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George Lucas, to my knowledge, has never made explicitly Christian claims for Star Wars. How would you compare his fantasy world with those of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien?

As you mentioned, the Lucas story is more theologically attuned with Hinduism. In Jedi mythology, the highest good is achieved by balancing light and dark, whereas Jedi Christians believe the highest good is achieved when darkness is defeated. In Jedi Christian lore, the dark side is not just the opposite of light, but is an unequal opponent of God, who, in Star Wars terms, is the Lord over the Force.

In Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, there is a ring over the other rings, and then there is a Lord of the Rings. The wizards Sauron and Gandalf represent the dark and light sides, but Tolkien's title reveals his Christian belief that above all the rings and all manner of powerful wizardry, there is a Lord of the Rings who rules over all, and who will bring history to a just and good conclusion. Tolkien said of his work, "The Lord of the Rings is a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; it is about God, and his sole right to divine honor."

Lewis also recognized the ultimate rule and authority of God over the "forces of good and evil." As Lewis put it, we must ultimately decide whether Jesus was a liar, a lunatic, or who he said he is, the Lord. The first chapter of Christian Wisdom of the Jedi Masters draws this important distinction between the Star War's Hindu, monistic worldview and Christianity, which teaches that there is one who is wholly other and Lord over all.

What are some key insights we can learn from the Jedi masters?

The progression of the aspiring Jedi involves recognizing the existence of the Force, then seeking, understanding, and using the force against the dark side. The progression in Christian discipleship involves recognizing that there is a Lord, then seeking, understanding, and serving the Lord, which involves a battle against the dark side.

Each chapter in Christian Wisdom of the Jedi Masters starts with a quote from Star Wars and then a quote from Scripture. For example, when Luke tries and fails to lift the X-wing Starfighter from the swamp, he says in exasperation, "I'm trying." Yoda replies, "Do or do not. There is no try." In the same way, Jesus challenged his followers to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. The serious disciple understands that following Jesus is not something you "try." Jesus is one you pursue without reservation and with no turning back. In the book, I expand on 41 of these parallel truths.

Why did you present Christian teaching in this way?

At Mars Hill, [the apostle] Paul quoted pagan poets and used the cultural icons of Greek culture to build a bridge to Christian truth. I came to faith in the '60s in San Francisco. Since that time, I've been trying to understand faith and culture and interpret each to the other. In preparation for this book, I reread each Star Wars script as well as a number of Star Wars resource books. I think correlation of faith with a popular cultural icon requires appreciating and respecting both. Because Star Wars is the prevailing epic filmic myth of our era, and Christianity is the prevailing faith tradition in the West, I think relating them to each other can help us understand both more fully. Sometimes in our important quest for propositional truth, we lose sight of the importance of imagination and metaphor. C.S. Lewis believed that "reason is the organ of truth and imagination is the organ of meaning." Metaphor helps us understand underlying truth, and my book explores the analogous metaphors of Star Wars and biblical truth.

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May (Web-only) 2005, Vol. 49