UA EXPERTS
Trost, Theodore
professor and chair of the religious studies department
ttrost@bama.ua.edu
205/348-7534 (o)
Dr. Trost’s work in American religious history has focused on the ecumenical movement and the survival struggles of “mainstream” Protestant churches. His article, “Identity and Identification: The United Church of Christ’s ‘God is Still Speaking’ Television Ad Campaign,” Prism 21/2 (2008), investigates a series of controversial television ads designed to recruit new members to the United Church of Christ—a denomination that traces its history through the Congregational churches back to the Puritan founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In the area of religion and popular culture, Trost presented recently his conference paper, “‘I Give You a Testimonial’: Religious Rhetoric in the Songs of the MC5″; it is part of an ongoing book project, a collection of essays addressing “religion” as represented in popular songs, film, and television. The opportunity to teach a course in the New Testament has re-invigorated Trost’s interest in the category of “Scripture.” He is currently investigating ways in which the Gospel of Mark might be described, historically and rhetorically, as a recruiting manual for a first century counterculture movement describing itself as “Christian.”
Topics of Expertise: Business & Media, Pop Culture, Literature & the Arts
Specialties: American religion, Ecumenism, Media, Movies, Religion, Religion and popular culture
Last Updated: July 8, 2011