Thabiti Anyabwile has a good post here, trying to work through the definition(s) of “celebrity” that is often used as a term of derision toward some prominent evangelical pastors.
Here’s the upshot of the article: “It’s better to describe and explain what we’re talking about than to use the label that miscommunicates so much.”
And here’s his conclusion:
If you don’t know what a word or phrase means, don’t use it. Plain and simple. Know what you’re talking about, otherwise avoid that term. This entire “celebrity” discussion reminds me of that principle. Until we know what we’re talking about, we should avoid the terms—especially when there are more respectable ways of referring to prominent people, like “prominent,” “high-profile,” “public” and so on. As Christians, we should show honor even when we’re attempting to point out serious problems.
Agree or disagree, the whole post is worth reading, not least for the attempt to work out the distinctions and the definitions.
Update: Carl Trueman responds with a perspective also worth hearing. Conclusion:
Call it what you like. I call it the culture which grows up around celebrities. Maybe I am hopelessly wrong in my choice of terms. You may certainly choose others which fit better. But like internet pornography, I would rather spend time exposing the problems for what they are than debating semantic qualifications.
You can read his whole post here.
