The Riddleblog

The OC -- The "Buzz"

I am certain that my family owned and operated the only Christian Bookstore in an amusement park (Knott's Berry Farm). The photo above is of my dad (Clayton) and was taken when our bookstore was newly remodeled in 1967. If you ever visited Knott's back in the day, and can recall the displays of the California missions in what was then Fiesta Village, you'll understand why our store looked like a California mission. It was a California history thing, not a papal thing.

I grew up in this strange world of Christian retail, and I have long since repented of supplying too many families and churches with Warner Sallman's awful "Head of Christ" painting. If your grandma lived in Southern California (or visited Knott's), and had on her wall the picture of the old man praying over his bread, or the gleaners in the field giving thanks for the harvest, chances are she bought it from us.

I begin with our family's bookstore (the Inspiration House), because the first time I encountered the Christian "buzz" so typical of the OC in the late 60's through the mid 90's was the first "Maranatha Night" at Knott's. I don't remember the year (1971?), but my dad had died in 1969 of a sudden heart attack at age 50, and my mom took over the business. Darrell Anderson (one of the younger and hipper members of the Knott family) had recently become a Christian while attending a "Jesus People" church, which I later came to know as Calvary Chapel.

Follow the link below to read the rest

OC - Burned Over DistrictKim RiddlebargerJanuary 15, 2021Maranatha Night, Jesus People, OC Burned Over District

The OC -- A New Burned Over District?

I've been thinking about tackling this subject for some time. But it was an article in Monday's Orange County Register (Click Here) which prompted me to begin this brief series. In an article in the new "faith & values" section of the Register religion writer Jim Hinch observes . . .

The future of religious America lives in a two-story beige office building in downtown Fullerton, where homeless people and college graduates attend church together. The future also lives at a mosque in Mission Viejo. At an organic farm started by a megachurch. In downtown Santa Ana, where kids of many faiths feed the homeless. And in an Orange County church for hipsters where women, once excluded from ministry, now are pastors.

Hinch goes on to describe the biggest change of all to the Orange County religious landscape--Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral is soon to become "Christ Cathedral," home to Rome's OC diocese. Anyone who has been to the OC, knows that the Crystal Cathedral stands tall and is directly across the 5 freeway from the Honda Center (where the Ducks play hockey) and Anaheim Stadium (where the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim play baseball). Christ Reformed is also nearby, but almost invisible until you are on top of it.

To read the essay: The OC -- A New Burned Over District

OC - Burned Over DistrictKim RiddlebargerJanuary 12, 2021OC Burned Over District