What is fashion? Where does it come from? Why has it come to permeate modern life? In the last half century, questions like these have drawn serious academic reflection, resulting in a new field of research--fashion studies--and generating a rich multidisciplinary discussion. Yet theology's voice has been conspicuously absent in this conversation. The time has finally come for theology to break her silence and join this decades-long conversation. Fashion Theology is the first of its kind: a serious and long-overdue account of the dynamic relationship between theology and fashion. Chronicling the epic journey from ancient Christian sources to current developments in fashion studies, cultural theologian Robert Covolo navigates the rich history of Christian thought as well as recent political, social, aesthetic, literary, and performance theory. Far from mere disparity or quick resolution, Covolo demonstrates that fashion and theology inhabit a mutual terrain that has, until recently, scarcely been imagined. Covolo retraces the way theologians have taken up fashion across history, unveiling how Christian thinkers have been fascinated with fashion well before the academy's current focus, and bringing these insights into the conversation with fashion itself: the logic by which fashion operates, how fashion shapes our world, and the way fashion imperceptibly molds our personal lives. Within fashion's realms reside some of life's greatest challenges: the foundations of political power, the basis for social order, the nature of aesthetics, how we inhabit time, and the means by which we tell stories about our lives--challenges, it turns out, that theologians also explore. Fashion favors the bold; theology demands humility. Holding the two together, Fashion Theology trailblazes an interdisciplinary path informed by a thoughtful engagement with the Christian witness. For those traversing this spectacle of unexpected crossroads and hotly contested terrain, the promise of fashion theology awaits with its myriad unexplored vistas. --Malcolm Barnard, Senior Lecturer in Visual Culture, Loughborough University

Who says you can’t be pious and fashionable? Throughout the Muslim world, women have found creative ways of expressing their personality through the way they dress. Headscarves can be modest or bold, while brand-name clothing and accessories are part of a multimillion-dollar ready-to-wear industry that caters to pious fashion from head to toe. In this lively snapshot, Liz Bucar takes us to Iran, Turkey, and Indonesia and finds a dynamic world of fashion, faith, and style. “Brings out both the sensuality and pleasure of sartorial experimentation.” —Times Literary Supplement “I defy anyone not to be beguiled by [Bucar’s] generous-hearted yet penetrating observation of pious fashion in Indonesia, Turkey and Iran... Bucar uses interviews with consumers, designers, retailers and journalists...to examine the presumptions that modest dressing can’t be fashionable, and fashion can’t be faithful.” —Times Higher Education “Bucar disabuses readers of any preconceived ideas that women who adhere to an aesthetic of modesty are unfashionable or frumpy.” —Robin Givhan, Washington Post “A smart, eye-opening guide to the creative sartorial practices of young Muslim women... Bucar’s lively narrative illuminates fashion choices, moral aspirations, and social struggles that will unsettle those who prefer to stereotype than inform themselves about women’s everyday lives in the fast-changing, diverse societies that constitute the Muslim world.” —Lila Abu-Lughod, author of Do Muslim Women Need Saving?

Your personal style reflects who you are—an extraordinary creation, beautifully designed by God. Every outfit we choose holds the power to express our unique personality and identity as cherished children of God. This truth goes beyond mere clothing; personal style is a divine expression of our unrepeatable identity, reflecting the fact that we are made in God’s image. In Theology of Style: Expressing the Unique and Unrepeatable You, author Lillian Fallon draws from her experience in the fashion industry to delve deep into the profound truth that what we wear is far more than just fabric on our bodies—it is a radiant statement of our unrepeatable identity, a tangible expression of being made in the image of our Creator. A speaker and writer on the intersection of personal style and faith, Lillian Fallon guides readers on a transformative journey to recognize and celebrate the power of personal style to help us know our value as unique and unrepeatable daughters of God. Through a combination of heartfelt anecdotes, humorous stories, and profound insights from St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, Theology of Style offers Catholic women practical guidance for developing their personal style and answers a series of key questions that often arise when discussing personal style, clothing choices, and modesty: Does what we wear truly matter? Can our clothing choices reflect our faith? How does our personal style affirm our dignity as individuals created in the image of God? How can we glorify God, and grow closer to him, through our clothing and personal style? Where does modesty fit in? And more! Within these pages, Catholic women will uncover the incredible significance of style as a tool for understanding their purpose, recognizing their worth, and building an intimate relationship with God. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of how they can align their personal style with their faith, embracing their divine identity and glorifying God in the process. “Written with both readability and depth, Lillian beautifully weaves together psychology, theology, and St. John Paul II's vision of the human person. You won't look at your closet the same way after reading this!” –Jackie & Bobby Angel Co-authors of Pray, Decide, and Don't Worry and regular video contributors on Ascension Presents

Many people react negatively to the word theology, believing that it involves dry, fruitless arguments about minute points of doctrine. They prefer to focus on the basic truths of Scripture and may even declare, "No creed but Christ." Yet as Dr. R.C. Sproul argues, everyone is a theologian. Any time we think about a teaching of the Bible and strive to understand it, we are engaging in theology. Therefore, it is important that we put the Bible's varied teachings together in a systematic fashion using proper, time-tested methods of interpretation so as to arrive at a theology that is founded on truth.

John Webster, one of the world's leading systematic theologians, published extensively on the nature and practice of Christian theology. This work marked a turning point in Webster's theological development and is his most substantial statement on the task of theology. It shows why theology matters and why its pursuit is a demanding but exhilarating venture. Previously unavailable in book form, this magisterial statement, now edited and critically introduced for the first time, presents Webster's legendary lectures to a wider readership. It contains an extensive introductory essay by Ivor Davidson.

"A beautiful, insightful, and creative work that could be fashioned only by a true artist in the art of religious education".---Thomas H. Groome, Associate Professor of Theology nad Religious Education, Boston College