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Changing Signs of Truth: A Christian Introduction to the Semiotics of Communication
What signals are you sending when you share the gospel? The importance of signs for communicating truth has been recognized throughout the ages. Crystal L. Downing traces this awareness from biblical texts, through figures from church history like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale, to more recent writers Samuel Taylor Coleridge and C. S. Lewis. In the nineteenth century, this legacy of interest in the activity of signs brought about a new field of academic study. In this book, Downing puts the discipline of semiotics within reach for beginners through analysis of the movement?s key theorists, Ferdinand de Saussure, Charles Sanders Peirce, Mikhail Bakhtin and others. She then draws out the implications for effective communication of the gospel of Jesus Christ within our shifting cultural landscape. Her fundamental thesis is that "Failure to understand how signs work--as effects of the cultures we seek to affect--inevitably undermines not just our political and moral agendas but, worse, the gospel of Jesus Christ." Writing with humor, clarity and flare, Downing lucidly explains the sophisticated thinking of leaders in semiotics for nonexperts. Of value to all those interested in communication in any context, this work will be of special interest to students majoring in communications or English or to students in evangelism and preaching courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.
342 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 20, 2024
Surprisingly excellent and relevant
February 23, 2013
Life on the edge of the coin. That is Crystal Downing's image for the communicative task properly understood. We live in the tension (or on the edge) between that which we want to communicate and the one with whom we want to communicate. Downing develops this idea by introducing us to the use of signs in communication--the field of semiotics. Along the way, we meet de Saussure, Gramsci, Peirce, and Bakhtin and other major figures in this field of study.
The major purpose of this book is not simply to elaborate a theory of communication, however. It is to think about the significance of "signs" in the communication of Christian truth. She suggests for us the idea of living on the edge between resigning ourselves to the truths of orthodoxy and (re)signing ourselves and our communication in the 21st century world to connect with our contemporary culture. She thus argues for neither rigid adherence to the statements of Christian truth from the past, nor a capitulation in the attempt to be relevant, but rather the use of new signs to express the same truth. One example of this she gave from my own generation was the rise of a counter-cultural movement in the early 70s that recognized the establishment connotations of the sign "Christian" and adopted the name "Jesus People" instead, which appealed to hippies and others in the counter-culture of the time.
The book is probably the clearest introduction to many of these thinkers that are often labeled "post-modern." And it indulges in some of the clever word-play one encounters in this literature (for example, using Bakhtin as a remedy for communicative diseases!). Yet this is always cleverness with a purpose. The only thing I would like to see Downing address more is how our efforts to "re-sign" can be tested for their faithfulness to the truth that is behind our whole tradition of signs.
The major purpose of this book is not simply to elaborate a theory of communication, however. It is to think about the significance of "signs" in the communication of Christian truth. She suggests for us the idea of living on the edge between resigning ourselves to the truths of orthodoxy and (re)signing ourselves and our communication in the 21st century world to connect with our contemporary culture. She thus argues for neither rigid adherence to the statements of Christian truth from the past, nor a capitulation in the attempt to be relevant, but rather the use of new signs to express the same truth. One example of this she gave from my own generation was the rise of a counter-cultural movement in the early 70s that recognized the establishment connotations of the sign "Christian" and adopted the name "Jesus People" instead, which appealed to hippies and others in the counter-culture of the time.
The book is probably the clearest introduction to many of these thinkers that are often labeled "post-modern." And it indulges in some of the clever word-play one encounters in this literature (for example, using Bakhtin as a remedy for communicative diseases!). Yet this is always cleverness with a purpose. The only thing I would like to see Downing address more is how our efforts to "re-sign" can be tested for their faithfulness to the truth that is behind our whole tradition of signs.
April 2, 2013
A much-needed corrective to those who read signs far too simplistically or with little self-reflexivity, in turn mistaking them to be ends in themselves, rather than means to an end (as noted in a B&C review). Grounded in sound theology and exegesis, always considering signs in the particular context in which they arose from. Some interesting examples are touched on and dealt with very astutely, such as the liberal/conservative dichotomy, how the past/future is idealized, and the issue of reading signs within the Bible. Exposition of postmodern theories was good but I found that very close reading was needed. All in all, highly recommended for anyone who feels that he or she needs a better theoretical foundation for understanding how Christians should interact with the culture of today.
