What religious bumper stickers say about you...

I was out driving the other day and I happened upon religion just over the hood of my car.

“I believe.”

In black and bold on yellow background. What did Ms. White Accord believe in?

In this case, the transubstantiation of Holy Communion. Quite a statement for a bumper!

Whether sitting at a traffic light, stuck in gridlock or zooming along the freeway, commuters’ eyes are often caught by what is displayed on other vehicles. Sometimes it’s a decal demonstrating parental pride for a child’s achievement, a custom plate for dog lovers or a decal displaying a witty aphorism.

Other times bumper stickers can exhibit more divine intimations, as was the case above.

*See more at #FaithGoesPop

#ReformationMemes for Reformation Day

It's #ReformationDay (October 31) when Protestants, specifically Lutherans and some Reformed, commemorate the day in 1517 when Augustinian monk and Uni professor, Martin Luther, posted (either nailed to a door, or actually sent in the mail...or both) an invitation to debate on the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral.

What better way to celebrate than post a bunch of memes on my social media feed? You're right, there is none. 

To learn more about #ReformationDay and the #ReformationMemes project, check out my post at #FaithGoesPop.

Dead Pop & Sugar Skull Chic

Earlier this week, actress Kate Hudson made a splash strutting about in “sugar skull” chic, with her face painted in “homage to the Day of the Dead” as described by US Magazine.

Traditionally, sugar skulls — known as calaveras — are associated with the Day of the Dead — El Dia de los Muertos —  a hemispheric American holiday celebrated near the end of October or the beginning of November, with the official celebrations taking place on November 1 and 2 by people in Mexico, Guatemala, the United States, and some South American nations. The ubiquitous symbols of the Day of the Dead — calaveras, elaborate artistic representations of a dead aristocratic woman (La Catrina) and flowers such as marigolds — not only ordain altars in homes and cemeteries, but find their into museums, menus, suburban jack-o-lanterns, art shows, clothing, and Hollywood runways.

The traditions surrounding el Dia de los Muertos are prime examples of the process of transculturation — the processes in which people allocate elements of their native culture and meld them with ingredients of an “invasive” culture to create fresh combinations and in some way mitigate the undesirable elements of said introduced culture. 

*See more at FAITH GOES POP

Faith Goes Pop?

Taylor Swift. My new blog venture begins with Taylor Swift. What could go wrong? 

I am excited to announce a new project I am (re)launching with Read the Spirit entitled "Faith Goes Pop." 

The aim of the "Faith Goes Pop" blog is a "bold foray into the unknown and untamable intersections between, and manifestations of, religion and popular culture." Like Taylor Swift, I am "going pop" and jumping head first to combine sightings of the intersections between "faith" and "pop culture" with winsome and witty commentary that will hopefully lead to a book project down the road. But, I need your help! 

So, I invite you to check out the blog this week and share it your friends. It goes "full launch" with Read the Spirit next week when I will be featured on their e-mail blast and magazine front page. Exciting times, thanks for coming along with me on this journey! 

*For more on religion & culture, follow @kchitwood.

*Read the Spirit is a publishing company, an online magazine and a network of writers connecting readers with the most important voices in religion, spirituality, interfaith and cross-cultural issues. Read the Spirit strives for accuracy, balance and fairness.