A Recourse to Reason and Intuition in the Secularization Thesis
According to the secularization thesis, the
rise in secularism in the west is thought to have heralded the mutation and
evolution of theological references and Christ-like figures in media as “a
legitimate pop culture phenomenon” (Koslovic [0]). In a somewhat
post-structuralist recoil against this thesis, Christopher Deacy argues that
“simply because theological motifs can be discerned in unconventional places
does not mean that the quest for cinematic Christ-figures is an intellectually
and theologically legitimate undertaking” ([2]). “Finally”, I thought, when reading Deacy, “a
recourse to reason and intuition in the secularization thesis”.
Deacy’s argument is premised on the notion
that it is misleading to describe a character as a Christ-figure or preponder
the Christological motifs in contemporary cinema because it is not certain what
this “legitimate pop culture phenomenon” is all about ([4], Koslovic [0]). His
premise opens the conceptual domain to question the very application of
Christ-like criterion to a character, and perhaps more broadly even, average
people, without discrediting the validity and merit of the work of the
secularization theorists. Although not expressly stated by Deacy, his questioning
of this ‘phenomenon’ opens the discursive space to not only question the
normative application of distinct (and in some cases very superficial)
criterion to determining the ‘Christ-like’ nature of something, but the purpose
of identifying a ‘Christ-like’ figure in media in the first place.
My own intuition is that considering the
‘Christ-like’ nature of a character in a popular film in no way validates the
secularization thesis any more than considering the ‘Christ-like’ nature of my
friend Eilish, a staunch atheist but highly charitable, compassionate girl, means that she indicates the return of the Messiah. All it shows is that we are searching for
figures like Christ in our readings of modern popular phenomenon. This is far
from saying that modern popular phenomenon in fact represents Christ-like
figures. It is simply a reading, and texts by no stretch, are stable in their
meaning.
The increasing popularity of this kind of
literature itself, rather than the media it explores, is perhaps the greatest
validation of the thesis. What the work of secularization theorists shows then
is that there is an audience that is searching for the characteristics of
Christ as modern examples of behavior. It shows that these characteristics are
universalisable and a solid foundation for ways of living and loving in a
virtuous way. It shows that we, as humans, aspire to this virtue.
I agree that there is a danger in
stretching our conception of Christ to cover characters in pop phenomena for
want of doing “an injustice both to Christianity and to the films in question”
(Deacy [4]; Lyden 24). Applying an ultimately arbitrary criterion of likeness
to Christ does not further the relevance of a film to a contemporary audience
nor does it enhance our understanding of Christ. On the other hand, tracking
the popularity of films that feature characters who have traits similar to
Christ, and audience reaction to such characters, reveals much about what
society does or does not admire in an aspirational, virtuous figure. The
secularization thesis literature suggests that a Christ-like figure is still as
predominant a guide for virtue and compassion today as he was when he lived.
References
Deacy,
Christopher. Reflections on the Uncritical Appropriation of Cinematic
Christ-Figures: Holy Other or Wholly Inadequate? Journal of Religion and
Popular Culture, 13, Summer. <http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art13-reflectcinematicchrist.html>
Kozlovic, Anton
Karl. 2004. “The Structural Characteristics of the Cinematic Christ-figure.” Journal
of Religion and Popular Culture 8, Fall. <www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art8-cinematicchrist.html>
Lyden, John C.
2003. Film as Religion: Myths, Morals and Rituals. New York: New York
University Press.
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