Mars Hill Audio
Encyclopedia
Mars Hill Audio is a Christian
publisher
based in Charlottesville, Virginia
, primarily of audio
materials, most notably a bimonthly "audio magazine," the Mars Hill Audio Journal. According to the company's website, the purpose of the company is "to assist Christians who desire to move from thoughtless consumption
of modern culture to a vantage point of thoughtful engagement."
Most of the published materials focus on critiques of postmodernity
and modern liberal
values, and how an orthodox
Christian worldview applies to a wide range of modern issues such as bioethics
, city planning, the media
, and academics. However, the viewpoints expressed in the Journal and other materials are not necessarily politically conservative
, although the leaning is often in this direction; more accurately, the focus is critical rethinking of many of the assumptions of modernity
and modern ethical
theory.
and is sold by subscription. Hosted by Ken Myers (formerly with National Public Radio and a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary
), the Journal consists of conversations between Myers and guests, most of whom are authors of recently-published books. While a majority of the guests make a Christian profession, guests are selected for the merits of their arguments and the relevance of their viewpoints to the organization's purpose. Myers also provides commentary and analysis to segue from one conversation to the next.
Although the restrictions of the medium limit the length of these conversations to 12 to 15 minutes on the Journal (with 6 to 8 interviews on each issue), many are available as full-length Mars Hill Audio Conversations which are sold separately. Common topics include bioethics, city planning and communities, education, natural law
theory, relativism
, technology
, literature
, film
, and music
.
In addition to the Journal, Mars Hill Audio also produces anthologies of previously published essays and articles, documentary-type Reports, audio book
s, and a limited amount of printed material.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
publisher
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
based in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, primarily of audio
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
materials, most notably a bimonthly "audio magazine," the Mars Hill Audio Journal. According to the company's website, the purpose of the company is "to assist Christians who desire to move from thoughtless consumption
Consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen...
of modern culture to a vantage point of thoughtful engagement."
Most of the published materials focus on critiques of postmodernity
Postmodernity
Postmodernity is generally used to describe the economic or cultural state or condition of society which is said to exist after modernity...
and modern liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
values, and how an orthodox
Orthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
Christian worldview applies to a wide range of modern issues such as bioethics
Bioethics
Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy....
, city planning, the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
, and academics. However, the viewpoints expressed in the Journal and other materials are not necessarily politically conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
, although the leaning is often in this direction; more accurately, the focus is critical rethinking of many of the assumptions of modernity
Modernity
Modernity typically refers to a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, one marked by the move from feudalism toward capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its constituent institutions and forms of surveillance...
and modern ethical
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
theory.
Publications
The Mars Hill Audio Journal, produced regularly since 1993, is a bimonthly, 90-minute "audio magazine" available on cassette tape, CD, and MP3MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
and is sold by subscription. Hosted by Ken Myers (formerly with National Public Radio and a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
), the Journal consists of conversations between Myers and guests, most of whom are authors of recently-published books. While a majority of the guests make a Christian profession, guests are selected for the merits of their arguments and the relevance of their viewpoints to the organization's purpose. Myers also provides commentary and analysis to segue from one conversation to the next.
Although the restrictions of the medium limit the length of these conversations to 12 to 15 minutes on the Journal (with 6 to 8 interviews on each issue), many are available as full-length Mars Hill Audio Conversations which are sold separately. Common topics include bioethics, city planning and communities, education, natural law
Natural law
Natural law, or the law of nature , is any system of law which is purportedly determined by nature, and thus universal. Classically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behavior. Natural law is contrasted with the positive law Natural...
theory, relativism
Relativism
Relativism is the concept that points of view have no absolute truth or validity, having only relative, subjective value according to differences in perception and consideration....
, technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, and music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
In addition to the Journal, Mars Hill Audio also produces anthologies of previously published essays and articles, documentary-type Reports, audio book
Audio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
s, and a limited amount of printed material.
External links
- Mars Hill Audio
- Mars Hill Digital - featuring the companies podcastPodcastA podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
, etc.