American Standard (PDF)

Bring a cultural-studies toolkit to bear on the world's most interpreted text

The study of the Bible has adapted to the full range of analytical tools available to theologians, scholars, and researchers of every stripe. The marriage between cultural studies and Biblical studies has been especially fruitful, increasingly producing rich and provocative engagements with Biblical texts and contexts. Students of the Bible stand to profit significantly from a volume which illustrates the value of cultural studies approaches by putting these theories into practice.

American Standard meets the needs of these students with a series of lively essays working through cultural-studies readings of specific Biblical texts. Drawing connections between the Bible and its modern settings, American popular culture, and more, it balances theory with direct close reading to provide an accessible introduction to the vast and varied landscape of cultural studies.

American Standard readers will also find:

* An invaluable literature review of core cultural studies texts

* Detailed analyses incorporating fantasy gaming, the films of Joel and Ethan Coen, American diet culture, and more

* An author with an extensive teaching and publishing history in cultural and Biblical studies

American Standard is ideal for advanced undergraduate or seminary students taking courses in biblical interpretation, American religion, critical theory, or any related subjects.