Click here to listen to this episode about superheroes, heresies, and the origins of Christian rock on iTunes.
So what do Superman, Captain America, Professor X, and Jesus Christ all have in common? According to the canonical accounts of their lives, each one has been raised from the dead. So why is it that, even in fiction, humans yearn for heroes who die and return to life? That’s one of the questions that apologist and bestselling author Timothy Paul Jones explores in this episode with cohost Garrick Bailey and guest Todd Miles. In the second half, Garrick and Timothy go digging for God’s truth in the music of Larry Norman, the father of Christian rock and someone that Garrick didn’t know about until recently. This week’s dilemma from the Infinity Gauntlet leads to a deadly duel between Jedi Master Yoda and Gandalf the White.
In this Episode about Resurrection and Superheroes
Todd Miles, Ph.D., is professor of theology at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. He is the author of the B&H Academic titles Superheroes Can’t Save You (2018) and A God of Many Understandings? (2010). Follow Todd on Twitter at @TL_Miles.
Questions to Discuss about Resurrection and Superheroes
1. In Infinity War, Rocket Raccoon asks Thor about his brother Loki who has just died. Thor’s reply is, “Well, he’s been dead before” which is a reminder of how frequently death is temporary in comic-book universes. What are some of the best comic-book resurrection stories?
2. Why is there a recurrent theme of sacrifice, death, and resurrection in the comic books?
3. How might the rise of secularity reshape superhero stories now and in the future?
Links to Click
Superheroes Can’t Save You: book by Todd Miles
A God of Many Understandings?: book by Todd Miles
The Gospel According to Superheroes: book with foreword by Stan Lee (Google Preview)
Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?: book by Greg Thornbury
The Great American Novel: song by Larry Norman
Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?: song by Larry Norman
Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus?: song by Larry Norman
Jesus Sound Explosion: vinyl LP recorded at Explo ’72
How to Make Three Chords and the Truth More Amazing than It Already Is
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The Closing Credits
Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship.
Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly.
Brief excerpts of music played in the second half of each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. “The fair use of a copyrighted work … for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, … scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright” (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).
