The Vanishing Word: The Veneration of Visual Imagery in the Postmodern World Arthur W. Hunt III Crossway, 272 pages, $14.99

Arthur W. Hunt III says that technological innovations in media, coupled with the rejection of biblical truth, are pulling us back to a pagan past.

"It does not take a social scientist to tell us that our culture has an insatiable appetite for visual stimulation," he writes.

Hunt contrasts the Judeo-Christian heritage ("word-dependent") with paganism ("image-dependent"). As electronic media evolve, Hunt believes text will continue to be de-emphasized.

"This is altogether frightening," he writes. "For if it was a logos-centered culture that helped to produce our Protestant heritage, as well as American democracy itself, what will be the birth child of the continuing devaluation of the written word?"

Hunt examines the reasons behind "the church's assimilation of pagan forms and Europe's subsequent plunge into the night." He also explores politics and image-based celebrity candidates. At times his tone becomes strident, though, when he discusses issues such as music, worship styles, and church service dress.

Cindy Crosby is the author of By Willoway Brook: Exploring the Landscape of Prayer (Paraclete, 2003).

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