IP#327 Dr. James Papandrea – From Star Wars to Superman on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast

“From Star Wars to Superman:  Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films” is outstanding!  Dr. James Papandrea is an engaging writer, as well as a solid theologian, who brings the lens of faith to our viewing of the beloved genres of science fiction and superhero films.  Perfect for the “discerning heart!”  The book and our conversation was great fun and a fantastic thought provoker.  We can’t wait for the sequel!

You can find the book here

Included herein are astute Christian analyses of:

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 about:

  • The pervasive Christian imagery in Doctor Who
  • Star Trek s predicted “death of God”
  • Free-will: the stumbling block in the first Matrix
  • The crucifixion of Spider-Man
  • Why Wonder Woman is an image of a gnostic savior
  • The meaning of salvation in Star Wars (It masquerades as Christian)
  • How Superman’s life begins as a parallel of Moses.
  • I, Robot: the religious reason why the robot is called “Sonny”
  • Whether, in any Christian sense, Neo is The One?
  • Captain American and Iron-Man: one defends the innocent, the other brings justice to the guilty
  • The tomb scene in the Fifth Element: it s not the resurrection we need
  • Matter vs. Spirit in Tron: gnostic to the core
  • The anti-Christian bias of Planet of the Apes
  • Why the Force in Star Wars is no analogy to Grace or the Holy Spirit
  • The Star Wars Christ figure: Obi-Wan? Luke? Or even, ultimately, Darth Vader
  • What Heaven is understood to be in the LOST universe
  • Time travel as incarnation in The Terminator: a compelling analogy
  • Regeneration as resurrection in Doctor Who: Is it Christ-like?
  • How Pleasantville reverses the dynamism of the Fall
  • The baptismal significance of the plane crash in LOST
  • Pleasantville: a twisted version of Eden
  • The incarnation of the Christ-figure in Planet of the Apes
  • Tron’s parallels between Christianity and the Roman Empire

. . . and much more about other science fiction and superhero shows!

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