Ted Turnau’s new book, Popologetics, is quite bluntly fun to pronounce and read! I have read more books on the Christian approach to culture than I care to recount. The vast majority are painfully laborious. Painfully! Popologetics on the other hand is a very enjoyable book! In fact, it is easily the most enjoyable work on pop culture, in Christian perspective, that I have read. 
So, you may be wondering, is the content good? Yes, actually, it is! Turnau addresses the issue of cultural engagement by establishing one of the most realistic and workable definitions of pop culture that I have come across. Furthermore, he clearly addresses the concerns of pop culture mediums creating culture rather than reflecting the values of specific cultures and sub-cultures within a given society. This section, at the front end of the book, makes Popologetics a must have book for pastors and apologetically-minded thinkers.
The second half of the book does enter some more controversial subject matter. For instance, how should Christians think about movies? Turnau provides a well-argued paradigm for addressing this question. Still, I’m not convinced his approach is the best, but it is worth considering. In the end, agree or not, Turnau’s perspective on pop culture consumption accomplishes its goal of getting the reader to think critically about culture. Regardless of your perspective on this topic, Popologetics will provide you with some interesting questions and a greater level of clarity in your own convictions.
June 8, 2012
Book Review