Is creativity always inside the mind of God? Ok, not my typical read. This book was ok. It is not my typical read, but rather class material. The author was effective in his goal of a thoughtful and reflective summary of many trips to various American Christian roadside attractions. It can make you think, if you allow yourself to be reflective. May 13, John rated it really liked it. Many of us have noticed the religious attractions — the Christian kitsch — that exist in so many corners of the country, and Timothy Beal argues that we tend to dismiss these sites too quickly.
Behind many of these places is a person who has had a meaningful religious experience, and feels called to share it. Beal combines the stories of these visits with his own philosophical journey, as a Professor of Religion, who was raised Evangelical, and is married to a Presbyterian minister, and has a very complicated relationship with faith. It ends up being understandably hard to be cynical when the creators of most sites are so eager to share their stories. Beal expects them to be dogmatic and off-putting, but they are welcoming and appear to be operating out of genuine concern for lost souls.
Precious Moments Park, filled with hordes of those treacly little figures, turns out to be centered on a chapel dedicated to the late son of the creator of the brand. He was able to deal with his grief at least in part through the paintings and statues he made for the park. Many guests experiencing similar trauma also report finding comfort there.
The creators had hoped to build a sacred space that would allow people to experience the divine, and they appear to have succeeded.
Spring/Summer Religion Books
The only real flop on the tour is the least personal site: The man who created it intended for it to promote a particular eschatological view, and the park is not up front about this. In addition, it seems overproduced and slick, lacking in humble faith and hospitality.
It is easy to identify with the Beal family as they explore these fascinating little corners of the country. Some of the sites align with the theme of the book a little better than others, however. The mini-golf course seems less a genuine expression of faith and more an attempt to make a buck off of godly parents trying to find a Christian way to entertain their kids.
Also, sadly, the book is a little out of date — most of the visits recounted here took place almost a decade ago, and several sites have since closed or are under new management. They offer up another interpretation of what it means to be faithful in America. Jan 10, Bethany rated it liked it Shelves: Timothy Beal is a religion professor at a university in Ohio; one summer he packed up his family in an RV and toodled around the country looking at kitschy religious theme parks, and the like, to do an analysis. Roadside Religion is the result of this - and several other - forays into this strange world.
Beal treats all of the locations with a gentle honesty, showing them for what they really are. I was most impressed with his treatment of Cross Garden, which is a truly bizarre place; Beal sees the attitudes and desires behind the place rather than just what is on the surface. Nov 29, Ashur rated it liked it Shelves: Very respectful treatment of this topic. My only complaint is that I wish the book had been longer and covered more sites; this is a testament to my enjoyment of it. Jan 19, Peacegal rated it liked it. This book tours a uniquely American industry: Aug 23, S Brent rated it it was amazing.
Makes me want to get a motor home and drive. But I doubt I'd find the courage to discover all that Beal did here. The armchair travels worked well for me. Mar 09, Frank Roberts rated it really liked it Shelves: A touching and endearing exploration of the "awesome absurdity of faith", as manifested in roadside religious attractions.
Sep 12, Heidi rated it really liked it. I came across this while working on my thesis. I had no idea these places existed: Aug 08, Carissa rated it it was amazing. Hilarious, and unexpectedly moving. Kathryn rated it it was amazing Apr 24, Joseph rated it it was amazing Sep 06, Paula rated it it was amazing Jul 13, Matthew rated it really liked it Mar 31, Drew rated it liked it Aug 29, Laura rated it liked it Sep 15, Should law govern the conduct of religious individuals and institutions?
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Roadside Religion: In Search of the Sacred, the Strange, and the Substance of Faith by Timothy Beal
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