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Watching TV Religiously: Television and Theology in Dialogue
Helping Christians Understand the Power and Meaning of TV
Since its inception, television has captured the cultural imagination. Outside of work and sleep, it is now the primary preoccupation of most Americans. Individuals consume upward of five hours of TV daily, even more when taking into account viewing done online and on mobile devices. TV is so ingrained in the fabric of everyday life that it can't help but function as one of the primary means through which we make sense of our lives and the world.
This book shows that television--as a technology, a narrative art form, a commodity, and a portal for our ritual lives--confronts viewers theologically. Whether its content is explicitly spiritual or not, TV routinely invites (and sometimes demands) theological reflection. This book articulates something of the presence and activity of God in the golden age of TV and forges an appropriate response to an ever-changing cultural form. It constructs a theology of television that allows for both celebration and critique, helping Christians more fully understand and appreciate the power and meaning of TV. A supplemental website provides additional resources, conversations, and close readings of TV programs.
Since its inception, television has captured the cultural imagination. Outside of work and sleep, it is now the primary preoccupation of most Americans. Individuals consume upward of five hours of TV daily, even more when taking into account viewing done online and on mobile devices. TV is so ingrained in the fabric of everyday life that it can't help but function as one of the primary means through which we make sense of our lives and the world.
This book shows that television--as a technology, a narrative art form, a commodity, and a portal for our ritual lives--confronts viewers theologically. Whether its content is explicitly spiritual or not, TV routinely invites (and sometimes demands) theological reflection. This book articulates something of the presence and activity of God in the golden age of TV and forges an appropriate response to an ever-changing cultural form. It constructs a theology of television that allows for both celebration and critique, helping Christians more fully understand and appreciate the power and meaning of TV. A supplemental website provides additional resources, conversations, and close readings of TV programs.
286 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2016
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84 people want to read
About the author
Kutter Callaway
15 books7 followersKutter Callaway (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is assistant professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of Watching TV Religiously: Television and Theology in Dialogue and Scoring Transcendence: Contemporary Film Music as Religious Experience. Prior to teaching at Fuller, Callaway served in pastoral ministry for nearly a decade, focusing primarily on young and emerging adults. He writes for Christianity Today, Fuller's Reel Spirituality website and the Huffington Post.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 1, 2019
Given that we are in the midst of the Golden Age of Television and that it proliferates in our lives (read: my life) in particular, I figured this would be a helpful book to read to think well and theologically about the act of watching television. I'm really glad I did, at the very least because this has given me some critical tools by which to think about television.
The book is very helpfully and methodically laid out.
Ch. 1 lays the groundwork for what the book covers and what we means we say, "TV." For example, 10 years ago, TV was what came through the antenna, cable, or satellite live. However, in the age of Netflix, TV is not simply a "broadcast." Callaway and Batali focus on TV as technology, narrative, commodity, and ritual.
Ch. 2-3 discuss the formal and technical elements of TV. This helps the reader become familiar with the elements that affect what we see on TV and also gives us a better sense of how TV is created. Both the creation of TV (from the network, studio, showrunner, writers, and actors) and its reception affect our discussion.
Ch. 4 is an interesting discussion on the "telos" of TV, especially considering how a TV series end (or lack thereof) affects its meaning. It may take on new meaning if the series is revived later on. Or a TV series ending may totally redefine the entire series up to that point.
Ch. 5 and the Appendix are related and helpful for history. Ch. 5 discusses the church's history with TV on a spectrum from near total rejection to near-total acquiescence. This is very helpful for context. The appendix (not sure why this isn't a chapter), examines how God, the divine, and religion has been depicted on TV.
If that doesn't sound like enough all ready, that is basically all introductory material for Callaway (I assume his primarily) to start doing constructive theology in ch. 6. I'm sure he would like to write an entire book where he can assume the foundations he's laid in ch. 1-5! I was a little less certain of his thesis here, but I will say that he has done some good work and put good thought into this.
One of the planks of his theological argument follows Friedrich Schleiermacher's understanding that we must intuit the world and universe – and ultimately God – aesthetically with our feeling before encountering him rationally. While I think it is important to be aware of this dimension of reality/knowledge, I think it takes the Christian faith down a hollow trail. This also leads to Callaway proposing a more generous theology of general revelation than I'm comfortable with. I think these two theological ideas together (feeling x strong general revelation) can be works of the Holy Spirit, but also run the risk of leaving an encounter with God simply vague, untransformative, and missing God revealed at the cross. Propositional theology may not be able to account for everything, but surely it still has moorings tethered more tightly to the cross! As this relates to TV, I'm less optimistic than Callaway/Batali that engaging TV with such rigor will result in more people engaging theologically with TV. Although TV has potential for this, I think the minority of TV consumers (whether Christian or not) will get to the depths he suggests.
Ch. 7 is a helpful meditation on TV and ethics. The authors want to move beyond the categories of sex, drugs, and violence to more deeply consider ethical issues on TV.
If you're a Christian (particularly a Protestant) and you watch TV a lot, I would consider reading this book. At the very least it can give us helpful categories of thought, and perhaps will help you in conversations with Christians and non-Christians a like to bear witness to the gospel as you speak and interpret our culture's common language of TV.
The book is very helpfully and methodically laid out.
