Gerry Bowler is Professor of History at the University of Manitoba. His research centres on the intersection of religion and popular culture, especially the celebration of Christmas. He has published books and articles on a wide variety of topics including Bloody Mary, The Simpsons, professional hockey, Protestant justification of assassination and the relationship of Aristotle to professional wrestling.
The Folly and the Ivy: A Critical Consideration of Christmas
Speaker(s): Gerry Bowler
Date: May 26-30 2014
Length: 12h10min
Product ID: RGDL4416S
Purchase Options:
MP3 Download - $33.99 | |
MP3 CD - $43.99 | |
CD - $58.99 |
Description
Christmas is the world's most popular holiday and comes with a long and rich history. We will study its origins as a religious celebration and chart the changes to its festive complexion. We will meet astrologer-kings, virgins, shepherds, merchants, priests, werewolves, warriors, prophets, academics and sundry nocturnal gift-bringers; we will encounter reindeer, puddings, Puritans, Nazis and atheists. We will examine songs, art, violence, commerce, ceremony and magic of almost two thousand years of the feast. Lectures include:
- The Invention of Christmas
- Crisis and Decline
- The Revival of Christmas
- The Rise of Santa Claus
- The Christmas Wars
See All Audio by Gerry Bowler
Related Audio
"Lookit the Train!": A Two-Person Drama Solving Some of Life's Theological Challenges
Speaker: Jeff Barker, Karen Barker
2014 Evening Public Lectures
Speaker: Alan Torrance, Bruce Hindmarsh, David Lyon, … (see details for all)
Finding Liberty: The Christian Roots of the Modern Conscience
Speaker: Dominic Erdozain
Gaining the Whole World: The Ambiguous Success of American Evangelicalism
Speaker: Bill Svelmoe, George Marsden
God's Faithful Character: The Key to the New Testament's Use of the Old
Speaker: Rikk Watts
Hymns and the Christian Spirit: A Short History of Song and Devotion
Speaker: Bruce Hindmarsh, Steve Bell
I've Been Meaning to Tell You This: Confessions of an Ex-Pastor
Speaker: Mark Buchanan
Seriously Dangerous Religion? The Importance of the Old Testament for Human Rights
Speaker: Iain Provan
The Ecology of Grace: Can We Be Pentecostal, Evangelical, and Sacramental?
Speaker: Gordon Smith
The Sanctification Gap: Is the Church Committed to Spiritual Maturity?
Speaker: Gordon Smith
Together in Prayer: The Art and Gift of Group Spiritual Direction
Speaker: Susan Phillips
Transformation the Gospel Way: Cultivating Christ-Like Persons of Holy Character and Faithful Ethical Action
Speaker: Jonathan Wilson, Keith Krull, Kevin Boonstra, … (see details for all)