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Jim Papandrea on Christology, Superheroes, and Science Fiction Films

tonygill — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 09:00:40 +0000

Is Superman the representation of the Christ figure par excellent on celluloid? Do the writers of Star Trek share a Christian view of humanity? And what can The Terminator tell us about Christology and soteriology? These may not be questions that you hear debated at a theological seminary or a ComiCon gathering, but they are issues that pique the interest of Prof. James Papandrea, associate professor of Church history at the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and author of the new book From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films. Jim, a frequent guest on our show and a fan of science fiction films, informs us that he has been thinking about Christian themes in movies ever since he taught a class on religion and film a few decades ago, and his fascination with how the Christ story is portrayed on screen finally culminated in this book, which comes across not only as a fun exploration of superheroes and space aliens, but also teaches readers some deep insights into Christology and soteriology. Prof. Papandrea explains what Christology and soteriology are — the study of the nature of Christ and salvation, respectively — and why they are important to the understanding of different portrayals of “salvation figures” in film. We review his categorization of various movie characters based upon the orthodox nature of Christ laid out in the Nicene Creed, and he further covers the different understandings of Christology and soteriology. One big difference we review is whether a writer has an “descent” view of the Christ figure, wherein a divine being is sent down to save humanity, or an “ascent” perspective wherein a mortal human takes on the salvific features of the divine. Jim notes that the latter view is associated with the theology of Arianism, which was what the Council of Nicaea was reacting to 1700 years ago. We also discuss theological views of human nature so as to be aware of whether various authors/directors are promoting a pessimistic view of humanity as sinful and in need of rescue, or a more “optimistic” view wherein humanity can perfect itself without recourse to the divine.

With these cards on the table, we then dive into an exploration of various celluloid heroes, starting first with the characters of the DC Comics Universe — Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. (We note that Jim is analyzing these characters through the more recent depictions on film and doesn’t address the various ways they have been portrayed historically in comic books and other media.) Both Superman and Wonder Woman represent an “descent” Christology wherein divine-like beings that are not like humans come to save humanity from their more destructive characteristics. Batman, on the other hand, can be understood as a “ascent” (Arian) view of a savoir figure, as many of the characters within the Marvel Cinematic Universe can as well (e.g., Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man). We also discuss the role of evil in the world in the personification of Lex Luthor and draw a few parallels between the DC and Marvel worlds. Interestingly, while the Superman portrayed in the recent Man of Steel film comes across vividly as a Christ-like figure, he is not the most orthodox characterization of the heroes studied by Dr. Papandrea. That prize goes to Doctor Who, and Jim explains why as we move into the section of his book that deals with time travel and how it relates to the notion of incarnation. Here we also wrestle with the religious themes of movies such as The Time Machine, The Terminator, and (to Tony’s surprise) Planet of the Apes. Along the way in our discussion, Tony asks whether many of the screenwriters and directors have a conscious strategy of mimicking the Christ story in their works, or whether the themes arise subconsciously or are envisioned solely by the audience. Jim replies that it is a mixed bag, although he notes that while the various writers of Doctor Who over the decades have been some of the most atheistic screenwriters, religious themes are infused throughout the long-running series.

It is then on to space, the final frontier, where we examine the religious storylines within Star Trek, Star Wars, and other films such as The Fifth Element. Here Jim talks about his interview with Ronald Moore who is a screenwriter for many of the episodes on various Trek series and a student of the genre. He talks about how Moore considered himself an atheist but has since come around to agnosticism. We also talk about the interesting themes and tensions within this “outer space” genre. Star Trek takes a very optimistic view of humanity, noting that perfection is within our grasp if we unshackle ourselves from religion. Star Wars, on the other hand, and an interesting theological theme of equilibrium in the universe being a balance of good an evil, and that if the universe is “too good,” evil must be brought into it. Another big reveal is that one of Jim’s favorite movies is The Fifth Element and the character of Leeloo scores high on his orthodoxy ranking. Tony then asks Jim to uncover the theological themes in 2001: A Space Odyssey, and both of us end up agreeing that we can’t understand what was going in that film at all. (It should be noted, in all fairness, that Jim does not discuss 2001 in his book, so this was a curveball thrown to him by Tony at the last minute.) Our conversation ends with Jim’s thoughts on what Christians should take away from these various cinematic representations of the Christ figure, and what themes most authors/directors in the genre tend to get wrong about Christianity. This leads to some interesting thoughts about sin, injustice, and humanity’s separation from God. Finally, Jim reveals that he is in the midst of writing a historical fiction novel that will hopefully appear in 2018 and Tony extends an invitation to him to come back and discuss this when it hits shelves. Recorded: December 12, 2017.

Jim Papandrea’s personal website (including links to his books, musings, and music).

From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films, by James Papandrea.

Browse Prof. Papandrea’s many other books over at doctorjimsbooks at Amazon.com.

