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Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age
We live in a world full of shiny distractions, faced with an onslaught of viral media constantly competing for our attention and demanding our affections. These ever-present visual “spectacles” can quickly erode our hearts, making it more difficult than ever to walk through life actively treasuring that which is most important and yet invisible: Jesus Christ. In a journalistic style, Tony Reinke shows us just how distracting these spectacles in our lives have become and calls us to ask critical questions about what we’re focusing on. The book offers us practical steps to redirect our gaze away from the addictive eye candy of the world and onto the Ultimate Spectacle—leading to the joy and rest our souls crave.
162 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2019
165 people are currently reading
2182 people want to read
About the author
Tony Reinke
16 books696 followersTony Reinke hosts the popular Ask Pastor John podcast and serves as the Communications Director for desiringGod.org. He has authored five books including *12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You* (2017). He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and their three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews
May 24, 2019
Classic Reinke: immersive insight and doxological prose; his writing simultaneously submerges and soars. This is a well researched, culturally aware, Christ-enchanted little book. Medicine for our cultural moment.
January 31, 2019
We live in an increasingly visual culture. As a pastor, I hear the relentless sound of a postmodern drumbeat: “The average person cannot sit through a forty-five-minute sermon,” I’m told. Yet that same person will sit in a dark room for nearly four hours and watch Lord of the Rings. I am convinced that the aversion to listening to a sermon has more to do with affections than ability. That is, we are drawn to what we love. And we are increasingly captivated by the visual - screens, televisions, video games and an endless array of visual stimuli. A visual smorgasbord surrounds us and offers a rich ar-ray of pleasures and satisfaction. But do these visual delights (or spectacles) come with a hefty price tag?
Tony Reinke examines the visual dilemma in his new book, Competing Spectacles. A spectacle is anything that garners attention from the eye, be it good or evil. Reinke is chiefly concerned with answering one question: “In this ecosystem of digital pictures and fabricated sights and viral moments competing for our attention, how do we spiritually thrive?”
Anyone who thinks that Reinke is over-reacting should etch this statement on their minds and tape it to their televisions:
Taken from this perspective, most would agree that the goal to keep spectators spectating is succeeding. Our visual world is sucking people in and it appears that turning back is not an option. The net result is a people who appear satisfied but are dying on the inside.
Briefly, Reinke diagnoses the problem of spectacles and challenges readers to be aware of the ever-present tension. Indeed, the spectacles in the world lure unsuspecting eyes and promise a full array of benefits, yet in the final analysis, is found wanting. On the other hand, the supreme Spectacle offers eternal joy and pleasure (Ps. 16:11).
But the author goes further. He argues that the supreme Spectacle is more comprehensive and enchanting than we ever dreamed: “The local church is where we go to find the Lord’s Table and baptism and the preaching of the Word, where those re-peated spectacles call us again and again for a response of worship and repentance and joy.”
The Challenge of Competing Spectacles
No one can point a judgmental finger at Reinke - for he steers clear from all brands of legalism. He urges evangelical eyes to be disciplined and discerning: “Each of us must reckon with this radical eschatological promise of Christ in our personal media diets.” The challenge is to reject the profane and to “develop personal disciplines to resist the impulse to fill our lives with vain spectacles.”
The most urgent and penetrating aspect of this book concerns those who are bored with Christ and his gospel, a problem that appears to be an epidemic in this media-saturated generation. “In the digital age,” writes the author, “monotony with Christ is the chief warning signal to alert us that the spectacles of this world are suffocating our hearts from the supreme Spectacle of the universe,” Reinke adds:
Reinke takes a page out of the C.S. Lewis playbook: “The worst trade in the universe is playing in the shallow pools of the world’s spectacles instead of diving deep for the treasures of eternal worth.” So, while Lewis’s “mud pies” attract the masses, most people turn a cold should to the “offer of a holiday at the sea.”
Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age is a timely book that is thought-provoking and deeply challenging. Reinke’s diagnosis and description of the visual dilemma is clear and sobering. The prescription he offers is convicting and compelling. The prescription for this visual tug-o-war is nothing less than being satisfied with all that God is for us in Christ Jesus. The author concludes:
Competing Spectacles is a stunning book that will open many eyes. My prayer is that as the Spirit of God educates people through Reinke’s excellent work that they would, in turn, exalt the superior Spectacle, our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. Then and only then will “the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Tony Reinke examines the visual dilemma in his new book, Competing Spectacles. A spectacle is anything that garners attention from the eye, be it good or evil. Reinke is chiefly concerned with answering one question: “In this ecosystem of digital pictures and fabricated sights and viral moments competing for our attention, how do we spiritually thrive?”
Anyone who thinks that Reinke is over-reacting should etch this statement on their minds and tape it to their televisions:
The spectacle’s goal is to make spectators and to keep them spectating.
Taken from this perspective, most would agree that the goal to keep spectators spectating is succeeding. Our visual world is sucking people in and it appears that turning back is not an option. The net result is a people who appear satisfied but are dying on the inside.
Briefly, Reinke diagnoses the problem of spectacles and challenges readers to be aware of the ever-present tension. Indeed, the spectacles in the world lure unsuspecting eyes and promise a full array of benefits, yet in the final analysis, is found wanting. On the other hand, the supreme Spectacle offers eternal joy and pleasure (Ps. 16:11).
