If you are a C.S. Lewis fan, these are good days. With the coming films Prince Caspian in May and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2009), Narnia remains an “in thing” within popular culture. With even more Narnia sequels on the way and possible film adaptations of other Lewis works, including The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis seems well positioned to be a giant in popular culture for years to come.

But, if C.S. (or Jack, as he liked to be called) were here today, I believe he would quickly bring us back to reality, warning us not to get caught up with “what’s in” at the moment. Lewis believed fashion – what’s cool and hip – is one of Satan’s most powerful seducers. It subtly distracts and derails our faith. Lewis illustrates this point several times in The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce. However, you may not have realized that he even expresses this same belief in The Chronicles of Narnia: Susan’s eventual loss of faith in The Last Battle seems to be based, in part, on her preoccupation with acting grown-up and her penchant for being fashionable.

Fashion may have been a big deal in Lewis’ day. However, “what’s popular” is far more seductive and alluring in today‘s media-saturated, attention-starved world than ever before in history.
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Part 3 in the U2 Unplugged Series

We live in a cross-eyed culture: 9 out of 10 people in our society believe in God, but less than 2 out of 10 believe in an absolute right or wrong. Clearly, we like the idea of God, but we don’t want to accept the reality that would result if that God actually existed.

Perhaps then John Lennon’s song “God” serves as a worthy anthem for our postmodern society. Wake up and stop deceiving yourself, sings Lennon in this 1970 song. God is not real. He’s nothing but “a concept.” Since there is no objective reality or absolutes, you can’t believe in anything beyond yourself. John’s inevitable conclusion is “I just believe in me.”

A generation later, U2 released “God Part II” [Lyrics] [iTunes] on their Rattle and Hum album. The song serves as a sequel and a believer’s response to the original Lennon song. Politely refuting the Beatles legend, Bono sings that belief in yourself or the world is a sure-fire, dead-end road. Instead, the only thing worth believing in is the love of God.
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I am a late comer to NBC’s The Office. In fact, until two months ago, I had never watched an episode of the hit comedy series. However, after hearing a friend recommend it, I decided to rent Seasons 1-2 from Netflix. I was hooked immediately. I soon found myself staying up late at night making up for lost time in order to catch up with third season of the series.

In my newfound enthusiasm, I began visiting fan-based web sites to get the latest “scuttlebutt” on the show. Yet, as I checked out sites like OfficeTally, I was struck by the enthusiasm, commitment, and passion of the show’s fan base.

The Office is funny and off-beat, but comedy alone doesn’t generate this kind of loyal following. Instead, I am convinced that the show’s pseudo-documentary motif is at the heart of this response. Unlike most shows or films in which there is always a separation between the characters on screen and yourself, the frequent “talking head” interviews of the characters give you direct insight into who the character is and what he or she is thinking and feeling. The end result is that, over time, you actually begin to believe you know these characters as real people. They no longer are two-dimensional characters in a sitcom; they really seem to be friends that you’d like to get to know personally and hang around with.

In our “temp culture”, we are more isolated now than ever before. We go from city to city in search of the perfect job. We stay in jobs for a couple of years and then move on to a better offer. We go church hopping, looking for the next great pastor. As a result, we know our neighbors and coworkers less and less. We form “alliances of the moment” rather than committing to meaningful, lasting friendships. Not surprisingly then, when a show like The Office sweeps in and offers us something we crave (the desire to really “know” someone), we jump on board. The head knows its just a television show, but the heart…

If the church is going to be effective in the “temp culture” that we live in, believers need to be more like Jim, Pam, and Dwight (OK, not Dwight). In other words, we need to be genuine, vulnerable, and endearing as we let the grace and joy of Christ shine through us. That’s what people are really craving.

Originally posted on Digitalwalk.net