Pinsky, Mark I. . Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.
164 + xiii pp. $12.95 US. ISBN: 0-664-22419-9 (PB).
[1] Viewers tune into The Simpsons every Sunday for a variety
of reasons. Maybe they recognize their neighbors or themselves in
the characters, or perhaps they appreciate the show's brand of satirical
humor, which spears everything from political systems to plastic surgery.
But ask the average person why he or she tunes in and rarely will
one hear "because it teaches spiritual values." And that's
why Mark I. Pinsky's The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The
Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family proves a revelation.
Even someone such as I, who has watched since the beginning, was surprised
to learn that "fully a third of all Simpsons episodes
include at least one religious reference" (8).
[2] Over the course of the book - in 13 chapters and 161 pages -
Pinsky examines how religion and spirituality is used in The Simpsons.
But first, in his introduction he puts everything in context, indicating
how consistently popular the show has been, what its detractors have
said and, finally, what theologians have found. As for Pinsky, who
himself covers religion for the Orlando Sentinel, he explains
that "tuning in nearly a decade after the series premiered, I
found God, faith and spirituality in abundance in The Simpsons"
(5).
[3] Although it might seem logical to divide a book such as this
by religious worldview, Pinsky instead has taken a more haphazard
approach. In some chapters he looks at broader issues, such as moral
dilemmas and divine imagery, while in others he dissects a particular
character, such as Ned Flanders or Lisa Simpson. The chapters are
hardly uniform, either. The one on heaven, hell and the devil lasts
just five and one-half pages while the ones on Flanders and its adjacent
chapter, "Church and the Preacher," are 18 pages each. Furthermore,
by placing the longest chapters one right after another (and at the
midpoint, no less), the book begins to drag - unless, of course, the
preacher and Ned are your favorite characters. And they aren't mine.
[4] Pinsky wants to be inclusive in the religions he covers; however,
he sticks primarily with what he seems to know. Therefore, non-Western
religions are given short shrift. Chapter 11 (titled "Miscellaneous:
Hindu! There are 700 Million of Us!" - which borders on the offensive
but is actually a line taken from an episode) tackles the belief system
of Apu, the owner/operator of the local Kwik-E-Mart, but then never
mentions anything about Buddhism. In the author's defense, he has
taken on an enormous challenge. To be completely accurate, Pinsky
admits the ideal way to prepare for such a book would be to watch
all 300-plus episodes with a notebook in one hand and a remote in
the other. Instead, he saw close to 150 episodes and, as a supplement,
used summaries on line at The Simpsons Archive (www.snpp.com)
as well as several bound sources. (If he had watched every episode
more meticulously, he would have heard Sideshow Bob mention the first
two Noble Truths of the Buddha in "Black Widower," which
aired during season three.)
[5] The trouble with writing about a show that's still on the air,
though, is that one episode can completely negate everything one has
written. For instance, in the foreword, written by Tony Campolo of
Eastern College, and in chapter three, "Does Lisa Speak for Jesus,"
the precocious middle child is discussed as the embodiment of the
"social gospel," when in episode 13:6 ("She of Little
Faith") this long-time vegetarian and pacifist discovers her
true faith is Buddhism (Richard Gere makes a memorable cameo appearance).
Furthermore, when viewing this character a bit here and a little there,
she might seem religious. But when considering her in totality, one
discovers that she is the really the embodiment of rationality and
science; something that's traditionally been seen as at odds with
religion.
[6] One final flaw of the volume is that it isn't indexed, which
proves particularly problematic for those who might want to use it
as a reference. On the positive side, Pinsky has a conversational
tone and covers a lot of ground, particularly where Christianity and
Judaism are concerned. The author has even selected a number of key
episodes, such as "Homer the Heretic," "Homer vs. Lisa
and the Eighth Commandment," "The Last Temptation of Homer"
and "Like Father, Like Clown," to discuss in-depth and demonstrate
how many of these are so well written and researched that theological
teachers use them in the classroom. The chapter on the Jewish characters
is probably the most informative one, for not only does it explores
the character of Krusty the Clown, but it also translates some of
series' frequently used Yiddish phrases. Pinsky also throws in some
interesting interpretations of Selma and Patty, Marge's spinster sisters.
A boon to readers is the brief chapter on the series' creators and
the inclusion of endnotes and a bibliography.
[7] Despite its flaws, The Gospel According to The Simpsons
is an enjoyable and frequently eyebrow-raising read. Fans of the series
will get to re-experience some of the funniest moments (and, in 14
years there have been many), and scholars will find plenty of references
and pearls of wisdom suitable for underlining. Those completely unfamiliar
with the series might have trouble navigating the text, simply because
Pinksy assumes the reader has seen at least a few episodes. But until
a more comprehensive overview comes along, this one proves more than
adequate.
Julien R. Fielding
Independent Scholar
Omaha, NE
julien@jrfielding.com
