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December 21, 2015

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Star Wars theme set in a church

The force is strong in Berlin.

A church in the German capital invited 鈥淪tar Wars鈥 fans to attend a special service yesterday themed on the sci-fi blockbuster in an attempt to attract more young people into the pews.

About 500 people attended the service, some carrying light saber props or wearing Darth Vader masks. It was more than twice as many as usually come to Zion Church on a Sunday.

鈥淲e were very happy to see so many people in the church today,鈥 Protestant pastor Lucas Ludewig said after the service. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great that there are subjects that people are interested in. They trust us to make them part of the church service without making it too Christian or too Star Wars, but to find a good compromise.鈥

With the film鈥檚 theme song 鈥 played on the church鈥檚 organ 鈥 still echoing, the 30-year-old said he came up with the idea of the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥 service while talking with fellow pastor Ulrike Garve, 29, about how much they were looking forward to the seventh instalment in the franchise 鈥淪tar Wars: The Force Awakens,鈥 which opened last Friday.

鈥樷漇tar Wars鈥 picks up religious images, including Christian images and maybe some from other religions,鈥 said Ludewig. 鈥淚n doing so, it shows that the Bible and the Church are part of our culture that keeps being reworked and reinterpreted.鈥

Churchgoer Jonathan Wonneberger, dressed as a Jawa trader, said the service was a change from tradition.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to take everything that鈥檚 religious too seriously,鈥 he said.


 

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