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February 7, 2022In Changing Signs of Truth Downing introduces semiotics to compare and contrast signs of Christ and of culture. Downing’s thesis is an argument “for a faith that creatively re-signs the truth to which it is re-signed.”
• Signs of This Book defines Downing’s terms. (Re)signing means signs which “reflect the influence of both Christ and Culture.” Resigned is yielded to with confident resignation. Downing’s challenge is re-signing Christian truths to become more “fresh” and “meaningful” for “contemporary” listeners.
• Signs of Christ and Culture illuminates Christ as a Jewish cultural sign. Using ample scriptural examples, Downing shows Christianity as “a (re)signing faith.” This section introduces the book’s primary metaphor: a coin standing on edge rather than with one side showing over the other. The upright coin represents Christian thinkers positioned on the edge looking “both to the past and future, tradition and change.”
• How Signs Work introduces the signifier and signified of semiotics (concerned with context and rhetoric). Downing uses C.S. Lewis’ narrative, The Silver Chair, as a thread throughout this section to clarify concepts and appeal to readers. Saussure believes “context controls meaning.” While Lacan exhibits binary structuralism (re)signing Saussure’s binaries. On the verge of boggling the mind here, Downing reasserts her coin metaphor challenging, “to stay on edge, (re)signing Christians need to consider how and why signs of faith function differently in different eras.” Case in point, Downing’s next chapter covers Marxist understanding of hegemony and ideology, concluding reality is perceived according to culture’s rhetorical formations.
• Changing Signs of Faith Reiterating her thesis, Downing writes what feels like banter between Saussure, Lacan, and Levi-Strauss. Downing, concerned by a lack of critical thinking in some Christians, “wanted to figure out how semiotics might help…develop a rhetorically sophisticated, persuasive argument about what believers should resign themselves to as unquestionably essential to Christian faith.” Pierce’s representamen being affected by collateral experience recalls John Wesley’s Quadrilateral element of experience. Downing explains, “experience …mold[s] our interpretants.”
The gold coin of the section is Pierce’s triadic representamen /object/ interpretant as a third way to sign. Neither wrong, nor right, but “the same truth differently” is a (re)signing of timeless truth of the gospel allowing room for both sides of the same coin. Pierce’s triad allows hospitality toward others as well as fuller experiences of faith.
• Communication in a Pluralistic World prescribes a healing ointment, “incarnational dialogism” inspired by Bakhtin. By asking questions of “theological assumptions,” “the foreign,” and “past, present and future,” “Communion” and the edge of the coin living is encouraged. Ten principles for edge living conclude the book.
Downing presents enough basics to make semiotics understandable, with charming humor. Examples of (re)signing like Christmas in “Christmas Out of the Cupboard” are timeless. Lacan’s “urinary segregation,” among others, could be updated for gender non-binary inclusion as well as for the obvious semiotic point.
Using hospitality as both commentary and critique on deconstruction was brilliant. Hospitality is always a disruption. Disruption, in my experience, can lead to growth, if there is openness to the process. Jesus invites, without force, to respond.
• Signs of This Book defines Downing’s terms. (Re)signing means signs which “reflect the influence of both Christ and Culture.” Resigned is yielded to with confident resignation. Downing’s challenge is re-signing Christian truths to become more “fresh” and “meaningful” for “contemporary” listeners.
• Signs of Christ and Culture illuminates Christ as a Jewish cultural sign. Using ample scriptural examples, Downing shows Christianity as “a (re)signing faith.” This section introduces the book’s primary metaphor: a coin standing on edge rather than with one side showing over the other. The upright coin represents Christian thinkers positioned on the edge looking “both to the past and future, tradition and change.”
• How Signs Work introduces the signifier and signified of semiotics (concerned with context and rhetoric). Downing uses C.S. Lewis’ narrative, The Silver Chair, as a thread throughout this section to clarify concepts and appeal to readers. Saussure believes “context controls meaning.” While Lacan exhibits binary structuralism (re)signing Saussure’s binaries. On the verge of boggling the mind here, Downing reasserts her coin metaphor challenging, “to stay on edge, (re)signing Christians need to consider how and why signs of faith function differently in different eras.” Case in point, Downing’s next chapter covers Marxist understanding of hegemony and ideology, concluding reality is perceived according to culture’s rhetorical formations.
