Taking a look around

1. In this paper, I will seek to describe how popular culture has shaped “reality”- the lives, hopes and desires of the youth at Arcadia Presbyterian Church. Expectations for the future, love, happiness, spirituality, and even “maleness” and “femaleness” will be examined both in a local way (Southern California) as well as a specific focus at APC. Southern California, as the chief exporter of popular culture in the U.S. presents youth with a uniquely difficult situation to live in. In short, this section will ask the question : “what lies or myths have youth bought into about life or themselves?”

2. After identifying the ways that popular culture influences the minds of our youth, I will look to Cobb to identify what the Christian community might say in response to this confusion and despair that many young people find themselves in. Here I will discuss aspects of culture like hyper-reality, human nature, and salvation according to Cobb, and look at how the Church might want to react to the warping of reality.

3. In the final section, I will seek to look at ways that the church can address the issue of “reality” as shaped by popular culture in the lives of youth. Specifically, I want to discuss how the body of Christ can redeem negative aspects of culture for the benefit and health of our youth. Ultimately, my aim will be to point to the “ultimate reality” that is found in Christ. The focus for this section will fall into three main categories, possible solutions for:
A) The Church community
B) Locally in Southern California
c) In “Global” youth culture

“I’m glad that he pointed out how different AA actually is; AA is nothing less than old fashioned Christian repentance placed in 12 steps, and is something churches need to encourage, not discourage.”

I really appreciate the fact that Michael mentioned AA in his post this week. I’ve been thinking for some time about why AA works so well. How can it be that a total stranger could come into a new place with new people, sit down, and share about their entire disturbing past and their hopes for redemption? And perhaps more troubling, why can’t we find this honesty in many of our churches? Shouldn’t the Church be more like an AA meeting, where openness and humility are the markers of the community? Why are people more willing to share at an AA meeting than in a Church service. I agree with Michael, the Church needs to encourage this sort of thing, and perhaps even adopt some of the aspects of AA that have made it so effective at changing lives.

It was incredible to read this chapter and identity how strong a desire most people have for redemption. Whether it comes through “ecstatic aids” like drugs, sex or athletics”, or through icons, advertising, music or film, we want to know that “our sinful ways can be redeemed, that obstacles to our happiness can be overcome and that we can enjoy more fulfilling lives” (261)

Especially interesting in this chapter was the comparison between certain “ecstatic experiences” and the formal worship services of the Church. Church as we know it offers very little in terms of “release and liberation” (230) when compared to activities like getting a promotion, going into nature, having sex, or winning the lottery. Perhaps this can be a wakeup call for the Church, to understand that people are seeking a participatory experience and not merely a bland spectatorism. In a world that so seeks salvation, what if we could wake people up to the unparalleled salvific aspects of the Gospel in a new way?

In his discussion of the “transcendental” model, Bevans explains that this model aims at a fundamental switch in how we come to find reality. With this model, reality comes not through a “conviction that reality is out there” (104), but that humans are integral in “determining reality’s basic shape. This model starts with the individual’s spiritual experience but cannot be accomplished fully without community.

“Finally, since it is so hard to be an authentic believer and an authentic human bring, it might seem that a theology that depends on these criteria would never get started” (108)

I find myself agreeing with Bevans on this issue. In a model that depends more on an “authentic” human experience than even scripture, might we be setting ourselves up for a phony faith, a façade of authenticity. If we cannot easily be real as believers, how can we build a faith founded solely on our flawed perceptions of reality?

What would Jesus Deconstruct? According to Caputo, the first thing would be the Church. There is plenty that could be changed about the church, but what if instead of small cosmetic changes, we sought to radically take apart the “why” and “what” of our spiritual lives and our Christian communities? What if this could also be done with humility and gentleness, not out of hatred for the Church, but out of love for God’s people? Honestly, I’m tired of fruitless gripes against the church, including my own.

The discussion on “myth” was very interesting when thinking about my own American culture. Many of us have been intrigued by “The American Dream” at one point or another. The idea that anybody can succeed with some willpower is attractive because it provides hope. All myths have a certain degree of truth, but not necessarily truth for all groups of people. Myth keeps people going.

Just today, a couple won 270 million dollars, it could happen to you. Just believe in the American Dream!

“Why are youth attracted to online communities in the massive numbers they are? Is there a emotional, relational or spiritual void that these sites feed towards youth that the church can/should tap into?”

Joe makes some interesting points about the fascination with online communities. It seems that these virtual portals have become more popular as regular relationships have weakened in society, especially among adolescents. Maybe people don’t know how to have relationships with others anymore. If there is an emotional or relational void, it is certainly not being fixed by online relationships or communities. These sites offer community without the sacrifice and relationships without a need for authenticity, depth or discomfort. The problem is worsening but it is not hopeless. The Church is uniquely positioned to reclaim relationships and emotional wholeness as we explain what true community was intended for. Internet networks are not wrong, but they are insufficient. Facebook can be a fun addition to community, but it cannot be a substitute for the real thing.

Barker looks at how cultural studies has discussed the broad topic of “cultural politics”. One of the most interesting portions of this chapter was the delineation between “traditional” and “organic” intellectuals. While intellectuals have traditionally been people working in places like universities and the media, Barker presents a contrasting “organic” intellectual, influential movements of thinkers within the working class. This group offers a “counter-hegemonic class” to think through key societal issues.

Where are church leaders to fit into this mix?

“Youth is not a universal category of biology. Rather, it is a changing social and cultural construct that appeared at a particular moment of time under definitive conditions.” p.375

Adolescence did not always exist. For most of history, there were only two phases in life, childhood and adulthood. Today, adolescence is one of the most confusing questions of culture. One of the interesting debates that Barker brings up is on the “homogenization of youth culture”. Some people believe that there is a global youth culture, that all youth partake in similar cultural norms and attitudes. Other people maintain that youth culture is scattered and chaotic, representing the hybrid nature of global culture. As a youth minister, it is my job to better understand this ever-changing phenomenon in order to share the Gospel in appropriate ways.

“The covenant/jeremiad formula is a lost paradise script, and one of the most recurring in popular culture.” P.220

Cobb points out that “appetite is frequently associated with the loss of paradise”. Certainly, we can see Adam and Eve losing a perfect home thought their own greed and desires. It was interesting to see that this narrative is so common even in other traditions, like in Buddhist mythology with “Vasettha”. Cobb describes two ways that this “losing paradise” narrative is played out, in both Covenants and Jeremiads. It is interesting that even some of the Oscar-winning movies this year deal with similar themes. This is a topic that continues to be on our minds, well after the original story was written.