But the author goes further. He argues that the supreme Spectacle is more comprehensive and enchanting than we ever dreamed: “The local church is where we go to find the Lord’s Table and baptism and the preaching of the Word, where those re-peated spectacles call us again and again for a response of worship and repentance and joy.”
The Challenge of Competing Spectacles
No one can point a judgmental finger at Reinke - for he steers clear from all brands of legalism. He urges evangelical eyes to be disciplined and discerning: “Each of us must reckon with this radical eschatological promise of Christ in our personal media diets.” The challenge is to reject the profane and to “develop personal disciplines to resist the impulse to fill our lives with vain spectacles.”
The most urgent and penetrating aspect of this book concerns those who are bored with Christ and his gospel, a problem that appears to be an epidemic in this media-saturated generation. “In the digital age,” writes the author, “monotony with Christ is the chief warning signal to alert us that the spectacles of this world are suffocating our hearts from the supreme Spectacle of the universe,” Reinke adds:
Over time, spectacles taken in unwisely will make our hearts cold, sluggish, and dull to unseen eternal delights.
Soul boredom is a great threat, and when our souls become bored, we make peace with sin.
Reinke takes a page out of the C.S. Lewis playbook: “The worst trade in the universe is playing in the shallow pools of the world’s spectacles instead of diving deep for the treasures of eternal worth.” So, while Lewis’s “mud pies” attract the masses, most people turn a cold should to the “offer of a holiday at the sea.”
Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age is a timely book that is thought-provoking and deeply challenging. Reinke’s diagnosis and description of the visual dilemma is clear and sobering. The prescription he offers is convicting and compelling. The prescription for this visual tug-o-war is nothing less than being satisfied with all that God is for us in Christ Jesus. The author concludes:
The Christian’s battle in this media age can be won only by the expulsive power of a superior Spectacle. Christ is our safety and our guide in the age of competing spectacles, the age of social media. He is our only hope in life and death, in the age to come, and in this media age.
Competing Spectacles is a stunning book that will open many eyes. My prayer is that as the Spirit of God educates people through Reinke’s excellent work that they would, in turn, exalt the superior Spectacle, our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. Then and only then will “the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
February 4, 2019
Seth Godin + Neil Postman + John Piper. I’m so thankful for this Christ-saturated book. I pray it’ll be used to wake us from our media stupor to behold the greatest Spectacle.
October 8, 2024
“Into every age of spectacles—from biblical Colossae, to imperial Rome, to Puritan London, to our digital world today—the recelebration and rearticulation of the glory of Christ must be set before us, over and over, and fed to our souls day by day.”
Written 5 years ago now, but possibly even more relevant today!
I liked the emphasis that we need to be honest about our weakness before entering into potential temptation (social media, entertainment etc). Christ and the cross should be our greatest spectacle. That is where our eyes should go.
Written 5 years ago now, but possibly even more relevant today!
I liked the emphasis that we need to be honest about our weakness before entering into potential temptation (social media, entertainment etc). Christ and the cross should be our greatest spectacle. That is where our eyes should go.
January 30, 2023
É interessante pensar nos problemas das mídias para estarmos mais atentos à atenção que temos dispensado com elas (com séries, filmes, tv, mídias digitais...). O autor faz um bom trabalho de confrontação. É sim necessário observar que saímos do extremos de "não consuma nada" para "consuma tudo!". Falta filtro e, como cristãos, estamos aceitando tudo. Achei bom pensar principalmente em como essas disputas pela nossa atenção estão nos afastando de Deus, uma vez que tomam até nosso tempo de oração. Tem capítulos excelentes no livro.
Porém, o que no início achei bom: os curtos capítulos, depois se mostraram (pelo menos pra mim) uma enxurrada de pessimismos cansativos que acabaram (pelo menos pra mim) caminhando de volta para o extremo anterior...
Eu daria 3,5
Comprei o livro maior do autor que foi lançado mais recentemente e acho que será útil somado com esse.
Porém, o que no início achei bom: os curtos capítulos, depois se mostraram (pelo menos pra mim) uma enxurrada de pessimismos cansativos que acabaram (pelo menos pra mim) caminhando de volta para o extremo anterior...
Eu daria 3,5
Comprei o livro maior do autor que foi lançado mais recentemente e acho que será útil somado com esse.
July 3, 2019
This was a compelling read. Let's dive into the review.
Note: I both read and listened to this book. I read the first half of the hard-copy book, and then listened to the whole book from ChristianAudio. My review will discuss both versions.
THE GOOD
From the very first pages, Reinke lays out the purpose of his book:
And Reinke delivers on this in spades.
The book is divided into two main parts: (1) our culture's spectacle problem and (2) how Jesus is the great and true spectacle. For those who have read Reinke's other book 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You, the first half of the book should be a tad familiar, but Reinke delves deep into our visual culture. In fact, it would be wrong to call this book a sequel to #12Ways or even a successor to it. Rather, this book is a prequel to #12Ways, with #12Ways then focusing on phones itself. This book is a very condensed survey of current media and trends and our response to it, hence "a theology of visual culture"
There are so many good chapters in this book. The chapters on porn, image, and war/violence were especially gripping in the first part. But the second half? Tony heralds. It's not often I get to use the word "herald" because in our (church) culture heralding isn't typically done. It's more than preaching or teaching. It's closer to imparting something than teaching something. Reinke isn't as concerned with nuances on tech philosophy. He wants you to see Christ. He does this with such a passion that I feel if he could he would put his own eyes in ours so we could behold what he sees in Christ. There's a passion, an infectious exuberance in this second part and it is wonderful.
