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The Gospel according to The Simpsons, Bigger and Possibly Even Better!
Is there anything holy in Springfield, the home to irascible Bart Simpson and his naive dad Homer, their enthusiastic evangelical neighbor Ned Flanders, the sourpuss minister Rev. Lovejoy, and the dozens of other unique characters who inhabit the phenomenally popular TV show? In this revision of the 2001 bestseller, author Mark Pinsky says yes! In this entertaining and enlightening book, Pinsky shows how The Simpsons engages issues of religion and morality in a thoughtful, provocative, and genuinely respectful way. With three new chapters and updates to reflect the 2001-2006 seasons, Pinsky has given a thorough facelift to the book that Publishers Weekly called "thoughtful and genuinely entertaining." The new material includes chapters on Buddhism and gay marriage and an extensive afterword that explores how religion is treated on the animated shows that have followed in the footsteps of The Simpsons : South Park , Family Guy , Futurama , American Dad , and King of the Hill.
328 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2001
27 people are currently reading
700 people want to read
About the author
Mark I. Pinsky
7 books5 followersA former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times and Orlando Sentinel, Mark Pinsky holds degrees from Duke University and Columbia University. As an investigative journalist specializing in capital murder cases around the Southeast, he has written for the Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
Although Met Her On The Mountain is his first true-crime work, he has previously published four religion books.
Although Met Her On The Mountain is his first true-crime work, he has previously published four religion books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
September 28, 2011
You might be thinking "what could America's most famous dysfunctional family have to do with religion?" Of course, when you think about it, the Simpsons are probably the most religious family on television. They're about the only sitcom family that attends church every week and prays before eating every dinner. Their show is also one of the few comedies that regularly discusses religious topics. From teaching about the power of personal prayer ("Bart Gets an F" and "Bart Sells His Soul"), the importance of attending church meetings ("Homer the Heretic"), or the struggle to keep the commandments when those around you aren't ("Lisa vs. the Eighth Commandment") this book shows us how much spiritual wisdom (or often the incredible lack thereof--courtesy of Homer) can be found in the misadventures of t.v.'s longest-running sitcom family.
February 8, 2013
Early in the introduction to The Gospel According to The Simpsons, the great 20th century theological voice, Reinhold Niebuhr, is quoted: “Humor is a prelude to faith, and laughter is the beginning of prayer.” (p. 5) This is immediately followed by an observation that humor which is not founded upon a faith presupposition has a tendency to degenerate into cynicism and despair, while faith that doesn’t allow humor can quickly devolve into arrogance and intolerance. The entire book is predicated on this idea that humor expresses and informs faith. In some circles (including some where I’ve ministered), this is a bold step.
Mark Pinsky, the author of The Gospel According to The Simpsons is of Jewish background himself, but as a journalist on the religion beat, he is astute enough to recognize that the “religion” espoused by the characters on “The Simpsons” is not the New Testament gospel of grace but a confluence of the idea of “good works” and distorted Old Testament sentiments. In fact, Homer seems to indicate in another episode what many modern people believe. Bart asks him what kind of religion the family is part of and Homer responds, “You know, the one with all the well-meaning rules that don’t work in real life. Uh, Christianity.” (p. 22) Authentic Bible verses are often deliberately misquoted and characters like Homer (and even the ironically named Rev. Lovejoy (who apparently doesn’t love joy)) occasionally mix in gibberish and pop culture without even the sophistication of Tevye’s occasional references to the “good book” in Fiddler on the Roof (I don’t know what his “good book” is, but it isn’t the Torah as most of us know it.).
With years of journalism behind him, the author also knows that the series doesn’t depict everything about the church as authentically as possible. For example, he cannot understand how a pastor as ineffective as Lovejoy doesn’t have to deal with factionalism. He writes about disputes within churches and synagogues: “I have come to believe that the reason this occurs so frequently and can lead to so much bitterness and intense fighting is the depth of feeling people have about spiritual matters. I think it may also be a function of the powerlessness people experience in other spheres of their lives: work, home, school, government bureaucracy, and the political system.” (p. 61)
Pinsky shows how this religion is handled both with sensitivity and authenticity at times, but is even more often exposed as the idolatry it is. For example, characters constantly try to bargain with God as though God is an angry deity whose wrath has to be placated. On pp. 13-14, Pinsky reminded me of an episode where Homer offers milk and cookies to God as part of a “plea” bargain and then, suggests that if God doesn’t intend for Homer himself to consume the milk and cookies, God should show NO sign. When nothing happens, Homer eats the milk and cookies as “God’s will.” It’s perverse, but it also satirizes the way some who claim to be believers still try to manipulate God, confusing faith and magic. By the way, in the episode, God gets the last laugh because Homer’s bargain was for God to leave everything exactly as it was and he soon discovers that Marge is pregnant with Maggie.
