Heaven and the Popular Imagination

Popular culture continues to search the depths of the poetic imagination concerning heaven. It seems to be a constant theme in literature, film, and music, spanning genres throughout the Western world. Yet, some contemporary scholars suggest that all of these narratives are somewhat misguided and remain, at best, only partial constructions of a proper eschatology. The creative imagination in popular culture, especially in relation to the arts has often carried a less-than-trustworthy role in theology and philosophy. Heaven and the Popular Imagination analyzes a number of approaches within the theology of culture conversation to suggest that a hermeneutic of popular imagery can open up new horizons for understanding and challenging the role heaven plays in Christian theology. From ancient literature to popular music and films, heaven is part of the framework of our ecumenical imagining about beginnings and endings. Such a hermeneutic must encompass an interdisciplinary approach to theology.""This book makes a distinctive contribution to Christian eschatology, and models a new way to approach the theological engagement with popular culture as a whole. As T. M. Allen shows, popular culture may speak to and challenge dominant paradigms in contemporary theology. His fascinating study will appeal to scholars as well as to a broader reading public.""--George Corbett, Lecturer in Theology, Imagination and the Arts, University of St Andrews""Allen''s book will not only prompt our imagination about heaven but also suggest how engagement with popular culture can enrich theological reflection; intriguingly, if theologians--of heaven, but of other topics and in general too--follow Allen''s methodological lead, theology itself might also become more popular and even have a wider cultural impact than it currently does.""--Amos Yong, Professor of Theology & Mission, Fuller SeminaryT. M. Allen is the Lead Pastor at New Life Church in Incline Village, Nevada.