Arminians Celebrate Revenge of the 5th by Comparing Anakin Skywalker to Servetus

On May 5th, a day after Star Wars Day (May 4th), some Arminian Christians celebrated Revenge of the 5th by comparing Anakin Skywalker's fate to that of Michael Servetus, a Spanish theologian who was burned at the stake by John Calvin for denying the Trinity⁷.

According to these Arminians, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the Dark Side and became Darth Vader, was a symbol of Servetus, who rejected the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity and claimed that Christ was not eternal⁸. They argued that Obi-Wan Kenobi, who fought and defeated Anakin on the volcanic planet of Mustafar, leaving him severely burned and mutilated, was a symbol of Calvin, who condemned Servetus to death by fire for his heresy⁶.

One Arminian pastor, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "We see a parallel between Anakin and Servetus. Both were brilliant and talented, but misguided and arrogant. Both challenged the established authority and doctrine of their time. Both suffered a terrible fate at the hands of their former friends and mentors. And both became icons of resistance and rebellion for those who sympathize with their cause."

The pastor also drew a connection between Darth Vader's famous line "Search your feelings, you know this to be true" and the Arminian doctrine of free will. He said: "We believe that God has given us the ability to choose whether to accept or reject His grace. We do not believe in predestination or irresistible grace, as Calvin did. We think that God appeals to our feelings and conscience, not to our logic and reason. We think that Servetus was right to question Calvin's rigid system of theology, which made God a tyrant and man a puppet."

Not everyone agreed with this interpretation of Star Wars and history. Some Calvinists denounced the Arminians for distorting the facts and dishonoring Calvin's legacy. They defended Calvin's role in Servetus' execution as a necessary measure to preserve the purity of the gospel and the peace of the church⁹. They also pointed out that Servetus was not only condemned by Calvin, but also by other Protestant and Catholic authorities⁷.

One Calvinist blogger wrote: "This is a pathetic attempt by Arminians to justify their heretical views by using pop culture references. They are twisting Star Wars and history to suit their agenda. They are ignoring the fact that Servetus was a dangerous and divisive figure who denied the core doctrines of Christianity, just like Vader did with the Jedi. They are also ignoring the fact that Calvin was a faithful and godly reformer who sought to glorify God and edify His people. They are comparing apples and oranges, or rather light sabers and blasters." Another Calvinist pastor who goes by the online moniker RagingBassett responded: "More like lightsabers to matches."

The debate between Arminians and Calvinists over Servetus and Star Wars is unlikely to end anytime soon. As one observer remarked: "May the force be with them."

Source: Conversation with Bing, 5/5/2023

(1) Why did John Calvin have Michael Servetus burned at the stake for .... https://www.gotquestions.org/Calvin-Michael-Servetus.html.

(2) Michael Servetus | Biography, Works, Beliefs, Trinity, Heresy, Death .... https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Servetus.

(3) https://www.challies.com/articles/the-servetus-problem/#:~:text=Servetus%20was%20eventually%20found%20guilty%20and%20was%20condemned,executed%20him%20once%20more%2C%20this%20time%20in%20effigy.. https://www.challies.com/articles/the-servetus-problem/.

(4) Calvin and Servetus - The Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/calvin-and-servetus/.

(5) https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/revenge-of-the-fifth#:~:text=Revenge%20of%20the%20Fifth%20refers%20to%20the%20unofficial,to%20celebrate%20the%20kitschier%20side%20of%20Star%20Wars.. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/revenge-of-the-fifth.

(6) 17 best Revenge of the 5th and 6th memes as Star Wars week continues. https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/05/05/17-best-revenge-of-the-5th-and-6th-memes-as-star-wars-week-continues/.

(7) Revenge of the 5th at US Space & Rocket Center. https://whnt.com/video/revenge-of-the-5th-at-us-space-rocket-center-may-5-2023-news-19-at-4-p-m/8623559/.

(8) Revenge of the 5th at US Space and Rocket Center News 19 at 4 p.m.. https://whnt.com/video/revenge-of-the-5th-at-us-space-and-rocket-center-news-19-at-4-p-m/8623559/.

(9) Revenge of the Fifth (May 5th) | Days Of The Year. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/revenge-of-the-fifth/.

(10) Servetus Burned at the Stake in Geneva, 1553 - Landmark Events. https://landmarkevents.org/servetus-burned-at-the-stake-in-geneva-1553/.