The Bible says, “Justice brings joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers” (Proverbs 21:15). This verse certainly rings true when it comes to the Batman’s particular brand of justice. In Matt Reeve's The Batman, the Dark Knight Detective haunts the streets like a vengeful shadow, striking terror in the hearts of evildoers.

In a scene at the start of the film, audiences receive a glimpse of several criminals scattered around the city as Batman monologues, “It’s a big city. I can’t be everywhere. But they don’t know where I am. We have a signal now. For when I’m needed. But when that light hits the sky, it’s not just a call. It’s a warning. To them. Fear is a tool. They think I’m hiding in the shadows. But I am the shadows.” The scene then focuses in on a band of hoodlums surrounding an innocent civilian. Before they can assault their target, they suddenly hear heavy footsteps coming from the shadows. As Batman emerges from the darkened corner, one of the assailants calls out, “Who the #@&%! are you supposed to be?” Before Batman says a word, the clown-faced thug swings a machete at the Dark Knight. In a swift series of savage strikes, Batman beats the hoodlum into the ground, then answers, “I’m vengeance.” After quickly dispatching the rest of the ruffians, Batman peers down at the cowering victim, then simply walks away.

Shadows. Vengeance. These things compose the gritty core of Batman at the onset of the movie. But as the story unfolds, the Caped Crusader experiences an interesting character arch. Throughout the film Batman wrestles with probing questions: Is he making Gotham better? Does vengeance do any good? What sort of hero does Gotham truly need?

Eventually Batman comes to the realization that he must become more than a shadowy slinger of batarangs and harbinger of vengeance. He must become a symbol of hope—a beacon of light, leading the way. This transformation is symbolized visually by Batman lighting a flare and rescuing a group of frightened citizens as the city suffers severe flooding. Reaching out his hand, he lifts them one-by-one out of the rising waters and uses his light to lead them to safety. He then continues to work in broad daylight alongside firefighters and emergency personal as he monologues, “I’m starting to see now… Vengeance won’t change the past, mine or anyone else’s. I have to become more. People need hope.”

Similarly, the Bible warns Christians not to pursue the path of vengeance. “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19 ESV). Rather, we are called and commanded to shine the light of Christ. Jesus declared to his disciples, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV).

Batman saved lives by lighting a flare and leading the way. Likewise, Christians must save souls by shining our lights and leading people to Jesus. Much like the citizens of Gotham, we are surrounded by darkness. But it’s in the darkness that our little lights shine the brightest. What does this look like? How do we become a light in the darkness? We offer help to the helpless. We offer hope to the hopeless. We love our neighbors and even our enemies. We do good deeds in broad daylight that give glory to God. Our goal is to point people to the world’s great hero—Jesus Christ. So, follow the Batman’s example. Leave vengeance to the Lord and let your light shine brightly!

Multiversal Madness!

From Scott's new book, Faith on Film:

The key plot devise of both Spider-man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness is the existence of alternate realities. In No Way Home, When Doctor Strange’s spell goes sideways, villains from across the multiverse (and previous Spider-Man films) begin appearing all over New York. Doctor Octopus and Green Goblin attack an unsuspecting Spidey on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. Doctor Strange tracks the Lizard through the city sewers. Spider-Man captures Electro, with the help of Sandman, after a fight in a forest outside New York. Back in Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, Strange explains, “That little spell that you botched where you wanted everyone to forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, it started pulling in everyone who knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man from every universe into this one.”

“Every universe?” Peter repeats.

“Frankly,” Strange continues, “the Multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little.” 

Wide-eyed, Peter replies, “The multiverse is real?”

Indeed, the multiverse is the driving plot devise of multiple movies in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not to mention the 2018 animated adventure, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, in which multiple versions of Spider-Man from alternate realities team up to do battle with the nefarious Kingpin. The multiverse, or “Spider-Verse,” promises infinite possibilities, infinite Spider-Men and Spider-Women, infinite New Yorks, infinite Earths, infinite bad guys, and infinite storylines to be explored. But is the concept of alternate realities consistent with a biblical worldview? Is there any truth to the notion?

Scientifically speaking, Doctor Strange is right; the multiverse is a concept about which we know very little. This is because there’s no evidence that a multiverse actually exists. Other universes, if they do exist, are completely undetectable to us—and will probably remain so, regardless of technological breakthroughs and scientific discoveries. Alternate realities are relegated to the realm of science-fiction, not science-fact.

Often, the driving motivation behind multiversal theories is an attempt to explain away the “fine-tuning” of our universe, which is one of the most compelling evidences for the existence of God. Without getting too technical, astronomers and physicists have been stunned by the inescapable fact that our universe has laws and physical properties that are supremely suited to our human existence. These precisely balanced constants and quantities are known as the “fine-tuning” of the universe. In his book, The Grand Design, Stephen Hawking writes, “The discovery relatively recently of the extreme fine-tuning of so many of the laws of nature could lead at least some of us back to the old idea that this grand design is the work of some grand designer.” Likewise, the ardent atheist Fredrick Hoyle, the mathematician who actually coined the term Big-Bang, admitted, “a common-sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super-intellect has monkeyed with physics.” 

In order to avoid the obvious implication of divine design, some scientists have posited the notion that a multiplicity of universes exists out there somewhere, each of them with totally random physical constants and laws of nature. However, from a scientific perspective, we really have no idea whether other universes exist, and we’ll likely never know, since those parallel universes will remain forever beyond our reach. 

In any case, Christians needn’t fear the notion of alternate realities. As Hawking’s fellow Oxford professor John Lennox points out, “God could create as many universes as he pleases. The multiverse concept of itself does not and cannot rule God out.” 

In the book of Revelation, the heavenly hosts proclaim, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased” (Revelation 4:11 NLT). If multiple universes do exist, then God created them for his pleasure and glory just as he created ours. Perhaps one universe is simply not enough to fully glorify God. A suitable display of God’s glory just might require a multiverse. And, who knows? Maybe one of those universes is home to a real-life Spider-Man!