Mapping the Religio-Political Landscape and Identity of Christian Emerging Adults Through a Reception Study of the Colbert Report
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University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2012 Searching for Truth(iness): Mapping the Religio-Political Landscape and Identity of Christian Emerging Adults Through a Reception Study of the Colbert Report Jill Elizabeth Dierberg University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Christian Denominations and Sects Commons Recommended Citation Dierberg, Jill Elizabeth, "Searching for Truth(iness): Mapping the Religio-Political Landscape and Identity of Christian Emerging Adults Through a Reception Study of the Colbert Report" (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 798. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/798 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. SEARCHING FOR TRUTH(INESS): MAPPING THE RELIGIO-POLITICAL LANDSCAPE AND IDENTITY OF CHRISTIAN EMERGING ADULTS THROUGH A RECEPTION STUDY OF THE COLBERT REPORT A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology Joint PhD Program University of Denver In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Jill E. Dierberg August 2012 Advisor: Lynn Schofield Clark Author: Jill E. Dierberg Title: Searching for Truth(iness): Mapping the Religio-Political Landscape and Identity of Christian Emerging Adults through a Reception Study of The Colbert Report Advisor: Lynn Schofield Clark Degree Date: August 2012 ABSTRACT Utilizing textual analysis and in-depth interviews of self-identified Christian participants ages 18-35 (n=20), this paper explores the way Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report portrays Christianity, how young Christian viewers negotiate their religio- political identity in relation to the show, and what this negotiation says about the religio- political landscape of Christian emerging adults (19-29) (Arnett, 2004) in the United States. I conclude that The Colbert Report provides a contextual occasion for critical religio-political reflection, and that Christian emerging adults of myriad Christian subcultures negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to The Colbert Report to varying degrees as they select differing reference points within the show as a means of shaping and strengthening previous and ongoing identity markers. ii Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction 1 Defining Religio-Political 2 Significance of Research 3 Shaping Identity through Negotiated Viewing Positions 5 Methods 8 Chapter Outline 10 Chapter Two: Emerging Adults Today 14 Education and Work 15 Friends and Romance 17 Music and Television as Social Expression 20 Emerging Adult Religiosity 22 Young Adult Religious Frameworks 24 The Evangelical Generation 27 Political Engagement 29 Non-Traditional Political Engagement 30 The Role of Political Comedy 32 Chapter Three: Religious Irreverence: Trends Old and New 34 The Role of Media in Cultural and Religious Critique 35 The Sitcom Drama: Simultaneously Irreverent and Somber 39 Animated Irreverence: The Simpsons and South Park 50 Political Comedy: Overt Religious Criticism 60 Conclusion 64 Chapter Four: A Rhetorical Analysis of The Colbert Report: Constructing the Conservative Religio-Political Persona 66 Methodology 67 Truthiness: Creating the Conservative Religio-Political Character 69 Evangelical Christian Truthiness 71 The Word: “American Orthodox” 73 Glenn Beck, Social Justice, and the State of Colbert’s Faith 77 Campolo on Colbert: Creating Space for Liberal Evangelicalism 83 Colbert: A Religious Authority 85 Chapter Five: Methodology 87 Qualitative Research in the Field of Media Studies 89 Negotiated Texts 91 Negotiated Viewing as Occasion for Reflection 93 Methodological Conversations in the Social Sciences 96 Situating Myself in the Field 97 Religious Self-identification 98 Participant Demographics 100 iii Data Collection 102 Chapter Six: Gay Rights: Separating Personal Beliefs from Political Rights 105 Reflecting upon Gay Rights 107 Maggie: Conservative Catholic 109 Mandy: Conservative Lutheran 114 Brittany: Independent Fundamentalist 119 Emily: Liberal Evangelical 122 Dave: Liberal Evangelical 127 Ben: Moderate Christian 132 Conclusion 136 Chapter Seven: Jesus “Transcends Partisan Politics” 139 Identifying with Liberal Christianity 140 Nancy: Radical Methodist 141 Jennifer: Liberal Church of the Brethren 148 Erin: Liberal Lutheran 151 Reclaiming Evangelicalism from Conservatives 155 Naomi: Liberal Evangelical 156 Brittany: Independent Fundamentalist 161 Dave: Moderate Evangelical 162 Ben: Moderate Christian 163 Conclusion 165 Chapter Eight: “Glenn Beck