The Blackwell Guide to Theology and Popular Culture

The Blackwell Guide to Theology of Popular Culture is a timely examination of the rapidly expanding field of theology and popular culture. It shows how the theological analysis of popular culture is undertaken, discusses the writers who are doing it, and outlines various general theories of popular culture. Using illustrations from the pop culture scene, ranging from the fiction of Nick Hornby and Chuck Palahniuk to novels about God, Disney fairytales, and the macabre television series Six Feet Under , the Guide identifies and discusses religious themes in popular culture. The author probes popular movies, novels, music, architectural design, television shows, and advertising for what they are saying about God, human nature, sin, salvation, and final redemption. An appendix provides an annotated list of books that offer theological readings of popular culture, and offers suggested readings on various "zones" of popular culture that lend themselves to theological analysis.

Introduction. PART I: Theories of Popular Culture . 1. Popular Culture. 2. Cultural Studies. 3. Theology and Culture. 4. Theological Tools. PART II: A Theology of Popular Culture . 5. Images of God. 6. Human Nature. 7. Sin. 8. Salvation. 9. Life Everlasting. Conclusion. Bibliographies. Index

Kelton Cobb is Professor of Theology and Ethics at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut.

“Kelton Cobb draws on insights from a variety of disciplines to provide us with a ground–breaking theological investigation of popular culture. Offering a highly nuanced alternative to both the elite despisers and the uncritical celebrants, he probes the ways in which profound spiritual impulses are often at work just below the surface of popular culture. This book will serve as an important reference point for all future studies in this increasingly important field.” Richard J. Mouw, Fuller Theological Seminary “What makes this theologically–informed analysis so useful is Cobb′s creative engagement with popular culture that is theoretically grounded in cultural studies as well as theological studies. This strikes me as a major contribution to the cultural study of religions and the theological study of cultures. ” Gary Laderman, Emory University "There is much to commend in Cobb′s book. It is well–written, it is grounded in careful scholarship (and an evident love for the subject), and it makes some very stimulating connections between theology and popular culture... The book will be particularly useful for theology students who are new to the discipline of cultural studies and will find it valuable in beginning to make connections between their existing theological knowledge and the study of popular culture." Journal of Contemporary Religion, Vol 21, No 3