Book 5 for 2005

The Gospel According to Disney: faith, trust, and pixie dust by Mark I. Pinsky; © 2004, 286 p., Westminster John Knox Press.

One in a series of "The Gospel According to . . .", this book takes a look at Disney movies and their depiction of American mores in comparison to Christian teachings. Pinsky is a religion journalist who has followed Disney for years, and this book has a certain journalistic flair. He argues that the Disney company tried from the very beginning to present an inclusive way of looking at the world that could neither offend nor exclude any group of people. The result was a generic American moral code that puts more faith in pixie dust than God. This is not all bad, and Pinsky analyzes some key animated Disney films in light of Christian principles. He also discusses the phenomenon of Disney theme parks becoming the fourth most visited shrine, following Mecca, the Vatican and the Taj Mahal. I found this to be of particular interest since my family participated in such pilgrimages during my childhood and adolescence. While the writing style was a bit on the dry side and contained more reporting than academic analysis, I would recommend this book particularly to parents who watch Disney films with their children (and those who should be watching Disney films with their children). It offers new ways to think about these classic movies and offers good conversation starters for parents and their children as they ponder the benefits and drawbacks to wishing upon a star.