A Father’s Day Reflection

Luke, I am your father.—Darth Vader

I don’t typically consult Hollywood for my theology, but sometimes Hollywood forces us to confront our Christian theology. Case in point: Star Wars.

A cultural moment ignited with Star Wars:The Empire Strikes Back.The iconic scene came when Luke Skywalker discovered that Darth Vader, his archenemy, was his father. Luke’s “Nooooo!” reverberated around the world, like the howl of a mortally wounded animal, a pain many people felt viscerally.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, friends of Luke’s father, helped Luke navigate this shock. They became his mentors, a story archetype, pivotal to advancing a story. A mentor guides, encourages, motivates, equips, and urges the Hero to overcome his resistance and accept a call to adventure. A Mentor can be a parent, teacher, author, pastor, friend, animal, or alien, like Yoda. Or the Hero reaches within for a source of inspiration (e.g., Simba in The Lion King). Above all, the Mentor prepares the Hero for the unknown. The Mentor has walked the path the Hero is about to walk. The Mentor knows the passwords, the potholes, and the locations of the oases.

Star Wars theology clashes with biblical theology, but the film offers helpful images to understand the Mentor and another story dynamic, Atonement with the Father. This is story jargon for a universal story pattern. In this dynamic, the Hero must reconcile with the ultimate power in his or her life—a father, a power structure, or authority figures—dead, alive, or absent.

Hollywood recognizes the dramatic potential of this universal conflict and films often depict it as a father/son conflict. Luke Skywalker is its poster child. A female example would be Pride and Prejudice, which is not just a romance story. Elizabeth must resolve her core conflict: a passive father in control of her future and a society that failed to recognize women as heirs. Mr. Bennet’s inaction leaves his women in a precarious social and financial predicament. We see an example of a good but flawed father who loved his family but was unable to muster the will to provide for them.

Now Switch Your Brain

In Scripture, Atonement with the Father is a core Christian doctrine. It describes reconciliation with God through Jesus’s death for our sins. While the father/son conflict is prominent in film, Hollywood doesn’t recognize God. But the father/son theme is prominent in the Bible—a signpost to Jesus. It prepares us to notice the Father/Son relationship of Jesus as a human in his relationship with the Father. This is the model we shoot for.

Jesus’s relationship with the Father was the core foundation of his life. Let’s take a look.

Jesus’s and the Father

Jesus came as a biological male whom the Father called Son. As a Hebrew, Jesus would have understood the father/son relationship as one requiring absolute obedience and allegiance. Hardly a contemporary culture mindset.

Jesus’s life on earth centered on his relationship with the Father. When he calls us, we meet a supreme authority who introduces himself as Father. What happens if our experience with a father triggers trauma reactions? How likely are we to engage with this God?

If you’re feeling squeamish, you will understand the difficulty of this stage. You may be wrestling with this issue yourself. It is almost unavoidable on your Hero’s Journey. And this issue in no way demands excusing an abuser or living with one. When our fathers or leaders are toxic, or we find ourselves in an abusive situation, it’s time to seek trusted counselors and friends for help. Toxic fathering is not God’s intention for fathers and fathering. But not all fathers are toxic or abusive.

Our Ordinary Worlds have shaped how we imagine and think about fathers, influencing how we perceive God the Father, leadership, and authority figures. The subject can be incendiary when we butt up against two hot-button cultural issues: the patriarchy and gender fluidity. We’ve not culturally resolved either issue yet, but we can resolve issues with our relationship with the Father. We can examine the cultural imprint on us and compare it to the Father’s imprint on us. Where are there gaps? Otherwise, will we accept a God who calls us by name? Who knows us? And who desires allegiance and obedience?

Maybe we need a cultural moment—a mass Atonement with the Father. Or at least a detox. How about a baby step instead?

We can start with an examination of conscience. Since it’s also Sabbath, we can ask, “What do I need to cease from in my relationship with you, Father?” Let him speak into the question.

You could ask the same question of other relationships: What do I need to cease from with my father? With authority figures?

Ask the Spirit to lead you into all truth and wisdom. If nothing is immediately apparent, invite the Spirit to continue speaking on it, on his timetable.

But if he does nudge you in a direction, do whatever he tells you to do.

I’ll be back next month with a personal story.

Blessings to fathers, grandfathers, spiritual fathers, mentors, and our Father God.