This really shows in the audiobook.
First let me say, you're welcome . When I reviewed #12Ways, I mentioned about the audiobook version:
From some tweets back and forth, it looks like I (among others) convinced him. This time, Reinke himself narrates the book.
[image error]
Reinke has a wonderful voice. His voice at the beginning of the book is good, but he really opens up with emotion, laughter, and a lighter tone in the second half. As I already said, it's infectious. Once I reached this section, I just had to finish the book without stopping.
I really appreciated the tone and substance of the book. I think this might be Reinke's best written book. His poetic form at certain points seem to be a clear influence from his work at Desiring God and with John Piper. It is beautifully written. (Side-note: my new favorite word is "dramaturgy")
THE CHALLENGES
I have only two challenges I experienced while reading the book.
1. The structure of the book.
I feel I will be in the majority opinion on this, but for reading the hard-copy version of this book, the layout and formatting decisions were hugely distracting for me. Reinke has admitted that he tried a different book structure than typical non-fiction books, however I don't think it quite works. In my opinion, this might be because it's hard to place what kind of book this is. In the beginning, Reinke admits that this book is meant to be a companion guide to those going through a media detox. That helped me determine what the book was trying to be: a devotional of sorts. In short, I believe there are differences in reading expectation when reading a book and reading a devotional. I know it might feel like I'm nit-picking, but the format really bugged me. In fact, it's a big reason I chose to start over and listen to the audiobook. Upon listening though, I realized the format really works for the audiobook. The short chapters play more like short audio-only YouTube clips. This helps create a momentum as it feels like you're accomplishing something when reading (Side-note: I just finished a chapter in another book that was 300 pages/9hrs long, so the momentum in this was welcome).
And all this talking about the audio of the book brings me to the second challenge.
2. Too limited of a scope
In the middle of the book, Reinke makes a comment about how this culture and the church have some fundamental differences since they are captivated by visual spectacles while the church is fuel by faith, which comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
This is a huge point which is never developed. Reinke (purposely?) focuses on visual spectacles and the spectacle of Christ in the imagination of the Christian mind. But Reinke and scripture is right, our religion is hugely text-driven and auditory and there are absolutely auditory spectacles in our world/culture that we must battle/engage with. It's one of those things that once he brings it up, you realize how missing the subject has been and continues to be upon reading. I understand the limited scope, but I felt it should have included more on the auditory side.
----------------------------------
Those two things aside, I found this book even more helpful than #12Ways. I can't endorse this book highly enough. Take your time in reading it and read it often.
P.S. Much love for ChristianAudio for producing a quality audiobook and having Reinke read it. I hope this continues as a trend with non-fiction Christian authors and their audiobooks.
Note: I both read and listened to this book. I read the first half of the hard-copy book, and then listened to the whole book from ChristianAudio. My review will discuss both versions.
THE GOOD
From the very first pages, Reinke lays out the purpose of his book:
“This book is a theology of visual culture, a culture that increasingly closing in around us."
And Reinke delivers on this in spades.
The book is divided into two main parts: (1) our culture's spectacle problem and (2) how Jesus is the great and true spectacle. For those who have read Reinke's other book 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You, the first half of the book should be a tad familiar, but Reinke delves deep into our visual culture. In fact, it would be wrong to call this book a sequel to #12Ways or even a successor to it. Rather, this book is a prequel to #12Ways, with #12Ways then focusing on phones itself. This book is a very condensed survey of current media and trends and our response to it, hence "a theology of visual culture"
There are so many good chapters in this book. The chapters on porn, image, and war/violence were especially gripping in the first part. But the second half? Tony heralds. It's not often I get to use the word "herald" because in our (church) culture heralding isn't typically done. It's more than preaching or teaching. It's closer to imparting something than teaching something. Reinke isn't as concerned with nuances on tech philosophy. He wants you to see Christ. He does this with such a passion that I feel if he could he would put his own eyes in ours so we could behold what he sees in Christ. There's a passion, an infectious exuberance in this second part and it is wonderful.
This really shows in the audiobook.
First let me say, you're welcome . When I reviewed #12Ways, I mentioned about the audiobook version:
There were only two things I really missed. The first is that I wished Reinke did the narration for the audiobook. The man they used gets a little monotone and in a number, stat, and technology filled book, we need a more human emotional voice. Not a robotic one.
From some tweets back and forth, it looks like I (among others) convinced him. This time, Reinke himself narrates the book.
[image error]
Reinke has a wonderful voice. His voice at the beginning of the book is good, but he really opens up with emotion, laughter, and a lighter tone in the second half. As I already said, it's infectious. Once I reached this section, I just had to finish the book without stopping.
I really appreciated the tone and substance of the book. I think this might be Reinke's best written book. His poetic form at certain points seem to be a clear influence from his work at Desiring God and with John Piper. It is beautifully written. (Side-note: my new favorite word is "dramaturgy")
THE CHALLENGES
I have only two challenges I experienced while reading the book.
