The television show, Smallville, is a treasure trove of timeless Christian truths able to edify, enlighten, educate, and entertain both children and adults alike. The usefulness of popular culture resources in Christian education is not new; in fact, a body of literature exists that examines Superman as a Christ figure, but most of this corpus views Clark Kent/Superman as an adult. Smallville opens up a dialogic opportunity for a contemporary teen audience to understand meaning making, interpretation, and developing the critical inquiry skills necessary for both Christian and secular education. In addition to expounding upon the allegorical symbols and themes, this chapter will also provide Christian educators with classroom strategies for including Smallville content and ideas for developmentally appropriate, reflective assignments to help students realize their own potential for making a difference in society.
About the presenterBrian C Johnson
Brian C Johnson is an independent scholar focused on the intersections between media and society. An active scholar and writer, Johnson is anticipated his 9th book length publication in 2021. Johnson completed the PhD in communications media and instructional technology at IUP in December 2016. His research focuses on diversity and film pedagogy.