One of the delights of reading a book like this is discovering some juicy excerpts from episodes one may have missed. I didn’t see the one where Homer ended up on a primitive island and forced the natives to build a church. Homer unwittingly expresses the ideas of many people with regard to institutional religion when he says, “I don’t know much about God, but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for him.” (p. 17) There was also the time when Barney, the town drunk, indicated that he was clueless about the New Testament account of the resurrection because he says that Jesus “must be spinning in his grave.” (p. 22)
It’s even interesting how the series expresses an interesting mixture between the possible supernatural and the responsibility of humans. Remember the episode where Bart has failed the test and isn’t ready to retake it? He begs God for one more day to study and gets that magical, mystery snow day. He studies and passes the test by one point, offering in exuberant thanksgiving to give God part of the credit for his “D-.” (p. 31) Whether believers think something miraculous has happened in answer to their prayers or that the event might be a coincidence, it seems clear that one has the utmost responsibility to do one’s best—even if it’s only to earn a “D-.” Of course, what really troubles me is when people pray and accept that “D-“ as though it’s all God could do for them.
Sometimes, the humor cuts both ways. The superintendent’s words when he fires Ned Flanders from his job as interim principal of the elementary school reflect as poorly on liberals who think faith is irrational as upon believers who try to force their faith on others. “God has no place within these walls, just like the facts have no place in organized religion.” (p. 45) Pinsky also doesn’t “call” the writers on Rev. Lovejoy’s syncretistic comment when he performs Apu’s wedding (even though Apu has been both a Hindu and dabbled briefly into Scientology). Lovejoy says, “Christ is Christ” and implies that the Christ of Christianity is the same as some New Age concept of divinity within each human (p. 127).
There was also a principle of Judaism that Pinsky introduced me to with regard to the counsel given to Lisa regarding her family’s theft of a pirate cable television signal. The principle is called shalom bayit (“peace in the home”) and means “…family harmony should prevail whenever possible, with an emphasis on flexibility, without compromising personal integrity.” (p. 86) Lisa is encouraged not to participate in the television watching and to quietly express to her family why she cannot be part of the activity. I also loved a line from that episode where we learn about Krusty the Klown’s background. As his rabbi father was kvelling about how wonderful his son was. The rabbi is accused of exaggerating and he responds, “A rabbi composes. He creates thoughts. He tells stories that may never have happened. But he does not exaggerate!” (p. 114) It’s a great callback to a comment attributed to Elie Wiesel that some stories are “true” that never happened. Wiesel was suggesting that stories usually express higher truths than commandments and facts. Somehow, such a statement seems appropriate in the light of the delightful analysis of the series presented in The Gospel According to The Simpsons.
Mark Pinsky, the author of The Gospel According to The Simpsons is of Jewish background himself, but as a journalist on the religion beat, he is astute enough to recognize that the “religion” espoused by the characters on “The Simpsons” is not the New Testament gospel of grace but a confluence of the idea of “good works” and distorted Old Testament sentiments. In fact, Homer seems to indicate in another episode what many modern people believe. Bart asks him what kind of religion the family is part of and Homer responds, “You know, the one with all the well-meaning rules that don’t work in real life. Uh, Christianity.” (p. 22) Authentic Bible verses are often deliberately misquoted and characters like Homer (and even the ironically named Rev. Lovejoy (who apparently doesn’t love joy)) occasionally mix in gibberish and pop culture without even the sophistication of Tevye’s occasional references to the “good book” in Fiddler on the Roof (I don’t know what his “good book” is, but it isn’t the Torah as most of us know it.).
With years of journalism behind him, the author also knows that the series doesn’t depict everything about the church as authentically as possible. For example, he cannot understand how a pastor as ineffective as Lovejoy doesn’t have to deal with factionalism. He writes about disputes within churches and synagogues: “I have come to believe that the reason this occurs so frequently and can lead to so much bitterness and intense fighting is the depth of feeling people have about spiritual matters. I think it may also be a function of the powerlessness people experience in other spheres of their lives: work, home, school, government bureaucracy, and the political system.” (p. 61)
Pinsky shows how this religion is handled both with sensitivity and authenticity at times, but is even more often exposed as the idolatry it is. For example, characters constantly try to bargain with God as though God is an angry deity whose wrath has to be placated. On pp. 13-14, Pinsky reminded me of an episode where Homer offers milk and cookies to God as part of a “plea” bargain and then, suggests that if God doesn’t intend for Homer himself to consume the milk and cookies, God should show NO sign. When nothing happens, Homer eats the milk and cookies as “God’s will.” It’s perverse, but it also satirizes the way some who claim to be believers still try to manipulate God, confusing faith and magic. By the way, in the episode, God gets the last laugh because Homer’s bargain was for God to leave everything exactly as it was and he soon discovers that Marge is pregnant with Maggie.
