Feel the Force: Star Wars and Ignatius

Source: Pathways to God

Whether you have never seen it or whether you are a fully paid-up member of the Jedi religion (there are 176,632 of them in England and Wales according to the 2011 census), Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon that is hard to ignore. Tim McEvoy writes in Pathways to God .

It began as a risk-taking 'space opera' in the tradition of Buck Rogers back in 1977 that many involved in the project assumed would remain a minor cult movie but has spawned a billion-dollar science-fiction franchise and merchandising empire that is winning a whole new generation of fans. The latest instalment, The Last Jedi, was the highest grossing film of 2017. Forty years on the Force is still very much with us.

One reason for Star Wars' enduring popularity seems to be its tapping into universal themes of good versus evil, dark versus light, heroes (and increasingly heroines) versus villains. To read on click here