This Changes Everything

A lesson in reading Scripture from Superman Returns?

In SUPERMAN RETURNS, the 2006 Warner Bros picture, Perry White walks the newsroom as the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet. Within the first 40 minutes or so, we learn that Clark Kent has come back to work at the newspaper, and thus, Superman has returned to life in the big city.

He’s Back—and near the beginning of the picture, there’s his big-time Baseball-stadium-size rescue involving the foiled launch of the Genesis space shuttle, which had been in flight setting atop a Boeing 777… With aircraft plans gone amok, Superman makes his saving splash back on the city scene.

Do you remember the Daily Planet action right after Superman saves the 777 passenger airliner from crashing into the stadium? It’s the classic newsroom situation of bedlam and hubbub—“We’ve gotta get this story out, and yesterday!”—with Perry White at the helm.

All of White’s writers are gathered around at the ready; his monologue demonstrates cadence like an army Lieutenant on one knee with sweat beading down his cheeks informing his platoon about the next maneuver:

OK…everybody, listen up. I want to know it all…everything!

 

Olson, I want to see photos of him everywhere. NO, the photos of…

 

Sports: How are they going to get that plane out of the stadium?

Travel: Where did he go? Was he on vacation, if so, where?

Gossip: Has he met somebody?


Fashion: Is that a new suit?

Health: Has he gained weight? What has he been eating?


Business: How is he going to affect the stock market? Long term? Short term?

 

Politics: Does he still stand for truth, justice and all that stuff?


Lifestyle: (pause…camera pans over to Lois Lane): Superman Returns….

Just after a rushed exchange with Lois, Perry turns to the entire newsroom and barks out: The story is NOT the black out, it’s SUPERMAN.

I couldn’t help see the comprehensive nature of the redemptive work of Superman! He affects all of life! It’s Travel, Fashion, Health, Business, Politics—the whole gamut.

The church must take a cue about seeing Christ’s work affecting all of life. It’s clear: He is the central event of history with ramifications for the cosmos. Learning to read the Bible marking the ways of seeing its own single thread of the message of the suffering and rising of the Son of God (Luke 24: 26) is key. One reason we fail to see Jesus Christ—His person and work—integrated into all areas of life is because we’ve failed to see all texts and subjects of Scripture integrated into their single focus on the person and work of Christ.

When we divide Christ from subject matters like history, government, business, education and health so as not to see His redemptive work affecting and reforming such subjects, we fragment all of life.

Editor Perry White wanted his writers of the Daily Planet to focus on Superman from every angle conveying the comprehensive nature of his rescue. He affects everything. This scene of rescue changes everything.

G. Mark Sumpter