The following is an excerpt from Jib Fowles’ Article, Mass Media and the Star System: In the period between 1870 and 1920, first slowly and then with quickening ardor, Americans had become fascinated with entertainers. This fascination grew so intense that a group of performers obtained a historically unique degree of conspicuousness. Why did it happen? What was going on in the United States that can account for the phenomenal birth of the star role? The social changes that ...
I believe that God ordains every detail of our lives (Psalm 139:16), and that these details allow us to bring Him glory in unique ways. I have seen this clearly in my life. Even before I learned to read, I loved stories. And when I did learn to read, I constantly asked my teachers and librarians for more and better reading suggestions. After my parents went to bed, I often turned on the lamp in ...
A Change in Choosing and a Change of Heart Although my navigation skills are slightly below average, there are several places I can drive without confusion. One of these places is the library in Lowell, Michigan. During my middle school years, the shelves in this library were familiar territory. I repeatedly returned to these shelves and perused–sometimes for hours–accumulating a small stack of books to read. Historical fiction and mystery were my favorite genres, and I ...
Why do people “fall in love,” quite literally, with a story? The same reason why movies and music are also consumed: they provide an escape from reality. Most people reading a good book, singing along to their favorite song on the radio, or having a movie night with their girl friends will probably not consciously be thinking that they do these things because they think reality is awful. But sometimes it is and these sorts ...
I stumbled across this article today– and appreciated the perspective. It discusses the idea of fiction bringing potentially unhealthy longings to the reader, especially with a series like Twilight. But it also acknowledged that the heart issue here is on how you view gender.
“What exactly did David do in South Africa?” I asked my mom. “He built radio towers so the Bible could be broadcasted into remote areas,” she answered. “So did he preach to the locals or lead any other ministries?” I asked. “No,” she said. “He did work with some locals, but that was in construction and engineering. I don’t think he was trying to evangelize to them.” This conversation, which occurred regrettably recently, reveals how my mind has been ...
What is it about Amish and Prairie Books that so appeals to believers today? Right now there is an entire genre of women’s Christian fiction that centers around 1800′s America– and surprisingly it does exceptionally well in today’s market. Is it because this genre is marketed to the generation that grew up watching Little House on the Prairie and now they want to read something that makes them feel nostalgic? Is it because readers want the apparent stability that ...
In my closet hangs a woven Nepali scarf, a single garment made of many thin threads. Varying shades of yellow, brown, white, and red are striped through the predominant color, green. Each thin thread and each color influences the scarf’s shape and beauty. Some threads are indistinct in the pattern. But if these were removed, the scarf would have holes and may become unraveled or distorted. So it is with history. God has woven a ...
As I begin to type this essay, I feel a bit of irony at the fact that I am writing a paper in defense of the art of writing. It could be argued that writing is the most commonly used method of communication, with perhaps the exception of speech. Not a day goes by in which the average American is not bombarded with writing of some kind whether it be directions to a new location, ...
A lone figure strode from the forest, limping slightly. Her hood hid her face from view, but an onlooker could easily see her red hair peeking out. She walked with a slow determination, leaning on her staff as she crossed the empty field toward the bright village. It was the time of the harvest celebration and this particular village was anticipating the end of the season. The twilight was cheerfully greeted by the people as ...
Beth Moore’s marketing advantages plus her contemporizing of the gospel has made her a pop star of evangelical devotional literature among adult Christian women. Over 658,000 women have attended Moore’s Living Proof Live conferences. But in her Evangelical eagerness to gain a current cultural hearing, Moore’s books sacrifice doctrine to appeal to the pop appetites of the Christians market.Other female bible teachers, like Nancy Leigh DeMoss, though not as visibly popular as Moore, provide a ...
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:1, 14) These verses hold precious theological truths about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They tell us that He was the in the beginning with God, that He was God and that as the Word of God He became flesh to dwell among us. The fullest expression of ...
The “self-help” book is defined as a book that often focuses on popular psychology such as romantic relationships, or aspects of the mind and human behavior, which you can control with effort. Self-help books typically advertise themselves as being able to increase self-awareness and performance, including satisfaction with one’s life. They often say that they can help you achieve this more quickly than conventional theories. In a sense, consumerism has made the popularity of self-help books ...
In my research on Christian fiction I stumbled upon this article by Mike Duran on message-driven fiction. He implies that because Christian readers are continually looking for the message that our interpretive skills are dulled. What think you? I still haven’t reached a conclusion, but I wanted to hear from the rest of you.