1. The structure of the book.
I feel I will be in the majority opinion on this, but for reading the hard-copy version of this book, the layout and formatting decisions were hugely distracting for me. Reinke has admitted that he tried a different book structure than typical non-fiction books, however I don't think it quite works. In my opinion, this might be because it's hard to place what kind of book this is. In the beginning, Reinke admits that this book is meant to be a companion guide to those going through a media detox. That helped me determine what the book was trying to be: a devotional of sorts. In short, I believe there are differences in reading expectation when reading a book and reading a devotional. I know it might feel like I'm nit-picking, but the format really bugged me. In fact, it's a big reason I chose to start over and listen to the audiobook. Upon listening though, I realized the format really works for the audiobook. The short chapters play more like short audio-only YouTube clips. This helps create a momentum as it feels like you're accomplishing something when reading (Side-note: I just finished a chapter in another book that was 300 pages/9hrs long, so the momentum in this was welcome).
And all this talking about the audio of the book brings me to the second challenge.
2. Too limited of a scope
In the middle of the book, Reinke makes a comment about how this culture and the church have some fundamental differences since they are captivated by visual spectacles while the church is fuel by faith, which comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
This is a huge point which is never developed. Reinke (purposely?) focuses on visual spectacles and the spectacle of Christ in the imagination of the Christian mind. But Reinke and scripture is right, our religion is hugely text-driven and auditory and there are absolutely auditory spectacles in our world/culture that we must battle/engage with. It's one of those things that once he brings it up, you realize how missing the subject has been and continues to be upon reading. I understand the limited scope, but I felt it should have included more on the auditory side.
----------------------------------
Those two things aside, I found this book even more helpful than #12Ways. I can't endorse this book highly enough. Take your time in reading it and read it often.
P.S. Much love for ChristianAudio for producing a quality audiobook and having Reinke read it. I hope this continues as a trend with non-fiction Christian authors and their audiobooks.
October 27, 2020
This was a wonderful book! Very enlightening.
It starts out defining what a spectacle is. Then it spends some time talking about different worldly spectacles. Then the best part! - Putting it all into a Christian perspective. I really enjoyed this book.
It starts out defining what a spectacle is. Then it spends some time talking about different worldly spectacles. Then the best part! - Putting it all into a Christian perspective. I really enjoyed this book.
January 7, 2020
“Into every age of spectacles—from biblical Colossae, to imperial Rome, to Puritan London, to our digital world today—the recelebration and rearticulation of the glory of Christ must be set before us, over and over, and fed to our souls day by day.”
When Tony Reinke speaks, I stop to listen. God has granted him a penetrating understanding of our present culture and the ability to write excellent books “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). Just as 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You is the outstanding Christian response to smartphones, so Competing Spectacles is the outstanding Christian response to visual media and entertainment.
Every age is an age of spectacles. Someone or something has always sought to capture people’s gaze—their attention. Reinke recognizes, however, that the digital era has introduced an unheard-of flood of spectacles. We have TV shows, movies, sports events, livestreams, political rallies, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, pornography, YouTube, daily vlogs, virtual reality, breaking news, viral videos, Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Disney+, and the list just keeps going. I feel overwhelmed just typing all that.
With so much vying for our attention, Reinke seeks to answer one crucial question: “[H]ow do we spiritually thrive?” And answer the question he does, so thoughtfully and insightfully that apparently Amazon decided I tried to highlight too many passages (all my Kindle highlights past the 67% mark of the book are truncated on Goodreads).
You’ll have to read the book to get the full force of Reinke’s argument, but here’s the gist: We spiritually thrive by resolving not to set our eyes on anything worthless (Psalm 101:3) and instead fixing our eyes—by faith—on the soul-satisfying, affection-shaping, life-transforming glory of Christ. Our redemption culminated in the cross of Christ, the ultimate Spectacle, so that God might capture our attention forever.
The Old and New Testament alike have told us where our eyes need to be. “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor. 3:18). Reinke’s book will help us in the fight. I commend it to you.
When Tony Reinke speaks, I stop to listen. God has granted him a penetrating understanding of our present culture and the ability to write excellent books “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). Just as 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You is the outstanding Christian response to smartphones, so Competing Spectacles is the outstanding Christian response to visual media and entertainment.
Every age is an age of spectacles. Someone or something has always sought to capture people’s gaze—their attention. Reinke recognizes, however, that the digital era has introduced an unheard-of flood of spectacles. We have TV shows, movies, sports events, livestreams, political rallies, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, pornography, YouTube, daily vlogs, virtual reality, breaking news, viral videos, Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Disney+, and the list just keeps going. I feel overwhelmed just typing all that.
With so much vying for our attention, Reinke seeks to answer one crucial question: “[H]ow do we spiritually thrive?” And answer the question he does, so thoughtfully and insightfully that apparently Amazon decided I tried to highlight too many passages (all my Kindle highlights past the 67% mark of the book are truncated on Goodreads).
You’ll have to read the book to get the full force of Reinke’s argument, but here’s the gist: We spiritually thrive by resolving not to set our eyes on anything worthless (Psalm 101:3) and instead fixing our eyes—by faith—on the soul-satisfying, affection-shaping, life-transforming glory of Christ. Our redemption culminated in the cross of Christ, the ultimate Spectacle, so that God might capture our attention forever.
