The Simpsons in Church

This week I began a sermon series using the Simpsons. I’ve gotten many different responses when I tell people what I am doing- many of which can be described using Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture categories.

Some people are horrified that I would do such a thing. They say it is terrible to use such an immoral family in a service dedicated to the worship of a holy God. In fact, they would say its a terrible idea to use any part of culture in church. These people could be characterized by Christ Against Culture.

Not everyone is so negative. Some people are curious and want to know what spiritual gleanings I am getting from the Simpsons. Someone who believes we can gain spiritual truths from our culture (or pop culture for that matter) could be characterized as Christ of Culture.

Some people have nothing against the Simpsons, per se, but might object to using it in church. People who want to keep their cultural and spiritual spheres seperate could be described as Christ and Culture in Paradox.

I don’t know what it would look like to use the Simpsons as Christ Transforming Culture but I have to confess that I am using them to promote my own adjenda- namely Christ- which is an example of Christ Above Culture.