Angels, aliens, and the dark side of evangelicalism -- Touched by a vampire named Angel : the supernatural in contemporary teen popular culture -- The resisters : loving supernatural legends and hating organized religion -- The mystical teens : blurring the boundaries between religious and fictional legends -- The experimenters : appreciating both religion and the legends of the supernatural -- The traditionalists : affirming the boundary between religion and the media -- The intrigued teens (and the issue of angels) : wishing to separate religion and legend, but having difficulty doing so -- Baby boomers and their millennial kids : parental intentions regarding the media, religion, and beliefs in the supernatural -- Religion, class, and politics : discussing aliens and angels in the family and in society -- Conclusion: The dark side of evangelicalism and the religion of the possible -- Appendix A: Comments on methodology -- Appendix B: Sample information
Summary
Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are but the latest manifestations of American teenagers' longstanding fascination with the supernatural. Resisting claims that the media 'brainwash' teens, Clark argues that today's popular stories actually have their roots in the US's religious heritage
