Warner Bros. had their marketing machine in full swing upon the release of the newest Superman film and their efforts paid off as it was the biggest June opening in cinema history.
A sub-plot to this story popped-up that has left me with some mixed emotions:
Warner Bros employed Grace Hill Media, a public relations firm focused on the Christian market, to arrange screenings for pastors, supply churches with free film clips and even draft sermons that draw on themes in the film that can be given a Christian interpretation.
On one hand, I love the idea of contemporary media making its way into the Church and pastors being able to draw from pop culture to make eternal truths come alive. On the other hand, it feels really gross. Like the Church has been sold out and pastors have become Hollywood prostitutes, whoring out the pulpit:
“Superman’s mythical origins,” the sermon notes say, “are rooted in the timeless reality of a spiritual superhero who also lived a modest life until extraordinary times required a supernatural response. How might the story of Superman awaken our passion for the greatest hero who ever lived and died and rose again?”
What do you think about this?
[via The Telegraph | Image via IMDb]
ThatGuyKC says
While Hollywood’s motivation is money, in this situation I like the analogy. I never considered Superman as a modern day allegory for Christ until someone pointed it out.
While watching Man of Steel in theaters this idea was in the back of my mind and it brought a new level to the experience.
Eric Dye says
Yeah, this is cool. Thanks for bringing your personal experience to this. 🙂
Jeremy Sarber says
While I’m not surprised by the marketing efforts being directed toward pastors, I’m not how I feel about pastors jumping on the bandwagon.
I tried to articulate a few thoughts about this just yesterday.
I don’t object to pop culture references being made by pastors. But their primary role to teach the Word of God. If secular entertainment is to be used, it should be used on a limited basis to provide examples. I’d hate to see it employed the other way around. I have no desire to preach Superman. I’d rather preached Christ and him crucified.
Eric Dye says
I see you’re point. I’m not sure I would be comfortable if this became a regular trend.
Carl Franzon says
I’m with you Eric. Drawing on pop culture is great, though sometimes we stretch a bit too much. But, please don’t make the church an advertising vehicle for a movie. I, for one, very much dislike this latest version of pimp my church.
Eric Dye says
Yup, yup. A fine balance for sure.
Ben Miller says
I’m going to go with “gross.” Pastors should not sell product placement advertizing during a sermon, which is essentially what this is.
Eric Dye says
This is what I’m thinking, too. If this happened naturally, it would be cool. But considering how this particular example went down…
Jonathan Ober says
I love this idea. Mostly because I work in a teen environment and could see very easily the way that Superman could be used to even extend out the gospel message. Just think you go to the movie, which even had moments where it closely shows that Superman is a modern allegory to the story of Christ. In the comics he was always the boy with super strength, vision, speed, etc. and it wasn’t until he was in his 30s, as depicted in the comics and in the recent movie, that he needed to save the world. He was an alien, brought up by parents not his own. The scene in the church was for me the best laid out, but very overt, Superman is Jesus point. Sure it wasn’t subtly but for me I just wanted to turn to my neighbor in the theater and strike up a conversation about how awesome it is that there is a real savior for us and you and I can know him and trust in him.
Comics have always been about telling stories based on real life situations, from racism (X-men), to struggles of adolescents (Spider-Man), power and responsibility (Spider-Man and almost every hero story), taking care of those that do not have when you have materials beyond your needs (Batman and Iron Man). The list goes on. I think these are great.
Out youth pastor used a scene from Hunger Games when Katniss sacrificed herself for her sister as tribute. The same way that Jesus sacrificed himself for us to die on the cross to go in our place forever for our sins. We have used Lord of the Rings, Avengers, Horton Hears a Who and many more movies to go back to foundational realities that are within movies (Lord knows there are Christians in Hollywood that have gotten the message of Jesus in screenplays either subtly or overtly). I applaud this movement, as long as it continues to be based on Christian truths found in the Bible.
Eric Dye says
Right! I agree that leveraging this kind of stuff can be awesome, and even #EPIC; but don’t you think the way this was used as a marketing angle from the movies studio was a little, meh?
Jonathan says
I would venture that people had already heard about or made the decision to go see the movie before their pastor even promoted it in the sermon. I think it’s awesome that they were given the clips to use in their sermons. I know our pastors plan out services about 6 months to a year in advance. Obviously with some leeway for holiday specific things or occasions for ‘life situations’ to change up the service order. They would have needed to come to our church months ago to promote this properly, but other churches may not be that far with their planning.
I would be grateful for the clips and promo materials to be in hand as that means less prep and printing in house.