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It
was always going to be a risk for the BBC to revamp Doctor
Who — few television programs inspire as much rabid
and cultish adoration. With the new series, however, the BBC
have really outdone themselves. Their updated Doctor Who is
a revelation: a cult science fiction series that has real
mass appeal, and works for both children and their parents. |
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Is
there more to this tale of good and evil than first meets
the eye? In 'Back In Time: A Thinking Fan's Guide to Doctor
Who', the authors assert that there are parallels between
the Doctor and Jesus Christ. They say that the Doctor is an
unearthly figure who has a human form. He turns up out of
the blue at just the right time and place to make a crucial
difference, as if directed by providence or a higher power.
He is motivated by a strong sense of good and evil, of the
way things should and should not be. He has miraculous powers,
including knowledge about the future, the power to heal the
sick and to defeat demons. His archenemy, the Master, with
his goatee beard and widow's peak hairline, has strong associations
with classic representations of the Devil. In 'The Mark of
the Rani' (1985) the Doctor even refers to the Master as:
'the prince of darkness'. The Doctor has 'disciples', companions
who travel With him and support his Mission (even though they
often fail to understand what he is doing until hindsight
reveals all). The Doctor is often viewed with suspicion by
those he tries to help, and accused of crimes he has not committed. |
 Waiting
for the Doctor's return? |
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persecuted and threatened with death because he upsets the
status quo. He is put on trial by his own people. Whenever
possible, he tries to achieve his goal by making a reasoned,
ethical appeal to those who will listen. He resorts to force
only when the absolute evil of his opposition means that a
peaceful approach has no hope of success. The only recorded
instance of Jesus resorting to physical force is when he drove
money changers out of the temple courtyard in Jerusalem. He
sacrifices his own life in order to save people from evil.
However, out of his death comes new life — not just
for those he saves, but also for himself, as he is resurrected
from the dead with a new body. When he returns from the dead
even his closest friends can be sceptical that it really is
him, until his characteristic behavior convinces them that
it is. After his work is done, he leaves the world, miraculously
transcending it. He promises to return at an unspecified date
in the future. The first Doctor left his granddaughter Susan
behind on a post Dalek-invasion earth; his promise to return
'one day' was fulfilled at the close of 'The Five Doctors'
(1983). |
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Teenagers
and young people are being targeted for a Doctor Who-themed
service at St Paul's Church in Cardiff. The Anglican church
was used as a location for an episode starring Christopher
Eccleston as the ninth Doctor. Father Dean Atkins, youth officer
with the Diocese of Llandaff and one of the organisers of
the service, said: "The figure of Doctor Who is somebody
who comes to save the world, almost a Messiah figure. In the
series there are lots of references to salvation and the Doctor
being almost immortal. We are using the figure of Doctor Who
as a parable of Christ. The language used in the series lends
itself to exploring the Christian faith. Christ is a kind
of cosmic figure as well if you like, somebody who does not
travel through time but all eternity is found in him. He is
a kind of encapsulation of the beginning and the end, in fact
he existed before time began and he will exist when time ends." |
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What
do you think of these comparisons between Jesus and the
Doctor?
Please let us know by filling in the form below. |
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Back
In Time — A Thinking Fan's Guide to Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a television classic which returned
to TV screens in 2005 in a freshly-minted new form. Russell
T Davies gave the show a contemporary refit while retaining
all the traditional strengths, making it the TV event of the
year. Stunning special effects, mature storytelling and great
characters combine to make a thrilling ride through space
and time, best viewed from behind the sofa. 'Back In Time'
tells the story of Doctor Who, helping to identify why it
is loved so much by so many, and exploring the recurring themes
and ideas that underpin this most intelligent of popular science
fiction shows. Steve Couch, Tony Watkins and Peter S Williams
write extensively on popular culture from a Christian perspective
and have all been avid Doctor Who viewers for as long as they
can remember. "Fascinating and intelligent — a must
for anyone who's ever considered the why of Who" - Rob Shearman,
Scriptwriter on the 2005 series of Doctor Who
 Available
to buy from amazon.co.uk |
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Behind
the Sofa — A Closer Look at Doctor Who: Anthony Thacker
The new Doctor Who series has taken the country by storm with
ratings comparable to the soaps! The best science-fiction
asks questions about why we are here and where we are going,
and as Christians, we have important things to say on these
key questions about life. For once in our fragmented culture,
something will be recognised and understood by a large number
of children, teenagers and adults alike, and a common language
can be used to talk about some important issues of life. Many
in youth and children’s work will want to take advantage
of the opportunities this offers them. This is an easy-to-read
book, even for those with no knowledge of sci-fi terms and
themes, with thought provoking questions for group discussion.
‘Thacker never writes his SF-tinted theology so deeply
you lose him, and it’s always interesting to see familiar
material in different arenas.’ Doctor Who Magazine
Available
to buy from amazon.co.uk |
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Truth
Is Out There, The: Christian Faith and the Classics of TV
Science Fiction
How does Star Trek's Captain Kirk live by the Golden Rule?
How does The Twilight Zone show the effects of original sin
in our world? And how do the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
make an appearance in The X-Files? Theological questions of
human origin, purpose, and identity have been raised in works
of science fiction throughout its history. The Truth Is Out
There explores these themes in six classic science fiction
television series--Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, The X-Files,
Doctor Who, The Prisoner, and Babylon Five. Bertonneau and
Paffenroth analyze each series to show its insight into many
central aspects of Christianity--the battle between good and
evil, virtue, community, grace, and the apocalypse. In doing
so, they show that these series speak to themes that are not
only compatible with Christianity but central to its message.
The book will interest science fiction fans and will be a
useful guide for undergraduate courses in pop culture.
Available to
buy from amazon.com
or amazon.co.uk |
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Doctor
Who: The Complete New First Series on DVD
Christopher Eccleston is an inspired and charismatic
Doctor - he leaps around the sets with an unrestrained glee,
like he’s a child running amok in a toy shop. His enthusiasm
in downright infectious. His sidekick Rose (Billie Piper)
adds a real human touch, particularly as she gradually and
believably matures from in-over-her-head city kid to tough-minded
interplanetary hero. Much of the credit must go to writer
Russell T Davies, who has a much-practiced knack for finding
popular appeal without dumbing-down his ideas, and who appears
to have let his imagination run riot. Even the special effects,
whilst not of a big-budget cinematic quality, still manage
to strike a balance between cheesiness and realism. Thrilling,
funny and thoroughly entertaining, this Doctor Who is a hero
for the new millennium.
Available
to buy from amazon.co.uk
or amazon.com
or amazon.ca |
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Scientists
have discovered the secret of healthy permanent weight loss
— and it's got nothing to do with dieting! People are
over-weight because they are imprisoned by their bad habits.
What can you do to make a difference — to change your
weight and change yor life?
The
No Diet Diet |
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More
and more people are finding that they can make a little extra
income by selling their unwanted items on eBay. How do you
maximize your income and increase the chances of your goods
selling? I've compiled my top ten tips for eBay sellers —
these are the things that I've discovered work for me.
eBay
Selling Tips |
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The success
of The Da Vinci Code and its ideas about early Christianity
has resulted in substantial controversy over many of the "facts"
within its pages. Not only is the novel influencing the views
of non-Christian readers, it is raising difficult questions
in the minds of many Christians.
The
Da Vinci Hoax |
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Most
people think the average teenager isn’t capable of much
beyond hanging with their friends and wasting time. But Zach
Hunter isn’t your average teenager. He's only fifteen,
but he's working to end slavery in the world — and he's
making changes that affect millions of people.
Be
the Change |
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