• Changing Signs of Faith Reiterating her thesis, Downing writes what feels like banter between Saussure, Lacan, and Levi-Strauss. Downing, concerned by a lack of critical thinking in some Christians, “wanted to figure out how semiotics might help…develop a rhetorically sophisticated, persuasive argument about what believers should resign themselves to as unquestionably essential to Christian faith.” Pierce’s representamen being affected by collateral experience recalls John Wesley’s Quadrilateral element of experience. Downing explains, “experience …mold[s] our interpretants.”
The gold coin of the section is Pierce’s triadic representamen /object/ interpretant as a third way to sign. Neither wrong, nor right, but “the same truth differently” is a (re)signing of timeless truth of the gospel allowing room for both sides of the same coin. Pierce’s triad allows hospitality toward others as well as fuller experiences of faith.
• Communication in a Pluralistic World prescribes a healing ointment, “incarnational dialogism” inspired by Bakhtin. By asking questions of “theological assumptions,” “the foreign,” and “past, present and future,” “Communion” and the edge of the coin living is encouraged. Ten principles for edge living conclude the book.
Downing presents enough basics to make semiotics understandable, with charming humor. Examples of (re)signing like Christmas in “Christmas Out of the Cupboard” are timeless. Lacan’s “urinary segregation,” among others, could be updated for gender non-binary inclusion as well as for the obvious semiotic point.
Using hospitality as both commentary and critique on deconstruction was brilliant. Hospitality is always a disruption. Disruption, in my experience, can lead to growth, if there is openness to the process. Jesus invites, without force, to respond.
September 28, 2025
This book has a good message at it's heart, but I'm really not sure who the audience is supposed to be. The core thesis of this book is that in order for anyone to communicate a message effectively, they need to understand the audience that they're trying to communicate to, and find a way to adapt that message to make it comprehensible to that audience without losing any core pieces of the message.
Downing does a compelling job of explaining how Christians can and should do this, and how the church has often done it as part of its natural evolution without even recognizing it. She also does a good job critiquing all the ways in which the church has stubbornly failed to do this, and shows how that has done tremendous damage throughout history. Through it all, Downing insists that we must remain committed to the core truths of the gospel, refusing to water it down while also being willing to adapt the parts of it that will change across different cultures and times.
The main issue I have with this book is that Downing approaches all of the above discussion through the lens of Semiotics, which is "sign theory". She gets extremely technical about the history of semiotics, the development of language theories, and the different ways that philosophers have conceptualized communication styles in the last 500 years. It was certainly interesting at times, but it did nothing to make Downing's arguments clearer, and it's hard to see why anyone but a doctoral student in communications would actually be interested in the level of detail she provides. Yet, the book is framed as something that lay Christians should read to help them communicate the truths of their faith. So overall I felt this was a well-written, and often funny book with a solid message at its heart. But I also felt that the author went way too far down a multitude of rabbit holes and just expected the average reader to gladly follow her and keep up.
Downing does a compelling job of explaining how Christians can and should do this, and how the church has often done it as part of its natural evolution without even recognizing it. She also does a good job critiquing all the ways in which the church has stubbornly failed to do this, and shows how that has done tremendous damage throughout history. Through it all, Downing insists that we must remain committed to the core truths of the gospel, refusing to water it down while also being willing to adapt the parts of it that will change across different cultures and times.
The main issue I have with this book is that Downing approaches all of the above discussion through the lens of Semiotics, which is "sign theory". She gets extremely technical about the history of semiotics, the development of language theories, and the different ways that philosophers have conceptualized communication styles in the last 500 years. It was certainly interesting at times, but it did nothing to make Downing's arguments clearer, and it's hard to see why anyone but a doctoral student in communications would actually be interested in the level of detail she provides. Yet, the book is framed as something that lay Christians should read to help them communicate the truths of their faith. So overall I felt this was a well-written, and often funny book with a solid message at its heart. But I also felt that the author went way too far down a multitude of rabbit holes and just expected the average reader to gladly follow her and keep up.
