A Matrix of Meanings: Finding God in Pop Culture

Front Cover
Baker Academic, 2003 - Religion - 351 pages
From the glittering tinsel of Hollywood to the advertising slogan you can't get out of your head, we are surrounded by popular culture. In A Matrix of Meanings Craig Detweiler and Barry Taylor analyze aspects of popular culture and ask, What are they doing? What do they represent? and What do they say about the world in which we live? Rather than deciding whether Bono deserves our admiration, the authors examine the phenomenon of celebrity idolization. Instead of deciding whether Nike's "Just do it" campaign is morally questionable, they ask what its success reflects about our society.
A Matrix of Meanings is a hip, entertaining guide to the maze of popular culture. Plentiful photos, artwork, and humorous sidebars make for delightful reading. Readers who distrust popular culture as well as those who love it will find useful insight into developing a Christian worldview in a secular culture.
 

Selected pages

Contents

Preface
7
Acknowledgments
13
A Matrix of Meanings
29
The Air That We Breathe
61
Ancient and Future Saints
89
Al Green Makes Us Cry
125
Look Closer
155
Our Constant Companion
185
Dressing Up the Soul
221
Board Generation
243
Sharks Pills and Ashtrays
271
A Top 10 Theology
293
Notes
319
Bibliography
341
185
350
Copyright

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A Matrix of Meanings: Finding God in Pop Culture
Craig Detweiler,Barry Taylor
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Common terms and phrases

advertising American Andy Warhol Angeles artists audiences baseball Basquiat Beaudoin beauty become Bible body called Catholic Cave Cave’s celebrity century challenge Christ Christian church clothing color com­ contemporary created creative Daniel Boorstin David divine Dogme 95 embrace Eminem entertainment fans fashion feel Fight Club film filmmakers football global God’s gospel Hollywood human Ibid ideas images James Twitchell Jesus kids King live look Magazine Matrix means million movie Neal Gabler Nick Cave offer pain paintings play pop culture pop music popular culture postmodern programming questions Quoted reality reflects religion religious role rooted Run Lola Run says Schrader sexual society song spiritual stars story style teens television television’s Testament theology there’s things Thomas Friedman today’s viewers Virtual Faith Walter Brueggemann Warhol watch what’s words worship York

About the author (2003)

Craig Detweiler (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is an author, award-winning filmmaker, and cultural commentator who has been featured in the New York Times and on CNN, NPR, Fox News, and ABC's Nightline. He formerly served as president of The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. Detweiler is the author of several books, including Selfies, iGods, and Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century. He is also the coauthor of A Matrix of Meanings and editor of Halos and Avatars. Barry Taylor (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is artist in residence for the Brehm Center and an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he teaches a series of spiritually innovative classes on music, film, and contemporary theology. In addition, he is an associate rector at All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills. He has coauthored two books, A Matrix of Meanings: Finding God in Pop Culture and A Heretic's Guide to Eternity.

Bibliographic information

TitleA Matrix of Meanings: Finding God in Pop Culture
Engaging Culture
AuthorsCraig Detweiler, Barry Taylor
Editionillustrated, reprint
PublisherBaker Academic, 2003
ISBN080102417X, 9780801024177
Length351 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Religion / Christian Living / General
Religion / Christian Theology / General
Religion / Spirituality
Social Science / Popular Culture
  
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