Some three decades ago psychologist James Fowler released a seminal study focused on the development of faith in human beings. The core elements of this six tiered stage theory can be witnessed in the lives of everyday people, in the struggles of exemplars like Dr. Martin Luther King, and in conflict between Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto) from the popular X-Men comics and movies.
In a past presentation Fowler’s theory was highlighted primarily by tracing the growth of The Walking Dead’s Hershel Greene. Now the Cain and Abel of the Marvel mutant universe will take the stage to reveal how two men of great conviction approach the same struggle with far different goals and techniques. With Fowler as our starting point we will witness the the faith of Xavier and Lehnsherr juxtaposed with the work of Christian Theologians Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright and the lives of Dr. King, Malcolm X, Adolf Hitler, and John Brown. History, psychology, philosophy, and faith combine to reveal how faith can be built, utilized, shattered, and restored when facing great odds.
Using historic figures alongside the fictional characters will allow for the extension of the heroic imagination and show how faith - for both the historic and fictional figures - enables one to step into the dark night of the soul and emerge with hope in tact.
About the presenterJames P Rourke
I am a social studies teacher from Norwich, CT. A father of four and the creator of a class entitled P3:Philosophy, Psychology, and Pop-Culture. In what free time I have I also write and am the author of three books, including The Comic Book Curriculum: Using Comics to Enhance Learning and Life.