Dr. Strange, the esoteric, and the spiritual

The latest Marvel film, Doctor Strange, directed by Scott Derrickson, has generated some interesting discussion related to the spiritual aspects of the comic as original source material, and how this is portrayed in the film itself.

An essay in The Huffington Post discusses some interesting historical background information on the religious aspects of the comic in “A Brief History of Doctor Strange and His Relationship with Tibet, Occultism, and Buddhism.”

While much of the reaction to the Doctor Strange film has been very positive, a few voices have been negative. Various sources have reported about a critical review of the film by a Christian commentator who ha warned that the film promotes “the occult” and the demonic. Conservative Christians have long feared the Western esoteric tradition as spiritually dangerous so this is no surprise. You can read Geek Tyrant for more on this approach to the film.

Finally, Scott Derrickson is giving interviews about the film as a part of his promotional efforts, and several have touched on his thoughts related to the religious or spiritual aspects. Here I recommend a piece in Den of Geek, and another in Relevant Magazine as two good examples. Derrickson’s religious convictions (as well as his appreciation for science), and that he incorporates this into his work is well known. But a quote from Den of Geek illustrates that he is also working in postmodern fashion, challenging the humility of the metanarratives of both science and religion:

My understanding of religion and science is that they’re both arrogant schools of thought, and whether they acknowledge it or not they continually broadcast the idea that they have the world figured out. And what they don’t know they have a theory for which is probably correct. It feels like that shrinks the world, rather than expands it. And the thing that expands it is art. I experience the world that way.

I mean, there are exceptions – scientists who experience the world artfully, people of faith and religion who experience the world artfully – but I think that the mass of popular culture agrees with me. Most people feel the way I do, and share the beliefs in something spiritual and a confidence in science, but are tired of the narrowness of both and want stories that understand reality is a third thing far beyond those categories.

Doctor Strange will continue to inspire and provoke interesting questions at the intersection of religion and popular culture.