Theology of Thrones: Lessons of Faith in the World of Game of Thrones (An Introduction)
Who’s excited for the final season of Game of Thrones?! Everyone? Yea, I figured. I just finished rewatching the show to prepare for the season 8 premiere on April 14 and I love it more than ever.
When I first watched the show I very much had a love/hate relationship with it. The world of Game of Thrones is brutal, visceral, and unfair. The show also contains a lot of nudity and sex, which in my opinion is sometimes to the detriment of the story and the show itself.
A lot of people don’t like the show because of its violence, profanity, and nudity. I get that, I totally do. But the disapproval grows stronger in the Christian world.
Pastor Kevin DeYoung posted an article on The Gospel Coalition titled, “I Don’t Undestand Christians Watching Game of Thrones.” And if the title and contents didn’t provide enough judgment, he followed it up with another article titled, “One More Time on ‘Game of Thrones’” just to land his patronizing plane.
Personal Disclaimer: I don’t think this show should be watched by everyone. It can be depressing and deeply challenging to anyone struggling with lust, anger, etc.. The world does not need this show, and you do not need to see it. However, I think it brings up some correlations to our world that can be useful to discuss.
The show has been hotly debated amongst Christian circles, with many deeming it, not just something that should be avoided, but something that should be condemned.
However, I think there are many important things for a Christian to learn about our world and the Christian faith using many of the themes of Game of Thrones. That’s what I want to discuss.
My series titled “Theology of Thrones” won’t be a Christian defending their viewing of the show, but rather a walk through of many of the show’s themes and characters, and how they intersect with the Christian faith. I plan on the articles being relatively short since I have so many ideas I want to cover.
To get started, we need to know what “theology” means. Theology is the study of the nature of God and religious belief.
So, yes, I’m using Game of Thrones as a means to better understand God, His world and creation, His story of redemption, etc.
For a little preview, here are some I’ll be tackling:
- Using God for our own benefit (Stannis Baratheon)
- The persistent effects of slavery (Daenerys Targaryen and Meereen)
- The broken looking out for the broken (The Stark Family, Varys, Tyrion, etc.)
- Improper Worship and the Lord of Light
- Powerful taking advantage of the powerless, and the hope for another way.
Those are just a few examples and I have many other ideas. I find myself intellectually and spiritually stimulated when thinking through these themes and my faith. My hope is that you’ll feel the same whether or not you are a Christian.
I think we’re all curious about faith, the world, and how we can better relate to one another. While other Christians and pastors may disagree, I think we can actually use Game of Thrones as a starting point to talk about these big, important things!
If anyone decides to read my written pontifications I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas too!
