From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films

by James L. Papandrea

When cultures such as ours toss Jesus out one door, He comes in albeit disguised through another. That's why author Jim Papandrea turned to Star Wars, Star Trek, The Matrix, Terminator, Spider-Man, Batman, Dr. Who , and half-a-dozen other modern shows, discovering in each one powerful images of Christ and salvation. Nor is that surprising. In stories of alternative universes, people always need rescuing; somebody needs to save the day; and sometimes the whole world cries out for a savior . . . which is just what a hero is. About the heroes of some of the most popular sci-fi stories of all time, author Papandrea here answers questions that concern Christians who are also Trekkies, Whovians, Matrix Dwellers, or aficionados of popular science What kind of "Christ-figure" is the hero of this story, and what does that say about the show s vision of Christ, humanity and salvation? In the interest of being scientific, Papandrea even gives each hero a Numerical Orthodoxy Score based on the description of Christ in the Nicene Creed, Christianity's common definition of orthodoxy. Included herein are astute Christian analyses Batman * Captain * America * Doctor Who * The Fifth Element * I, Robot * Iron Man * LOST * The Matrix * Planet of the Apes * Pleasantville * Spider-Man * Star Trek * Star Wars * Superman * The Terminator * The Time Machine * Tron * Wonder Woman Here you'll read . . . and much more about other science fiction and superhero shows! Christians who enjoy popular culture will greet this fun book with interest and acclaim.

Genres: Religion, Science Fiction, Christianity

335 pages, Paperback

Published November 16, 2017

About the author

Dr. James L. Papandrea is an award-winning author, Professor of Church History and Historical Theology, and the host of the Catholic Culture podcast, The Way of the Fathers. His many books have been translated into multiple languages, and he has an online presence via his YouTube channel called, The Original Church. A former Protestant deacon, now a Catholic layperson and catechist, Jim has an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University in the history and theology of the early Christian Church, with secondary concentrations in New Testament interpretation and the history of the Roman Empire. He has also studied Roman history at the American Academy in Rome, Italy. He is currently on the faculty at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He is a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and is a member of multiple professional organizations, including the Academy of Catholic Theology, the North American Patristics Society, and the Society of Biblical Literature. More information can be found via Jim’s website: www.JimPapandrea.com, and his Amazon Author Page: www.DoctorJimsBooks.com. Dr. Papandrea is not on social media, but interacts directly with anyone interested in the New Testament and the early Church in The Original Church Community on Locals.com – you can find them at TheOriginalChurch.Locals.com.

Reviews

[kesseljunkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clever book, and wittily written. There’s no question that it’s written from the POV of a devout Catholic, but in a fascinatingly analytical way. He never aggressively pushes conversion or proselytizes; he merely points out what X and Y mean in relation to each other in terms of Z context.

As such, it’s a terrific teaching tool to communicate Church teaching without being preachy. And massive credit for the interview with Ronald D Moore, which shows two people with different perspectives discussing and disagreeing in a respectful manner, which is such a breath of fresh air.

Well written and worth the time. I think it’s very worth the time.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Within Hollywood, there are so many movies that flood the big screens every year. Most of them are trash if we're being honest, and that's no surprise seeing that most of Hollywood has become a land of filth and sleaze. However, if you look at some movies close enough, you can see Christ symbology in them. Yes, you can re-read that sentence and let it sink in. It's hard to believe, but even some of the most questionable of directors, producers, actors, and actresses have done moves with this type of symbology in them. Whether or not it was intentional is not my place to say, but I do know that every man and woman has a Christ-shaped hole in their soul and only He can fill it. Recently, James Papandrea wrote called From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films.

The book is divided into the following four sections:

1. Aliens Incarnate
2. Alternate Universes
3. Time Travel as Incarnation
4. Jesus Christ, Superhero

These sections are then divided further into chapters with each chapter devoted to a specific movie or television series. Such movies/TV shows covered are Star Trek, Star Wars, Tron, Lost, The Matrix, Planet of the Apes, and a big chapter devoted to all the DC and Marvel films. The chapter on The Matrix was interesting to me, as I admit I watched the series once and was a bit confused by it. Not only did Papandrea explain that Neo is a gnostic version of Christ and talk about the theme of free will in the movies, he also explains several confusing scenes in the movie. Much appreciated! The chapters I enjoyed reading the most were on Star Wars and The Planet of the Apes. These are two series I thoroughly enjoy, and, as he pointed out, while you can see elements of a "Savior" in these movies, none of them are orthodox representations of Christ.

Overall, I found this to be an interesting book. Some of the chapters didn't speak to me, because they were series I never bothered watching (Tron, Lost, and Pleasantville), but I was enthralled by most of the other chapters. What I found most telling was the brief summary in the end. "Of the 19 characters surveyed in this book, only five (counting Superman and Wonder Woman) come out looking like reasonably orthodox analogies for Christ. The rest look more like heretical versions, with seven leaning toward the adoptionist/Arian and six leaning toward the gnostic." This is to be expected, as it is Hollywood after all, but it is disappointing. I'm glad to have read this book and would recommend it to all Christian fans of these types of movies/shows, so they don't misinterpret them and think that these figures are orthodox representations of Christ.

