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A Matrix of Meanings: finding God in pop culture (Engaging Culture) Review(Note: This review not only attempts to review the book, but also engage some previous reviews.)What Detweiler and Taylor have done here is what Detweiler calls "reversing the hermeneutical flow" (a.k.a. "flip the script", to quote "8 Mile"). In other words, rather than taking the Bible and looking at (a.k.a. criticizing) Pop Culture through what we think the Bible says, they take a thorough look at pop culture and use than as a method of viewing - or at least presenting - the God of the Bible. For any who have a hard time with that, read on.
As one reviewer has already stated, from the outset this book states that it's primarily for people that already like Pop Culture and have wondered how to reconcile that with their Christian worldview. Furthermore, the authors ask tough questions of the Church. If the majority of the world connects with Pop Culture way better than they do with the Church, then why is that and what are we to do about it? Sorry, but the "they're fallen beings" excuse isn't gonna cut it anymore. Detweiler and Taylor take us beyond the "seeker-sensitive" approach and genuinely challenge the Church to engage Pop Culture in a respectful, dynamic way. Even in the profane, God is talking and it's time we recognized holy ground when we saw it. It's a different and (I think) more accurate version of things than we typically hear from the evangelical pulpit. God is talking through culture with or without the Church's approval!
For those who have "reservations" about whether Christians should be as comfortable with culture as the book suggests, I offer this thought. The Bible was not written in a cultural vacuum, nor was Jesus born into one. Inspired? Sure. Absolutely devoid of any cultural influence? I think not. Read John 1 to those who haven't grown up in the church (or even those who have) and most would have a blank expression on their face because it was written to appeal to those influenced by the contemporary hot worldview: Stoicism. Parables were the movies of the day. There are four different Gospels in order to present Jesus slightly diffently to four different cultures. Paul understood culture enough to address it in Athens at the tribute to the "unknown god" (note that he didn't try to disprove their other gods before making the connection for them). These guys presented God (and, I would argue, understood God) through the lens of their culture. Why are we so affronted by others suggesting we do the same?
"There's nothing new under the sun", and God is still looking for those who will help meet Pop Culture where it's at and make those connections. This book does it in a whole different sort of way. Rather than giving easy examples ("this movie means this") that you can use in your next Bible study, they attempt to form a worldview that takes in all of culture and finds where God is working ("teach a man to fish", etc). Bottom line: most of us still need to have our "scipt flipped". For me, this book, and the thought behind it, was the best place to do that.A Matrix of Meanings: finding God in pop culture (Engaging Culture) OverviewRoss and Rachel had a baby, Britney and Justin broke up, and Time magazine asked if Bono could save the world. From the glittering tinsel of Hollywood to the advertising slogan you can't get out of your head, we are surrounded by popular culture. In A Matrix of Meanings Craig Detweiler and Barry Taylor analyze aspects of popular culture and ask, What are they doing? What do they represent? and What do they say about the world in which we live? Rather than deciding whether Bono deserves our admiration, the authors examine the phenomenon of celebrity idolization. Instead of deciding whether Nike's "Just do it" campaign is morally questionable, they ask what its success reflects about our society. A Matrix of Meanings is a hip, entertaining guide to the maze of popular culture. Plentiful photos, artwork, and humorous sidebars make for delightful reading. Readers who distrust popular culture as well as those who love it will find useful insight into developing a Christian worldview in a secular culture.
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