Ever since Star Wars debuted in 1977, children and adults around the world have been fascinated with the Force, a quasi-spiritual concept that bears resemblance to certain Christian beliefs.
What was George Lucas trying to do when he included the Force in his fictional Star Wars universe? Was he trying to draw a parallel to a Christian understanding of the world?
Spiritual, not but personal
George Lucas explained once in an interview, “I put the Force into the movies in order to try to awaken a certain kind of spirituality in young people.” He wanted children to discover the existence of a spiritual world in their life and to see that there is more to this earth than the eye can see.
That certainly is a praiseworthy goal, but is the Force that he depicted in his movies a Christian spirituality?
Here are some of the most common quotes that describe the Force:
"It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together." - Obi-wan Kenobi
"I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me." - Chirrut Îmwe
"I used to wonder about that myself. Thought it was a bunch of mumbo jumbo: a magical power holding together good and evil, the dark side and the light. Crazy thing is...it’s true. The Force, the Jedi. All of it. It’s all true." - Han Solo
Luke Skywalker: "What do you see?"
Rey: "The island. Life. Death and decay, that feeds new life. Warmth. Cold. Peace. Violence."
Luke Skywalker: "And between it all?"
Rey: "Balance and energy. A force."
Luke Skywalker: "And inside you?"
Rey: "Inside me, that same force."
One of the most defining features of the Force is that it is an "energy field," that can be felt inside of you, and between all living creatures.
This description of a spiritual reality that binds everything together might seem similar to our Christian view of God, but in reality, it is something else entirely.
For example, we not only believe that God is present in his creation, but also that he is a Person, with a name and even a face. The Force is never described in personal terms, but only in vague "nameless" descriptions. This is an important distinction, as we believe that God has a personal love for us, something that the Force could never have for any living thing.
Furthermore, another aspect of the Force that is unlike a Christian understanding of God is the belief that good and evil are present in the Force. When it comes to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, evil does not abide in good.
So while there may be some similarities between the Force and a Christian understanding of God, there are more differences that we should keep in mind.