Ch. 1 lays the groundwork for what the book covers and what we means we say, "TV." For example, 10 years ago, TV was what came through the antenna, cable, or satellite live. However, in the age of Netflix, TV is not simply a "broadcast." Callaway and Batali focus on TV as technology, narrative, commodity, and ritual.
Ch. 2-3 discuss the formal and technical elements of TV. This helps the reader become familiar with the elements that affect what we see on TV and also gives us a better sense of how TV is created. Both the creation of TV (from the network, studio, showrunner, writers, and actors) and its reception affect our discussion.
Ch. 4 is an interesting discussion on the "telos" of TV, especially considering how a TV series end (or lack thereof) affects its meaning. It may take on new meaning if the series is revived later on. Or a TV series ending may totally redefine the entire series up to that point.
Ch. 5 and the Appendix are related and helpful for history. Ch. 5 discusses the church's history with TV on a spectrum from near total rejection to near-total acquiescence. This is very helpful for context. The appendix (not sure why this isn't a chapter), examines how God, the divine, and religion has been depicted on TV.
If that doesn't sound like enough all ready, that is basically all introductory material for Callaway (I assume his primarily) to start doing constructive theology in ch. 6. I'm sure he would like to write an entire book where he can assume the foundations he's laid in ch. 1-5! I was a little less certain of his thesis here, but I will say that he has done some good work and put good thought into this.
One of the planks of his theological argument follows Friedrich Schleiermacher's understanding that we must intuit the world and universe – and ultimately God – aesthetically with our feeling before encountering him rationally. While I think it is important to be aware of this dimension of reality/knowledge, I think it takes the Christian faith down a hollow trail. This also leads to Callaway proposing a more generous theology of general revelation than I'm comfortable with. I think these two theological ideas together (feeling x strong general revelation) can be works of the Holy Spirit, but also run the risk of leaving an encounter with God simply vague, untransformative, and missing God revealed at the cross. Propositional theology may not be able to account for everything, but surely it still has moorings tethered more tightly to the cross! As this relates to TV, I'm less optimistic than Callaway/Batali that engaging TV with such rigor will result in more people engaging theologically with TV. Although TV has potential for this, I think the minority of TV consumers (whether Christian or not) will get to the depths he suggests.
Ch. 7 is a helpful meditation on TV and ethics. The authors want to move beyond the categories of sex, drugs, and violence to more deeply consider ethical issues on TV.
If you're a Christian (particularly a Protestant) and you watch TV a lot, I would consider reading this book. At the very least it can give us helpful categories of thought, and perhaps will help you in conversations with Christians and non-Christians a like to bear witness to the gospel as you speak and interpret our culture's common language of TV.
June 9, 2019
I found this book to be intellectually provocative even if I did not fully agree with many of the authors logical premises. The book begins with a simple treatment on TV, mainly, what is one thinking about when they think about tv? The work goes on to discuss how theology and television intersect and then how we should ethically evaluate our television shows.
I actually thought the book was missing a couple chapters. For what should have been a more general wholistic view of the intersection of theology and tv it had a couple glaring omissions.
1. The book did not discuss or offer ways of thinking about how consumption habits might affect our spirit even after emphasizing that we should view ourselves as whole people (body, mind and soul simultaneously)
2. I loved that the book presents a deeper way of evaluating the ethical/moral tone of the show. Instead of simply measuring violence and counting swears (these plus sex they call “the big three”) we should try to see how it affects our vision of the “good life” and therefore what we love and aspire to be. However the authors give absolutely no thought on what to actually do about the big three... which is where most of our ethical concerns lie. (This show has a great and moral story... but it utilizes graphic violence... how do we think through this?)
I found the book to be a great beginning to a personal study of media standards and practices. It gave me some helpful language and perspectives while genuinely showing me what I ought to look for while watching a show. However, I think it falls short in the very areas where most actually consumers have their most pressing concerns.
4 stars for the content that is there
2 stars for the blatant oversight of important topics
I actually thought the book was missing a couple chapters. For what should have been a more general wholistic view of the intersection of theology and tv it had a couple glaring omissions.
1. The book did not discuss or offer ways of thinking about how consumption habits might affect our spirit even after emphasizing that we should view ourselves as whole people (body, mind and soul simultaneously)
2. I loved that the book presents a deeper way of evaluating the ethical/moral tone of the show. Instead of simply measuring violence and counting swears (these plus sex they call “the big three”) we should try to see how it affects our vision of the “good life” and therefore what we love and aspire to be. However the authors give absolutely no thought on what to actually do about the big three... which is where most of our ethical concerns lie. (This show has a great and moral story... but it utilizes graphic violence... how do we think through this?)
I found the book to be a great beginning to a personal study of media standards and practices. It gave me some helpful language and perspectives while genuinely showing me what I ought to look for while watching a show. However, I think it falls short in the very areas where most actually consumers have their most pressing concerns.
4 stars for the content that is there
2 stars for the blatant oversight of important topics
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December 22, 2021Overall, a good read that helped me develop a theological instinct for pop culture analysis- (of course particular to television).
A bit too academic and “here’s what James KA Smith did about what the church Fathers said” for me- but still some good analysis and thought tools.
If you’re serious about theological analysis of pop culture- it’s a good read.
A bit too academic and “here’s what James KA Smith did about what the church Fathers said” for me- but still some good analysis and thought tools.
If you’re serious about theological analysis of pop culture- it’s a good read.
March 30, 2021
Bad writing. Bad methodology. Bad theology.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews