'Unraveling the Mystery'

Theofilos A Nordic open access journal in Theology, Philosophy and Culture Published by NLA University College – in partnership with Johannelund School of Theology VOL. 11 NR. 2 2019 Available at www.theofilos.no ‘Unraveling the Mystery’ Assessing The Big Bang Theory as a Secular Fictional Universe1 Margunn Serigstad Dahle Associate Professor in Communication and Worldviews NLA University College Ingvild Thu Kro Assistant Professor in Communication and Worldviews NLA University College Abstract: This essay seeks to meet the need for identifying and responding to secular worldview perspectives in popular culture from a Christian apologetic perspective. The focus in this case is on naturalism, scientism, and anti-religious attitudes, with the highly popular sitcom The Big Bang Theory (season 11) as a case study. The methodological approach is a content analysis with worldview theory as the hermeneutical perspective. The findings of the analysis suggest that naturalism and weak scientism seem to be the underlying worldview perspectives in The Big Bang Theory. Supernatural beliefs are rejected as irrational, but despite that the overall trust is in science, there are moments where other sources of truth and meaning seem to be given credibility. From these conclusions we identify both points of contact and points of tension to Christian faith, represen- ting both opportunities and challenges for Christian cultural apologetics, both in relation to science and religious faith as well as the relation betwe- en them. Keywords: Popular culture, worldviews, The Big Bang Theory, naturalism, scientism, cultural apologetics Introduction key role of secular worldviews in the flow of the story in this highly popular sitcom. ‘The characters … are so funny (in part) According to Massimo Pigliucci, it is not due to their extremely “scientistic” just the characters’ nerdy personalities worldviews, entirely framed by their that make the audience laugh, but even practice of science. The humor manifests more how they illustrate what clinging to as their scientific approach unfolds a secular worldview – such as scientism – in everyday life.’ looks like.3 This indicates that secular - Massimo Pigliucci2 worldviews are influential in the fictional universe of this sitcom. he quote above is an excerpt from The Big Bang Theory serves as a signi- a philosophical analysis of The ficant example of how traces of secular TBig Bang Theory. It illustrates the worldviews, such as naturalism and Copyright © 2020 Author(s). Peer reviewed open access article – published under CC BY-NC 4.0. Theofilos. Volume 12, 2020, issue 1, pp. 112–137 DOI: https://doi.org/10.48032/theo/12/1/9 ISSN print 1893-7969, ISSN online: ISSN 2703-7037 Margunn Serigstad Dahle Ingvild Thu Kro 113 scientism, often are found in popular secular humanism, in popular culture as movies, television series and other fictio- well as in academic and educational con- nal stories. This points to the need for texts. For Christian youth, such secular Christian cultural apologists to analyse stories often create a deep feeling of cog- the key role of secular worldviews in con- nitive dissonance in relation to their per- temporary popular culture and to offer a sonal Christian convictions,8 which is yet relevant response. Thus, The Big Bang another key reason for analysing and eva- The ory is a natural choice as a case study luating the different perspectives from a in relation to ‘Science, Natural Theology, biblical perspective. and Christian Apologetics’.4 In this essay, then, we seek to meet the Nigerian author Ben Okri points out need for identifying and responding to that ‘[stories] are the secret reservoir of secular worldview perspectives in popular values. Change the stories individuals and culture from a Christian apologetic per- nations live by and tell themselves, and spective, with the highly popular sitcom you change the individuals and nations’.5 The Big Bang Theory as a case study. This Furthermore, when considering how sitcom, with a total of 12 seasons ending com mon secular perspectives in popular in May 2019, has a wide spectrum in fic tional stories often seem to correspond terms of its audience, both regarding age9 to influential secular presuppositions in and country. We have chosen season 11 many Western academic and educational as our research material, due to this sea- contexts, the cultural apologetic task turns son being the latest published in DVD out to be even more significant. When format at the time of starting our rese- faced by the same underpinning sec ular arch.10 Building on key findings from ear- worldviews in both contexts, the need for lier research on previous seasons, we will double listening becomes obvious.6 This be focussing on traces of naturalism, sci- task includes uncovering traces of such entism and anti-religious attitudes. worldviews in these influential cultural This leads to the following two texts as well as formulating a normative research questions: response based on appropriate biblical 1. How are naturalism, scientism and texts. anti-religious attitudes being