Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
The dissertation analyzes Christian rock that goes mainstream and aims to explain
such a phenomenon within the contemporary cultural, social and political context. This
cultural study acknowledges the inherent tendency of Christian rock “to cross over” as
part of the Evangelical ideology in which it is rooted. It also views it as a symptom of the
augmented power of conservative Evangelical groups in today’s American political and
social climate and of the current, increased presence of discourses around religion and,
specifically, Christianity in the public arena. Hence, the research offers an historical
understanding of the social, cultural and discursive changes that have occurred within
American Christianity in relation to politics, society and culture since Christian rock’s
first appearance as an expression of the Jesus People movement of the 1970s, with the
aim of better comprehending the nature of the contemporary crossover phenomenon.
Additionally, the study considers rock as a discursive formation, interprets Christian rock
as a primarily countercultural phenomenon and addresses the questions its crossover poses. Thus, it explores dimensions and issues highly debated in cultural studies
concerning authenticity, resistance, generic labeling, lyrical content, pleasure, and
experience. Specifically, it looks at Christian rock “fragments” as receptacles for a
multitude of meanings that are constantly negotiated in public discourses. The research
finally examines the music industry (marketing strategies, publications, distribution deals,
and so forth) in relation to these phenomena, and reports on the interviews with emerging
crossover Christian rock bands and other people operating in the industry.
By investigating it as part of the larger endeavor of Evangelicals to impact and
transform American culture and society, it is illustrated how Christian rock is able today
to provide an alternative version of popular music to their own young people and to reach
non-believers as well; this suggests further research and, specifically, the necessity of
audience analysis, and concomitantly raises thought-provoking questions related to
cultural theory. The study also demonstrates how Christian rock, an apparently
oxymoronic manifestation of rock culture, is actually reproducing its very logic, thus
catalyzing cultural change and symptomatically reflecting neoconservative cultural
hegemony and ultimately supporting an emerging definition of rock.
such a phenomenon within the contemporary cultural, social and political context. This
cultural study acknowledges the inherent tendency of Christian rock “to cross over” as
part of the Evangelical ideology in which it is rooted. It also views it as a symptom of the
augmented power of conservative Evangelical groups in today’s American political and
social climate and of the current, increased presence of discourses around religion and,
specifically, Christianity in the public arena. Hence, the research offers an historical
understanding of the social, cultural and discursive changes that have occurred within
American Christianity in relation to politics, society and culture since Christian rock’s
first appearance as an expression of the Jesus People movement of the 1970s, with the
aim of better comprehending the nature of the contemporary crossover phenomenon.
Additionally, the study considers rock as a discursive formation, interprets Christian rock
as a primarily countercultural phenomenon and addresses the questions its crossover poses. Thus, it explores dimensions and issues highly debated in cultural studies
concerning authenticity, resistance, generic labeling, lyrical content, pleasure, and
experience. Specifically, it looks at Christian rock “fragments” as receptacles for a
multitude of meanings that are constantly negotiated in public discourses. The research
finally examines the music industry (marketing strategies, publications, distribution deals,
and so forth) in relation to these phenomena, and reports on the interviews with emerging
crossover Christian rock bands and other people operating in the industry.
By investigating it as part of the larger endeavor of Evangelicals to impact and
transform American culture and society, it is illustrated how Christian rock is able today
to provide an alternative version of popular music to their own young people and to reach
non-believers as well; this suggests further research and, specifically, the necessity of
audience analysis, and concomitantly raises thought-provoking questions related to
cultural theory. The study also demonstrates how Christian rock, an apparently
oxymoronic manifestation of rock culture, is actually reproducing its very logic, thus
catalyzing cultural change and symptomatically reflecting neoconservative cultural
hegemony and ultimately supporting an emerging definition of rock.
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