Celebrating Star Wars Day in Church

April 29, 2014 by 8 Comments

Star Wars Day (May the Fourth Be With You) falls on a Sunday this year. One congregation has decided to mark the occasion with a Star Wars themed service. I am disappointed to say that the congregation in question isn’t my own, but I have no one to blame for that but myself!

Apparently this happens once every 10 years. I hope to be ready next time – and perhaps we can do something to mark the occasion in my Sunday school class. I’ve sometimes thought that we could have a class permanently dedicated to theological reflection on science fiction. I think some would love that. But it wouldn’t be for everyone.

Have you ever been to a Star Wars or other sci-fi themed religious service? If so, what was your impression of it?

Please note that, if May the 4th is Star Wars Day, the day after it is…Revenge of the Fifth! :-)

 

Filed Under: Christianity, Star Wars Tagged With: , , , , , , , 8 Comments
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  • http://nwrickert.wordpress.com/ Neil Rickert

    LOL.

    “May the Fourth Be With You”

    I had not heard of that one.

    • Josh Brown

      How’s life under that rock?

  • http://caveat1ector.wordpress.com/ Hydroxonium

    “Revenge of the 5th” … mere coincidence? I think not.
    lol

  • http://tunabay.com/ Keika

    Wait a minute! A secret transmission, brought at great cost by Rebel spies has arrived. It seems that Dr. McGrath and Darth Vader have sung a DUET and it has just been posted on YouTube! It’s an unlisted video and only visitors to Exploring Our Matrix can find it. Long live the Rebellion!

    http://youtu.be/axRU_4fDbq8

    • http://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionprof/ James F. McGrath

      That’s wonderful! :-)

      • http://tunabay.com/ Keika

        Actually my first thought was Vader lip-syncing to your superb rendition. And then just Vader speaking the words to the music with his resonate bass voice. But he said he could do a Barry Gibb falsetto overdub to your music and I guess it works. Sadness all about, as the actors have been cast for Episode VII, and I didn’t get a role to play.

  • Semper Reformanda

    As a Christian who also happens to be a Star Wars fan I find this extremely disgusting. The Lord’s Day is for worshiping God in spirit and in truth, not for entertainment. We are to sing praises to God, not entertain man with the Imperial March! I don’t care how you try to tie it in, this is false worship!

    Leviticus 10:1-2
    Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.

    • http://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionprof/ James F. McGrath

      Including the Imperial March is a great idea. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it. It could be just like those other secular tunes to which some of the Psalms in the Bible were set, according to their headings.

      Seriously, why do you view this as a Leviticus 10 scenario rather than an Acts 17 one?


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