The term “sound bite theology” seems to keep popping up in whatever I’m reading lately. So, ever interested in the origin of things, I looked up when “sound bite” was first used. The following two paragraphs are adapted from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/sound-bite.html.
Sound Bite — A short and easily remembered line, intended by the speaker to be suitable for media repetition. This originated in US media circles in the 1980s. The first known printed citations come from that period. For example, the Washington Post, June 1980: “Remember that any editor watching needs a concise, 30-second sound bite. Anything more than that, you’re losing them.” Another example, Time, June 1983: “TV’s formula these days is perhaps 100 words from the reporter, and a ‘sound bite’ of 15 or 20 words from the speaker.”
Ronald Reagan was adept at coining these media-friendly, ‘direct to the people’ phrases. For example: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” (In a speech near the Berlin Wall, 1987.) The success of Reagan and others in obtaining valuable exposure by providing the media with what it wanted lead to a flurry or marketing and speech writing activity. It soon became the vogue to stage events specifically for the opportunity to provide quotable lines for media exposure, often timing them to be picked up by popular TV news programmes. This continued with later US elections – The Independent, Sept. 1988: “This has been the election of the ‘sound-bite’… Through a crafty choice of venues and irresistible one-liners, George Bush has been relentlessly associated on the television news with simple, feel-good themes.” By the mid-1980s we had a new breed – the spin doctors. Their influence is such that the use of sound bites is now [2006] commonplace throughout those parts of the world that are strongly influenced by the media, i.e. pretty much everywhere. (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/sound-bite.html)
Sound Bite Theology — I’m having a difficult time finding a “formal” definition of this online, but basically it can refer to brief chunks of theology that summarize particular matters of faith (also related: pop scholarship and theology lite). When reading about sound bite theology online, there is a definite negative connotation associated with the term. Most people who use the term lament how our society has gotten addicted to sound bites and how that addiction has spread to our churches and theology.
My question, however, is this: if people are now used to sound bites (and I’m not saying that that is universal) would it not behoove us to pay special attention to the way we craft the messages that we communicate (in Church, in publishing, in speeches or written statements, in blogs, etc.)? Might we not have authentic “sound bites”? The definition above refers to sound bites as “direct-to-the-people” phrases. Isn’t that what our preaching and proclamation of the Gospel should be? I’m not sure of how to answer these questions. I just think that we need to ponder how such a tool could be a gift.
Archived Comments
- October 11, 2006 at 2:04 pm
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When I first read this post I thought about how much I dislike the little digestible sound bite. Their proliferation has made public officials even more base talking heads. I believe that both the past presidential elections have been won on sound bites. Ideas have so many nuances and gradiations within them that sound bites simplify and erase.
On the other hand, people such as the Jesuits have always approached spreading the word by using and adapting to the culture they are in. I was just reading about Mateo Ricci’s embrace of mandarin culture and Confusius when he went to China in the 1500s. Yes, he did convert people. But what is more important to me, much more important than conversion, is that he opened a dialogue between the West and China in theology, philosophy, art, and culture.
So bringing the message to the people in their language and way of working is important. BUT, it comes with such high levels of responsibility and giftedness. I was asked to provide such a sound bite about poetry for my work and I was unable to. If poetry means so many different things to so many how can one sound bite Christian thought? In my humble experience it is both the easiest and hardest of philosophies to live one’s life by.
- October 11, 2006 at 6:31 pm
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Wasn’t Jesus the master of sound bites? (at least as the Gospel writers have written about him) He was able to talk about God and faith in short, succinct ways while also exhibiting a “high level of responsibility and giftedness.” And truly, the gospel is, as you note, “both the easiest and hardest of philosophies to live one’s life by.” I think sound bites get a bad rap because of the way the public officials have used them. Yet, if we can’t say what we mean — simply and to the point — what good is it? a nice piece of writing to put on the shelf. I recall my theology professor saying something to the effect of: if you can’t explain any given theological point at a third-grade level, then you’re not doing theology. I know that may be a stretch (and I don’t mean to offend the professional theologians out there … I myself studied systematic theology so I love all theology from the most complex doctrines to the humblest) but there’s something to this idea of sound-bites that is good. But you’re absolutely right — crafting such sound bites requires a high level of responsibility and giftedness … not something to toss out there flippantly or sensationally.
- October 12, 2006 at 10:49 am
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People don’t remember the Categorical Imperative but they remember “God is dead.” I think that we know of the sound bite now and think of it because it is so critical to today’s mass media methodology.
Jesus was the master of the sound bite, but his sound bites are often quite ambiguous, or at least our image of Jesus will always rub up against one of them. Compare the woman he saved from stoning and the passage in Mark where he says that anyone who divorces and remarries commits adultery. He refuses to condemn in the former case, leaves little room for interpretation in the latter, all while giving us some pretty pithy sound bites.
I’m not sure this is much of an answer, but Jesus (or the Gospel writers, at least) were engaging in some pretty serious sound bite theology.
- October 12, 2006 at 3:13 pm
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Are Sound Bites something like slogans? I got to thinking about this and was rather intrigued by your question, Julie. Here are a few that came to mind.
“Have it your way” Burger King
“It’s everywhere you want to be” Visa
“Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”
“Think globally, act locally”
“What you see is what you get” WYSIWYG (computer lingo)
“The family that prays together, stays together”
“I want to be everywhere when I see so many needs” Louis Gillet, co-founder IHMs
“What Would Jesus Do?” WWJD (wrist bands of a few years ago)
These certainly could be left as words or translated into sound bites as some some of the corporations above have done. I think they all touched some facet of the public. Thanks for stimulating my creative juices.
- October 13, 2006 at 7:11 am
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I think a sound byte is something like a current events or topical slogan, as opposed to a corporate one. When you think “Ford truck,” then think, “Built Ford Tough.” When you think “JC Penney,” then think “It’s all inside.” When you think “Berlin Wall,” think “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall. When you think “George W. Bush,” then think “Stay the course.” That’s an interesting observation, Joyce. I think sound bytes and slogans are kind of similar.
- October 13, 2006 at 7:31 am
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They are kind of similar, aren’t they? The fact of the matter is that we remember the short little statements (whether we want to or not … some just stick in your mind like caramel stuck in your teeth). I think slogans are specifically geared for advertising (would the religious equivalent of advertising be evangelizing??) and brand recognition. Sound bites (I would hope) ought to contain something of a message. “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” summarizes a whole event and even contains a very visual image within the statement itself. Whereas “It’s all inside” just makes me want to resist the urge to shop. Who would you say are Masters of Sound Bite Theology today?
- October 13, 2006 at 9:24 am
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I’m not so sure about any of their sayings, but I would believe that the TV evangelists like your Jim Bakers or your Billy Grahams had some sound bites. Probably not very good ones, but good enough to get people to send in their money. So in that way evangelizing and advertising was very similar. One good sound bite that I love from recent times is from JPII: If you want peace, work for justice.
- October 13, 2006 at 10:07 am
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John Paul II was pretty good at “Sound Byte Theology.” I think another way of looking at it is considering who is a pithy theologian. And yes, a lot of televangelists are good at it, too.