The Old and New Testament alike have told us where our eyes need to be. “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor. 3:18). Reinke’s book will help us in the fight. I commend it to you.
February 10, 2020
I listened to this audio book in the week leading up to, and the couple of days following, the Super Bowl, which couldn't have been better timing for contemplating the allure of spectacle in American society and in the life of my family.
What I appreciate about Reinke's approach, both in this book and in 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You, is that he issues a very necessary warning—in this case about the ever-present and effortless allure of visual stimuli—without becoming a legalist. His goal is not to disparage visual art or entertainment wholesale but to point us away from what is worthless and to turn us to Christ. He does so while avoiding the pietistic pitfall of treating everything but Christ as worthless; in fact some spectacles (nature documentaries, displays of artistic merit, athletic excellence, and so on) can give us even more reason to glorify and delight in the God who made this world and called it good.
However, so much of what is set before our eyes truly is worthless—fueled by laziness and fueling our lusts. Meanwhile, other spectacles, though not necessarily sinful in themselves, are replacing sights and activities of more lasting value. Nothing wrong, per se, with watching star athletes play football, for example. But might it be better, on some of those NFL weekends, to turn off the TV and play catch with your kids instead? Nothing wrong with learning about birds and trees from a documentary, but when was the last time we took a walk in the woods among those living creatures ourselves? And with limited time in the day, the number of spectacles—including the good ones—available to us around the clock with the touch of a button can serve to drive out any contemplation of Christ Himself.
There were a few points a disagreed with in this book, but on the whole, I found this to be a timely and helpful challenge to wisely and carefully consider what we set before our eyes.
What I appreciate about Reinke's approach, both in this book and in 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You, is that he issues a very necessary warning—in this case about the ever-present and effortless allure of visual stimuli—without becoming a legalist. His goal is not to disparage visual art or entertainment wholesale but to point us away from what is worthless and to turn us to Christ. He does so while avoiding the pietistic pitfall of treating everything but Christ as worthless; in fact some spectacles (nature documentaries, displays of artistic merit, athletic excellence, and so on) can give us even more reason to glorify and delight in the God who made this world and called it good.
However, so much of what is set before our eyes truly is worthless—fueled by laziness and fueling our lusts. Meanwhile, other spectacles, though not necessarily sinful in themselves, are replacing sights and activities of more lasting value. Nothing wrong, per se, with watching star athletes play football, for example. But might it be better, on some of those NFL weekends, to turn off the TV and play catch with your kids instead? Nothing wrong with learning about birds and trees from a documentary, but when was the last time we took a walk in the woods among those living creatures ourselves? And with limited time in the day, the number of spectacles—including the good ones—available to us around the clock with the touch of a button can serve to drive out any contemplation of Christ Himself.
There were a few points a disagreed with in this book, but on the whole, I found this to be a timely and helpful challenge to wisely and carefully consider what we set before our eyes.
February 5, 2020
In “Competing Spectacles”, Reinke gives us a much-needed reminder that what we behold transforms us. And in our modern, digital world, we’re constantly being sold a product that will ultimately pale in comparison to the riches we can experience in Jesus Christ. This book is a rare combination of theologically rich, immediately practical, and culturally savvy. Generally, if Reinke writes it, I read it, and this book is a prime example of why.
February 16, 2025
Wow, this is a must-read for every Christian in this age. As the forward states, it is like an updated "Amusing Ourselves to Death" for our era. Reinke hits the nail on the head about where our culture is, but is careful not to say that the problems we have in this media age are necessarily unique to this age (comparing it to ancient Rome with all of its spectacles).
This book was helpful, convicting, encouraging and just so necessary!
This book was helpful, convicting, encouraging and just so necessary!
January 10, 2020
Tremendous.
February 17, 2020
“The human heart bends toward what the eye sees.”—Tony Reinke
So worth the read for Christians in this cultural moment. This is kind of like if James K A Smith focused on digital media, mixed with a Cal Newport book if Newport was a gospel-loving evangelical. Great blend of good insightful, challenging, and encouraging.
So worth the read for Christians in this cultural moment. This is kind of like if James K A Smith focused on digital media, mixed with a Cal Newport book if Newport was a gospel-loving evangelical. Great blend of good insightful, challenging, and encouraging.
March 28, 2020
Je me réjouis que ce livre soit bientôt traduit en français. L’auteur nous aide à lutter contre le danger de laisser nos affections être attirées par ce que les réseaux sociaux mettent devant nos yeux. Il fait cela, non pas en nous interdisant l’émerveillement, mais en nous amenant au contraire à être émerveillés par ce qu’il y a de plus beau, le plus grand spectacle devant lequel toutes les story Instagram et les vidéos YouTube pâlissent : la croix de Jésus.
June 7, 2023
This book isn't going to lecture you on how you must delete all your social media apps, throw your TV out the window, and stop engaging in any forms of media. Instead, the author tactfully engages your heart by lifting your eyes from your screens and looking upon Christ and the beauty of creation. This book was incredibly moving and edifying. The idea that each image you look upon has a "call to action" was extremely powerful for me. I will absolutely be recommending this book to others!
