INTRODUCTION
In his book, Everyday Theology, Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer
presents an instructive manual to reading and interpreting cultural texts and
trends. Drawing
together a group of very astute writers, he presents a methodology for
critiquing culture, offers several examples of his principles in action, and
encourages his readers to thoughtfully interact with culture with an aim toward
fuller discussions of the gospel within
their cultural contexts. In the author's
words, his aim is to "encourage and equip everyday Christians to
demonstrate their understanding [of culture] by embodying gospel truth in
compelling ways in contemporary contexts."[1] The
resultant work is a mixture of tedious instruction, compelling example, and
thoughtful exhortation that leaves the diligent reader with a newfound
appreciation for the theological implications all around us.
Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer is Research
Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in
Deerfield, IL. He has an extensive
background in theology, having obtained an MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary
and a PhD from Cambridge. Having taught extensively in the United States and
abroad, Dr. Vanhoozer is the author or editor of more than a dozen books, and a
highly recognized practitioner of cultural and practical theology.[2]
BRIEF
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK
Everyday Theology
is divided into four sections. Part 1
introduces the concept of everyday theology and makes a case for why Christians
should practice it. "Everyday
theology," writes Vanhoozer, "is faith seeking understanding of
everyday life."[3]
Culture and cultural texts are defined and explored, then compelling arguments
are made as to the importance of Christians "reading" culture. In recognition of
the presence of "contemporary hucksters employing more powerful media
technology than ever hawking different gospels that lead in ways contrary to
the way of Jesus Christ,"[4]
Christians are admonished to learn the reading of culture "[i]n
order to be competent proclaimers and performers of the gospel" and dwell
in the "real world."[5]
Alternative ways of reading culture are addressed, and a method is
prescribed that aims to be discerning in the reading of cultural texts and
trends with the light of the gospel as guide.
A thesis statement is offered (rather late in the section) to summarize
Part 1. Vanhoozer writes that
"cultural texts convey their propositions - their proposals about what it
means to be human - not by offering explicit arguments but rather by displaying
them in concrete forms."[6]
Part 2 is comprised of five essays
which analyze various cultural texts according to Vanhoozer's method. The idea of "the good life" in
contemporary America is addressed in The
Gospel According to Safeway . Next,
the music of rapper Eminem is looked at in order to encourage Christians to
move past the initial offensiveness of such music in order to "reach those
on the margins of society by acknowledging and reaching into their pain."[7]
The idea of human dignity is expressed I the light of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and compared to Scripture in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 looks at the megachurch phenomenon
and the implications of church architecture.
In Chapter 6, the blockbuster movie Gladiator
is analyzed for its theme of hope in light of the gospel.
In Part 3, the focus turns from
cultural texts to trends. The essays
cover several trends in modern culture, some so ubiquitous that they need
little explanation, and others less immediately recognizable. Chapter 7 looks at the epidemic of American
busyness, while Chapter 8 introduces the reader to the world of blogging,
identifying several spiritual applications in its challenging of authority and
the emergence of participatory media.
The idea of transhumanism, with its subculture of would-be cyborgs is
illuminated in Chapter 9, along with its connections to postmodernity and the
Christian idea of being made new creatures in Christ. Finally, the rising trend of "fantasy
funerals" is addressed, drawing attention to secular and modern ideas
around death.
Part 4 of the book walks the reader
step-by- step through analyzing a cultural text. In this instance, weddings are the text. The reader is walked through selecting a
text, analyzing the background of the text, understanding it in its current
context, looking at relevant scriptures, and formulating a view of the text in
the light of redemptive history.
CRITICAL INTERACTION
Everyday
Theology
is a book whose overall premise is very compelling. Vanhoozer makes a convincing argument for the
reading of cultural texts and trends by Christians, showing it to be a vital
part of impacting our culture for Christ.
The greatest strength of the book lies in the fact that, for many
Christians, culture is something that is viewed as hostile toward Christianity
and is best avoided. This volume's
admonition to engage culture in order to impact individuals within that culture
is very timely and beneficial. While the
overall execution is very good, the writing of Part 1 is very dry and
intricate, whereas the rest of the book makes for intriguing reading. This is not surprising, given that Part 1 is
prescriptive, while the rest contains examples of the analyses themselves. However, the academic language and complexity
place this part of the work on a highly academic plane that may make it
inaccessible to lay readers who would otherwise benefit greatly from the
method. The material seems to take a
shift about thirty-five pages in, as Vanhoozer gets deeper into the method with
which he is obviously so familiar. The
remainder of this introductory chapter is clearly necessary to proper
application of the tools presented, but is very difficult to navigate through
with anything but painstaking precision.
This descent in to an almost pedantic tone is unfortunate, as it is
likely to alienate many readers who would otherwise find great benefit in the
remaining material.
CONCLUSION
Everyday Theology
is a mixed-bag of dense, academic material, and engaging analyses of elements
of popular culture rarely discussed in Christian circles. The method advocated by Dr. Vanhoozer is one
that is of great benefit to any Christians who wish to impact their world for
Christ, and provides not only a roadmap and rationale for cultural literacy,
but also several fine examples of analysis of cultural texts and trends. Though its style is not always satisfying,
the book as a whole represents an important contribution to the theological
landscape by a fine author.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Vanhoozer,
Kevin J., Charles A. Anderson, and Michael J. Sleasman, eds. Everyday
Theology: How to Read Cultural Texts and Interpret Trends. Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Baker Academic, 2007.
[1] Kevin J. Vanhoozer,
Charles A. Anderson, and Michael J. Sleasman, eds., Everyday Theology: How
to Read Cultural Texts and Interpret Trends (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker
Academic, 2007), 20.
[2] http://divinity.tiu.edu/academics/faculty/kevin-vanhoozer
(accessed September 19, 2013).
[3] Vanhoozer, Everyday Theology, 16.
[4] Ibid., 35.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid., 51.
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