David Dark

David Dark is an American writer, in the area of Christianity and philosophy.

Early life and education

Dark was born in 1969. He earned a BA from Middle Tennessee State University. He received his PhD from Vanderbilt University, in 2011.

Career

Dark began his career teaching high school English. As of 2024, Dark was listed among the faculty of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Belmont University, where his title was Associate Professor of Religion and the Arts. He also teaches at the Charles Bass Correctional Facility and the Tennessee Prison for Women.

Writing

Among the works that Dark has written are:

• Everyday Apocalypse: The Sacred Revealed in Radiohead, The Simpsons, and Other Pop Culture Icons (2002);
• The Gospel According to America: A Meditation on a God-blessed, Christ-Haunted Idea (2005);
• The Sacredness of Questioning Everything (2009);
• Life's Too Short To Pretend You're Not Religious (2016);
• The Possibility of America (2019);
• We Become What We Normalize: What We Owe Each Other In Worlds That Demand Our Silence (2023).

Dark also contributed the chapter, "'The Eraser': Start Making Sense," to the book, Radiohead and Philosophy: Fitter, Happier More Deductive.

Awards and recognition

The Gospel According to America was included in Publishers’ Weekly’s top religious books of 2005.

Appearances

David Dark has spoken at the Festival of Faith and Music at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan several times, including as a workshop speaker in 2003 and 2009, and the keynote speaker at the 2005 and 2007 events.

He also spoke at the UK’s Greenbelt Festival in 2023.

He appeared in the 2013 documentary "American Jesus". He tells the story of 'Uncle Ben' to explain the relationship Christians have with their faith.

Personal life

Dark was married to singer/songwriter Sarah Masen and they live in Nashville, Tennessee with their three children.

Works

Books

• Dark, David (2002). Everyday Apocalypse: The Sacred Revealed in Radiohead, The Simpsons, and Other Pop Culture Icons. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press. ISBN 9781587430558.
• ——— (2005). The Gospel According To America: A Meditation on a God-blessed, Christ-haunted Idea. ISBN 9780664227692.
• ——— (2009). The Sacredness of Questioning Everything. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. ISBN 9780310286189.
• ——— (2016). Life's Too Short to Pretend You're Not Religious. Downer's Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. ISBN 9780830844463.
• ——— (2019). The Possibility of America. London, UK: Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664264659.
• ——— (2023). We Become What We Normalize: What We Owe Each Other In Worlds That Demand Our Silence. London, UK: Broadleaf Books. ISBN 9781506481685.

Chapters

• ——— (2009). "Chapter 7. "The Eraser": Start Making Sense". In Forbes, Brandon W. & Reisch, George A. (ed.). Radiohead and Philosophy: Fitter, Happier, More Deductive. Popular Culture and Philosophy. Vol. 38. Chicago and La Salle, IL: Open Court. ISBN 9780812696646. Retrieved October 28, 2024.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)

External links

• David Dark's Substack
• Dark Interviewed by Ray Waddle
• Coverage in Publishers' Weekly
• Review of The Sacredness of Questioning Everything Archived January 7, 2010, at the Wayback Machine