January 19, 2022
Downing does an excellent job of examining some of the signs of Christian faith, how they’ve changed over time, and how context influences our signs. This book is a helpful tool in navigating pluralism, bridging the gap between tradition and progress, and understanding how best to communicate the unchanging truth of God’s love with changing signs. It may just be a healing balm for the massive divide in the church.
January 27, 2020
Downing (2012) provides suggestions for reading Christian texts. Once you read past the first couple of chapters the most useful information lies with Charles Sanders Peirce's theory of triadic signs.
January 20, 2022
My theory friends show up in this book! Downing is super smart and does a great job exploring how we might "re-sign" that is, rework our assumed symbols and metaphors for faith in order to engage in true hospitality and openness to the other in our world.
June 16, 2014
At the beginning of Changing Signs of Truth Crystal Downing makes an insightful comment that “some Christians seem more passionate about protecting the holiness of an inerrant sign (the Bible) than about humbly considering how to be transformed by what the sign points to (God’s holy character and loving acts).” In effect, we turn this sign - however holy it truly is - into an idol, boxing in the living nature of God’s Word.
Some of my literary nerd came out as I read this book that brings together thoughtful semiotics and orthodox reading of scripture. What do the words, the interpretations sign to the hearer? How do we understand a piece of writing? This view into scripture isn't saying that there isn't truth, but that our way of understanding this truth can change based on how we read, how we are taught, our contexts.
Practicing reading of scripture by understanding basic semiotics (the study of signs) brings humility to the reader who holds to the basic truth that God is God and we are limited humans. There is greater complexity to God than what we can define. Some people may be concerned that this type of reading changes the truth. No, it changes the signs to and our ways of speaking of the truth. The Truth remains constant.
Some of my literary nerd came out as I read this book that brings together thoughtful semiotics and orthodox reading of scripture. What do the words, the interpretations sign to the hearer? How do we understand a piece of writing? This view into scripture isn't saying that there isn't truth, but that our way of understanding this truth can change based on how we read, how we are taught, our contexts.
Practicing reading of scripture by understanding basic semiotics (the study of signs) brings humility to the reader who holds to the basic truth that God is God and we are limited humans. There is greater complexity to God than what we can define. Some people may be concerned that this type of reading changes the truth. No, it changes the signs to and our ways of speaking of the truth. The Truth remains constant.
May 6, 2013
An incredibly dense and yet completely understandable book. Downing provides a thorough introduction to semiotics and starts a discussion that will carry beyond the pages of the book. She does not become weighed down with theories, dates, and names, but uses them to supplement her own ideas and foster discussion. If you want to engage with society and culture in an eloquent and elegant manner, I highly recommend you read her book. It will change not only how you think about faith, but every sign you come across in your daily life.
February 4, 2015
I've wanted to learn about semiotics and this was an excellent introduction. It is the second book of Crystal's that I've read. I read it a couple years ago. What has stayed with me is the attention she gave to a friend of William James and a singularly creative person by the name of C. S. Peirce. Peirce virtually created the field. I certainly will be re-reading. The thinking takes time to sink in and therefore review is essential. It goes well with the other book I read of hers, "How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith: Questioning Truth in Language, Philosophy, and Art."
August 25, 2016
Signs are everywhere
This book gives a helpful explanation of semiotics and application of semiotic principles for Christian leaders and communicators. It was a slow read but really piqued my interest around chapter 6.
The ability of think in metaphor and communicate using compelling images is something that Christians have been doing all along. The challenge is when our metaphors become more important than the truth they represent. We have to continually evaluate the metaphors we use in order to communicate effectively to our generation.
This book gives a helpful explanation of semiotics and application of semiotic principles for Christian leaders and communicators. It was a slow read but really piqued my interest around chapter 6.
The ability of think in metaphor and communicate using compelling images is something that Christians have been doing all along. The challenge is when our metaphors become more important than the truth they represent. We have to continually evaluate the metaphors we use in order to communicate effectively to our generation.
September 8, 2012
the best introductory book I've seen on why semiotics is important to folks who want to follow Jesus today.
April 11, 2014
Read the whole thing if you need a basic understanding of linguistics. Read just the last 5 pages if you want to know how your linguistic knowledge relates to the Church.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews