When cultures such as ours toss Jesus out one door, He comes in albeit disguised through another. That's why author Jim Papandrea turned to Star Wars, Star Trek, The Matrix, Terminator, Spider-Man, Batman, Dr. Who, and half-a-dozen other modern shows, discovering in each one powerful images of Christ and salvation.Nor is that surprising.In stories of alternative universes, people always need rescuing; somebody needs to save the day; and sometimes the whole world cries out for a savior . . . which is just what a hero is.About the heroes of some of the most popular sci-fi stories of all time, author Papandrea here answers questions that concern Christians who are also Trekkies, Whovians, Matrix Dwellers, or aficionados of popular science fiction: What kind of "Christ-figure" is the hero of this story, and what does that say about the show s vision of Christ, humanity and salvation?In the interest of being scientific, Papandrea even gives each hero a Numerical Orthodoxy Score based on the description of Christ in the Nicene Creed, Christianity's common definition of orthodoxy.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 WomanHere you'll read about:The pervasive Christian imagery in Doctor WhoStar Trek s predicted "death of God" Free-will: the stumbling block in the first MatrixThe crucifixion of Spider-ManWhy 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 guiltyThe tomb scene in the Fifth Element: it s not the resurrection we needMatter vs. Spirit in Tron: gnostic to the coreThe anti-Christian bias of Planet of the ApesWhy the Force in Star Wars is no analogy to Grace or the Holy SpiritThe Star Wars Christ figure: Obi-Wan? Luke? Or even, ultimately, Darth VaderWhat Heaven is understood to be in the LOST universeTime travel as incarnation in The Terminator: a compelling analogyRegeneration as resurrection in Doctor Who: Is it Christ-like?How Pleasantville reverses the dynamism of the FallThe baptismal significance of the plane crash in LOSTPleasantville: a twisted version of EdenThe incarnation of the Christ-figure in Planet of the ApesTron's parallels between Christianity and the Roman Empire. . . and much more about other science fiction and superhero shows!Christians who enjoy popular culture will greet this fun book with interest and acclaim.
✔ Author(s): James L. Papandrea
✔ Title: From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films
✔ Rating : 4.6 out of 5 base on (39 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: 1622823885
✔ ISBN-13: 9781622823888
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
Readers' opinions about From Star Wars to Superman by James L. Papandrea
Jillian Neel
The way the author handled complex emotions and relationships was remarkable. I felt deeply connected to the characters, and their growth throughout the story was both inspiring and moving.
Daphne Garner
I couldn't stop raving about this book to my friends and family. It's a literary gem that deserves all the praise. I can't wait to dive into more works by this talented author.
Polly Hurlbutt
The characters in this book felt like old friends, and I was sad to say goodbye to them at the end. It's a testament to the author's talent for creating memorable and relatable personas.
