Christotainment

Selling Jesus through Popular Culture

Shirley R. Steinberg, Joe L., Joe L. Kincheloe, oe L., Shirley R. Steinberg

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9780367097080
• eBook ISBN:
  9780429981302
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion, Politics & State

For more than two thousand years Christian expansion and proselytizing was couched in terms of 'defending the faith'. Until recently in the United States, much of that defense came in the form of reactions against the 'liberal' influences channeled through big-corporate media such as popular music, Hollywood movies, and network and cable television. But the election of Ronald Reagan as a Hollywood President introduced Christian America to the tools of advertising and multimedia appeals to children and youth to win new believers to God's armies. Christotainment examines how Christian fundamentalism has realigned its armies to combat threats against it by employing the forces it once considered its chief enemies: the entertainment media, including movies, television, music, cartoons, theme parks, video games, and books. Invited contributors discuss the critical theoretical frameworks of top-selling devices within Christian pop culture and the appeal to masses of American souls through the blessed marriage of corporatism and the quest for pleasure.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Preface Joining Team Christ: On the Path to Christotainment
• I SELLING A NEW AND IMPROVED JESUS Christotainment and the Power of Political Fundamentalism
• II CHRISTIAN SOLDIER JESUS The Intolerant Savior and the Political Fundamentalist Media Empire
• III ONWARD CHRISTIAN DRIVERS Theocratic Nationalism and the Cultural Politics of “NASCAR Nation”
• IV THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MEL GIBSON Critical Reflections on The Passion of The Christ
• V CONVERTOONS? VeggieTales for Young Souls
• VI SCREENING JESUS Hollywood and Christonormativity
• VII “THE BATTLE FOR THE TOY BOX” Christogimmicks and Christian Consumer Culture
• VIII FAITH TALKING TOYS AND OTHER YOUTH PURITY MAKERS
• IX THE STILLBORN TWIN The Christian Lifestyle Beats with the Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll
• X CROSSOVER CHRISTIAN ROCK AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY Tendencies, Discourses, and Limitations
• XI CHRISTOTAINMENT IN PUNK ROCK Complexities and Contradictions
• AFTERWORD: END TIMES IN AMERICA Religious Fundamentalism and the Crisis of Democracy
• About the Editors
• About the Contributors
• Index