Domain Model of Culture Politics Religion Arts - cinema Morals Science Music A model of contemporary, ‘secular’ society

Relations Between Religion & Culture Traditional: ‘Sacred Canopy’ Overlap Secular Society culture Religion/spirituality religion sport culture culture Religion Church Mosque Church controls culture theocracy Off the Map Travellers & Magicians Babette’s Feast Gibson’s The Passion Oppositional ultimate vs. ephemeral Eternal vs. changeable universal vs. local sacred vs. profane believed vs. fictive communal vs. individualistic religion culture ‘Culture Wars’ Last Temptation of Christ Water

Two Sides of Hollywood "Motion Pictures are going to save our civilization from the destruction which has successively overwhelmed every civilization of the past. They provide what every previous civilization has lacked -- namely a means of relief, happiness, and mental inspiration to the people at the bottom. Without happiness and inspiration being accessible to those upon whom the social burden rests most heavily, there can be no stable social system. Revolutions are born of misery and despair." Mary Gray Peck, General Federation of Women’s Clubs, 1917 "Hollywood is the nearest thing to "hell on earth" which Satan has been able thus far to establish in this world. And the influence of Hollywood is undermining the Christian culture and civilization which our fathers built in this land." Dan Gilbert, Chairman of the Christian Newspaper Men’s Committee to Investigate the Motion Picture Industry, 1942

Share the political goals of the Christian Right - Share religious views but not political goals of religious right Secularists who – share political goals of Christian right Those who share neither religious or political views of Christian Right Evangelicals who Christian Right Much popular culture, Hollywood, film, music Share the political goals of the Christian Right

Religion; Four Features Discourse whose concerns transcend the human, temporal, contingent – claims transcendent status Set of practices – goal produce a proper world, proper conduct, defined by the discourse Community – defines membership and identity with reference to discourse and practices Institution – regulates discourse, practice, membership; occasionally modifies, asserts validity over time; emphasizes tradition

Falwell on 9/11 And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen'. – Pat Robertson’s 700 Club, 9-13-01

Falwell’s implicit analysis Producers of popular culture

Two Models of Culture (Bruce Lincoln) A heuristic device (an oversimplification) MAXIMALIST MINIMALIST Religion = central domain of culture; deeply involved in aesthetic and ethical practice Economy = central domain of culture; religion restricted to private sphere; experience and metaphysical interests Cultural preferences – constituted as morality, stabilized by religion Cultural preferences – fashion, change according to market Religious authority secures, insures order Rapid expansion of wealth and power Minimalist system is intrusive, powerful, serious obstacle, serious temptation Maximailst – experienced as quaint, by-gone; dangerous, reactionary, seductive Realized in parts of globe during 19th & 20th c. ‘Sacred canopy’ Secular society TENSION Prior to enlightenment – maximalist model was the norm across much of the world - Minimalist model exported during colonial era

Iranian Revolution 1979 Current American trend to theocracy?