Words and Witnesses: Communication Studies in Christian Thought from Athanasius to Desmond Tutu

How should Christians address specific problems, controversies, and crises in communication today? By looking at influential Christian thinkers throughout history, we can identify wisdom that enriches us today in practical ways.

Words and Witnesses explores various influential Christian thinkers and theologians from across church history in order to expand our contemporary conversations in communication studies and media theory. Individual chapters written by contributing scholars focus on major Christian thinkers, starting with Athanasius, St. Augustine, and John Chrysostom, moving through the Middle Ages to address figures such as Anselm, Nicholas of Cusa, Teresa of Lisieux, and arriving in the present with reflections on the work of John Howard Yoder, C. S. Lewis, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Kuyper, and Desmond Tutu, among others.

Each chapter delves into how the contemporary church, and scholars of media, can turn to these influential Christian thinkers as resources for addressing specific problems in communication today. By analyzing church practices, doctrine, and biblical texts this book provides the church with resources and inspiration to communicate in distinctly Christian ways.

Robert H. Woods, Jr., is Professor of Communication at Spring Arbor University, where he teaches in the MA program. He holds a PhD in Communication from Regent University, Virginia, and is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Dr. Woods has served as the President of the Religious Communication Association and is editor, coeditor, or author of 10 books. Naaman K. Wood is Assistant Professor of Media and Communication at Redeemer University College and has taught communication courses at Tidewater Community College, Spring Arbor University, and courses in theology and culture at Northwest University. Wood holds an MTS and ThM from Duke Divinity School, and a PhD from Regent University. His work has been published in Symbolic Interaction, Jazz Perspectives, and Prophetic Critique and Popular Media.