One of the delights of reading a book like this is discovering some juicy excerpts from episodes one may have missed. I didn’t see the one where Homer ended up on a primitive island and forced the natives to build a church. Homer unwittingly expresses the ideas of many people with regard to institutional religion when he says, “I don’t know much about God, but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for him.” (p. 17) There was also the time when Barney, the town drunk, indicated that he was clueless about the New Testament account of the resurrection because he says that Jesus “must be spinning in his grave.” (p. 22)
It’s even interesting how the series expresses an interesting mixture between the possible supernatural and the responsibility of humans. Remember the episode where Bart has failed the test and isn’t ready to retake it? He begs God for one more day to study and gets that magical, mystery snow day. He studies and passes the test by one point, offering in exuberant thanksgiving to give God part of the credit for his “D-.” (p. 31) Whether believers think something miraculous has happened in answer to their prayers or that the event might be a coincidence, it seems clear that one has the utmost responsibility to do one’s best—even if it’s only to earn a “D-.” Of course, what really troubles me is when people pray and accept that “D-“ as though it’s all God could do for them.
Sometimes, the humor cuts both ways. The superintendent’s words when he fires Ned Flanders from his job as interim principal of the elementary school reflect as poorly on liberals who think faith is irrational as upon believers who try to force their faith on others. “God has no place within these walls, just like the facts have no place in organized religion.” (p. 45) Pinsky also doesn’t “call” the writers on Rev. Lovejoy’s syncretistic comment when he performs Apu’s wedding (even though Apu has been both a Hindu and dabbled briefly into Scientology). Lovejoy says, “Christ is Christ” and implies that the Christ of Christianity is the same as some New Age concept of divinity within each human (p. 127).
There was also a principle of Judaism that Pinsky introduced me to with regard to the counsel given to Lisa regarding her family’s theft of a pirate cable television signal. The principle is called shalom bayit (“peace in the home”) and means “…family harmony should prevail whenever possible, with an emphasis on flexibility, without compromising personal integrity.” (p. 86) Lisa is encouraged not to participate in the television watching and to quietly express to her family why she cannot be part of the activity. I also loved a line from that episode where we learn about Krusty the Klown’s background. As his rabbi father was kvelling about how wonderful his son was. The rabbi is accused of exaggerating and he responds, “A rabbi composes. He creates thoughts. He tells stories that may never have happened. But he does not exaggerate!” (p. 114) It’s a great callback to a comment attributed to Elie Wiesel that some stories are “true” that never happened. Wiesel was suggesting that stories usually express higher truths than commandments and facts. Somehow, such a statement seems appropriate in the light of the delightful analysis of the series presented in The Gospel According to The Simpsons.
June 18, 2010
When I was younger my parents discouraged me from watching things like "the Simpsons" therefore when I got older I watched it every chance I could get. When I was in Seminary I came across this book in the seminary book store and have to say I really enjoyed reading it. Some of the things the author reads into the cartoon's storyline are a bit stretched or at best an exercise in "creative thinking" but he is never so far off that I couldn't see his side of things and I found many of his observations very insightful... for instance (SPOILER WARNING)
What does it mean that the character of God (whenever God appears) is an older white man? And what does it mean that people in the Simpsons Universe only have four fingers but whenever we see God, God is different from the people in that God has five fingers???
IF you like thinking about how a series like this informs the debate about "art reflecting life" or "life being affected by art" then this book is for you.
If you think this issue or this television series isn't really important enough to have a book like written about it, think about this... Christianity Today did a research study and found that the Most Recognized Christian in the United States was a character on The Simpsons named Ned Flanders... they wrote
"Today on American college and high school campuses, the name most associated with the word Christian—other than Jesus—is not the Pope or Mother Teresa or even Billy Graham. Instead, it's a goofy-looking guy named Ned Flanders on the animated sitcom known as The Simpsons."
This show has won dozens of awards as a series, including 25 Primetime Emmy Awards, 26 Annie Awards and a Peabody Award. Time magazine's December 31, 1999 issue named it the 20th century's best television series, and on January 14, 2000 the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Simpsons is the longest-running American sitcom, the longest-running American animated program, and in 2009 it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest running American primetime entertainment series. Homer's exclamatory catchphrase "D'oh!" has been adopted into the English lexiconan. (according to Wikipedia)
So it is no surprise to me that with such a long running history and seeing how often the church is portrayed as a central character and faith as a central theme throughout many so many episodes that a creative writer would be able to come up with a good read like this one. I recommend this to anyone who is irreverent, has a good sense of humor and enjoys thinking about how faith, daily life, and pop culture intertwine in the real world.
