Written by: United Theological Seminary June 9, 2021

Is Star Wars a Religion? with Dr. Robyn Walsh

Every Tuesday, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities’s Arts Program hosts “Arts Lunch,” an opportunity for United community members to come together for a variety of workshops, presentations, and conversations at the intersection of Theology and the Arts. For this special May the 4th arts lunch, guest speaker Robyn Walsh talked about her work on the age-old question: Is Star Wars a Religion? In public articles, her podcast, and in the course she teaches at the University of Miami, Dr. Walsh has explored everything from Jediism as an ascetic practice, the Force as Pneuma, fandom and religiosity, and Star Wars and myth.

Robyn Faith Walsh is an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. She earned her Ph.D. at Brown University in Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean, with a focus on early Christianity, ancient Judaism and Roman archaeology. She teaches courses on the New Testament, Greco-Roman literature and material culture. Her recent offerings at UM include Introduction to the New Testament; Jesus in Myth and History; Paul: Letters and Controversies; The Greco-Roman Context of Early Christianity; The Bible and Film; Religious Issues in Death and Dying; Religion and Sports. Professor Walsh also teaches in Miami’s URome program at the American University.

If you are interested in attending or even presenting at our weekly Arts Lunches, please reach out to Dr. Jennifer Awes-Freeman, program director for Arts and Theology at jawes-freeman@unitedseminary.edu.

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