Chaplain
A Batman Theology There are some great lessons in the ?lm Batman Begins. In one scene, Bruce Wayne is carousing with two women of questionable character to enhance his playboy image in order to throw off anyone’s suspicions of how he really spends his nights. His revelry is interrupted by a confrontation with Rachel Dawes, an old childhood friend. Bruce attempts to explain himself to her, stuttering, “All of this - it’s not me. I am more.” Rachel responds, “It’s not what you are underneath; it’s what you do that de?nes you.” Later in the movie, when Rachel asks the Dark Knight what his name is, he repeats that line back to her, revealing his secret identity and the fact that he is a man of substance. What we do de?nes us. This is an echo of James 2: 26, which reads, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” In my ministerial experience I have come across many people who have failed to understand this truth. They claim to have faith and values that I see no evidence of. For example, many claim to be Christians yet they are not members of a faith community, a place of worship. An intellectual assent to a principle is a far cry from actually practicing it in real life. One’s actions demonstrate what he or she TRULY values. Ponder for a moment what you claim to esteem (I hope it is faith and family). Is there any evidence that these items are priorities in your life? I know all of us could do better at practicing the values that we espouse, but I encourage you to intentionally put feet to your faith. As the Army Leadership Manual suggests, being and knowing are essential, but doing is where the rubber meets the road. Do not allow what you say are your priorities to become a mere intellectual exercise with no basis in fact. FCP Chaplain CH (Capt.) Robert Miller
PG 22
photo courtesy of http://www2.warnerbros.com/batmanbegins/