What does it mean that the character of God (whenever God appears) is an older white man? And what does it mean that people in the Simpsons Universe only have four fingers but whenever we see God, God is different from the people in that God has five fingers???
IF you like thinking about how a series like this informs the debate about "art reflecting life" or "life being affected by art" then this book is for you.
If you think this issue or this television series isn't really important enough to have a book like written about it, think about this... Christianity Today did a research study and found that the Most Recognized Christian in the United States was a character on The Simpsons named Ned Flanders... they wrote
"Today on American college and high school campuses, the name most associated with the word Christian—other than Jesus—is not the Pope or Mother Teresa or even Billy Graham. Instead, it's a goofy-looking guy named Ned Flanders on the animated sitcom known as The Simpsons."
This show has won dozens of awards as a series, including 25 Primetime Emmy Awards, 26 Annie Awards and a Peabody Award. Time magazine's December 31, 1999 issue named it the 20th century's best television series, and on January 14, 2000 the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Simpsons is the longest-running American sitcom, the longest-running American animated program, and in 2009 it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest running American primetime entertainment series. Homer's exclamatory catchphrase "D'oh!" has been adopted into the English lexiconan. (according to Wikipedia)
So it is no surprise to me that with such a long running history and seeing how often the church is portrayed as a central character and faith as a central theme throughout many so many episodes that a creative writer would be able to come up with a good read like this one. I recommend this to anyone who is irreverent, has a good sense of humor and enjoys thinking about how faith, daily life, and pop culture intertwine in the real world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2018
"A teachers' strike, a power failure, a blizzard ... Anything that'll cancel school tomorrow. I know it's asking a lot, but if anyone can do it, you can."
This is Bart Simpson praying when he is in danger of failing fourth grade and needs some extra time to study. It is just one example of the literally hundreds of time The Simpsons looks at religion and spirituality. Protestant, Catholic, Jew, Hindu (notably not Muslim for reasons explained in the book, but basically because no one on staff is Muslim and they therefore aren't sure how far they can push it): all get lampooned in this long-running series that is both very clever and very funny.
In its early days, The Simpsons got a lot of criticism for its subversive humour. It seemed that nothing was sacred and everything was there to be mocked. But you don't have to look far below the surface to see that a lot more than that is going on. Yes, nothing is safe from the show's potshots, but it is equally true that there's another deeper level at which much that is regarded as "good" by society is actually upheld even as it is being mocked.
This is a very entertaining book to read. This is because it examines a lot of episodes of The Simpsons and recalls many of the jokes. For me, it misses the opportunity to then transfer the underlying messages into "real life". Maybe that wasn't the author's purpose, but it seems to me that a lot could be made of, say, Bart's attitude to prayer that might help religious people examine their own attitudes. Instead, we just get to laugh a lot, which is no bad thing. I guess many readers with a religious inclination will draw their own conclusions rather than having them spelled out by the book.
This is Bart Simpson praying when he is in danger of failing fourth grade and needs some extra time to study. It is just one example of the literally hundreds of time The Simpsons looks at religion and spirituality. Protestant, Catholic, Jew, Hindu (notably not Muslim for reasons explained in the book, but basically because no one on staff is Muslim and they therefore aren't sure how far they can push it): all get lampooned in this long-running series that is both very clever and very funny.
In its early days, The Simpsons got a lot of criticism for its subversive humour. It seemed that nothing was sacred and everything was there to be mocked. But you don't have to look far below the surface to see that a lot more than that is going on. Yes, nothing is safe from the show's potshots, but it is equally true that there's another deeper level at which much that is regarded as "good" by society is actually upheld even as it is being mocked.
This is a very entertaining book to read. This is because it examines a lot of episodes of The Simpsons and recalls many of the jokes. For me, it misses the opportunity to then transfer the underlying messages into "real life". Maybe that wasn't the author's purpose, but it seems to me that a lot could be made of, say, Bart's attitude to prayer that might help religious people examine their own attitudes. Instead, we just get to laugh a lot, which is no bad thing. I guess many readers with a religious inclination will draw their own conclusions rather than having them spelled out by the book.
October 6, 2010
This book was very difficult to read because it could not hold my interest.
To me, it seems like this book is a typical religious person over analyzing something that doesn't really matter; trying to see something that isn't really there, and if it was indeed there, it wasn't put there "by God", it just happened (mostly because the show was required to be suitable for mainstream TV). The show did push boundries, but still had certain limits in order to remain on air - such as the "family orientation" aspects of the show and being careful about what was said about religion. This was the work of standard television regulation and contracts, not God.
What the author says about The Simpsons could be said about ANY show, but The Simpsons happen to be popular, so he popped out a book to make some money. In fact, someone also wrote "The Gospel According to Lost" and "The Gospel According to Harry Potter", probably for the same reason ($$$).
