“Star Wars is seemingly self-aware of its role as the new religious storyteller”

Star Wars is seemingly self-aware of its role as the new religious storyteller. The people in Star Wars: The Force Awakens have heard the stories of the Jedi and Luke Skywalker, but they are skeptical and jaded. They don’t believe in the Force. Han Solo is a bridge between Luke Skywalker and the new heroes of the Resistance. When Rey asks incredulously if the Jedi were real, Han says: “I used to wonder that myself. Thought it was a bunch of mumbo-jumbo-magical power holding together good, evil, the dark side and the light. Crazy thing is, it’s true. The Force, the Jedi, all of it. It’s all true.”

Like the Prophets of ancient Israel, Han Solo is preaching faith and trust in the wisdom of the past. His audience does not believe, just like he did not believe. But now, years later and years wiser, Han is inspiring an important sense of wonder in others. To my eyes, Star Wars looks and feels like our ancient religious stories.

Eliyahu Fink, “Hollywood is the New Religion: And That’s a Good Thing”, The Wisdom Daily (3 February 2016) [http://thewisdomdaily.com/hollywood-new-religion-good-thing/]