The subversive evangelical: the ironic charisma of an irreligious megachurch
Wrecking "religion" for the love of Jesus : the ironic charisma of a reflexive evangelical -- Caught up in the dramatic web : the sticky storylines of ironic charisma -- From street theatre to silver city : setting the "irreligious" stage -- Irony as liturgy : strategic satire fo...
| Summary: | Wrecking "religion" for the love of Jesus : the ironic charisma of a reflexive evangelical -- Caught up in the dramatic web : the sticky storylines of ironic charisma -- From street theatre to silver city : setting the "irreligious" stage -- Irony as liturgy : strategic satire for a spoiled identity -- Life together : home church as romantic script -- "Irreligious" teamwork backstage : the fly system in the dramatic web -- The "irreligious" paradox : the playful production of ironic evangelicalism -- Dramaturgical trouble and the end of the show -- Epilogue : reflecting on reflexive evangelicals -- Appendix: Method: fieldwork and posture. "Evangelicals have been scandalized by their association with Donald Trump, their megachurches summarily dismissed as "religious Walmarts." In The Subversive Evangelical Peter Schuurman shows how a growing group of "reflexive evangelicals" use irony to critique their own tradition and distinguish themselves from the stereotype of right-wing evangelicalism. Entering the Meeting House--an Ontario-based Anabaptist megachurch--as a participant observer, Schuurman discovers that the marketing is clever and the venue (a rented movie theatre) is attractive to the more than five thousand weekly attendees. But the heart of the church is its charismatic leader, Bruxy Cavey, whose anti-religious teaching and ironic tattoos offer a fresh image for evangelicals. This charisma, Schuurman argues, is not just the power of one individual; it is a dramatic production in which Cavey, his staff, and attendees cooperate, cultivating an identity as an "irreligious" megachurch and providing followers with a more culturally acceptable way to practise their faith in a secular age. Going behind the scenes to small group meetings, church dance parties, and the homes of attendees to investigate what motivates these reflexive evangelicals, Schuurman reveals a playful and provocative counterculture that distances itself from prevailing stereotypes while still embracing a conservative Christian faith."-- |
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| Item Description: | Includes bibliographical references (pages [293]-352) and index |
| ISBN: | 0773557334 |