Watching TV Religiously: Television and Theology in Dialogue

Callaway, an assistant professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary in California, opens this Christian “theology of television” with a reference to Lost and the uncanny ways the series echoes the tragic disappearance of Malaysian Flight 370. Yet the beloved series concluded in 2010, and the reference makes this latest installment of Baker Academic’s Engaging Culture series seem dated from the start. “We need a new vision and a new critical paradigm for assessing the ethics of television,” Callaway writes—one that explores “the theological significance” of TV as well as the “practice of TV watching.” Following this, he discusses changes to viewing habits, the various narrative and technical elements of a show, and how to write a series, giving the chapters a textbook feel, before moving on to the purpose of television and a Biblically based assessment of which shows inspire healthy reflection and which watching habits should be avoided. Callaway draws on a range of popular series to illustrate his points, including Glee, House of Cards, and Twin Peaks. This is a book for classes on pop culture and Christianity and for TV fans looking for a Christian justification of their viewing addictions. (Dec.)