"Death to the World" and Apocalyptic Theological Aesthetics - (T&t Clark Explorations at the Crossroads of Theology and Aesthetic) (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Demonstrates how the small but influential "Death to the World" movement can be understood within the context of antimodernist subcultures within American Eastern Orthodoxy"--

Book Synopsis

Robert Saler examines the small but influential Death to the World movement in US Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Presenting a case study in theological aesthetics, Saler demonstrates how a relatively small consumer phenomenon within US Eastern Orthodoxy sits at the centre of a variety of larger questions, including:

- The relationship between formal ecclesial and para-church structures
- The role of the Internet in modern religiosity
- Consumer structures and patterns as constitutive of piety
- How theology can help us understand art and vice versa

Understanding "Death to the World" as an instance of lived religion tied to questions of identity, politics of religious purity, relationships to capitalism, and concerns over conspiracy theory helps us to see how studies of uniquely American Eastern Orthodox identity must address these broader cultural strands.

Review Quotes

Deftly weaving together theological and cultural critique, Robert Cady Saler offers us the first interdisciplinary study on the Death to the World movement and its attached affective eschatological politics of rebellion and belonging. Through interviews with group leaders, textual analysis, and theological interrogation, Saler wrestles with the relationships among music, consumerism, religion, and identity politics, asking provocatively: Can rebellion be purchased? An essential read for understanding the emphasis on apocalyptic politics and capitalism that animates contemporary Christianity in the United States, Saler reminds us of why Orthodox Christianity should be central to the study of American religion(s).
Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, Northeastern University, USA

Saler carefully navigates an intricate blend of personal admiration, frustration, and concern regarding a niche movement within the Eastern Orthodox community in the United States. His contemplative approach toward both the virtues and the troubling elements of Death to the World stands as a rare gem amidst an era dominated by bitter conflicts between competing sociopolitical and religious ideologies. The book's deliberate and balanced analysis sets a notable standard for the current age of upheaval and passionate discord. Within its pages, the text illuminates how conspiracy theories have impacted not only conservative Evangelical Christianity in the U.S. but are also seeping into an Americanized fringe faction of Eastern Orthodoxy. Saler provides a compelling yet disquieting case study that is meticulously researched and full of fascinating excerpts from primary source material.
Jason Aukerman, Indiana University, USA

This book asks a compelling question: Can tradition be counterculture, and can rebellion be Orthodox? Saler's innovative and eloquent analysis of an important movement in the history of Orthodox Christianity in America reveals both the vitality and danger of radical religious critique of modernity, and will be of great interest to anyone asking what it means to seek the truth amidst the despair and confusion of modern life.
Phil Dorroll, Wofford College, USA

About the Author

Robert Saler is Associate Professor of Religion and Culture, Executive Director of the Center for Pastoral Excellence and the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs at Christian Theological Seminary, USA.