One of the reasons I like the show LOST so much is its frequent exploration of spiritual themes. John Ankerberg and Dillon Burroughs tap into this in What Can Be Found in LOST: Insights on God and the Meaning of Life from the Popular TV Series. Both men are theologians and avid LOST
fans, and they use the book as a guide into the meatier aspects of the
show, demonstrating how faith can be fed by popular culture.
The book is divided into three sections. The first and longest deals with the themes of LOST;
God, Prayer, Destiny, Miracles, Trust and Secrets, Good and Evil, the
Bible, Dreams and Visions, Leadership, Numbers, Redemption, Death and
the Afterlife each have a separate chapter. The second section delves
into LOST's unusually active fan base and the abundance of
theories as to where the show is headed, and it ends with a segment
inviting those who feel "lost" to accept Jesus Christ. Finally, the
appendices include many basic facts about the show, including major
characters and their interconnections, religions represented on the show
and books mentioned throughout the series.
It's clear from the Lost... What to Do About It
section that Ankerberg and Burroughs are hoping to draw more than just a
Christian audience for this book, as part of their intention is
evangelical. They also want to encourage Christians to be discerning in
their television choices; while both find a lot to like about LOST,
they don't think that all of its messages are constructive. They also
question whether it is healthy to devote as much time and energy into a
television show as some of its most ardent theorists do.
Probably
the most interesting part of the book for most people will be the first
section. Each of these chapters begins with some dialogue from the
show. For instance, the first segment starts with Ben telling Jack that
he believes in God because a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky after he
was diagnosed with a tumor. The next segment, Addressing the Issue,
discusses the question of God's existence and nature. Next, there are
several snippets from the show in which the word "God" is mentioned. What Can Be Found in Lost? discusses God from a Christian perspective and evaluates how LOST corresponds. Finally, Lost Talk features several discussion questions, making this a book that might work well as a Bible study.
While
each chapter makes interesting points about the show - in the first
chapter, for instance, they point out that God is mentioned frequently
but as of the season three finale Jesus is only mentioned directly nine
times - the most extensive chapter involves LOST's references to
the Bible. These include Eko's discussion of King Josiah, Desmond's time
as a monk and Rose's prayer with a despairing Charlie (one of my
favorite moments on the show). All told, the authors cite more than 20
specific references to Bibles or Biblical events. There's also a
detailed listing of everything scratched into Eko's "Jesus stick," with a
paragraph devoted to each item.
Also of interest is the list of Biblical names used throughout the show. Finally, the authors criticize LOST
for what they perceive as theological misinterpretations. The most
prominent of these, unsurprisingly, is Eko's strange take on the
Biblical account of Jesus' baptism. While I agree that Eko gets it
wrong, that could have something to do with the fact that he still has a
lot to learn himself. Given the direction the writers took with him,
however, it's probably fair to fault them rather than just the
character. At any rate, this chapter is especially jam-packed with
references, making it clear how preoccupied LOST's creators are with such matters and giving the show's viewers a lot to consider.
I
found a few minor errors in the book, such as the character list that
includes two deceased characters among the living and a mis-spelling of
Claire's name at one point, but for the most part this is a well-edited
book likely to be of interest to serious fans of LOST, especially
Christians. Of course, it only takes readers halfway through the
series; I would be interested to see if they release a second edition or
sequel after the sixth season. But there's certainly enough here to get
readers thinking, both about the show's little details and about
significant matters of faith.
