Heroes with Character Issues

On Friday, I saw my third superhero movie this summer (Transformers: Dark of the Moon doesn’t count). Captain America: The First Avenger follows Thor and Green Lantern. To be very candid, none of these is a groundbreaking film like Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, or the first Iron Man. If you peel away all the CGI and explosions, there does seems to be a common factor. Each title hero is dealing with a character issue. Thor, an alien (or, if you wish, a small “g” god) has problems with humility. He is irresponsible, self-centered, and overly ambitious. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) is trying to face his fears. His test pilot father died in a plane explosion, and he wonders if he will go the same way. And Captain America (Steve Rogers) is basically a good man who receives his powers primarily because he is a nice guy, an idealistic man in the body of a 98 pound weakling. Once he has power, how will he use it?

I think it was the creators of Marvel Comics who decided several decades ago that we did not want our superheroes to be perfect. Certainly, the superheroes they created possessed abilities “far beyond those of mortal men” and women, but we could relate to them more if they had to deal with certain shortcomings. Other comic creators picked up on this as well. In fact, we have come to the point that many superheroes are almost anti heroes. For example, think about the alcoholic, womanizing Tony Stark (Iron Man) and the obsessed Bruce Wayne (Batman). In these recent movies, we come away wondering whether we really should trust them or not.

Evidently, we don’t want our heroes to be perfect. We want them to struggle with issues. Does this mean that we can’t accept anyone being perfect? Because of our own flaws, can we relate better to a mythical figure with feet of clay? This may be, but I think there is another consideration as well.

For me the struggles of Thor, Hal Jordan, and Steve Rogers remind me that with great power comes great responsibility. One of the challenges that humanity began to face in the 20^th century was the great power that we had unleashed with the weaponization of atomic energy. The ability to create and destroy has grown exponentially since that discovery. As individuals and as nations we often find ourselves with more power than we know how to control and in exercising that power, we often unleash unexpected consequences. We are victims of our own achievements.

As we consider our superheroes and antiheroes, we may discover a great deal about ourselves.

Comments

Check these out

Confessions of a Recovering Southern Baptist

I am grateful for my heritage as a Southern Baptist. I was exposed to the Bible and worship from a very young age. I grew up in a church in south Alabama that supported the Cooperative Program of missions giving. This meant that our church had the benefit of being part of a supportive group of local churches and the educational opportunities that afforded. Our state convention provided varied and effective ministries with groups like orphans, ethnic groups, and college students. We supported missionaries at home and abroad. We had good Bible study and training literature (which we paid for, of course). I went to an accredited seminary and paid a remarkably low tuition. Wherever you went on a Sunday morning (in the Southeast and Southwest, at least), you could find a church that sang the familiar hymns and studied the same Bible lesson. In hindsight, I realize that this Southern Baptist utopia was imperfect. There were significant theological differences, often geograp

The Bible Tells Me So

As I read the story of the Good Samaritan during my devotional today, I was reminded of the times that I have heard the story in the Christian education setting of the local church--as a youngster in primary and intermediate classes (old terminology), as a young adult in college classes, and then as an adult, often teaching the passage myself. The characters and story line are very familiar due to these experiences of Christian education. These are challenging times for Christian education in the church. Like so much of what is happening in the church today, the old forms do not seem to support present needs. What once worked no longer seems to be effective. Christian education or the formation of believers is in a state of flux. In an article on ethicsdaily.com , retired professor Colin Harris addresses this issue. He points out that the period of the 60’s and 70’s “saw the beginnings of a loss of vitality within the educational dimension of church ministry, as the

Metaphors of the Kingdom of God

In a recent blog , consultant Seth Godin addresses the power of metaphor. He points out, “The best way to learn a complex idea is to find it living inside something else you already understand.” In other words, “this” is like “that.” “When you see a story, an example, a wonderment,” says Godin, “take a moment to look for the metaphor inside.” Jesus turned this around. In the use of parables, he told a story or provided a metaphor and challenged his hearers to see the truth within. For example, in his teaching on the Kingdom (or Reign) of God in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom to such things as a mustard seed, yeast, a hidden treasure, a net, a king, and a landowner. His hearers are encouraged to use their imaginations to understand something that they had never experienced. He also attempted to shift their perspective so that they might see signs of the Kingdom breaking into their present reality. These are metaphors for the Kingdom. Where do w

The Tragedy of Willow Creek Community Church

File photo of Steve Carter, Heather Larson, and Bill Hybels As Christian brothers and sisters, we need to pray for Willow Creek Community Church. On the eve of the Global Leadership Summit, a worldwide conference sponsored by the church in cooperation with the Willow Creek Association, church leadership imploded as a result of further allegations against former pastor Bill Hybels. Last year, Hybels introduced the team who would assume church leadership upon his retirement--lead pastor Heather Larson and teaching pastor Steve Carter. Although the founding pastor planned to stay on to assist in a time of transition, reports of sexual impropriety involving Hybels surfaced early this year. He accelerated his departure from the church and left the board of the Willow Creek Association. When other charges emerged last week, teaching pastor Carter resigned. On Wednesday evening, Larson and the entire elder board--lay leaders who provide accountability on behalf of the congreg

A Future for the Global Leadership Summit?

Craig Groeschel, the founder and senior pastor of Life.Church. The Global Leadership Summit which began as a project of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, and its founding pastor, Bill Hybels, over 25 years ago was held this week without Hybels. For several years, the GLS has been now produced by the Willow Creek Association, a spin-off organization and a loose network of churches but Hybels has been its driving force. Attended by thousands at the church facility in South Barrington and broadcast to thousands more at satellite locations, the annual meeting brings together not only evangelical leaders but outstanding speakers from business, charitable organizations, politics, and business. For the first time, Hybels did not appear due to allegations of sexual impropriety brought against him over the past year by former employees, staff members, and business associates. He has already left the church and resigned from the board of the association.

Barnabas File

Search This Blog