January 17, 2023
I LOVED 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You but this one was less captivating to me, although still a necessary message. I didn’t like that it took 120+ pages before the application was presented. The use of the phrase “spectacle” felt overdone by the end of it but I suppose that was the point. Overall quotable and thought-provoking.
January 8, 2020
Very convincting
Very
Still digesting it
Very
Still digesting it
February 19, 2020
Very good and convicting. It helped me recalibrate my life in regard to media use and consumption.
September 22, 2019
A must read for the Christian in this media saturated age! Very thought provoking and helpful when it comes to deciding what we should let our eyes take in. "Turn my eyes from worthless things" Psalm 119:37
June 8, 2023
4.5⭐️
This has really made me think about what I've regularly allowed myself to be entertained by. Very helpful, very balanced.
This, along with Joe Rigney's Things of Earth, has been very helpful in my own fight against asceticism which I think I ignorantly found myself in back in my very very early Christian years.
Half a star off because a couple sections felt a little repetitive.
This has really made me think about what I've regularly allowed myself to be entertained by. Very helpful, very balanced.
This, along with Joe Rigney's Things of Earth, has been very helpful in my own fight against asceticism which I think I ignorantly found myself in back in my very very early Christian years.
Half a star off because a couple sections felt a little repetitive.
June 14, 2023
Excellent. Must read.
One might expect a book like this to leverage conviction to get the reader to un-glue their eyes from various types of screens. That’s not quite what this book does. Instead, the author directs us to fix our gaze spiritually on the Lord Jesus Christ, which moves the Christian to flee from any distraction.
The latter part of the book reaches a very warm, very moving sermon-like tone.
Very thankful for this book, at this time. You should read it.
One might expect a book like this to leverage conviction to get the reader to un-glue their eyes from various types of screens. That’s not quite what this book does. Instead, the author directs us to fix our gaze spiritually on the Lord Jesus Christ, which moves the Christian to flee from any distraction.
The latter part of the book reaches a very warm, very moving sermon-like tone.
Very thankful for this book, at this time. You should read it.
January 8, 2020
Hold up - I am just as surprised as you are that I am giving this book only 3 stars. (As an aside, I generally stick to using Goodreads' rating system so 3 stars means I liked it but I didn't really like it and I didn't think it was amazing.) To be clear up front - this is not a 3-stars-because-it-was-bad review, but rather a 3-stars-because-I-wanted-more-from-it review.
What I liked:
I could tell Tony did a lot of research. I don't think all of that research was used to its full potential but it was there and I really appreciate that. The topics Tony is touching on are HUGE - I mean: multi-layered, many-faceted, complex, and seen-through-a-glass-dimly huge. Culture, myth, technology, practical Christianity, epistemology, doxology - one could not with integrity approach a single one of these subjects, much less all of them together, without much research and meditation. I'm grateful for Tony's careful and thoughtful research that spans 2000+ years of history.
I also very much appreciated the clear Gospel message. I fear I have read one-too-many a practical theology book that talks much about the Gospel without clearly laying it out; gratefully, Tony accomplished both. Listening to the audiobook felt like listening to a long-form sermon - I loved that!
What I thought could have been better:
Having recently read Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, I am still ruminating upon one of his main ideas: that the medium is the message. Or, as I understand it: that the medium somehow indelibly shapes the message. I could not get this thought out of my head while I was reading Competing Spectacles. Was it because this book felt much less like a book and much more like a blog post? Or was it because I listened to the audiobook instead of reading the paperback (meaning I couldn't highlight, go back and re-read, or interact with the text as a whole)? Or was it that, ironically, in a book about spectacles and which ones to entertain, I felt that this book was just another sound-bite spectacle? I think this would have been much better as an in-depth book. I am sure that Tony is more than capable of that kind of sustained attention and the ideas on which he is touching demand that; not only the ideas themselves but also the questions ofhow we should handle them in this time of ours and what to do in response. What I felt that Postman lacked in Amusing Ourselves to Death was reasonable, concrete examples of response. While Tony had these, I didn't think they were particularly challenging; they weren't sharp enough. They weren't the kind of suggestions that I could agree or disagree with - they were the kind that I both agreed with and disagreed with and so felt that I had not really moved at all.
Overall there were many clear and important thoughts in this book, particularly those centering on the greatest spectacle of all: the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. However in order to do those thoughts justice, a much more involved medium is necessary - one that can be read, marked, digested and absorbed. Granted, there is a book version - but I think even then there is needed a greater expansion and exploration of these thoughts and ideas.
P.S. It is also interesting to note the similarities between 'spectacle' and '[Christian] hedonism' - both words being controversial and used almost exclusively with a negative connotation but appropriated for good use.
What I liked:
I could tell Tony did a lot of research. I don't think all of that research was used to its full potential but it was there and I really appreciate that. The topics Tony is touching on are HUGE - I mean: multi-layered, many-faceted, complex, and seen-through-a-glass-dimly huge. Culture, myth, technology, practical Christianity, epistemology, doxology - one could not with integrity approach a single one of these subjects, much less all of them together, without much research and meditation. I'm grateful for Tony's careful and thoughtful research that spans 2000+ years of history.
I also very much appreciated the clear Gospel message. I fear I have read one-too-many a practical theology book that talks much about the Gospel without clearly laying it out; gratefully, Tony accomplished both. Listening to the audiobook felt like listening to a long-form sermon - I loved that!
