The British Church of England is allegedly hoping to take advantage of the popularity of the new Doctor Who TV series.
Whilst an entertaining show, some concern over concept versus context is warranted.
Tag Archives: DR WHO
Finale’s and Faith
Tonight in Australia is the Finale of the 2010 season of the reality show Masterchef. The popularity of the show and expected audience has even caused the televised Federal Election debate between the Prime Minister and leader of the opposition to be moved 1 hour earlier so that the two are not competing against each other for ratings.
Finale’s come with a high investment of expectation among viewers. This is when everything comes to an end and resolution. That is what is supposed to happen. Inevitably, there will be many unhappy with the outcome. Masterchef pundits and critics will cry foul that their favourite didn’t win or even whinge that their favourite is not one of the two finalists, having been ejected earlier in the season – unjustly so, they will assert.
The same levels of angst are experienced with fictional finale’s. When LOST recently concluded it’s seven season run over as many years, fans were chaffing for a satisfactory conclusion. “This is when all our questions will be answered.” So they thought! For some, it was a happy ending. Sentences started in earlier episodes and season came to end, plots twists were unraveled and the characters passed peacefully into our memories. For others, there was a feeling of being ripped off or short changed. They didn’t feel like their questions were answered.
I felt somewhat that way at the recent season’s end of Dr Who. The finale was spread over 2 weeks. There was considerable effort and skill brought to play to intertwine the (sometimes) disparate sub plot characters and themes into a highly anticipated conclusion. The show was brilliant, and possibly one of the best, not only of the new series but of the entire history of the show. {WARNING: ‘ere be spoilers…} The first part of the finale ends with the inevitable destruction of the entire universe and the hero locked inside an impenetrable prison. In the second part, using the wonderful paradox of science fiction and time travel, the hero is set free and the universe is saved. All of this is explained, consistently, within the mythology of the show. Except! In order to save the universe, the Doctor gives his life (a brilliant analogy for another time perhaps!). However, in the closing scene, without the characteristic explanation, the Doctor is brought back and the season closes with a set up to continue into the next. I still loved the episode, but did feel a little “meh” about how it concluded.
This is often the case with human conundrums. We are, it seems, much better at creating problems or dilemma’s, and asking questions than we are at coming up with answers and resolutions. But this doesn’t abate our appetite for the “finale“.
At Church today, we concluded a study of two Old Testament books, 1 & 2 Samuel. These books introduce us to David (i.e. he of the story involving the giant Goliath). The story commences with anticipation. A King is sought by the people and through the course of events, God raises up David as the chosen leader. This same David becomes the model to which all subsequent Kings will be measured. In fact the promised messiah and ultimate deliverer and saviour, Jesus, will be identified as “The Son of David“. As you read his story there is an expectation that it will reach some momentous crescendo. Yet, the end of the story is messy. So much so, that the last chapter records David’s greatest (in extent and consequence) failure. The close is an account of David realising his sin and responding to God’s mercy by offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
While this is David’s finale, it is not The finale of the Bible and certainly not yours or mine. If the story stopped there, there might be some justification for crying “foul“. Without the benefit of hindsight or being able to read ahead in the plot of our life, how do we unify our experience and achieve coherence in our reality?
The suggestion that Jesus of Nazareth is the fulfillment of Biblical expectations of a deliverer and a saviour has enormous implications. You can seek your answers in life as an end in itself. The view that life is an Aristotelian cycle of birth, growth, maturity and death in endless motion without necessary destination or goal. OR you could recognise that history, the unfolding of life is part of a journey that moves us towards a goal that results in joy, coherence and unity. When Jesus said he was the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega he was offering a finality, a rest, a restoration, a finale (if you will) in which he is the ultimate redemption of all things which exist.
When you say, “Jesus is Lord”, that he is God’s exclusive deliverer, hope and promise of life you become part of that redemptive finale restoration of our world. You offer to own your responsibilities and lay down your life with him.
If you follow him, you forsake all, you lose your life for his sake. He, in return gives us his eternal life, his Holy Spirit and a mission to go out teaching others the gospel and a share in his finale.
What is your finale going to look like?
Dr Who has Examples of Christian Symbolism
Or so the British Church of England is allegedly hoping.
Whilst an entertaining show, some concern over concept versus context is warranted.
Dr Who theme composer dead at 82
Just noticed this on news.com.au
“TRISTRAM Cary, the composer of the Dr Who theme tune and a pioneer of electronic music, has died in Adelaide aged 82.
…
He died last week at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.”
As a Dr Who – aphile I have many fond childhood memories of the haunting theme music of this (originally) kitsch and brilliant sci-fi series from BBC. I’ve also enjoyed the light entertainment provided by the new series.