RELATED PODCASTS

Jim Papandrea on the Catholicism of Early Christianity.

Jim Papandrea on Christianity’s Seven Revolutions.

Jim Papandrea on the End of the World and Revelation.

Jim Papandrea on the Church Fathers and Patristic Exegesis.

Robert Joustra on Zombies, Cylons, Charles Taylor, and the Apocalypse.

Matthew Moore on Buddhism and the Robopocalypse

Michael Medved on Religion and Hollywood.

Jon Sweeney on “Its a Wonderful Life.”

John Mark Reynolds on Dickens and “A Christmas Carol.”

John Errington on “A Long Way Off” and Religious Movie Making.

Tim Kelleher on the Nicene Creed.

Jim Papandrea on the Catholicism of Early Christianity

tonygill — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 09:00:09 +0000

Protestants have often accused the Roman Catholic Church of “adding on” a great many traditions, rituals, and theological components that were not part of early Christianity. Prof. Jim Papandrea, an associate professor of Church history at the Garrett-Evangelical Seminary (Northwestern University), takes these ideas to task by showing that early Christianity and Catholicism are very much in sync with one another. We begin our discussion by proving the role of “tradition” in early Christianity. Prof. Papandrea makes the case that tradition — the means of passing on knowledge throughout the ages — was important from the very birth of Christianity and was essential in the writing of the Bible. He talks about the need for authority and unity in teaching Church doctrine and how this lends itself to hierarchy. To illustrate this, Jim puts forth the life of Irenaeus, the Heretic Hunter (as he calls him). We then move on to a number of other topics that often divide Protestants and Catholics, such as the role of faith and good works, and the need for the papacy. As for the latter, Jim makes the case that true Catholics have never believed that you can earn your way into heaven via “good works,” nor have they denied the importance of salvation by personal faith, but rather he argues that doing good deeds is a means of ensuring one does not fall into a sinful lifestyle. He argues that baptism allows one to get a “clean slate,” but does not guarantee a free ride to salvation. Here he uses Clement of Alexandria to illustrate the proper understanding of alms-giving, penance, and salvation. Jim then reaffirms what was noted earlier in the podcast when it comes to the papacy, and that is the important role of a unifying hierarchy to preserve the faith. This leads to an interesting discussion of Eastern Orthodoxy and congregational Protestantism. He calls up Leo the Great to make his point about the importance of having a unified faith. We also examine the veneration of the saints, a practice that many Protestants see as idolatry. Much like our previous guest Brian O’Neel, Jim notes that this isn’t idolatry, but rather a means of devotion and intercession, as well as being an instructive way to live out one’s Christian faith. He makes an interesting analogy as to how honoring the saints helps us connect with “The Cloud” (of past Church history). St. Augustine comes into play here as the exemplar Church Father illustrating this point (and Tony notes that Augustine was also the “Hammer of the Donatists”). We finish off with Jim’s seven major “essential connections” between Catholics and Protestants. Throughout the conversation, we discuss the importance of ecumenism, and given the friendship Jim and Tony have had going back to high school, and that each individual has converted faiths in opposite directions, this was a lesson that was well received by both. Recorded: February 10, 2017.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Jim Papandrea’s personal website and bio at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary (Northwestern University).

Jim Papandrea on YouTube and Twitter. (RoR is also on Twitter!)

Handed Down: The Catholic Faith of Early Christians, by James Papandrea.

Seven Revolutions: How Christianity Changed the World and Can Change It Again, by Mike Aquilina and James Papandrea.

Reading the Early Church Fathers, by James Papandrea.

Rome: A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Eternal City, by James Papandrea (and Romesick Photography, a companion site).

The Earliest Christologies, by James Papandrea.

The Wedding of the Lamb: A Historical Approach to the Book of Revelation, by James Papandrea.

Novatian of Rome and the Culmination of Pre-Nicene Orthodoxy, by James Papandrea.

RELATED PODCASTS

Jim Papandrea on Christianity’s Seven Revolutions.

Jim Papandrea on the End of the World and Revelation.

Jim Papandrea on the Church Fathers and Patristic Exegesis.

Tim Kelleher on the Nicene Creed and Hollywood.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of February.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of January.

Brian O’Neel on Saint Who? Some Holy Unknowns.

Brandon O’Brien on Paul Behaving Badly.

Michael Licona on the Historiography of the Resurrection.

Jim Tonkowich on Converting to Catholicism.

Jon M. Sweeney on “It’s A Wonderful Life” (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 09:00:17 +0000

Author Jon M. Sweeney who recently penned the e-book, The Spiritual Life of George Bailey, joins us to answer these questions. We explore the films origins in a short story written by Philip Von Doren Stern that was sent out as a Christmas card in 1943 and quickly put upon the silver screen by Capra in 1945. And then it is off to stroll through the streets of Bedford Falls, looking at a variety of critical scenes in the film that highlight both the important characters in the film and hint at what is to come. We meet critical players such as George’s father, Mr. Potter, Mary, and Sam Wainwright. Regular viewers of the movie will be familiar with the story, though Jon spices up various points of the plot with his own insights about human nature. We are then treated to Jon’s fascinating interpretation of the second-half of the film as he shows us how the themes of temptation, resurrection, and salvation play out through the story. Jon then reveals a suprising detail about the ending of the film that will shed some new light on how you watch the last ten minutes. We don’t want to reveal any spoilers, so you will have to listen to the end of the interview.

