MARVEL(ous) Faith

Action heroes

For many, it is the moment of a long story. The Almighty Thor is seemingly defeated, the villain Thanos driving an ax into his chest, when the blessed hammer Mjolnir flies in from nowhere to thwart Thanos. The hammer flies back to the waiting hand of… Captain America, Steve Rogers!… and the packed theater erupts with joy, strangers jumping and cheering together in a moment of emotional release and catharsis: “YES!”

This and many other moments in the MARVEL Cinematic Universe illustrate not only the “hero’s journey” – an archetypal narrative that permeates so much of the mythology and stories of various cultures and faith traditions – but also the spiritual yearnings and understandings of our contemporary age. 

We invite you to join us beginning Sunday, January 8 for a special worship series in our 9:30am contemporary worship service:.“MARVEL(ous) Faith.” Each week we’ll come together in praise, watch some clips from recent MARVEL films, and reflect on spiritual themes reflected in some characters’ storylines, including:

  • Steve Rogers, Kamala Kahn, and finding Heroism Within
  • Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, and the possibility of Radical Transformation
  • Wanda, Share, and Living with Grief
  • Thor, Hulk, and themes of Fear, Failure, Resilience, and Strength
  • and more!

Join us to explore themes of faith expressed in the MARVEL movies of the last decade-and-a-half, and how they connect to our Christian tradition!

MARVEL(ous) Faith
9:30am Contemporary Worship
Sunday mornings, January and February, 2023

Tentative Series Schedule:

  • “The Hero’s Journey” and the General Themes of Marvel (1/8/23)
  • “From Steve and Kamala to Captain American and Ms. Marvel: Heroism Comes From Within” (1/15/23)
  • “The Evolutions of Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff: Radical Transformation” (1/22/23)
  • “The Lamentable Tragedies of Wanda and Share: Living with Grief” (1/29/23)
  • “Thor and Hulk: Fear, Failure, Resilience, and Strength” (2/12/23)
  • ” ‘Hey, Peter Parker!’ Claiming One’s Identity” (2/19/23)

Services will also be live-streamed via our YouTube channel.