The Most Demonic Show on Television Hides Bible Study from Public Power
By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Buffy the Vampire Slayer the last show that anyone can describe as specifically Christian. That’s because it was created by Joss Whedon, a devout atheist. The show also went out of its way to make certain demons (especially Angel and Spike) attractive, something that didn’t sit well with religious audiences. Throw in prominent gay relationships and ongoing violence, and you have a ’90s show that often stops conservative Christians in their tracks.
That being said, there is an almost shocking level of Christian influence embedded in it Buffy the Vampire Slayerto tell a story. One great example of this is the fan-favorite Season 3 episode, “Faith, Hope, and Cunning,” which is a reference to a very famous Bible verse. Interestingly, this verse itself helps in illustration years of storytelling, all while emphasizing what made Buffy so special in the first place.
You Must Have Faith
“Faith, Hope, and Trick” is the episode that introduces Faith (Eliza Dushku), the new Slayer who was called into service when Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) died the first time (don’t worry, she got better). While the two Slayers clashed at first, they overcame their differences to defeat Kakistos, an ancient vampire who brutally killed the Guardian of the Faith. However, one of the criminal’s friends escapes: Mr. Trick, who will be the servant of Season 3’s Big Bad, Mayor Wilerson.
Now, if you ever need a Sunday school lesson (you better get it right if you want to get accepted to Sunday school!), this is it Buffy the Vampire Slayer The name of the episode refers to the Bible verse 1 Corinthians 13. This verse explains that no matter what skills you have (including a silver tongue, a wise mind, strong faith, even the gift of prophecy), if you do not have love. This Bible verse famously ends with these words: “Now these three things stand: faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love.”
O Come, All Ye Faithful
At first glance, the title of the episode “Faith, Hope, and Tricks” seems like a fun twist on this Bible verse. After all, there is nothing clearly Christian about this matter. However, a deeper analysis of the verse in question reveals how the passage foreshadows the end of Faith and what makes Buffy special as a Slayer.
You see, 1 Corinthians 13 really confirms that it is not enough for Christians to have faith; if they have faith without love, the Bible asserts that ‘they are nothing. A large part of the Buffy the Vampire SlayerThe third season Faith realizes that she is not as good as Buffy. It’s not because he doesn’t have the skills to fight vampires; when the chips are down, they can throw punches and hit the stakes with the best of them. But he is a self-centered character, and his inability to see beyond his own needs leads him down a dark path. He kills someone, and soon after, becomes the mayor’s deadliest lieutenant.
The Fall of Faith
Therefore, the name of this very early episode of Season 3 symbolizes the fall of Faith, a character who has all of Buffy’s skills and special abilities but none of her love for others. Without that love, as the Bible warns, he is “nothing” compared to Buffy. Faith seems to see this on a somewhat subconscious level, which is probably why she accepts the mayor as her father: he gives her the kind of love she longs for but has failed to give to others.
Beyond Season 3, however, the message of 1 Corinthians 13 shockingly foreshadows Buffy’s journey, including separating her from the other slayers. In the dreamy Season 4 finale “The Restless,” Buffy confronts a terrifying and ancient girl who is finally revealed to be the First Slayer. This original demon hunter tells Buffy that she can’t have friends and must work alone all the time. Buffy rejects this idea and continues to fight with her friends throughout the series. Remembering what happened in the other Slayers’ lives (and deaths), we learn that Buffy is truly an enigma: every other Slayer fought and died without any allies.
By accepting her love for her friends, Buffy has gained powers greater than the Slayers or previous viewers could have dreamed of. This eventually led to a show-stopping series finale where he shared his powers with all would-be Slayers around the world. In embracing love above all else, Buffy effectively embraced the wisdom of the Bible’s greatest lesson. Perhaps that shouldn’t be surprising, though: after all, as someone who died to save the world and was resurrected to lead humanity into darkness, Buffy is one of television’s most strikingly Christ-like characters.
