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Superman and Spirituality

Much has been made of the connection between Superman and Christianity. Some suggest that the story of the Gospel is so deep inside the human psyche that it comes out as the story of subconscious resonance. Others see narratives arising from western culture invariably contain themes of salvation death and resurrection. Whatever you believe this discussion has interested many.

Bryan Singer, director of the latest Superman Returns movie, in an interview with Stephen Skelton author of the book “The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero” said the following:

Well, I think in a couple of ways. One, because that piece of terminology implies a weight to the character. I mean, if you’re saying this is the Jesus Christ of anything, you’re pretty much applying a measure of importance and weight to it. This is something obviously. I also think in a way there is something that started to evolve in the early evolution of the comic but became extremely crystallized in Richard Donner’s interpretation in 1978. And that was the notion brought forth by something Marlon Brando as Jor-El the father said. Which is quite simply, when referring to the people of Earth, he said, “They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. It is for this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you—my only son.” And there was something when I heard that as a kid, there was something that resonated very much with me. I was a Jewish kid, adopted, only child. And I grew up in a Catholic neighborhood. I used to go to a Christian youth club. So I was religiously very, all over the place.