God—in the many ways that people around the globe conceptualize Him, Her, or It—is one of the most powerful, divisive, unifying, and creative elements of human culture. The two volumes of God and Popular Culture: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Entertainment Industry’s Most Influential Figure provide readers with a balanced and accessible analysis of this fascinating topic that allows anyone who appreciates any art, music, television, film, and other forms of entertainment to have a new perspective on a favorite song or movie.

Written by a collective of both believers and nonbelievers, the essays enable both nonreligious individuals and those who are spiritually guided to consider how culture approaches and has appropriated God to reveal truths about humanity and society. The book discusses the intersections of God with film, television, sports, politics, commerce, and popular culture, thereby documenting how the ongoing messages and conversations about God that occur among the general population also occur within the context of the entertainment that we as members of society consume—often without our recognition of the discussion.

Features

• Supplies a broad conception of "God" that provides readers with a fuller and more accurate portrait of a phenomenon that evolved substantially over time but also remains an enduring—and enduringly influential—element of popular culture
• Explores not only how individuals grapple with the question of God, but also how God invariably and unintentionally enters people's thinking
• Supplies direct examples of the key role that God plays in everyday life that readers will find compelling from both a personal and cultural perspective
• Comprises essays from sociologists, theologians, cultural critics, and journalists that present a wide range of perspectives and approaches to this universally relevant topic