Jon finishes with a brief discussion about what the Capra classic might tell us about our own lives in contemporary times, reflecting upon our need for community and connectedness. He may have even convinced Tony, who is a devoted Die Hard fan, to watch the movie for the first time in at least ten years. Recorded: December 10, 2012.

RELATED LINKS

Jon M. Sweeney’s biography.

The Spiritual Life of George Bailey: Turnkey Moments in Frank Capra’s Christmas Masterpiece, e-book by Jon M. Sweeney

The Pope Who Quit: A True Medeival Tale of Mystery, Death, and Salvation, by Jon M. Sweeney.

Verily, Verily: The KJV – 400 Years of Influence and Beauty, by Jon M. Sweeney.

The St. Francis Prayer Book, by Jon M. Sweeney.

Born Again and Again: Surprising Gifts of a Fundamentalist Childhood, by Jon M. Sweeney.

Beauty Awakening Belief: How the Medeival Worldview Inspires Faith Today, by Jon M. Sweeney.

Almost Catholic, a blog by Jon M. Sweeney.

George Bailey’s prayer (on YouTube).

It’s A Wonderful Life ending with the ringing bell (on YouTube).

RELATED PODCASTS

Tara Moore on Christmas Traditions.

Michael Medved on Religion & Hollywood.

Corey Olsen on Religion, J.R.R. Tolkien, and The Hobbit.

Jon Sweeney on the Pope Who Quit.

Jon M. Sweeney on “It’s A Wonderful Life”

tonygill — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:00:18 +0000

Every December, millions of people tune in to watch the quintessential Christmas classic, It’s A Wonderful Life. The iconic scenes of George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) running through the town of Bedford Falls wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, and the ending where we hear an ornamental bell ringing to tell us that the hard-luck angel Clarence has finally received his wings, are familiar to almost everyone. Some critics have tagged the film with the moniker of “Capra-corn” in reference to its director — Frank Capra — and its over-the-top sentimentality. But is it more than just a movie that shamelessly pulls at our heartstrings? Is there a darker side to the movie? And are there deep spiritual lessons to be gleaned from the film. Author Jon M. Sweeney who recently penned the e-book, The Spiritual Life of George Bailey, joins us to answer these questions. We explore the films origins in a short story written by Philip Von Doren Stern that was sent out as a Christmas card in 1943 and quickly put upon the silver screen by Capra in 1945. And then it is off to stroll through the streets of Bedford Falls, looking at a variety of critical scenes in the film that highlight both the important characters in the film and hint at what is to come. We meet critical players such as George’s father, Mr. Potter, Mary, and Sam Wainwright. Regular viewers of the movie will be familiar with the story, though Jon spices up various points of the plot with his own insights about human nature. We are then treated to Jon’s fascinating interpretation of the second-half of the film as he shows us how the themes of temptation, resurrection, and salvation play out through the story. Jon then reveals a suprising detail about the ending of the film that will shed some new light on how you watch the last ten minutes. We don’t want to reveal any spoilers, so you will have to listen to the end of the interview. Jon finishes with a brief discussion about what the Capra classic might tell us about our own lives in contemporary times, reflecting upon our need for community and connectedness. He may have even convinced Tony, who is a devoted Die Hard fan, to watch the movie for the first time in at least ten years. Recorded: December 10, 2012.

RELATED LINKS

Jon M. Sweeney’s biography.

The Spiritual Life of George Bailey: Turnkey Moments in Frank Capra’s Christmas Masterpiece, e-book by Jon M. Sweeney (available for $2.99)

The Pope Who Quit: A True Medieval Tale of Mystery, Death, and Salvation, by Jon M. Sweeney.

Verily, Verily: The KJV – 400 Years of Influence and Beauty, by Jon M. Sweeney.

The St. Francis Prayer Book, by Jon M. Sweeney.

Born Again and Again: Surprising Gifts of a Fundamentalist Childhood, by Jon M. Sweeney.

Beauty Awakening Belief: How the Medieval Worldview Inspires Faith Today, by Jon M. Sweeney.

Almost Catholic, a blog by Jon M. Sweeney.

George Bailey’s prayer (on YouTube).

It’s A Wonderful Life ending with the ringing bell (on YouTube).

RELATED PODCASTS

Michael Medved on Religion & Hollywood.

Corey Olsen on Religion, J.R.R. Tolkien, and The Hobbit.

Jon Sweeney on the Pope Who Quit.