By Anton C. Vrame, PhD
The Borrowed
The second level of religion in popular media has two related dimensions. We can see pieces that are not based on a “religious source” or those that use “religious ideas” extensively. Babette’s Feast is a story about a Christian community by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) that was beautifully adapted into a movie. Many of the ideas it presents are deeply theological (and it includes perhaps one of the best examples I have ever seen of what happens at a Divine Liturgy), but the text itself is a work of fiction. So are many of the stories of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Kazantzakis, some of which have been turned into films and plays, whether in their original form or retold for a contemporary audience.
Popular entertainment also borrows religious ideas to make a point, such as the Spiderman example. Unless you are familiar with crucifixion imagery, you might not understand the pose or even notice it. The music of Mumford and Sons uses the language of religion to describe broken relationships and life’s difficulties, such as the lyrics “You were made to meet your maker” in the song “Awake My Soul” and “Be more like the man you were made to be” in “Sigh No More.
Science fiction regularly borrows religious concepts and inserts them in the unfamiliar world or scenarios, sometimes in surprising ways. An example from the 1990s that I always like was the character Worf in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” As a Klingon, Worf was deeply religious, participating in rituals of his religion, and he would even visit monasteries. More recently, religion was a major theme of “Battlestar Galactica,” which pitted a polytheist human culture against self-aware monotheist androids. (Beyond that, the show’s robots were even reincarnated aboard a so-called Resurrection ship!)
The Allegorical
A third level would be those elements of popular culture that are seemingly not religious at all but lead us to explore themes from a religious perspective. Themes that can make a powerful story are deeply theological, such as justice, redemption, reconciliation and sacrifice. An example is the “The Truman Show,” which starred Jim Carrey. The film doesn’t include anything obviously religious-there is no church, no mention of faith-but the story is about the main character’s search for his “true self.” When we look at Truman’s quest through a theological lens, the film becomes a profound story about personhood. The film “Raging Bull,” about boxer Jake LaMotta, ended with the reference to John 9:24-26 and the phrase, “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” But only after some thought do we begin to see the message of the film that ties it to the Gospel. It may seem odd at first, but God is present even when religion is absent, and popular culture can make us grapple with this reality.
For centuries Christians have created and read many literary and artistic works designed for popular audiences-the masses-to teach and reflect on matters of religious faith and move them toward a deeper experience and understanding of their relationship with God. With careful study, we can continue this time-honored practice as we create and read or watch the “texts” of our day.
Anton C. Vrame, PhD, is Director of the Department of Religious Education. Article taken from PRAXIS, Spring 2011, Vol. 10, Issue 3: “Pop Culture”.
