St Luke's Church Eccleshill, Bradford, UK

God is the star of Star Wars

This article appeared in the Church Times on Friday 1st July 2005, written by Bill Bowder.

Cartoon by Noel Ford, Church Times

An inter-galactic Star Wars hymn, praising Jesus as the "Force", was sung by primary-school children when they went for assembly on Wednesday.

The Vicar of Eccleshill, Bradford, the Revd John Hartley, wrote the hymn when he was challenged by the vicar of neighbouring St Cuthbert's, Wrose, the Revd Paul Walker, to tie in Star Wars themes with faith.

"When Paul set me the challenge, I thought: well, obviously, the divine principle in the film is the Force. If St John had been writing his Gospel in the Galactic Empire, rather than in the Jewish/Roman Empire, then he would have started his preface: 'In the beginning was the Force, and the Force was with God, and the Force was God'. And in verse 14 he would have said, "The force came and dwelt amongst us." I wanted to say that Jesus was the force," Mr Hartley said.

Mr Hartley has set a number of hymns to secular jingles, including one to the theme of Match of the Day, and had written the Star Wars hymn for the service in St Cuthbert's last Sunday. He decided to use it for assembly at St Luke's Church of England School on Wednesday as well. "I don't like to waste anything," he said.

Light-sabres at St Cuthbert's Wrose

Cartoon by Ron, Church Times

Speaking about the service at St Cuthbert's, Wrose, Mr Walker said: "Star Wars is about the battle between good and evil, and the idea of an obscure boy being chosen from birth for a great future. He is called to be the saviour of the universe, but he has a choice between being the saviour and being sucked down into evil."

A TV crew from Look North filmed the service that was attended by around 100 children and adults.

"It was a Service of the Word, but we did a bit of light-sabre-duelling for the camera," said Mr Walker, who has used films such as Shrek in other services.

As well as the above cartoon which appeared with the Church Times Article, the subject made the "St Gargoyle" cartoon the previous week, although we think this was coincidental rather than deliberate.