Date

7-4-2023

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics (MA)

Chair

Anthony Chadwick Thornhill

Keywords

Anime, Apologetics, Popular Culture, Thomas Lamarre, Jolyon Baraka Thomas, Social Imaginary, Animetisim, Animetic Interval, A Silent Voice, Theology and Popular Culture, Theology and Anime, Apologetics and Anime, Popular Culture an Apologetics, Media Philosophy

Disciplines

Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

Limited work has been performed in the field of Christian apologetics and popular culture, much less the intersection between anime and Christian apologetics. One scholar who has attempted to broach this gap has been Ted Turnau, who has developed a five-step diagnostic method for apologetically engaging popular culture phenomena. However, his method contains key flaws. Using the work of Thomas Lamarre, a scholar in the field of anime studies, a central contention will be made: that the material and technology of anime have processes that affect how viewers inhabit and orient themselves in the world, which in turn influences their formative practices and habits. This idea is neglected by Turnau, which hurts his overall argumentation. Three lines of derivative critique shall be launched against Turnau - his cognitive approach to narrative, overemphasizing the form of anime versus its function, and lack of attention paid to audience reception.

Download

Share

COinS