On November 8, 2011, Jesuit’s Star Wars and Theology Department put on an excellent presentation displaying the correlation between the Star Wars film franchise and Catholic theology. The presentations took place in Hughes Hall during the 4th, 5th, and 6th period lunches in front of a packed crowd of students and faculty.
A theology teacher showed clips from some of the Star Wars movies. After watching a clip the presenter and audience discussed their thoughts about the scene and compared it to their understanding of Catholic theology.
One clip was a scene in which Luke Skywalker crashed his ship into a swamp and thought he was stuck. When he approached Yoda with his problem, the guru told Luke to “use the force,” a line used throughout the Star Wars films.
After the clip ended, the presenter explained that “using the force” related to people using their faith when things were tough or they needed help. Throughout the presentation the audience learned a lot about how George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, incorporated lessons about people’s faith and religion.
One example of Lucas’ symbolism is the motto of the rebels: “May the Force be with you.” The audience learned that the motto related to people’s faith always needing to be with them in good times and in bad.
The Star Wars and Theology club truly did a tremendous job on this presentation. After the presentation had ended, a group of students in attendance commented: “The presentation was an awesome experience and taught us a lot about how Star Wars can teach us lessons about our faith.” Another pair of watchers added, “We are glad we attended, because we learned a lot.”
Most who attended the presentation gave excellent remarks and reviews and were very happy they attended the presentation. After the successful lunch seminars, Jesuit students hope the Star Wars and Theology club will continue to put on these presentations.
