Theological Who



When I was told that SPCK in Bristol were organising an evening about Dr Who and Christian theology, I was there like a shot! Well done to Richard and all at SPCK.

The evening was with the authors of Back in Time: A Thinking Fan's Guide to Doctor Who. They spoke about the character of the Doctor, particularly looking at inclusivity and tolerance; the meaning of monsters, with a great little guide to the Daleks; and what Doctor Who has to say about human beings. Best of all we had clips from new and classic Doctor Who. Fantastic, as someone once said.

All of it was related to themes in Christianity. Mostly this was done well. There really are some clear links between the two: the Doctor's love of life in all its forms and his fearless championing of good over evil are both clear points of contact. Occasionally there were slips (I'm sure I detected Voltaire's famous saying that 'I disagree with you but will defend your right to say it' being attributed to the Bible), and sometimes the theology was too blunt (the Doctor is simply not as good as Jesus, apparently).

But on the whole, a really enjoyable (if cold) evening. I will have to check out Damaris (the publisher and an organisation seeking to connect Christianity and popular culture). Phil's review of Back in Time is also worth reading (while we're at it, his Greenbelt talk on The Spirituality of Doctor Who is also worth a look).

Finally, here's a gratuitous picture of Davros. Because you're worth it!

Comments

Phil C said…
I remember meeting Peter S. W. at the University of East Anglia some years ago and then again in Bristol. A very wise man with an excellent DVD collection, as I recall.

When, oh when, will I finally get to see The Christmas Invasion? (sigh)
1:08 am
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