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Entertainment Theology: New-Edge Spirituality in a Digital Democracy (Cultural Exegesis)

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Barry Taylor is artist in residence for the Brehm center and an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary where he taught classes on music, film and contemporary theology. He is also an associate rector at All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills.

The engagement of Christianity and culture has always been a thorny issue and in the past many would have been burnt on the stake for their heretic views. However, with post-Christendom, post-modernism and the rise of Web 2.0, the context of theology and Christianity has radically changed.

However, Christianity has not been willing to change but cling to its old structure and organisation. Taylor argues for a 'democratized spirituality' in that Christianity must decentralise and become a people's religion. He is arguing for a change in the form but not the content of the faith. The form will ride along the with the 'new globalized cultural imaginary.' There will hence be many Christian spiritualities instead of one 'old fashioned Christianity.' These Christian spiritualities will embrace many of the good features of the prevalent culture. The gospel message will be transmitted along the channels which entertainment is delivered to us today.

Taylor makes a strong case for Christianity to remain relevant to the prevailing culture. However, he sometimes skirt too close to the line that demarcate inclusiveness and exclusiveness of Christianity.

There is much that I, a conservative evangelical appreciate in this book. I appreciate his
delineation of the postmodern cultural situation. I appreciate his call for a theology which
exhibits lightness, quickness, exactitude and consistency. Yet, I am unsure what he really
means by "visibility", and not sure that I understand how one can construct a theology
which has no real starting point, but which creates a desire for one to explore the other
areas of the theology in an ever deepening manner - what he seems to mean by
multiplicity. I think he makes valid points that Christians should attempt to encode the
message of Christ to the present culture, and that we should encourage people to be active
participants in the present instead of yearning for the past. I also very much enjoyed his
incorporation of the ideas communicated in technology, and his use of literature and film
(even TV) to explain his ideas. Having said that, this book really doesn't seem to be
aimed at me. It seems to be aimed at a 20-something who is looking to leave "traditional"
Christianity, and encourage them to do so.

Read my full review [...]