Hollywood Faith: Holiness, Prosperity, and Ambition in a Los Angeles Church

by Gerardo Marti

Overview

In Christianity, as with most religions, attaining holiness and a higher spirituality while simultaneously pursuing worldly ideals such as fame and fortune is nearly impossible. So how do people pursuing careers in Hollywood's entertainment industry maintain their religious devotion without sacrificing their career goals? For some, the answer lies just two miles south of the historic center of Hollywood, California, at the Oasis Christian Center.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813545639
Publisher:	Rutgers University Press
Publication date:	09/04/2008
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Gerardo Marti is an assistant professor of sociology at Davidson College in North Carolina.

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments xi
1 Introduction: Negotiating Holiness and Hollywood 1
2 The Making of a Star: Hollywood as Destination and Dream 21
3 Love and Hate between Hollywood and Christianity 39
4 Save the World, Starting in Hollywood 61
5 Celebrity, Heartache, and the Pressure to Make It 87
6 Religion: Playing at a Theater Near You 105
7 Fade to Black 130
8 Becoming Champions of Life 154
9 Conclusion: Religion in the Era of Identity Commodification 177 Appendix Research Methodology 193 Notes 201 Bibliography 209 Index 229

Editorial Reviews

Drawing on rich ethnographic data from his study of Oasis Christian Center in Hollywood, Gerardo Marti describes an emergent style of neo-Pentecostal worship and religious community that speaks to members of the 'creative class' of youthful Millennials who are in their 20s and early 30s. This cutting-edge analysis of where religion may be heading is theoretically sophisticated and yet highly readable.

Executive Director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of S - Donald E. Miller