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.
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Commended for Gold Medallion Book Awards (Theology/Doctrine) 2004.
| Preface |
|
7 | (6) |
| Acknowledgments |
|
13 | (2) |
| Introduction: Postmodernity in the Marketplace |
|
15 | (14) |
| 1. Methodology: A Matrix of Meanings |
|
29 | (32) |
| 2. Advertising: The Air That We Breathe |
|
61 | (28) |
| 3. Celebrities: Ancient and Future Saints |
|
89 | (36) |
| 4. Music: Al Green Makes Us Cry |
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125 | (30) |
| 5. Movies: Look Closer |
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155 | (30) |
| 6. Television: Our Constant Companion |
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185 | (36) |
| 7. Fashion: Dressing Up the Soul |
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221 | (22) |
| 8. Sports: Board Generation |
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243 | (28) |
| 9. Art: Sharks, Pills, and Ashtrays |
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271 | (22) |
| Conclusion: A Top 10 Theology |
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293 | (26) |
| Notes |
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319 | (22) |
| Bibliography |
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341 | (2) |
| Index |
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343 | |
Craig Detweiler (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is professor of communication at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He previously served as codirector of the Reel Spirituality Institute at Fuller Theological Seminary. Detweiler has written scripts for numerous Hollywood films, and his social documentary, Purple State of Mind (www.purplestateofmind.com), debuted in 2008. He has been featured in the New York Times, on CNN, and on NPR.
Barry Taylor (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary), adjunct professor of popular culture and theology at Fuller, is a professional musician, painter, and the leader of New Ground, an alternative worship gathering in Los Angeles.