What I thought could have been better:
Having recently read Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, I am still ruminating upon one of his main ideas: that the medium is the message. Or, as I understand it: that the medium somehow indelibly shapes the message. I could not get this thought out of my head while I was reading Competing Spectacles. Was it because this book felt much less like a book and much more like a blog post? Or was it because I listened to the audiobook instead of reading the paperback (meaning I couldn't highlight, go back and re-read, or interact with the text as a whole)? Or was it that, ironically, in a book about spectacles and which ones to entertain, I felt that this book was just another sound-bite spectacle? I think this would have been much better as an in-depth book. I am sure that Tony is more than capable of that kind of sustained attention and the ideas on which he is touching demand that; not only the ideas themselves but also the questions ofhow we should handle them in this time of ours and what to do in response. What I felt that Postman lacked in Amusing Ourselves to Death was reasonable, concrete examples of response. While Tony had these, I didn't think they were particularly challenging; they weren't sharp enough. They weren't the kind of suggestions that I could agree or disagree with - they were the kind that I both agreed with and disagreed with and so felt that I had not really moved at all.
Overall there were many clear and important thoughts in this book, particularly those centering on the greatest spectacle of all: the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. However in order to do those thoughts justice, a much more involved medium is necessary - one that can be read, marked, digested and absorbed. Granted, there is a book version - but I think even then there is needed a greater expansion and exploration of these thoughts and ideas.
P.S. It is also interesting to note the similarities between 'spectacle' and '[Christian] hedonism' - both words being controversial and used almost exclusively with a negative connotation but appropriated for good use.
May 25, 2019
I very much enjoyed reading this. Reinke is uniquely skilled at surveying our screen-laden technological culture and then *seeing*. Through journalistic research combined with theological preciseness, he sees what the technology is, what it’s doing to us, and how we Christians should respond.
I give this book 4 stars instead of 5 because I think *12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You* was clearly 5 stars, while I enjoyed this one a tad less. That being said, I think that’s because a) this book was a bunch of short chapters (which I don’t enjoy as much since it hurts my ability to immerse and learn), and b) this book was centered on one main idea of spectacles (and how the world’s spectacles compete with the Spectacle of Christ in the gospel), while *12 Ways* was more substantive.
That being said, the theme of ‘spectacles’ in this book was quite clever. I knew in part what he was getting at by his title, but then once it started, I saw how very true this was: we truly are all about spectacles—and it’s not even a new issue. One of my favorite parts of the book was how many different authors and theologians throughout the ages he quoted on this idea of “spectacles”; it comes up frequently because it’s a large topic. And then he how he connected this to idolatry was great, too.
Finally, I especially enjoyed the idea of “the age of the ear” for Christians as we make way for the future “age of the sight.” It’s a great reminder that we see the greatest Spectacle now through hearing—through engaging his glory in the message of the gospel, int her church, even in creation. But that one day, we will see by sight (as he had a great chapter on the beatific vision).
More could be said. There are obviously dozens are great quotes. But overall, I just recommend anyone to read it themselves. It’s a shorter book, and the short chapters do make it easier to read. As said above, I’d recommend *12 Ways* more, but this was still solid and insightful. I’m a pastor, and so I’ll also be recommending this much in ministry as well.
I give this book 4 stars instead of 5 because I think *12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You* was clearly 5 stars, while I enjoyed this one a tad less. That being said, I think that’s because a) this book was a bunch of short chapters (which I don’t enjoy as much since it hurts my ability to immerse and learn), and b) this book was centered on one main idea of spectacles (and how the world’s spectacles compete with the Spectacle of Christ in the gospel), while *12 Ways* was more substantive.
That being said, the theme of ‘spectacles’ in this book was quite clever. I knew in part what he was getting at by his title, but then once it started, I saw how very true this was: we truly are all about spectacles—and it’s not even a new issue. One of my favorite parts of the book was how many different authors and theologians throughout the ages he quoted on this idea of “spectacles”; it comes up frequently because it’s a large topic. And then he how he connected this to idolatry was great, too.
Finally, I especially enjoyed the idea of “the age of the ear” for Christians as we make way for the future “age of the sight.” It’s a great reminder that we see the greatest Spectacle now through hearing—through engaging his glory in the message of the gospel, int her church, even in creation. But that one day, we will see by sight (as he had a great chapter on the beatific vision).
More could be said. There are obviously dozens are great quotes. But overall, I just recommend anyone to read it themselves. It’s a shorter book, and the short chapters do make it easier to read. As said above, I’d recommend *12 Ways* more, but this was still solid and insightful. I’m a pastor, and so I’ll also be recommending this much in ministry as well.
May 1, 2019
A spectacle is something that captures human attention, an instant when our eyes and brains focus and fixate on something projected at us. In an outrage society like ours, spectacles are often controversies-the latest scandal in sports, entertainment, or politics. A spark bellows, grows into a viral flame on social media, and ignites the visual feeds of millions. Whether it's true, false, or fiction, a spectacle is the visible thing that holds together a collective gaze. And that's the focus of this book.
