zahl
Books and Literature: The Crucifixion by Fleming Rutledge, The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience by Simeon Zahl, “On the Incarnation of the Word” by Athanasius, Augustine’s Confessions (first 9 books), Dangerous Journey by Oliver Hunkin
Movies and Television: Magnolia (1999), The Lives of Others (2006), Amazing Grace (2018), Battlestar Galactica "Exodus Pt 2"
Songs: "Amazing Grace" by John Newton, “Save Me Jesus” by Bobby Charles, “Where Will I Be?” by Emmylou Harris, “Tickle Robot”, “Hvorfor Ikke Mig” by Elmer, “My Own Worst Enemy” by Lit, "You Changed My Life" by Bob Dylan, “You Never Can Tell” by Chuck Berry, “Mockingbird [remix]” by Derek Webb, “Save Me” by Nanette Workman, “Save Me” by Aimee Mann, “Walking on Broken Glass” by Annie Lennox, “Coreur Bingo” by Silvana, “最悪の日々 Pt.1”, “Jesus Dropped the Charges” by The O’Neal Twins


Click here to listen to a playlist of the available tracks on Spotify.