Peter Gardella, professor and chair in the Department of Religion at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York, possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of popular culture and world religions. In this ambitious and consistently thought-provoking work, he defines domestic religion as an informal system of non-rational commitments that hold life together for most Americans. His focus is on the rituals and values that command the broadest consensus in our society. Alongside this, Gardella presents a panoply of thought and practice from the world's established religions.
The subjects covered here with wit and elan are success, work, food, sports, entertainment, drink, drugs, sobriety, sex, love, friendship, exercise, prayer, magic, and seasonal traditions. It is interesting to think about success as a way of keeping score and then to learn that traditional religions emphasize the importance of letting go of success. Gardella's chapter on drink, drugs, and sobriety as paths toward the transcendence of self is an eye-opener. He's right on the money in his analysis of television soap operas and their appeal to the conservative conscience. Also interesting is his discussion of the energy that can come from the repetitive practice of praying the rosary. Good stuff here and plenty to talk about with friends.