Spectacles come in many shape or forms. Social media, news, even in a gathering as many pastors use media to hone in on a message. The text breaks downs those spectacles that become death to our souls or bring life. What is grabbing our attention and why? I think this is what I loved about this book. The reason is just as important as the what. This is not a text that slams social media but how is it used is what is in question. What do we need to let go and die. Spectacles have been around since Christ. The gladiators, the practice of Crucifixion and now we have social media where we can tear people apart. Nothing is new in the sun.
Why a study on spectacles? That is a good question and from what I can see in my own life is worship. It affects how we view God and others. When we get caught up on a feed on facebook, do we see people or do we see our way is the right way. Do we see others that need the gospel? Or do we see ourselves as better. Do we see God's glory or mans?
Spectacles can reveal what is in the heart of people. The hypocrisy, the shame. But can spectacles reveal something glorious? I think that is the best message of this text is that spectacles can make others beautiful. Can give us hope and a way to worship.
Highly recommend
A Special Thank you to Crossway Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
Spectacles come in many shape or forms. Social media, news, even in a gathering as many pastors use media to hone in on a message. The text breaks downs those spectacles that become death to our souls or bring life. What is grabbing our attention and why? I think this is what I loved about this book. The reason is just as important as the what. This is not a text that slams social media but how is it used is what is in question. What do we need to let go and die. Spectacles have been around since Christ. The gladiators, the practice of Crucifixion and now we have social media where we can tear people apart. Nothing is new in the sun.
Why a study on spectacles? That is a good question and from what I can see in my own life is worship. It affects how we view God and others. When we get caught up on a feed on facebook, do we see people or do we see our way is the right way. Do we see others that need the gospel? Or do we see ourselves as better. Do we see God's glory or mans?
Spectacles can reveal what is in the heart of people. The hypocrisy, the shame. But can spectacles reveal something glorious? I think that is the best message of this text is that spectacles can make others beautiful. Can give us hope and a way to worship.
Highly recommend
A Special Thank you to Crossway Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
February 23, 2023
In the first couple of chapters, Reinke outlines the connection between image -> attention -> identity. When I was reflecting on that idea, I was struck with how thoughtlessly I consume media through TV, movies, music, Facebook, Twitter, etc. without putting any thought into how that might be changing my identity.
One quote from David Wallace (author of Infinite Jest) stuck with me (although probably more reflective of my relationship with social media): "After an hour, I'm not even enjoying watching [TV] because I'm feeling guilty at how non productive I'm being. Except the feeling guilty then makes me anxious, which I want to soothe by distracting myself, so I watch TV even more. My own relationship to TV depresses me" (121)
Other quotes:
"Attention is the new commodity of power; the viral spectacle is the product. Which means that when we ignore a spectacle, we unplug its power" (126)
"In the digital age, monotony with Christ is the chief warning signal to alert is that the spectacles of this world are suffocating our hearts from the Supreme Spectacle of the universe" (143)
One quote from David Wallace (author of Infinite Jest) stuck with me (although probably more reflective of my relationship with social media): "After an hour, I'm not even enjoying watching [TV] because I'm feeling guilty at how non productive I'm being. Except the feeling guilty then makes me anxious, which I want to soothe by distracting myself, so I watch TV even more. My own relationship to TV depresses me" (121)
Other quotes:
"Attention is the new commodity of power; the viral spectacle is the product. Which means that when we ignore a spectacle, we unplug its power" (126)
"In the digital age, monotony with Christ is the chief warning signal to alert is that the spectacles of this world are suffocating our hearts from the Supreme Spectacle of the universe" (143)
February 19, 2021
Killer. I believe Reinke will be remembered as the Christian who wrote what no one else would or could, on this subject. I don’t say this very often, but this book is a must-read.
August 25, 2024
It was fine. There were some nuggets of good stuff. I didn’t necessarily disagree with anything- it just seemed monotonous.
January 4, 2022
This book read more like a haphazard collection of thoughts about entertainment from the Roman age to now, which was not at all what I anticipated. Nonetheless, there were some paragraphs in the last half that were gems and made it a worthwhile read.
“To be a living martyr is to consciously refuse to live within the dominant industries of spectacles and consumerism, to strategically withdraw from the spectacle-centered and consumption-oriented world as a witness to the worth of Christ, to embrace temperance, and to recommit to the priority of community.” - p. 132
“We are called to recognize what is worthless and develop personal disciplines to resist the impulse to fill our lives with vain spectacles.” p. 143
“To be a living martyr is to consciously refuse to live within the dominant industries of spectacles and consumerism, to strategically withdraw from the spectacle-centered and consumption-oriented world as a witness to the worth of Christ, to embrace temperance, and to recommit to the priority of community.” - p. 132
“We are called to recognize what is worthless and develop personal disciplines to resist the impulse to fill our lives with vain spectacles.” p. 143
September 24, 2019
Nothing too new here if you've read other works on how the media/consumer/distracted age is affecting our ability to think deeply. That said, Christian's have an incredible opportunity-- bordering on an imperative-- to learn the social, spiritual, and emotional effects of our technological culture so that we can penetrate the "buffered self" with truth that addresses the needs these lifestyles of addiciton create. The rampant rise of depression connected to the digital American life demands that we know what's wrong, which is preceded by a knowledge of what and who we were made for, and that the Word of God is the sole and sufficient remedy to address these maladies.
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