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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.

Marion Goldman on Martin Luther and Spiritual Virtuosity

tonygill — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 08:00:06 +0000

What made Martin Luther such a critical figure in Christian (and world) history? Prof. Marion Goldman, a professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Oregon and scholar-in-residence at Portland State University, explains that Luther was a unique “spiritual virtuoso.” Reviewing her book The Spiritual Virtuoso (co-authored with Steven Pfaff), she defines a “spiritual virtuoso” as an individual who is intensely focused on sanctification, a reluctant leaders, and yet someone who still inspires others within a social movement. Building upon the thought of Max Weber, but differentiating this concept from that famous sociologist, Mimi argues that the concept of “virtuoso” and “virtuoso activism” is different than charisma. The virtuosi tend to be more humble in their personality and instead of building a movement centered around them are more concerned about sharing the process of transformation with others. We turn to a synopsis of Martin Luther’s life using this conceptual framework as a guide. Luther came from a relatively privileged family but became obsessed with the concept of sin and purification early in his life, joining an Augustinian monastery and involving himself in tortuous rituals of repentance. Coming under the mentorship of Johann von Staupitz, Luther’s life takes a more academic turn and he begins a career as a theology professor at Wittenberg University, a lesser known school out in the “Siberia” of The Academy. Protected and sponsored by Prince Frederick III (Elector of Saxony), Luther’s teaching and scholarship flourished. Mimi and I discuss how virtuosos often inhabit a “fringe” space just outside the mainstream of intellectual or artistic life, different from the prevailing zeitgeist but still accepted within the normal flow of society. We follow Luther’s career through his conflict with the Catholic Church and to the Diet of Worms and beyond, examining how Luther struggled to inspire and lead a movement he unexpectedly created. Some of this struggle came through trying to balance the creative destruction of spiritual virtuosity and the need for orderly societal institutions. Prof. Goldman also lists a number of historical conditions that allowed this “virtuoso activism” to succeed, including economic growth, increasing social and geographic mobility, and the printing press. We then discuss how two other movements — the Abolitionist Movement and computer revolution — were inspired by similar virtuosi including Sarah Grimke, Theodore Weld, and Steve Jobs. A great deal is revealed about Jobs’ own connection to the Human Potential Movement, a spiritual revival making its way around California and Oregon in the 1960s and ’70s. Mimi ends the interview with some of her personal reflections on what she has learned through the process of studying Luther and other virtuosi. Recorded: April 25, 2017.

Please note that during the podcast Tony refers to the forthcoming book as Spiritual Virtuosity. The actual title appearing for pre-order is The Spiritual Virtuoso.

Steve Pfaff on Denominationalism, Sin & Other Stuff

tonygill — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:00:00 +0000

Is denominationalism becoming a thing of the past? What are the upsides and drawbacks of a church affiliating with a denomination? Are young adults becoming too soft in their faith, or are the kids alright? Do we talk about sin enough in our contemporary religious landscape? Tony invites his good friend and colleague Steve Pfaff, professor of sociology at the University of Washington, to answer these questions and more in an open-ended discussion that mirrors a typical weekly discussion that Steve and Tony often have. You get a chance to listen in to what academics talk about over lunch or a few beers before a Husky football game. Steve has a more favorable view of denominationalism than Tony does, but recognizes some of the downsides including the tendency to become less entrepreneurial and stagnant. On the other hand, Tony is convinced by Steve’s argument that denominations help by communicating a consistent message about the quality of a religious organization and also assists in long-term quality control. We ponder whether churches like Mars Hill that have several branch campuses are on their way to becoming new denominations. Our conversation then turns to a recent article written by Rabbi Eric Yoffie on the Huffington Post (ht: RealClearReligion) that argues Americans no longer talk about sin very much. Steve contemplates the downside of this, but Tony chimes in that successful churches like Mars Hill and his own church hit you in the face with sin in a hard way. We both recognize that churches that provide a “tough love” message about individual sin are often more successful in attracting members than mainline churches that view sin as a social malady. Our conversation also covers whether kids today are less religious today than in the past and why religious pluralism might be a good thing in terms of encouraging greater civility, contrary to some prior worries that it would promote religious conflict. We promote the works of Christian Smith and James Wellman, but finally realize that we need people to know that both of us have written some pretty good books too! Recorded: October 21, 2011.