Star Trek: Into Darkness - A Theological Critique

Theological Critique of Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)
David H. Michels, 2013

In two recent classes of Religion in Contemporary Society we had the opportunity to discuss different approaches to religious critiques of films (theological, mythological, and ideological).  Here is my theological critique of Star Trek: Into Darkness.  Comments and responses welcome.

Synopsis

“When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.  With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.  As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.”1

Background

Star Trek: Into Darkness is the second film in the Star Trek franchise reboot. The Star Trek franchise has a long and complicated relationship with religion, due in part to creator Gene Roddenberry’s reported rejection of Christianity.2 Religion played a small role in Roddenberry’s 1966 TV vision of the utopian United Federation of Planets.  The subsequent film series, where Roddenberry played only a consulting role,3 did explore religious, spiritual, and ethical themes such as life and death, euthanasia, and even the search for God and “the Garden of Eden” (Star Trek V).  The TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1998) frequently explored moral and ontological questions (e.g. 2:9 “The Measure of a Man”, 3:3 “The Survivors”, 3:22 “The Most Toys”) but was like the earlier series was critical of religion (e.g.1:1 “Justice”, 3:4 “Who Watches the Watchers”).  The later series Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999) regularly explored spirituality and science.  The franchise’s relationship with religion/spirituality offers insight into its audiences evolving attitudes toward religion and the growing interest in spirituality.

Critique

I. Explicit References to Religion and Religious Questions

Explicit religion plays a small role in this film.  In the opening scene we find a primitive alien culture in pursuit of Kirk who has apparently violated a taboo by stealing a sacred text.  In the course of their escape the aliens watch in awe as the starship rises from the water.  This is a violation of the Federation’s non-interference directive, and as a consequence changes the indigenous religion.  This encounter with religion raises a question about the view of religion.  By reducing religious belief to a technological misunderstanding, the scene potentially challenges the Christian doctrine of special revelation through supernatural means, that is, that God does intervene in human history.4

 

Kirk is rebuked by Admiral Pike for “acting like God” in his rejection of the rules.  Later when Scotty is arguing with Kirk over the unjust military orders, Scotty pleads: “Jim, for the love of God don’t use those torpedoes.”  After the Starship Enterprise is saved from crashing a crewman says: “it’s a miracle”.  Spock replies, “There are no such things.”  The use of these common figures of speech provide little insight into the religious perspectives of the speakers, and portray a traditional Christian understanding of God as omnipotent and benevolent.  Spock’s rebuttal conveys his character’s personal disbelief in the idea of divine intervention in the affairs of people.  

II. Implicit Religion and Ethical Questions

a. Resisting Evil

The film subtitle “Into Darkness” reflects the central issue of the film: how do enlightened people respond to evil without becoming that evil?  Characteristically a post- 9/11 film, the once utopian United Federation of Planets is now imperiled from an act of terrorism from within.  Pushed to the brink of war the crew of the starship Enterprise discovers that factions within their own government have lied to them.  Star Fleet plans to use long distance covert torpedoes to assassinate the suspected terrorist Khan in enemy territory, reminiscent of the use of drones in the U.S. war on terror.  Captain Kirk also struggles with his own loss and desire for vengeance.  The questions raised in this film are universal and transcend particular theological traditions.  Most religions for example have engaged the question of war.  It was Augustine in the fifth century who developed Christianity’s first theology of “just war”, 5 though alternative Christian theologies exist.6 The main characters’ crisis however was the place of revenge.  Vengeance/assassination is challenged on both legal (Federation law), and ethical grounds (Spock argues “this action is morally wrong”).  Khan will later speak about Kirk’s conscience.  Yet the basis of the heroes’ moral position is never clear in the film.  Why, in the face of very practical arguments, are these actions immoral?  The Christian tradition for example forbids revenge on the basis of God’s sole jurisdiction as judge: “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”7 Further, there is a positive obligation of mercy on one’s enemies: “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”8 The characters do not discuss their own moral foundations but then appear to act out of a moral code familiar to western audiences influenced by the New Testament tradition.