Overall if your a Simpsons fan and not religious, like I am, I urge you not to waste your time reading this book. I regret the $14.95 and few hours of my life I spent on this book. However, religious people ate it up (just look at other reviews on this site...).
To me, it seems like this book is a typical religious person over analyzing something that doesn't really matter; trying to see something that isn't really there, and if it was indeed there, it wasn't put there "by God", it just happened (mostly because the show was required to be suitable for mainstream TV). The show did push boundries, but still had certain limits in order to remain on air - such as the "family orientation" aspects of the show and being careful about what was said about religion. This was the work of standard television regulation and contracts, not God.
What the author says about The Simpsons could be said about ANY show, but The Simpsons happen to be popular, so he popped out a book to make some money. In fact, someone also wrote "The Gospel According to Lost" and "The Gospel According to Harry Potter", probably for the same reason ($$$).
Overall if your a Simpsons fan and not religious, like I am, I urge you not to waste your time reading this book. I regret the $14.95 and few hours of my life I spent on this book. However, religious people ate it up (just look at other reviews on this site...).
June 24, 2012
An interesting premise and lots of fun
Published by Westminster John Knox Press in 2001.
Google this book and you will find some criticism based on the fact that have entirely missed the point of the book. The point of The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family is NOT to tell how the Simpsons preach the Gospel. They don't.
However, not only is The Simpsons the best show on television, it is also a remarkably spiritual show. It is the only show in which the main characters go to church on a regular basis. No one thinks it strange that people pray. Prayers are answered. God exists and he acts. From time to time, organized religion is skewered with their wickedly clever satire. Then again, so is everything else, from rock stars to public education to family life to just about everything else. Pinsky's point is that religion is treated remarkably well on the show that has a bad reputation.
Pinsky focuses on...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2012/...
Published by Westminster John Knox Press in 2001.
Google this book and you will find some criticism based on the fact that have entirely missed the point of the book. The point of The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family is NOT to tell how the Simpsons preach the Gospel. They don't.
However, not only is The Simpsons the best show on television, it is also a remarkably spiritual show. It is the only show in which the main characters go to church on a regular basis. No one thinks it strange that people pray. Prayers are answered. God exists and he acts. From time to time, organized religion is skewered with their wickedly clever satire. Then again, so is everything else, from rock stars to public education to family life to just about everything else. Pinsky's point is that religion is treated remarkably well on the show that has a bad reputation.
Pinsky focuses on...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2012/...
April 12, 2009
I had this on audiobook, and--to be honest--I kept skipping ahead. It just didn't hold my interest, and didn't impress me very much. Once in a while it felt like there was some real study of sociology, religion, or television going on. Most of the time, though, it felt like endless stories of "Remember that time when Homer prayed for _____? Or when Ned Flanders did this ridiculous thing that really showed he's a good guy at heart?" In other words, too many Simpsons stories, not nearly enough analysis.
Still, I may use this as a hook to talk to my son, though it proved to be far less than I hoped.
Still, I may use this as a hook to talk to my son, though it proved to be far less than I hoped.
July 25, 2007
This book is in the same Vein as The Philosophy of Seinfeld, and "The D'oh of Homer." I read it because I liked those other books.
This book contains several essays about how religion is portrayed in "The Simpsons." The general thesis is that while The Simpsons seems to be superficially irreverent the tv show accurately reflects the spirituality of the American people and how Americans relate to religion.
This book is pretty good. I found it slow at times. However, I found it generally informative and interesting.
This book contains several essays about how religion is portrayed in "The Simpsons." The general thesis is that while The Simpsons seems to be superficially irreverent the tv show accurately reflects the spirituality of the American people and how Americans relate to religion.
This book is pretty good. I found it slow at times. However, I found it generally informative and interesting.
November 10, 2008
This book was an assigned read for my church's adult Sunday School Class. As much as I'm a huge fan of the show, this book (the part that I did read) did not hold my interest. There were also errors that I caught between the book and the TV show. I'll have to give the book a try another time. As much as the show does portray good family values and makes interesting points about religion, I guess I lost interest in the book because I enjoy and watch the show for it's entertainment value only.
May 13, 2024
I don't enjoy calling any book literary garbage, as most have some redeeming quality to them. This one has nothing going for it.
It tries to explain religious symbolism within the Simpsons, at most it's simple retellings of what is obvious on screen. Really, the Simpsons is a slice-of-life type of series, with a normal American family, it's quite evident it should have scenes like them praying before lunch, going to and attending service, or misunderstanding what the bible actually says.
As a fan who has watched each and every Simpsons episode, and could make a comprehensive analysis on most of them, I can with most security say this thing doesn't add anything to the series, it doesn't give any interesting analysis, nor it makes you appreciate what's on-screen any better.