Attacks Social Justice”: Referencing Outgroups while Reinforcing Identity 166 Referencing Outgroups while Reinforcing Liberal Protestant Commitments 168 Wendy: Liberal Methodist 168 Randi: Liberal Protestant 172 Erin: Liberal Lutheran 174 Affirming Catholic Social Teaching 175 Jim: Conservative Catholic 176 Kim: Liberal Mennonite 181 Claiming Social Justice as an Evangelical Endeavor 187 Nate: Conservative Evangelical 188 Ben: Moderate Christian 191 Naomi: Liberal Evangelical 193 Brittany: Independent Fundamentalist 194 Conclusion 195 Chapter Nine: Discussion and Conclusion 197 Emerging Adults Today 204 Religious Frameworks Revisited 205 Social Identity Theory Revisited 209 iv Colbert and the Mediatization of Religious Authority 210 Limitations and Future Considerations 214 Conclusion 217 Bibliography 219 Appendices 234 Appendix I 234 Appendix II 236 v Chapter One: Introduction ―Anyone can read the news to you. I promise to feel the news at you,‖ exclaimed Stephen Colbert (2005) during the pilot episode of Comedy Central‘s The Colbert Report as he laid the groundwork for the premise of his show, that of parodying those in society who gain knowledge based on their gut feelings rather than through scientific data or books. The show serves as a critical reflection on society‘s partisan politics as Colbert‘s persona, a parody of unwavering and overly emotional conservative punditry, constantly challenges status quo sentimentalities and attempts to engender progressive social change and resistance. This critical reflection subsequently leaves room for negotiation between The Colbert Report and identity formation. Since its pilot on October 17, 2005, the show has been highly successful among young or ―emerging‖ adults (18-29) (Arnett, 2004). For many of these young adults, as this dissertation will discuss, the program has become a source of cultural currency and capital among this particular age demographic. Although a great deal of research has focused on the political effects of political comedy on its viewers (Baumgartner & Morris, 2008a, 2008b; Cao & Brewer, 2008; LaMarre, Landreville, & Beam, 2008; Moy, 2005, 2006) there has been little research dedicated to the way in which these shows portray religion, or how viewers understand their religio-political identity in relation to various forms of political entertainment. Because of the nature of The Colbert Report, Christianity, then, has become the object of much parody and deconstruction, raising the question of how Christian emerging adults 1 negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to this particular program. Therefore, this dissertation will explore the way The Colbert Report portrays Christianity, how young Christian viewers negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to the show, and what this negotiation says about the religio-political landscape of Christian emerging adults in the United States. This dissertation suggests that Christian emerging adults of myriad Christian subcultures negotiate their religio-political identity in relation to The Colbert Report to varying degrees as they select differing reference points within the show as a means of shaping and strengthening previous and ongoing identity markers. This dissertation will look for patterns within participants‘ responses, considering how they echo a shift in the Christian religio-political landscape. Defining Religio-Political For young adults, formation of political and religious identity often happens simultaneously, which often leads to an overlap of religious and political convictions as well as a struggle to align the two. Therefore, in this study, the identity that young adults negotiate is religio-political. In other words, in the context of this study, the use of religio-political suggests an ongoing and simultaneous negotiation between religious and political identity, and therefore, The Colbert Report as a political comedy with religious references makes for an interesting focus in a study of how young people negotiate religious and political identities. This dissertation will use a political marker such as conservative, liberal, or moderate, to describe a participant‘s political leanings, not his or her theological leanings. 2 Significance of Research In recent years, young adults have paid less attention to traditional news sources. A Pew Research Center for the People and the Press (2010) survey found that 21 percent of young adults (18-24) received their political news during the 2004 presidential campaign from comedy shows such as Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show. Simultaneously, young adults attend religious services less frequently than older Americans, and many