Theology and the Star Wars Universe (Theology, Religion, and Pop Culture) by Benjamin D. Espinoza

Theology and the Star Wars Universe (Theology, Religion, and Pop Culture) Reviews

• 
  Robert D. Cornwall

  I was completing my freshman year of college when the first Star Wars movie hit the screens. I watched it several times and cheered when Darth Vader went spinning out into space. I've continued to be a fan since then. I've seen all the movies, the original trilogy multiples of times. I've read many of the books. I've drawn on themes from the movies in sermons. Whether I lean more toward either Star Wars or Star Trek depends on the moment (probably Star Trek but I love both). I'm also a theologian by training, so I have an interest in that area as well. So, when the two come together, well I'm very happy.
  
  This volume is part of a larger series that explores the relationship between theology/religion and pop culture. I saw that there is one coming out on Star Trek so I will need to get a review copy of it as well. The idea here is to invite a series of religion/theology scholars to engage in conversation with a particular pop culture source. Here that is Star Wars. Star Wars has always provided intriguing theological/religious possibilities. After all, the Force has been interpreted in spiritual terms. As Benjamin Espinoza, the editor of the volume, points out in his introduction: "Analyzing Star Wars through the lens of religion, theology, or spirituality is unsurprising; with themes of hope, revenge, redemption, reconciliation, good and evil, and liberation deeply infused into the series, Star Wars is rife for theological analysis and engagement" (p. 2). There have been other attempts at this, so this isn't the first attempt. It is, overall, a scholarly engagement, but most of the essays are accessible to the non-specialist. Though we meet up with Augustine, Aquinas, and even Camus along the way.
  
  The opening chapter, written by biblical scholar and student of science fiction and fantasy, James McGrath, sets the stage for the conversation that follows. This is an extremely important chapter for those who are seeking to understand how the Star Wars universe fits together. He writes about canon, authority, and truth. Much recent conversation, since Disney took over ownership, has focused on what is canon and what is not. Of course, not everyone understands canon the way a biblical scholar (or historical theologian) does. As the original trilogy led to the creation of a host of books and new characters, such as Admiral Thrawn and Mara Jade, the fans began to envision further development of the story. Then came the prequels, which created holes in the story. More holes emerged with the sequels. In the end, the "canon" evolved, and since Disney, not the fans own the story they get to set the canon (just like the early church councils). James helpfully addresses these questions and more, making his essay a must-read.
  
  The essays are organized around three topics. So, with McGrath's opening essay serving as Part 1, Part II focuses on "Theologies of the Jedis." There are five chapters in this section of the book, covering topics such as the use of the force and violence, and comparing the Jedi with monks. There is an intriguing chapter on heroism, comparing the heroes of Hebrews 11 with those of Star Wars. We learn about the Sith and their relationship to the Jedi, and more.
  
  Part III provides five more chapters under the title "Political Theologies." I found Tim Posada's essay on the way Ahsoka Tano and Old Man Luke subverted the ancient religion. There is a chapter pondering a non-violent Luke, tracing his own trajectory from Niebuhrian Realism to Christian Nonviolence as revealed in "The Last Jedi." There is a chapter on the sentience of the droids, one on mysticism, and another on this whole question of bringing balance to the force (John C. McDowell).
  
  Finally, in Part IV, we ponder the relationship of Star Wars with Classical Thinkers. Considering that there is this polarity between light and dark, it should not surprise readers to encounter a conversation about the Manichaeans. Lyonhart brings Augustine's rejection of Manichaeism into the conversation as well. There is a chapter on Aquinas's account of hope as a lens to understand the emphasis of Star Wars on hope. There is a critique of the Force as an idea. Ruan Duns pushes back against the idea that the Holy Spirit and the Force are equivalent. Finally, Russell Johnson brings Albert Camus into conversation with Star Wars, especially in regard to the "anti-hero" message he perceives in "The Last Jedi," the penultimate movie in the sequels. He suggests that this film invites us to question "the nature and value of heroes." He notes that Luke asks Rey who she is. How does she fit in the story? The reality is, according to the storyline, at least to this point, she's nobody. She's not part of any discernable bloodline, and yet she's strong in the Force. So maybe the hope of the resistance isn't in the hero (Jedi Luke Skywalker) but in ordinary participants in the force, like Rey. Thus, Johson notes that "from this film, Christians should be reminded to not put saints on pedestals and overlook their failures. To do so is not only to falsify their lives, but to deprive ourselves of the witness of ordinary faith: (p. 215).
  
  As with any edited volume bringing together a number of contributors focusing on diverse topics, even if all relate to Star Wars, there will be some essays that interest some readers more than others. Quality can be different from one to the next. But overall, this is an intriguing volume. I was especially interested in how the essayists engaged the sequels, especially "The Last Jedi." Again, McGrath's essay is worth reading closely. As he writes in his concluding paragraphs, regarding canon, "Star Wars and the Bible both reflect efforts to define a unified official canon, and both offer evidence that such efforts confront seemingly insurmountable difficulties that emerge from the diversity of the material that canonization efforts seek to tame and control." (p. 19). Indeed!