Star Wars and Gospel

December 16, 2017

It’s late. We just got home from a family outing to see the latest Star Wars incarnation, “The Last Jedi.” No, I’m not going to spoil it for those who haven’t yet seen it, but I will say that the Bailey family was first in line for the 7:10 showing. Actually, we even managed second in line for the 6:40 showing. Almost the entire clan was present, son Matt in the lead. He was not about to relinquish first into the theater, even when friends showed up. I’m not sure he even would have given up his place in line if Jesus himself walked through the door.

If you’ve seen any of the Star Wars movies, you know that the theme around which the plots move is “the Force,” that unseen stuff that connects all living creatures, and which consists of both the good and the Dark side. Although there are many life lessons that can be drawn from the series, in the Star Wars saga, Light and Dark are two sides of the Force, always present, and always in conflict. The challenge for humans is to always resist the Dark side which is constantly manipulated by various emperors or supreme leaders to entice people towards evil.

Much of this resonates with most of us. We’ve felt that tug of evil, and have too often succumbed to it. It seems to reflect the Gospel Story and our efforts to resist Satanic temptation by the power of the Holy Spirit. But the way it is portrayed in the Star Wars saga has its roots in Eastern mysticism, not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The difference is simple, yet significant. In Star Wars, Good and Evil are two sides of the same coin of the Force. They are co-eternal, which means that the fight can never be won by either side. That is evidenced by the saga’s continual reincarnation with each new movie that comes out. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ on the other hand, posits evil as a perversion of good, not the absence of it. The Good has always existed in the person of the Trinity. Evil is not the opposite of Good, but the distortion of it. The Gospel Message is that in Jesus Christ, God acted decisively to defeat evil, and that it will one day be utterly destroyed. That would be impossible if evil and good were two sides of the same coin.

Tonight I am thankful for the vision, perseverance, and talent of George Lucas, and of all the people and work behind the Star Wars franchise. I am thankful for the reminder of the battle we all wage. But I am most thankful for the Gospel which promises a real and decisive victory over evil through the Cross and the Resurrection. One day it will be final, and it is for that day we wait in hope.