The Blackwell Guide to Theology and Popular Culture (Blackwell Guides to Theology) PDF
Preview The Blackwell Guide to Theology and Popular Culture (Blackwell Guides to Theology)
THE BLACKWELL GUIDE TO THEOLOGY AND POPULAR CULTURE Blackwell Guides to Theology BlackwellGuidestoTheologyoffercuttingedgeandimaginativecoverage ofthecentralthemes,keyworks,importantauthors,andhistoricalfigures in the major subdisciplines of theology. The Guides will direct readers through the most recent research in a lively and accessible way, making themsuitableforeveryonefromundergraduatelevelupwards. TheBlackwellGuidetoTheologyandPopularCulture KeltonCobb TheBlackwellGuidetoSpirituality ShawnMadisonKrahmer TheBlackwellGuidetoChristianTheology MarkMcIntosh The Blackwell Guide to Theology and Popular Culture Kelton Cobb Blackwell Publishing ©2005byKeltonCobb BLACKWELLPUBLISHING 350MainStreet,Malden,MA02148-5020,USA 9600GarsingtonRoad,OxfordOX42DQ,UK 550SwanstonStreet,Carlton,Victoria3053,Australia TherightofKeltonCobbtobeidentifiedastheAuthorofthisWorkhasbeenassertedin accordancewiththeUKCopyright,Designs,andPatentsAct1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,ortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying, recordingorotherwise,exceptaspermittedbytheUKCopyright,Designs,andPatentsAct 1988,withoutthepriorpermissionofthepublisher. Firstpublished2005byBlackwellPublishingLtd 1 2005 LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Cobb,Kelton. TheBlackwellguidetotheologyandpopularculture/KeltonCobb. p.cm.—(Blackwellguidestotheology) Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN-13:978-1-4051-0698-6(alk.paper) ISBN-10:1-4051-0698-0(pbk.:alk.paper) ISBN-13:978-1-4051-0702-0(alk.paper) ISBN-10:1-4051-0702-2(pbk.:alk.paper) 1.Popularculture—Religiousaspects—Christianity.2.Popularculture—Religiousaspects. I.Title.II.Series. BR115.C8C5232005 261—dc22 2004029174 AcataloguerecordforthistitleisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary. Setin10/12ptSabon byNewgenImagingSystems(P)Ltd,Chennai,India PrintedandboundinIndia byReplikaPressPvtLtd,Kundli The publisher’s policy is to use permanent paper from mills that operate a sustainable forestrypolicy,andwhichhasbeenmanufacturedfrompulpprocessedusingacid-freeand elementarychlorine-freepractices.Furthermore,thepublisherensuresthatthetextpaper andcoverboardusedhavemetacceptableenvironmentalaccreditationstandards. Forfurtherinformationon BlackwellPublishing,visitourwebsite: www.blackwellpublishing.com Idedicatethisbooktothememoriesofmyfather,WilliamCobb,andmy uncle,ErnestMiller “Whathaveyouthatyoudidnotreceive?"ICor.4.7 Contents Acknowledgments viii Introduction 1 Part I Theories of Popular Culture 27 1 PopularCulture 29 2 CulturalStudies 53 3 TheologyandCulture 72 4 TheologicalTools 101 Part II A Theology of Popular Culture 133 5 ImagesofGod 135 6 HumanNature 177 7 Sin 211 8 Salvation 229 9 LifeEverlasting 262 Conclusion 291 Notes 295 Bibliography 324 Index 343 Acknowledgments AmongthemanygiftsofStAugustinetotheologyistheideathatcultural signs have the power to facilitate our enjoyment of God. These pages are an attempt to unwrap that gift one more time. The signs that come under consideration here are scattered around in the detritus of popular culture – movies, novels, recorded music, prime-time dramas, wall art, theWorldWideWeb,themeparks,andadvertising.ButfromAugustine I’vealsoreceivedasoberrespectforsin.Intheanalysisundertakenhere I’ve tried to keep both of these bequests in view and offer a measured assessmentofselectartifactsfromamongtheonslaughtofmass-produced images,sounds,andstorytellingwithwhichwe,forthemostpartgladly, sometimesbegrudgingly,fillourlives.So,myfirstwordofgratitudegoes toStAugustine. But writing a book incurs many debts. I’ve had help along the way from the Louisville Institute, the Wabash Center, the North American PaulTillichSociety,theNewHavenTheologicalDiscussionGroup,and awell-timedsabbaticalfromHartfordSeminary.I’vebenefitedimmensely from the insights and enthusiasm of students in my courses at Hartford Seminary and Wesleyan University who have been willing to lay their ears to the ground and listen for religious rumblings in popular culture. And I’ve received bountiful moral support from members of my family: Alverna,Lori,HenryandElfriede. I’m also mindful of what I have learned from my teachers and col- leaguesWilliamSchweiker,DavidKlemm,ArthurRoberts,DougFrank, SamAlvord, MaxStackhouse, LangdonGilkey, andMariaAntonoccio, each of them in league with Augustine’s guarded endorsement of all thingsfinite.MycolleaguesatHartfordSeminary,CliffordGreen,Worth Loomis, and, particularly, IanMarkham, notonlyhoundedmetowrite thisbookbutalsolightenedmyloadtopermitmetodoso.Myprimary guidesindeterminingwhatsounds,storiesandimagesareworthpaying attention to are my friends – Gary Erickson, Gayle Beebe, Scott Webb,
Description:The list of books you might like
