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Superman and Pedagogy
Superman and Pedagogy
Superman and Pedagogy
Man of Steel
role. Jor-El and Lara chose to reject this way of life by having a child naturally which, by this time, had become a crime in Kryptonian society. What happens when we strip reproduction of its majesty and mystery? When we see reproduction as a merely biological event, do we begin to treat it as a process that can be easily mechanized and thus mastered? Man of Steel highlights a perverse irony. The transcendent element of reproduction for example, free will, or the moral value of the soul is precisely what keeps reproduction rooted in nature and thus natural. The moment we lose this, reproduction becomes something that can be monitored by machines, with neither human care nor concern. Through artificial reproduction, the core of Kryptonian civilization became like the core of the planet, collapsing in on itself un-
til civilization becomes barbaric. Man of Steel is a great film. It creatively reimagines various elements of the Superman legacy while also presenting a story that engages the human experience. Clark Kent is an isolated outsider, and Snyder uses this to hold up a mirror to select facets of our culture, questioning us in the process. There is plenty of action and a plethora of special effects, but beneath its surface are themes that proactive pastors and parents can use
for thought-provoking and even inspiring ends. In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul encouraged his readers to meditate upon whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (4:8). The heroic is among these. Benjamin M. Guyer is a doctoral student in British history at the University of Kansas. He is editor most recently of Pro Communione: Theological Essays on the Anglican Covenant (Pickwick, 2012).