Generally speaking, students, theologians, pastors, and church leaders are well-trained in the task of biblical exegesis. Where many fall short, however, is in the area of cultural exegesis—reading and interpreting the texts and trends produced by our culture, which can have a profound influence on the way we understand the world and practice our faith. Anyone interested in the intersection of Christianity and culture needs to be able to do "everyday theology," that is, to think theologically about our cultural environment and pass it through the grid of Scripture, in order to respond faithfully as Christian disciples.

Applied Theology is the goal of every serious exegete. This title facilitates that objective with integrity and focus. ( )

In some sense, culture is theology. The world is full of cultural texts and trends which answer (whether explicitly or implicitly) basic theological questions (e.g. Why are we here? What is the good life?). Vanhoozer’s (et al.) purpose is two part: (1) to provide a method for believers to interpret the cultural world theologically, to tease out the theology of everyday culture – from the movies to the shopping mall, from architecture to politics; and (2) to provide some concrete examples of this method in action. The first chapter is written by Vanhoozer and provides the basic philosophy and methodology of this approach. Each of the subsequent chapters is written by a former graduate student of Vanhoozer’s and applies this method to specific cultural texts (e.g. the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the movie Gladiator) or cultural trends (e.g. blogging or “fantasy funerals”). In all, Everyday Theology is an excellent introduction to cultural hermeneutics, providing principles, application, and further resources. A. ( )

See also at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/5c5usk

See also at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/5c5usk