Grounded in Christian principles, this accessible and engaging
book offers an informed and fascinating approach to popular
culture. William D. Romanowski provides affectionate yet astute
analysis of familiar, well-loved movies and television characters
from Indiana Jones to Homer Simpson, and he speaks with historical
depth and expertise on films from Casablanca to Crash
and music from Bruce Springsteen to U2.
Romanowski's confessional approach affirms a role for popular
culture in faithful living. Practical, analytical approaches to
content, meaning, and artistic style offer the tools to participate
responsibly and imaginatively in popular cultural activities. An
engaging read, this new edition introduces students and thoughtful
readers to popular culture--one of the most influential forces in
contemporary society.
"This revised and expanded edition of Eyes Wide Open,
already a standard on the topic, widens and deepens the discourse
on the popular entertainment arts. Readers will find in William
Romanowski's imaginative and down-to-earth approach to popular art
as art a manifesto of Christian involvement and a matrix assessment
of the sights and sounds that inescapably shape our everyday
life."
--Scott Young, University of Southern California
Praise for the first edition:
"This is a lively and much needed Christian perspective on the
popular arts--helping the reader to move beyond a mindless
acquiescence to popular culture, on the one hand, and blanket
condemnation, on the other. The style is direct and accessible,
giving it a natural appeal to a wide audience."
--Jeremy Begbie, Duke Divinity School
"William Romanowski confronts the culture with his eyes wide open
to the negative effects it can have upon us. He also informs us of
ways we can increase our understanding of the world in which we
live and thus be aided in the task of addressing our culture in a
relevant way. His commentary on contemporary music and films will
get the Christian reader to discern things that otherwise would go
unnoticed in the world around us."
--Tony Campolo, Eastern University
"In the tradition of C. S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer, William
Romanowski has articulated a deep theological perspective on
culture and the popular arts. He urges Christians to love music and
the movies as God would have us love them--not as passive consumers
but as thoughtful critics who are wide awake and enthusiastically
enjoying the whole of God's creation."
--Scott Derrickson, screenwriter and director, The
Exorcism of Emily Rose
"Provides a unique, evangelical perspective on the
relationship between religion and popular culture that is meant to
serve as a practical theological framework for laypeople. . . .
Romanowski provides a change of pace from the academic perspectives
dominating this field of study and offers a unique point of view
that merits attention."
--Christopher Daryl Healea, Religious Studies
Review
William D. Romanowski (PhD, Bowling Green State University) is professor of communication arts and sciences at Calvin College and is a widely respected speaker on subjects dealing with American culture and the entertainment industry. He is the author of Reforming Hollywood and Pop Culture Wars: Religion and the Role of Entertainment in American Life, and coauthor of Risky Business: Rock in Film.