At first glance, Star Wars appears to be a fictional world built with religion and religious ethos: The Jedi live an ascetic lifestyle (much like Jesus, the Qumran community, Buddhist monks, and other religious orders), they dress kind of like Franciscan monks, they have a temple to gather in, they are guided by prophecy, and await deliverance to a better era by a "chosen one" figure; and let's not forget, Anakin Skywalker is literally the product of a virgin birth. Yet, probe a little deeper and you find most of that world building is only surface-level, falling apart under scrutiny. In this episode, join us as we ask Dr Andrew Mark Henry, What, if anything, does Star Wars have to offer those of us interested in religion? And how could George Lucas have created a better realized narrative? Our conversation focuses on the third installment in the Star Wars saga, Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) - featuring the only failed "chosen one" of our season. 

For a glossary of key terms, as well as a list of suggested articles, books, and videos on Star Wars and religion, head on over to the episode page on our website: www.godsandmoviemakers.com

Episode Credits:

Many thanks to Dr Andrew Mark Henry for his time and expertise.

Andrew is a scholar of early Christianity with a research focus on late Roman magical practices and demonology. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Mind and Culture, a non-profit research centre in Boston, MA. Andrew also manages Religion for Breakfast, a hugely popular YouTube channel dedicated to online religious literacy education. You can find Andrew on Twitter @AndrewMarkHenry

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