Synopses & Reviews
Popular music artists are intentionally unoriginal. Pop producers find their inspiration by sampling across traditions and genres; remix artists compose a pastiche of the latest hits. These "mashup" artists stretch the boundaries of creativity by freely intermingling old sounds and melodies with the newest technologies. Using this phenomenon in contemporary music-making as a metaphor, John McClure encourages the invention of new theological ideas by creating a mashup of the traditional and the novel. What emerges are engaging ways of communicating that thrive at the intersection of religion and popular culture yet keep alive the deepest of theological truths.
Review
"Mashup Religion charts new territory in debates about the nature of theology. Using popular music making as a jumping off point, it sets out a vision for creative, imaginative and rhythmic theologizing. McClure’s is a refreshing and inspiring approach to communicating faith that is not directed at but learned from popular culture."
—Peter Ward, Senior Lecturer in Youth Ministry and Theological Education, Department of Education and Professional Studies, School of Social Science and Public Policy, King’s College, London
"Who knew that musical loops, remixes, and sampling could offer such suitable metaphors for reimagining religious pedagogy? McClure stands apart, suggesting new possibilities for everyone anxious to communicate meaningfully to those ever-changing and regionally distinct audiences shaped so profoundly by popular culture."
—Michael J. Gilmour, author of Gods and Guitars: Seeking the Sacred in Post 1960s Popular Music and The Gospel According to Bob Dylan: The Old, Old Story for Modern Times
Synopsis
A novel approach to creating contemporary public theology
About the Author
John S. McClure is the Charles G. Finney Professor of Preaching and Worship at Vanderbilt Divinity School and editor of the journal Homiletic. His previous books include Other-wise Preaching: A Postmodern Ethic for Homiletics and Claiming Theology in the Pulpit. He lives in Nashville, TN.