Praise be to... Castiel?

Crippen, Timothy. "Old and New Gods in the Modern World: Toward a Theory of Religious Transformation." Social Forces (1988): 316-36. Web.

This paper focuses on challenging the notion of secularization of religion in the modern world. It is believed that because popular culture, and people are evolving that religion is being forgotten about. This paper argues that it is not, religion is just transforming. The show Supernatural brings new light to the Christian faith. It opens up audiences, that would not know much about bible stories, to the bible in a modern language.

 

Foresman, Galen A., ed. Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series : Supernatural and Philosophy : Metaphysics and Monsters... for Idjits. Somerset, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. ProQuest ebrary. Web.

This book focuses on Supernatural from a philosophical viewpoint. I will be using section three of the book: “Evil by Design.” Supernatural is to the core about defeating evil forces in the world. In early seasons of the show Dean Winchester did not believe in God, yet he encountered Lucifer, angels, demons and a variety of other evils and mythical creatures. God is light and goodness, when he does not appear in the face of all the evils the brothers have encountered it makes it difficult for them to believe.

 

Lavery, David, and Abbott, Stacey. TV Goes to Hell: An Unofficial Road Map of Supernatural. Toronto, ON, CAN: ECW Press, 2011. ProQuest ebrary. Web.

Supernatural has become a show about fighting off the impending biblical apocalypse. The sections of this book I will be using are focused on this fight against the apocalypse and the show’s focus on religious themes.

 

McCloud, Sean. "Popular Culture Fandoms, The Boundaries Of Religious Studies, And The Project Of The Self." Culture and Religion 4.2: 187-206. Web. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01438830032000135674>.

A section of my assignment will be on the fandom culture surrounding Supernatural. This paper is on popular fandoms, and how they are viewed as a modern religion. Supernatural is unique in that it has Old and New Testament teachings and stories weaved into the plot of the show.

 

Valenzano, Joseph M., and Erika Engstrom. "Cowboys, Angels, and Demons: American Exceptionalism and the Frontier Myth in the CW's Supernatural." Communication Quarterly 62.5 (2014): 552-68. Web. 

This paper views Sam and Dean Winchester as equals to God. In the beginning they were on a mission to protect the American way, or the Christian way, but it has become more than a mission. The brothers have gone off on their own to protect their home and their way of life. The paper focuses on the divinity of America and the divinity of the brothers.

 

Wolff, Richard. “Church on TV : Portrayals of Priests, Pastors and Nuns.” London, GBR: Continuum International Publishing, 2010. ProQuest ebrary. Web.

While Supernatural does not have an abundance of scenes with priests, pastors and nuns, it does portray the church and religion in every episode. I will be using the third section of this book: “The Church Seeks Relevance in the Modern World.”

 

Zubernis, Lynn, and Larsen, Katherine, eds. “Fan Phenomena : Supernatural.” Bristol, GBR: Intellect Ltd., 2014. ProQuest ebrary. Web.

This book is about fan culture surrounding Supernatural. Chapters five and six will be used in my section about fan culture and Supernatural as a modern religion.