|
Description: Everyday theology is the reflective and practical task of living each day as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. In other words, theology is not just for Sundays, and it's not just for professional theologians. Everyday Theology teaches all Christians how to get the theological lay of the land. It enables them to become more conscious of the culture they inhabit every day so that they can understand how it affects them and how they can affect it. If theology is the ministry of the Word to the world, everyday theologians need to know something about that world, and Everyday Theology shows them how to understand their culture make an impact on it. Engaging and full of fresh young voices, this book is the first in the new Cultural Exegesis series.
|
|
Review Summary: Not So Everyday Theology |
Date: 2007-10-20 |
|
| |
Details: On the upside, the first chapter of Everyday Theology is worth the whole book; the rest of the chapters are a collection of Vanhoozer's cultural hermeneutic applied by students from his Cultural Hermeneutics course at Trinity Seminary. Vanhoozer turns his hermeneutical and linguistic savvy (cf. Is There Meaning in This Text?) to developing a framework for interpreting culture. He notes that the are cultural texts (products, forms, stuff) and cultural trends (intangible effects of cultural texts), both of which must be carefully interpreted if we are to redemptively engage our cultures.
Drawing on Mortimer Adler, he proposes that we understand the world in, behind, and in front of a cultural text. Strong echoes of Marshal McLuhan are present throughout.
On the downside, Vanhoozer imports too much lingusitic terminology for everyday readers (locutionary, perlocutionary, illocutionary) to communicate his framework, which could be presented with more accessible language. He also notes the importance of using the creation-fall-redemption storyline in interpreting cultural text and trends, but does not deliver on how or why this is important. Though far from "everyday" in places, overall he presents a cultural hermeneutic that is compelling and intriguing. |
| |
|
Review Summary: Full of Hope |
Date: 2007-06-11 |
|
| |
Details: Back in the late 60s it was common for even fundamentalists to use the popular music of the era as a vehicle for communicating the Gospel. Anyone here remember the Scott Ross Show? That was an exciting era. In this book Kevin & Co. present us with a practical (observable and not simply academic) framework for doing this same thing again. (Why this excites me so much is that it was this very behavior that came along with the Jesus Movement -- spell that R-E-V-I-V-A-L.) But I digress.
"Everyday Theology is not an encyclopedia of contemporary culture, nor is it a full-blown textbook of cultural hermeneutics. What it provides instead is a model for 'reading' culture theologically as well as a number of illustrative examples." (p. 10)
What will you gain from this book? First, if you're like many who've been out of touch with society in general, you'll get a snapshot of some important current attitudes and activities. If you're thoroughly in touch then this book will help you step back and look objectively at what's going on in culture today.
In this interpreation I was especially encouraged by Chapter 6 (by Michael Sleasman), Swords, Sandals, and Saviors: Visions of Hope in Ridley Scott's Gladiator. Mr. Sleasman does not try to make something Messianic (equivalent to Christ) out of the movie but shows how it conveys a somewhat messianic message, an evidence of the worlds hope and hopelessness.
Recommendation: Get the book. It's worth every penny you spend, and more. Have it available to all the leaders in your church. Couple the book with Harry and Mary for an invaluable package to help you understand culture and trends, and plan your public and interpersonal responses accordingly. For the cause of the Gospel. |
| |
|
out of 2 Reviews
