Pope Francis, Doctor Who and Fanboy Theology

Everybody wants to be an iconoclast. There's just something so satisfying in tearing out the fixtures of the way you "used to think"; and that's not a bad thing. How do we behave, though, in someone else's house after renovating our own?

In the past months I have been struck by the phenomenon of "fanboy theologians". Fanboy (alternatively "fanboi") is a term that is used to describe a certain type of enthusiast, particularly in traditionally geeky arenas (technology, sci-fi / fantasy, etc.)*. Fanboys follow the object of their fandom with an almost religious devotion, whether it be Apple Computers, Star Wars, Doctor Who or Lord of the Rings.
* Perhaps in an attempt to address the rampant misogyny in the geek community, the term "fangirl" was also coined. Unfortunately it is most frequently used by male fans to refer to other male fans in a derogatory fashion, so as a counter to misogyny it fails rather spectacularly. 

I have seen a growing number of fanboys attracted by new trends in Christian theology. Like the fanboys of old, sometimes their attention can look a bit creepy. They set up fan websites, they defend their heroes against would-be detractors and often know their lines by rote. Instinctively, their heroes feel something is amiss and choose not to engage, so fanboy tweets (often not "liked", "retweeted" or replied to unless by other fanboys) litter the information superhighway like roadkill.

So, to the aspiring theology fanboy out there, I offer a few lessons that can be gleaned from fanboys of ages past.

• You don't have to hate David Tennant because you love Matt Smith.

  Doctor Who fans love to argue about who is the best Doctor. What they would never say is that their opponent is anything less than a true "Whovian".

• Fanboyism Doesn't Have to be Fundamentalism.

  Many theology fanboys are reacting to the environment they came out of which led them to not question certain aspects of what they believed. Bear in mind, though, that many people in the camp you used to be in have questioned their beliefs and continue to believe that. Fundamentalism is not conservatism, it is a refusal to entertain the possibility someone else might be right. Many post-fundamentalists end up even more fundamentalist than they started, but with a different set of fundamentals to defend.

• You can like both Star Wars and Star Trek (and not just because J.J. Abrams has re-imagined both of them).

  Pope Francis has been a real example of this since he took the papacy. Many non-Catholics continue to disagree strongly with Catholic theology but still love to retweet the Pope. You don't have to agree with everything in order to affirm what is good and right.

• Get off your sofa and LARP.

  Fanboys have learned that simply observing their fandom is not enough. Thus came "LARPing", Live Action Role Playing. Fanboys dress up like their favourite characters and act out their favourite scenes. What would happen if the armchair theology activists in our day all got out of the house and imitated their heroes in the real world?

• True fandom is to build up, not to tear down.

  I keep seeing people who define themselves by what they don't believe. They refer to their former beliefs as "lies" or they imply (or outright state) that the God of their theology is probably not the same God you believe in, despite being variants of the same faith. In other arenas, fanboys have moved past the name-calling and bickering to build up their shared community, even with folks who disagree. Theology fanboys, take note.

• Write some fanfic.

  "Fanfic" (fan fiction) is often some of the worst drivel you can find on the internet but it is the mark of a fan who does not simply consume but engages and creates. By its very nature, theology demands participation.

A fanboy need not be a creepy stalker who simply parrots the talking points of a few important figures. These days the technology / sci-fi / fantasy fan community gets together for conventions to geek out and enjoy each other because they know there are few enough people in the world with whom they can even have their arguments - so the arguments become secondary to the fellowship.

I would happily sit down to watch some Doctor Who with even (heaven forbid!) someone who thinks Eccleston was the best Doctor. How much more so would I join hands in mission with someone who disagrees with me on penal substitutionary atonement but agrees that the hungry should be fed, the naked should be clothed and the orphan should be loved?

Peace,

Theo