Barnabas File

On a recent Sunday, I had the opportunity to lead a presentation for adults and youth on “The Spiritual Dimensions of Star Wars.”     Much of the content has been published here in blog format. After the session, one of the adults texted me with this comment: “I always enjoy any chance to tie pop culture to Christian faith and beliefs, and I know it helps me find new ways to witness in conversations not directly faith-related.”   This was a great insight.  Those of us who call ourselves “moderate Baptists” often struggle with the term “evangelism,” but my friend had discovered one of the most effective ways we can engage with the culture in order to communicate our faith. There are three levels to the Star Wars films or what we now call the Skywalker Saga. First, there is  the  Commercial/Entertainment/Pop Culture level.  The studios continue to make these movies because they make money, but George Lucas made the first fil...

Add caption (Many spoilers here.) Perhaps the theme in the Skywalker Saga that finds the most resonance with the Christian faith is the theme of fall and redemption.    The Book of Genesis recounts the fall of humankind in the Garden of Eden and the destruction of the world due to humanity’s rebellion as well as the first steps toward redemption through the call of Abram to be the father of a great nation. Of course, this process of redemption only comes to fruition in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Like most humans, key characters in the Skywalker Saga are flawed people who fail and seek redemption. Anakin Skywalker is “the chosen one” who is meant to bring balance the Force.  In Attack of Clones (Episode two), Anakin has become a prideful, petulant teen-ager who thinks he knows everything.  According to Christian writer C. S. Lewis, pride was the original sin of humanity, thinking that the creature could attain...