Thanks, Qwill!
As part of my continuing education, I am taking a class about preaching. In preparation for this class, we have been asked to come prepared to talk about “your favorite character from literature or pop culture”. And I’ve been struggling to get it down to one. There are so many fascinating characters cooked up by authors. I don’t like all of them, but I also find that they teach us various theological or moral lessons. These examples teach us in that manner- how to be or not be. Most things are not written as parables, but why not learn from the action (or inaction) of a character in fiction?
Some characters teach us important lessons about how to include someone in the kingdom without trying to change them. For me, this is illustrated in Tacky the Penguin. My favorite penguin from pop culture? It’s a toss up between Tacky the penguin and the “penguin” from Wallace and Gromit. But for moral lessons, Tacky wins hands down. Tacky is not asked to change who he is, but the others change as they learn to appreciate the oddities and quirks of their neighbor. It is a sort of solipsism that is uncommon, even among people of faith. Allowing someone to be themselves is one of the hardest parts of loving our neighbor as ourselves. We seek people who conform to our ideals, rather than expanding the circle ever wider to make space for them as their authentic selves. The other penguin disguises himself as a chicken and is… a criminal. A hardened, unapologetic, cold-blooded, criminal. In Wallace and Gromit, there has been more than one instance of reform, personal growth, and boundary setting that does include welcoming in someone who has wronged you. Maybe both teach about including people in the kingdom.
Some characters show us how to respond to great evil with grace and understanding. My favorite detective? I’m still deciding between Hercule Poirot and Nancy Drew. I love how Poirot is all about using his “little grey cells” to solve mysteries. It is about brain power, paying attention to the smallest detail, and in one memorable tale, justice. Nancy Drew uses many of the same traits- brain power, paying attention, but also has a willingness to help others that takes her to many different places and stuck doing many different odd jobs. And yet, as a moral exemplar, none of these hold a candle to Father Brown. I’m not sure how G. K. Chesterton wrote the man, but I know how he is presented in TV adaptations. In TV adaptations, when presented with murderers and thieves, Father Brown offers grace and redemption. He offers to keep the secrets of those who have done wrong, but also encourages them to turn themselves in and face the punishment for their crimes. He reminds them that God always forgives. He pleads with them to save their souls, even if their lives, as they know them, must change as a consequence for their actions.
There is another detective that I have referenced here. James Mackintosh Qwilleran of the Cat Who books. He is a journalist, turned billionaire, who writes a twice weekly column entitled the Qwill Pen. It is a thousand words about… anything. I will openly admit that he is the inspiration for many of my articles. Given a topic, can I write a thousand words on it? And as this is in my professional capacity, can I turn those topics towards God, the church, or the life of the faithful?
Others still show us how and when to break the rules. Doctor Who, imperfect and full of plot holes as it is, also includes moral lessons that turn toward the theological. What is the value of a human life? Should we want to have eternal life if it comes without eternal youth? In all of time and space, is there someone who isn’t, at least a little bit, important? Is life worth the living if all the bad things outweigh the good? Can you negotiate with someone who is intent on destroying you? Does someone always have to sacrifice themselves for the day to be won? Science-Fiction, as a general rule, asks important questions about what it means to be human. In the church we also ask this, but in the specific vein of what does it mean to be a follower of Christ? Many draw inspiration from Star Wars to look at their faith. And as we approach May 4th, aka Star Wars day, it is a good time to remember that many of the characters in Star Wars are worth examining. People who stand up to oppression, like Leia Organa; people who sacrifice themselves for others, like Obi Wan Kenobi; and people who learn the lessons the hard way, like Luke Skywalker. (That last one isn’t Christlike.)
No matter what genre you choose, there are characters that have Christlike traits. Much like the good guys in old westerns tend to be morally pure (up until the introduction of the morally gray hero), we want to see ourselves in the hero of a story. This isn’t so much about being the main character, but about being someone, who when the time is right, does the right thing and saves the day. We want our gifts, graces, and wisdom to be useful. Friends, we do not have to be a character in a story, we don’t need to be superheroes. There is an incredible act of defiance in the face of tyranny to be people who choose goodness and mercy on a daily basis. Being like Christ is not always easy, but if we can learn to do so from our favorite characters in literature and pop culture, then do it. If you learn from those in your community, real people found in biographies and biopics, then do that. If you learn how to be like Christ from Scripture, that is an excellent way too. No matter where or how you learn to be like Christ, the more important part is to live it.
