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
