There are major dates that hit our calendars that shape us—Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day, personal birthdays, anniversaries, among others. Each of these has great significance, whether that be religious, familial, or personal, and we remember these dates because of their formative or time-marking value. May 4 may be such a date for some people, but for the populace it probably is not as important as the dates listed above.
In pop culture, this day has gained popularity as Star Wars Day. This is not because a significant anniversary is being celebrated, rather it is because of the date May Fourth, or as the phrase goes: “May the Fourth be with you,” a play on the movies’ quote, “may the Force be with you.” The pun has origins before Star Wars connected to Margaret Thatcher being sworn in as the Prime Minister of England (“May the Fourth Be with You, Maggie. Congratulations.”). Star Wars fandom has popularized the phrase taken and Disney (Star Wars’ parent company) has used the date frequently for promotional purposes. So, it is a significant date if you are a Star Wars fan, but for the rest the pun can make you smirk but then ask: “What really is the big deal with Star Wars?”
The Birth of a Galaxy
On another May date, May 25, 1977, the world was introduced to a new movie that defined a culture for generations to come. That movie was entitled Star Wars. It was later entitled, Episode IV: A New Hope. This was the brainchild of George Lucas, who had envisioned a Space Opera that would tell that classic tale of good versus evil while introducing the world to his vision for cinematic visual effects through his company Industrial Light & Magic. Surprisingly, theaters underestimated the popularity of the movie. It was slowly released across the nation as interest grew, leading to a second release in 1978 that would gross over $10 million. Clearly an empire was born.
Since 1977, the world has come to know the world of Star Wars. Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie were immediately household names. Two more movies would be released in subsequent years, completing the original trilogy (The Empire Strikes Back [1980] and Return of the Jedi [1983]). T-shirts, action figures, lunch boxes, and other merchandise took over the 1980s and people were often found quoting the movies in just about any context:
“I find your lack of faith disturbing.”
“Help me Obi-Wan, you’re my only hope.”
“Do or do not, there is no try.”
“Never tell me the odds. “
“It’s a trap!” and,
“May the Force be with you.”
Clearly the movies transcended the silver screen and took over culture. Two other trilogies, spin off movies and series, books, and related media were created. Star Wars became a global juggernaut. But the deeper question remains: why did it strike such a chord?
The answer to this question might not come directly from Star Wars itself, but from the engagement into something deeper and higher that the genre of fantasy provides us. That something can be defined as “myth,” which cultures have engaged since the beginning of humanity. A closer engagement with myth will help us understand and appreciate the impact of Star Wars. This recognition of myth also has an important connection for Christians, for the themes that arise have a connection to truth and are avenues for wisdom and knowledge.
Myth and Fantasy
In today’s culture, when we hear the word “myth” we often attach to it concepts of falsehood or something to be debunked. In this sense, myths should be avoided for they draw us away from truth. This is not how it has always been. In the ancient times muthos, or myth, was a means to understand truth. If we think in terms of allegories or poetic license, these stories allow our minds to comprehend things that are beyond understanding. They can function as imprecise media for contemplating the metaphysical—that is, that which is beyond our own perceivable world. Empirical data should shape our minds and guide our understanding of truth. But we cannot understand all that exists around us. A solely empirical approach makes humans the arbiters of truth—something we are not equipped to be.
The role of myth can help express metaphysical concepts about the world, reality, and the divine. Humans have used this media for millennia. The genre of fantasy engages the same metaphysical storytelling that the ancients, such as Homer or Plato, used to philosophically query what is true. If our enlightened minds think that the usage of myth has left our scientific world, then I might ask why does humanity keep looking to the genre. For in the last 100 years, we have engaged in some of the biggest myths in human history. Star Wars is one of these stories, but so are Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Marvel, DC, and Narnia. These stories invoke in us more than entertainment. They invite us to imagine humanity without limitations but in doing so reminds us of our finitude.
They help us see that in traversing Mordor on the way to Mount Doom, good will defeat evil and we are reminded of hope. In approaching a divine figure like Aslan, we are reminded that there are powers above and beyond us to which we must submit. These examples point to the role and effect of myth and fantasy. The stories allow us to engage in concepts and ideas that are not constrained to the physical world we know. They allow us to ask questions about reality that empirical data cannot provide. For the pure materialists these are merely fictional stories that entertain, but for others they are an invitation to ponder more deeply that which is above and beyond.
Fantasy and Christianity
For the Christian concerned with truth over falsehood, myth or fantasy may offer very little, especially if we approach the subject from a Modern perspective. They appear to be stories set in fiction with no connection to truth, and for some, they appear antithetical to the mission of the Church. I would affirm this latter move. Fantasy is not true. There is no Middle Earth, Narnia, or an Empire in a galaxy far, far away. These are just stories. We should not extrapolate more from them than what they can offer us. They are not sources for theology or ethics, let alone guidebooks for life.
At the same time, fantasy and myth can provide helpful engagement for the Christian. These stories operate as allusions and thought experiments for finite humans to consider larger, and often, more difficult truth claims. For example, we confess that God is immortal and invisible, two attributes that humans cannot claim for themselves nor completely understand. God is too great for us to express adequately. But this should not stop us from trying to understand Him nor should we simply punt to mystery. Rather, we express the finitude of our existence and the fallibility of our expressions as we constantly try to know Him better (Phil 3). As Christians, we primarily do this through Scripture. The Bible is the source for our theology and ethics; all other sources must submit to God’s special revelation to us. Subservient sources—creation, history, reason, experience, and culture—aid in theological and moral formation, but must be rightly ordered.
As we consider the wonderful and deep things of God we need to conceive of things beyond the empirical world that we can touch, see, and examine. Poetry, literature, and especially fantasy and myth are an avenue to express some of these thoughts. Again, ordered correctly, these stories can help open our imagination for greater clarity to the deep biblical truths of our faith.
Coming back to an example from Star Wars, we can rightly reject the idea of “the Force.” Its religious and metaphysical implications do not come from a Christian worldview. Yet the idea it conveys—reality beyond the physical—is grounded in the Christian worldview. Thus, the myth allows us to explore these greater metaphysical conceptions.
We could also look to the virtuous nature of these stories. The storyline of Star Wars proclaims that good always triumphs over evil. We see this when Anakin defeats the Emperor (and Darth Vader), when Obi-wan strikes down Maul (again), and when Ray and Ben defeat the Emperor (again …). Contemporary re-storying that challenges this truth does not resonate with the viewer because myth and fantasy accord with a reality that is hard to express. Questioning the ethics of destroying everyone on the Death Star, the power struggles in politics in every age, or even the plurality of truth claims, is rejected because myth needs to align with some sense of reality that humans experience. Even when that story is a tragedy, as in the ending of Rogue One, the viewer is not merely entertained, rather they are reminded of the hope that truth ultimately will overcome falsehood. Goodness overcomes evil.
Conclusion
Whether you knew May 4 was Star Wars Day or not, I hope that you have had an opportunity to consider how myth or fantasy can aid our understanding of reality both around us and beyond us. We do not look to Star Wars, Middle Earth, or Narnia as the structure from which our worldview exists. Rather, these stories help us find clarity in our Christian worldview. Rethink these stories with your faith. Ask yourself where and when they provide clarity for what you believe and what you do not believe. Use them in apologetics and evangelistic engagements. And remember, we do not have to do this just on May the Fourth, we can do it all days (including May the Sith…).