This book was provided to me for free by Sophia Institute Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I thought it was well- written. The author did an excellent job at presenting his points in the thirteen chapters where he discusses specific television shows (Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Lost) and movies (Star Wars, The Fifth Element, I, Robot, Tron, Pleasantville, the Matrix, The Terminator, The Planet of the Apes, The Time Machine, and various superhero movies). He uses humor, logic, and common sense in his discussions in each chapter. He presents his opinions and views in a conversational manner; he is not antagonistic or offensive in what he writes. He does come from a strong Catholic background, and he writes from the viewpoint that a Christ-figure appears quite a bit in science fiction stories (TV shows and movies) (even if it is not a true representation of Jesus Himself).

The movies and TV shows are broken down into four sections: Aliens Incarnate, Alternate Universes, Time Travel as Incarnation, and Jesus Christ, Superhero. He has seven criteria he uses to judge how "Christ-like" a particular character is. The criteria are (1) Son of God, Agent of Creation, (2) Divinity, Preexistence, (3) Descent, Incarnation, (4) Humanity, (5) Unique Among Humanity, (6) Voluntary Sacrificial Death, and (7) Resurrection. Each category is worth a total of five points for a total value of thirty-five points. I was surprised that Doctor Who received the highest cumulative point value of thirty points (based on how the author scored each 'character'). From there, it went Leeloo (from The Fifth Element) at twenty-nine points, then Sonny (from I, Robot) at twenty-seven points, followed by both Wonder Woman and Superman at twenty-six points each. I was shocked that the Terminator was next at twenty-two points! Hahahah!

I love science-fiction; have loved it since the mid-70s. I have been a conservative Christian since 1980, so I have found myself frustrated at times with sci-fi because of how antagonistic it becomes towards religion (in general and specifically at Christianity, at times). This book was an interesting, fascinating take on science fiction, as the author believes that Jesus Christ (or, some version of Him) keeps 'popping up' throughout science fiction stories. He freely admits that the "Christian elements" that he sees in the stories he discusses may or may not have been intentional (and probably were not intentional) (7), but the elements are there nonetheless. He also does not see faith and science as being mutually exclusive or as enemies (and I would agree with him on that, too). I found it interesting that the Christian imagery, scenes, and symbols from Christianity are used by sci-fi authors and writers because of how powerful they are; these symbols have the power to evoke powerful feelings and emotions in the 'viewing audience,' which is what the writers are seeking (326 - 327). The author also freely points out that 'pagan symbols, images, and themes' can also have a powerful impact upon the viewing audience, too (327). Regardless, the author sees science fiction as focusing on a group of people who need saving, who need a savior, who need somebody to come in and rescue them. Hence, the Christ-like figure who comes in to be the hero needed to 'save the day' and rescue those who need rescuing.

I liked how the author pointed out "science-fiction writers who are ambivalent about, or even antagonistic toward, Christianity will still make their heroes more or less Christ-like. This is because they know that to their audience the story rings true. Writers may want to redefine the symbols, and even reorient believers, but they cannot overcome the power of the story of the Gospel. . . . It is the power of God fro the salvation of everyone who believes" (328). This comment rang especially true to (with) me, and I appreciated what he had to say as well as how he had to say it.

I also liked how he pointed out that because "we are made in the image of our Creator", that "means we are also creators. And when we create art, it bears the stamp of our Creator too. Even people who don't believe in God end up writing about God" (328). I thought it was an interesting observation on his part, and it made me think a bit about what he had to say, there. If pagan symbols have some truth in them and can point us (albeit imperfectly) to Christ, how much more so that Christian symbols would draw our attention and point us to Christ! (328)

Anyway. It was a good book; it was a fun book. I enjoyed the discussion the author had with Ronald Moore inre to various Star Trek episodes. It was a pleasure to read about two men, one of whom was a bit more conservative in his beliefs, having a pleasant discussion each other without any harsh words or verbal attacks directed at each other. It was a conversation of give-and-take (granted, the author was asking questions more than making statements, but it was still an enlightening conversation). I enjoyed each chapter, and I was surprised at the rankings of various individuals that he discussed throughout the book. I think it could be a useful springboard to help people have intelligent conversations with those around them about various movies and the symbols in those movies. In any case, I enjoyed reading the book; it was an enlightening perspective on a genre of fiction (be it books or movies) that I have always enjoyed.

[Reggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had my initial doubts when I started this, but kept on reading and found myself interested again. This book, as the title suggests, provides Catholic analysis on different science fiction stories and draws similarities to the story of Christ. I got some new recommendations to check out after reading this, and the deep dive into the different examples was quite interesting!

[Joseph Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun read. Not only does it provide special insight into historical theology and church orthodoxy, but it provides commentary on classic films and shows as well. Papandrea evaluates “Christ figures” from various cinematic works, pointing us to the fact that in art, there are hints of the gospel, even if incomplete. As a lover of Science Fiction cinema, this was well worth it!

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives points to fictional characters based on how similar to the real Jesus they are. Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating!" I was compared to Him myself, so I wonder what score I'd be given. Probably at least 20 points for my honesty. This doesn't mean I'm only 20% honest, though.

[D. Meador · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book on the world view portrayed in contemporary science fiction from a decidedly Catholic perspective. I am very glad I read this book and recommend it to all people who think.