The Church on TV: Portrayals of Priests, Pastors and Nuns on American Television Series
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.62 (682 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1441157972 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 240 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-06-14 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Five Stars Amazon Customer Awesome book. EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC I really enjoyed this book very much. It's well written and engaging--and a great introduction for anyone interested in the topic of Christian clergy as lead characters in American television series over the years. I'm familiar with most of the shows Mr. Wolff writes about, so it was a delightful experience to re-visit "old friends."As a challenge to Mr. Wolff, how about a sequel: I would be fascinated to see what he would do with the broader topic of the presentation of religion and religious themes (Jewish, Muslim, Hindi, etc) on both network . Great read What a great find! This book is fun, nostalgic, informative and surprising! The book provides a comprehensive look at the church as it is represented in the television programs we have all enjoyed since TV first hit the air waves. Great programs like The Flying Nun, Father Dowling Mysteries, 7th Heaven, Amen, and so many others are meticulously researched and discussed. Wolff examines how these programs reflect what was going on in the church at the time. For example, The Flying Nun is about a young girl with contemporary ideas trying to fit in
Scrutinizing over forty years of television series, Richard Wolff has provided a comparative analysis of portrayals of priests, nuns and pastors and the historical, cultural and ecclesial contexts and issues that inspired these shows. --Professor Joe Morris, Lecturer in the Religious Studies Department at Santa Clara UniversityWolff's engaging and critical study recognizes that the Church is a fixture in television's version of America's cultural landscape. As he traces the Church's evolving role on TV, Wolff argues persuasively that when a show p
Along the way, the book discusses the programs' depiction of various issues facing the church of their times, including: the role of women in the church; clerics reconsidering their call; the sexuality of clerics; the ecumenical movement; and the church's response to abortion, homosexuality, racial injustice and illegal immigration. It takes a historical-critical approach, discussing seventeen programs in-depth and looking not only at how each depicted the church and its leaders but also comparing this depiction to actual church history. Each exemplifies one of three trends in television's chronicle of the church, from shows of the 1960s-70s that focus on internal conflicts in the church, to those of the 1980s and early 1990s that illustrate the church's struggle for relevance in the modern world, and finally those of the 1990s through today that portray the church in the family context. What trends emerged? Why? How accurate was the portrayal? What does the depiction say about American popular culture and its view of religion in American society? It's these probing questions and answers that bring the current research up t