A completely disposable mess.
It tries to explain religious symbolism within the Simpsons, at most it's simple retellings of what is obvious on screen. Really, the Simpsons is a slice-of-life type of series, with a normal American family, it's quite evident it should have scenes like them praying before lunch, going to and attending service, or misunderstanding what the bible actually says.
As a fan who has watched each and every Simpsons episode, and could make a comprehensive analysis on most of them, I can with most security say this thing doesn't add anything to the series, it doesn't give any interesting analysis, nor it makes you appreciate what's on-screen any better.
A completely disposable mess.
June 7, 2007
As an avid Simpsons fan, this book really presented me with no new information. The majority of it was describing episodes that had religion or ethics related plots. I seen ever episode, so it was a waste of time. I would rather watch the episode than have someone else tell me about it.
Read
January 13, 2009Made me remember a number of episodes so was difficult not to laugh while I read.
Surprised to find that hard-core atheists hate the Simpsons
Surprised to find that hard-core atheists hate the Simpsons
March 23, 2024
When it first launched in 1989, The Simpsons was beset by controversies and denunciations from people who viewed it as the latest evidence of the fall of Western civilization. Here was a disrespectful child, Bart, who was constantly pranking people and talking back to his parents. The show became branded as negative and juvenile, and many parents forbade their children from watching it. When viewed through a different lens, The Simpsons surprisingly presents religion in a favorable light with faith playing a central role in the lives of many of its characters. The family attended church every Sunday, read the Bible, and said grace before every meal. Their next-door neighbors were committed evangelical Christians. When faced with crises, the Simpsons turned to God and prayed aloud. God often answered their prayers and intervened in their world. Characters believed in a literal heaven and hell, and they ridiculed cults. In many ways, the Simpsons are quintessentially weak, well-meaning sinners who rely on their faith. This book details the many ways religion is depicted in the series.
Each chapter in The Gospel According to The Simpsons is essentially a standalone essay on a different facet of The Simpsons’ portrayal of religion. You can find chapters on how God is depicted, personal prayer, moral dilemmas, the church and preachers, and heaven, hell, and the Devil. It’s not just Christianity as it delves into the ways Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other faiths are shown. In many ways, The Simpsons shows that faith is important to its characters because it is important to the majority of Americans.
Since each chapter reads like an essay on a different aspect of The Simpsons’ portrayal of religion, sometimes the book can feel a bit disjointed. Each chapter has a lengthy summary of one or more episodes, followed by commentary from the author and many scholars and theologians. Each chapter is held together by the theme of religion in The Simpsons, but there is very little in the way of narrative structure. This makes it easy to jump into a specific chapter if you want to see how, say, prayer is depicted in the show, but it hampers the experience of reading the book straight through.
While it examines the way religion is shown in the show, the book doesn’t come up with a definition of the actual Gospel according to The Simpsons. The show itself is a satire, so you can’t expect it to have an overarching theological message. Faith itself isn’t mocked, but the failings of the people and their misunderstandings of other faiths are. If you could zoom out and weave together a coherent thread, you’d come up with two strains that show themselves over and over. The theological construct that informs the series and the churchgoing Simpsons is actually the Old Testament. The show seems to promote the idea that following the law, or being ethically good, is all that is required to gain entrance to heaven. It often depicts the dichotomy between a loving God and a vengeful God. And much like the Old Testament, characters in The Simpsons have a personal relationship with God: they ask and he answers. The other strain, similar to the first, is that salvation comes from works instead of from grace. Though this later could simply be due to the fact that works are easier to depict on screen than grace.
Overall, an interesting look at how, and how much, religion is depicted in America’s longest running TV show.
Each chapter in The Gospel According to The Simpsons is essentially a standalone essay on a different facet of The Simpsons’ portrayal of religion. You can find chapters on how God is depicted, personal prayer, moral dilemmas, the church and preachers, and heaven, hell, and the Devil. It’s not just Christianity as it delves into the ways Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other faiths are shown. In many ways, The Simpsons shows that faith is important to its characters because it is important to the majority of Americans.
Since each chapter reads like an essay on a different aspect of The Simpsons’ portrayal of religion, sometimes the book can feel a bit disjointed. Each chapter has a lengthy summary of one or more episodes, followed by commentary from the author and many scholars and theologians. Each chapter is held together by the theme of religion in The Simpsons, but there is very little in the way of narrative structure. This makes it easy to jump into a specific chapter if you want to see how, say, prayer is depicted in the show, but it hampers the experience of reading the book straight through.