b. Facing Death

The question of death is also briefly explored in this film first in Spock’s telepathic meld with the dying Pike and later in Kirk’s death.  Spock says he experienced Pike’s feelings “at the moment of his passing: anger, confusion, loneliness, fear.“  Kirk, as he dies, says, “I’m scared Spock. Help me not to be. How do you choose not to feel?”  Death in Star Trek: Into Darkness is something to be feared.  There is no sense of an afterlife beyond the grave in the movie.  Resurrection and Life after Death are central teachings in the Christian tradition.9  Accordingly, there is a triumphalism and assurance in New Testament Christianity: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”10 The characters’ revelations of their own fears make them more easy to relate to, but at the same time offer the viewers little hope. 

c. Sacrifice and Redemption

An important subtheme is sacrifice and redemption.  In the opening scenes Spock is prepared to give his life to save the aliens and his crew on the grounds that “the good of the many outweighs the good of the few or the one.” This is a proverb cited in earlier movies. Kirk also offers his life in exchange for the lives of his crew, and he will later make the ultimate sacrifice to save his ship.  This Christian principle of substitutionary sacrifice is expressed in two New testament passages: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,”11 and the prophetic words of the High Priest regarding Jesus “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”12 Kirk however is a flawed hero: rash, arrogant, self-centered, and womanizing.  Pike earlier claimed that he saw greatness in Kirk but Kirk’s actions have resulted in his loss of command.  He must redeem himself and find his greatness, and he does this by his sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection (though scientific rather than supernatural).  Kirk is a Christ figure in that he is offers a voluntary substitutionary sacrifice.  Christ however is seen as an effective sacrifice in that he was sinless.13  Christ’s death was said to redeem people while Kirk’s death redeemed himself.  Christ’s salvation was considered permanent while Kirk’s was temporary; there will be another deadly movie crisis!  An interesting question to explore is the attraction of a flawed hero such as Kirk to the audience.  Why does such a man inspire trust and confidence?  Is he more relatable than the blameless Saviour of Christianity, and thus the everyman hero?

Summary

Star Trek: Into Darkness is a sci fi shoot-em-up in the full sense of the phrase.  It is filled with firefights, chase scenes, and explosions, and is an entertaining night out.  But on occasion, amid the CGI, the film tries to engage in contemporary social issues like the war on terror, and the ethical questions it raises.  The heroes also wrestle with personal questions like life/death, and sacrifice and redemption.  The movie does not explicitly challenge Christian doctrine and in fact asks more questions than offers answers.  Star Trek: Into Darkness leaves the door open for Christian dialogue about these questions.  The question remaining is whether in an arguably post-christian society we can still engage in these kinds of conversations. 

David

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1. Synopsis, Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013), Paramount Films, Online: Internet Movie database, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1408101/.

2. E. Christopher Reyes, In His Name ([S.l.] Authorhouse, 2010), p. 39.

3. See Susan Sackett, Inside Trek: My Secret Life With Star Trek Creator Gene Roddenberry (Tulsa, OK: HAWK Publishing Group, 2002); Greenberger, R. Star Trek: The Complete Unauthorized History (Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press, 2012) at 115.

4. See Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1985) at 175ff.

5. Paul T. Jersild and Dale A. Johnson, Moral Issues and Christian Response (Toronto: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1993) at 218-225.

6. Ibid. 225-230.

7. Romans 12:18, Holy Bible, New International Version.

8. Luke 6:35, Holy Bible, New International Version.

9. 1 Corinthians 15:12-31, Holy Bible, New International Version.

10. 1 Corinthians 15:55, Holy Bible, New International Version.

11. John 15:13, Holy Bible, New International Version.

12. John 11:50, Holy Bible, New International Version.
13.  Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1985) at 777ff. Online: Google Books, http://books.google.ca/books?id=0PbBz6-XcssC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA777#v=onepage&q&f=false .

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