Modern Religious Experience-Driven Societies: Medial and Aesthetic Presentations of the Teachings of Christian-Orientated Organisations in the USA.

A DFG Research Project at the Institute for Religious Studies at Heidelberg University

Third Subproject:

"It's a sin to bore a kid with the gospel!" Creationist Parks in the US as All-Inclusive Religious Providers.

Similar to academic works on megachurches in the US, the academic debate around creationism is characterised by sociological works. The "cultures of creationism" (Coleman 2004) are generally considered as phenomena of the so-called culture wars within the United States. This research perspective obtains particular poignancy and currency through the virtually omnipresent new atheism in media and literature (Harris 2006, 2007, Dawkins 2006, Hitchens 2007).

The societal debate between supporters of evolution and followers of creationist teachings has been comprehensively covered in research (Jeßberger 1990, Kotthaus 2003, Numbers 2006 Schrader 2007). Accordingly, it is possible to refer to sociological works that are concerned with the societal reach and relevance of these debates (Antweiler 1988, Pennock 2001, Harrold/Eve/Taylor 2004). A comprehensive religious studies investigation into the advertisement and missionary strategies of various Christian-orientated organisations which run creationist parks in the US, however, has not been undertaken, despite international media interest.

The parks and museums, which focus on the illustration of religious teachings through medial and aesthetic presentations, understand themselves as holistic attractions. They deliberately offer entertaining, recreational and educational experiences for the whole family, following the motto "It's a sin to bore a kid with the gospel!". In this way the senses of the actors are addressed, which together with cognitive mediation leads to the adoption of new ideas and convictions.

An academic investigation into creationist parks in the US as part and development of the research approach of material religion promises to be especially fruitful. The third subproject will focus on the academic investigation of the "Creation Museum" in Kentucky as well as the "Museum of Creation and Earth History" in California, which was run by the Institute of Creation Research until 2008. The former cost more than 27 million dollars to build and the exhibits were provided by the design director of the Hollywood blockbusters Jaws and King Kong (Patrick Marsh). The two establishments, which have areas of 5574 m² and 1950 m², are by far the biggest and most visited creationist parks in the United States.

Sebastian Emling, M.A.

Academic Resume

  • July 2008: University graduation, degree thesis: "Die Idee eines "unendlichen Amerikas" bei Ralph Waldo Emerson und Nathaniel Hawthorne"
  • since October 2008: research associate and doctoral candidate at the Institute of Religious Studies at Heidelberg University (Working title of the dissertation: "Selection of a President has to be an act of faith" - Eine religionswissenschaftliche Untersuchung der Verwendung religiƶser Semantiken als Strategie der narrativen Konstruktion einer "presidential brand" durch Barack Obama in dessen Wahlkampfreden der Jahre 2007 und 2008)
  • August 2009 to December 2009: research associate for the subproject C10 "Rituale ohne Performanz" of the collaborative research centre 619 "Ritualdynamik"
  • January 2010 to July 2010: research associate and doctoral candidate at the Institute of Religious Studies at Heidelberg University
  • since August 2010: research associate for the DFG project "Modern Religious Experience-Driven Societies: Medial and Aesthetic Presentations of the Teachings of Christian-Orientated Organisations in the USA"

Sebastian Emling, M.A.

Contact

Research Areas

American religious history, post-mortality and comparison, theories of religious studies, material religion, contemporary religiosity, reception of religious tradition in American literature, religious traditions in the popular culture contexts, ritual studies

Project Head:

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