While it examines the way religion is shown in the show, the book doesn’t come up with a definition of the actual Gospel according to The Simpsons. The show itself is a satire, so you can’t expect it to have an overarching theological message. Faith itself isn’t mocked, but the failings of the people and their misunderstandings of other faiths are. If you could zoom out and weave together a coherent thread, you’d come up with two strains that show themselves over and over. The theological construct that informs the series and the churchgoing Simpsons is actually the Old Testament. The show seems to promote the idea that following the law, or being ethically good, is all that is required to gain entrance to heaven. It often depicts the dichotomy between a loving God and a vengeful God. And much like the Old Testament, characters in The Simpsons have a personal relationship with God: they ask and he answers. The other strain, similar to the first, is that salvation comes from works instead of from grace. Though this later could simply be due to the fact that works are easier to depict on screen than grace.
Overall, an interesting look at how, and how much, religion is depicted in America’s longest running TV show.
October 28, 2018
Quite good.
In part, this is a catalog of the Simpsons' references to religion. In part it's an analysis of those references. In part, it's an argument about popular culture's treatment of and interaction with religion.
The references to religion are many. As a fan of the show (although I haven't seen it much in recent years), I recognized quite a lot of the examples and was reminded of some I had forgotten.
The analysis is astute. For Pinsky, The Simpsons, as a whole, is respectful of religion, or at least religious sentiment, while it's distrustful of organized religion. I do disagree with Pinsky slightly on Ned Flanders, the show's stand-in for evangelical Christianity (or if not evangelical Christianity, then very dedicated and robust protestant Christianity). Pinsky seems to side with those who say the show's portrayal of the character and his family is (mostly) sympathetic and (mostly) positive to what Flanders represents. I see the portrayal as on-balance critical and mildly mean spirited. But there's a lot of room for cordial disagreement here! Pinsky shows his work. I can see his point and any mean-spritedness that I, with my own history, see is significantly tempered by the ways in which the guy is portrayed positively. We're bargaining about price, is all, and Pinsky simply draws a different conclusion from mine.
The argument about popular culture's treatment of and interaction with religion is perhaps not as convincing as his analysis. Maybe "argument" is too strong and therefore unfair a word. Maybe "speculation" or "hypothesis" is fairer, as much of what he says on that score appears in his afterward, in which he analysis the critiques of religion said to be inspired by The Simpsons. The argument/speculation seems to be that The Simpsons opened the door to more (and more trenchant) critiques of religion--and to caustic critiques as well. I'm less convinced than he is that the critiques are all that new or all that more caustic. But I'm undecided on the matter. And Pinsky has earned the right to advance the speculation.
I'd recommend this book to any Simpsons fans, especially those interested in the show's treatment of religion.
In part, this is a catalog of the Simpsons' references to religion. In part it's an analysis of those references. In part, it's an argument about popular culture's treatment of and interaction with religion.
The references to religion are many. As a fan of the show (although I haven't seen it much in recent years), I recognized quite a lot of the examples and was reminded of some I had forgotten.
The analysis is astute. For Pinsky, The Simpsons, as a whole, is respectful of religion, or at least religious sentiment, while it's distrustful of organized religion. I do disagree with Pinsky slightly on Ned Flanders, the show's stand-in for evangelical Christianity (or if not evangelical Christianity, then very dedicated and robust protestant Christianity). Pinsky seems to side with those who say the show's portrayal of the character and his family is (mostly) sympathetic and (mostly) positive to what Flanders represents. I see the portrayal as on-balance critical and mildly mean spirited. But there's a lot of room for cordial disagreement here! Pinsky shows his work. I can see his point and any mean-spritedness that I, with my own history, see is significantly tempered by the ways in which the guy is portrayed positively. We're bargaining about price, is all, and Pinsky simply draws a different conclusion from mine.
The argument about popular culture's treatment of and interaction with religion is perhaps not as convincing as his analysis. Maybe "argument" is too strong and therefore unfair a word. Maybe "speculation" or "hypothesis" is fairer, as much of what he says on that score appears in his afterward, in which he analysis the critiques of religion said to be inspired by The Simpsons. The argument/speculation seems to be that The Simpsons opened the door to more (and more trenchant) critiques of religion--and to caustic critiques as well. I'm less convinced than he is that the critiques are all that new or all that more caustic. But I'm undecided on the matter. And Pinsky has earned the right to advance the speculation.
I'd recommend this book to any Simpsons fans, especially those interested in the show's treatment of religion.
January 3, 2024
"The Gospel According to The Simpsons" by Mark I. Pinsky offers a unique and entertaining perspective on the spiritual life of the world's most animated family. As a long-time fan of both The Simpsons and discussions on spirituality, I found Pinsky's approach to be both refreshing and enlightening.
Pinsky skillfully weaves together episodes from The Simpsons with various religious and philosophical concepts, creating a compelling analysis of the show's exploration of morality, faith, and the human condition. The book delves into the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which the characters of Springfield grapple with questions of ethics and spirituality, making for an engaging and thought-provoking read.