expressed Many of the background beliefs that and portrayed in season 11 of The Big our Western culture presses on us regard - Bang Theory? ing Christianity, often making the Chris - 2. What opportunities and challenges do tian faith seem implausible, are being pre- these secular beliefs, ideas and motifs sented through the stories and themes of represent for Christian cultural apolo- entertainment and social media rather getics? than by argument. ‘They are assumed to In order to answer these two research be simply the way things are’, as Timothy questions, the article contains three major Keller points out. Furthermore, according sections. to Keller, most of these stories are secular or relativistic.7 The first major part of the article introdu- Thus, a key task for contemporary ces some foundational theoretical per- Christian cultural apologists is to uncover spectives on worldview theory and popu- and challenge secular values and beliefs, lar culture, on sitcoms in general and The such as naturalism, existentialism, and Theofilos vol. 12 nr. 1 2020 114 ‘Unraveling the Mystery’ Big Bang Theory specifically, on natura- understanding of how worldviews are lism, scientism, and anti-religious attitu- often grasped as stories, not only as ratio- des, and on Christian apologetics. This nal propositions, is, of course, highly rele- leads to an outline of the methodological vant to the worldview analysis of fictio- approach for content analysis with world - nal, visual universes and to the whole view theory as the hermeneutical perspec- process of meaning-making. As will be tive. shown below, Sire’s worldview concept opens constructive avenues of explora- The second major section of the article tions and has proved to be very fruitful contains a worldview analysis of the when developing a toolbox for con tent selected season of The Big Bang Theory. analysis of media messages.13 The third major part of the article pre- In a media-saturated culture like ours, sents a normative response to the series it is vital to relate to the stories from the from a Christian cultural apologetic pers- perspective of what’s being communica- pective, before concluding with summary ted. The influence of the stories of popular culture can hardly be overstated. and reflections. Popular culture may be defined by being Foundational Theoretical commercial and known, liked and used by ‘the masses’, as well as being aimed at Perspectives offering entertainment and distraction Worldview Theory and Popular from everyday life (Endsjø and Lied 2011, Culture 16). But, although it is aimed at enter - tainment, the implicit and explicit messa- The term worldview can be understood in ges are not neutral, but convey a wide different ways. This article is informed by spectrum of different perspectives, values, the concept of worldview proposed by and beliefs. Naugle (2002) and developed and appli- As Philip Pullman stated in his Car - ed by Sire:11 negie Medal acceptance speech: A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the All stories teach, whether the story- heart, that can be expressed as a teller intends them to or not. They story or in a set of presuppositions teach the world we create. They (assump tions which may be true, teach the morality we live by. They partially true or entirely false) teach it much more effectively than 14 which we hold (consciously or sub- moral precepts and instructions. consciously, consistently or incon - This means that popular culture is ‘a sistently) about the basic constitu- place of debate and negotiation, it gives tion of reality, and that provides the us examples of how our contemporaries foundations on which we live and move and have our being. (Sire are thinking’ (Turner 2013, 23). There - 2015, 141)12 fore, popular culture is a useful indicator of the Zeitgest, the ‘spirit of the times’. It The emphasis on ‘commitment’ and ‘a both mirrors and moulds our way of thin- fundamental orientation of the heart’ in- king and living, express pointers to diffe- di cates that everyone has a worldview, rent worldviews and plays a key role in whether religious or secular in its founda- the worldview formation of young people.15 tional convictions. Furthermore, this Stories, then, are powerful, whether Theofilos vol. 12 nr. 1 2020 Margunn Serigstad Dahle Ingvild Thu Kro 115 fictional or factual. Because of popular that are portrayed. But at the same time, culture and the popular media’s vast it is fiction, simply because it is not realis- impact in our culture, we ought to pay tic since the sitcom has a tendency so close attention to what is portrayed, exaggerate, both related to the events, the when it comes to values and preferences, characters and the humoristic elements. truth and reality. After all, as Walt Muel - David Lodge describes sitcoms as ler claims about today’s youth: ‘They are ‘light, family entertainment, which aims being catechized through regularity and to amuse and divert the viewers, not to repetition into a series of cultural beliefs disturb and upset them.’19 Lewis and that result in behaviors .

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