One of the strengths of the book lies in Pinsky's ability to dissect the complex themes embedded in The Simpsons while maintaining a lighthearted and accessible tone. The author doesn't shy away from addressing the controversies surrounding the show's irreverent humor, acknowledging both its critics and its cultural impact. Pinsky successfully argues that, beneath the satire and humor, The Simpsons serves as a mirror reflecting society's attitudes towards religion and spirituality.
While the book covers a wide range of topics, from Ned Flanders' religious convictions to Lisa Simpson's spiritual journey, some readers might find the analysis to be a bit repetitive at times. Additionally, a deeper exploration of certain themes could have added more depth to the book.
Overall, "The Gospel According to The Simpsons" is a commendable exploration of the spiritual aspects embedded in the animated world of Springfield. It caters to fans of the show looking for a new lens through which to appreciate its complexity, as well as those interested in broader discussions about the intersection of popular culture and spirituality.
Pinsky skillfully weaves together episodes from The Simpsons with various religious and philosophical concepts, creating a compelling analysis of the show's exploration of morality, faith, and the human condition. The book delves into the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which the characters of Springfield grapple with questions of ethics and spirituality, making for an engaging and thought-provoking read.
One of the strengths of the book lies in Pinsky's ability to dissect the complex themes embedded in The Simpsons while maintaining a lighthearted and accessible tone. The author doesn't shy away from addressing the controversies surrounding the show's irreverent humor, acknowledging both its critics and its cultural impact. Pinsky successfully argues that, beneath the satire and humor, The Simpsons serves as a mirror reflecting society's attitudes towards religion and spirituality.
While the book covers a wide range of topics, from Ned Flanders' religious convictions to Lisa Simpson's spiritual journey, some readers might find the analysis to be a bit repetitive at times. Additionally, a deeper exploration of certain themes could have added more depth to the book.
Overall, "The Gospel According to The Simpsons" is a commendable exploration of the spiritual aspects embedded in the animated world of Springfield. It caters to fans of the show looking for a new lens through which to appreciate its complexity, as well as those interested in broader discussions about the intersection of popular culture and spirituality.
June 24, 2017
I came to this book as a huge Simpson's fan, looking for connections to religion that I may have over-looked in the years of watching I've put in. Instead I found long winded explanations of entire episodes and surface level connections. I grabbed this off the shelf of my library on a whim, and it looks like I may not be doing that again for a while...
August 8, 2018
Did not read the additional afterword chapter looking at other shows and cartoons, as I was only interested in the Simpsons stuff. I found this book a really fun and interesting read. I never really put together how much religion is touched upon on the show and this booked really gave me a new perspective on my memories. I will need to go back and rewatch for these things.
May 31, 2020
As a fan of The Simpsons, this was an incredibly fun, nostalgic read. Each chapter covers themes of faith seen throughout the show through the lenses of certain characters and iconic episodes. I can’t wait to cite this book the next time I enter into a conversation about the show (which will inevitably happen). Fun, informative, and relatable.
January 31, 2021
It's still so funny to me that a show reviled by many of the evangelicals I grew up around had such strong values at heart, even if it did poke fun at them incessantly. Revisited this for the expanded afterword, which was good but could've done without as much delving into Family Guy, American Dad, and King of the Hill.
January 2, 2020
I used this for a class and the book opened the students' eyes to the prevalence of religious topics in The Simpsons. They were convinced the show had nothing to do with religion, and most of them had never watched an episode.
August 7, 2021
No encontré gran aportación en este libro. Es solamente un montó de páginas narrando escenas de algunos episodios de la serie. Lo rescatable es el Epílogo ya que habla acerca de la aportación de Los Simpson otras series que surgieron en los últimos años.
July 7, 2018
This book didn't tell me anything about the Simpsons that I didn't already know, but if there's ever a follow up, based on newer episodes, I will definitely read it.
November 14, 2018
Entertaining.
January 3, 2019
Eye-opening. Pretty informative and pretty much shed the light on why I stopped watching the abomination of the show, GOD BE GLORIFIED!!
Grab a copy!!
Grab a copy!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2019
This excellent read, takes a look at the various ways The Simpsons has tackeld religion. It is insightful and funny.
November 19, 2019
Oddly interesting look at spirituality and its portrayal in the Simpsons.
January 26, 2020
Too repetitive. Too much plain description of Simpsons episodes.
Occasional insight. Interesting subject matter and perspective.
Occasional insight. Interesting subject matter and perspective.
April 14, 2022
Estupido y sexy análisis sociológico profundo balanceado
February 16, 2023
I’m not religious but this book is funny and gave me insight into the show that I wasn’t consciously aware of. Still not religious though 😏
December 2, 2025
Where will we find the Truth - perhaps in yellow figures of humor?
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