---
title: Is Star Wars a Religion? with Dr. Robyn Walsh
description: United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities Arts Lunch on Star Wars and Religion
image: https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/hubfs/starwarsoriginal_0.jpeg
---

[![The Canvas Logo_Final1.png](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Canvas%20Logo_Final1.png?width=1779&name=The%20Canvas%20Logo_Final1.png "The Canvas Logo_Final1.png")](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas)

- [Theology](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/tag/theology)
- [Activism](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/tag/activism)
- [Arts](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/tag/arts)
- [Formation](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/tag/formation)
- [Voice](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/tag/voice)
- [Theology of Prince](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/tag/theology-of-prince)

![original-5](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/hubfs/Images/social-suggested-images/original-5.jpg "original-5")

### Subscribe to The Canvas

### Subscribe to The Canvas

## Featured Post

<https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.unitedseminary.edu%2Fthe-canvas%2Fstatement-by-rev.-dr.-carolyn-pressler-on-womens-history-month> <http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.unitedseminary.edu%2Fthe-canvas%2Fstatement-by-rev.-dr.-carolyn-pressler-on-womens-history-month> <https://www.twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.unitedseminary.edu%2Fthe-canvas%2Fstatement-by-rev.-dr.-carolyn-pressler-on-womens-history-month> <https://plus.google.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.unitedseminary.edu%2Fthe-canvas%2Fstatement-by-rev.-dr.-carolyn-pressler-on-womens-history-month>

  [Rev. Dr. Carolyn Pressler](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/author/rev-dr-carolyn-pressler)   Feb 25, 2026

## [Rev. Dr. Carolyn Pressler Reflects on Women’s History Month](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/statement-by-rev.-dr.-carolyn-pressler-on-womens-history-month)

Dear Friends of United,

[immigration](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/immigration) [Feminism](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/feminism) [Activism](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/activism) [ICE in Twin Cities](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/ice-in-twin-cities) 

[Read More](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/statement-by-rev.-dr.-carolyn-pressler-on-womens-history-month)

## Recent Posts

[Arts](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/arts) [intersection](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/intersection) [Movies](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/movies) [Arts Lunch](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/arts-lunch)

# Is Star Wars a Religion? with Dr. Robyn Walsh

By [Dr. Jennifer Awes Freeman](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/author/dr-jennifer-awes-freeman)09, Jun 2021

Every Tuesday, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities's Arts Program hosts "Arts Lunch," an opportunity for United community members to come together for a variety of workshops, presentations, and conversations at the intersection of Theology and the Arts. For this special May the 4th arts lunch, guest speaker Robyn Walsh talked about her work on the age-old question: Is Star Wars a Religion? In public articles, her podcast, and in the course she teaches at the University of Miami, Dr. Walsh has explored everything from Jediism as an ascetic practice, the Force as Pneuma, fandom and religiosity, and Star Wars and myth.

Robyn Faith Walsh is an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. She earned her Ph.D. at Brown University in Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean, with a focus on early Christianity, ancient Judaism and Roman archaeology. She teaches courses on the New Testament, Greco-Roman literature and material culture. Her recent offerings at UM include Introduction to the New Testament; Jesus in Myth and History; Paul: Letters and Controversies; The Greco-Roman Context of Early Christianity; The Bible and Film; Religious Issues in Death and Dying; Religion and Sports. Professor Walsh also teaches in Miami's URome program at the American University. 

If you are interested in attending or even presenting at our weekly Arts Lunches, please reach out to Dr. Jennifer Awes-Freeman, program director for Arts and Theology at [jawes-freeman@unitedseminary.edu](mailto:jawes-freeman@unitedseminary.edu). 

### [Dr. Jennifer Awes Freeman](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/author/dr-jennifer-awes-freeman)

Jennifer Awes Freeman is Associate Professor and Program Director of Theology and the Arts at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities.

<https://www.twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.unitedseminary.edu%2Fthe-canvas%2Fis-star-wars-a-religion-with-dr.-robyn-walsh> <http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.unitedseminary.edu%2Fthe-canvas%2Fis-star-wars-a-religion-with-dr.-robyn-walsh> <https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.unitedseminary.edu%2Fthe-canvas%2Fis-star-wars-a-religion-with-dr.-robyn-walsh> <https://plus.google.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.unitedseminary.edu%2Fthe-canvas%2Fis-star-wars-a-religion-with-dr.-robyn-walsh>

## Your Comments :

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/teaching-the-flag-a-judeo-pagan-radical-faerie-prayer-for-pride>

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/teaching-the-flag-a-judeo-pagan-radical-faerie-prayer-for-pride>

Previous Post

##### [Teaching the Flag: A Judeo-Pagan, Radical Faerie Prayer for Pride.](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/teaching-the-flag-a-judeo-pagan-radical-faerie-prayer-for-pride)

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/hollywood-transgender-lives-and-the-theological-response-a-panel-on-disclosure-2020>

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/hollywood-transgender-lives-and-the-theological-response-a-panel-on-disclosure-2020>

Next Post

##### [Hollywood, Transgender Lives, and the Theological Response: A Panel on Disclosure (2020)](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/hollywood-transgender-lives-and-the-theological-response-a-panel-on-disclosure-2020)

### Search Blog

- Latest Posts
- Popular Posts

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/statement-by-rev.-dr.-carolyn-pressler-on-womens-history-month>

[Rev. Dr. Carolyn Pressler Reflects on Women’s History Month](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/statement-by-rev.-dr.-carolyn-pressler-on-womens-history-month)

[ immigration](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/immigration) [ Feminism](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/feminism) [ Activism](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/activism) [ ICE in Twin Cities](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/ice-in-twin-cities)

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/statement-by-president-molly-t.-marshall-on-community-response-efforts>

[Statement by President Molly T. Marshall on Community Response Efforts](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/statement-by-president-molly-t.-marshall-on-community-response-efforts)

[ Campus News](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/campus-news) [ social justice](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/social-justice) [ justice](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/justice) [ immigration](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/immigration) [ Alums](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/alums) [ news releases](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/news-releases) [ Activism](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/activism) [ statement](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/statement)

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/statement-by-president-molly-t.-marshall-on-the-killing-of-renee-good>

[Statement by President Molly T. Marshall on the Killing of Renee Good](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/statement-by-president-molly-t.-marshall-on-the-killing-of-renee-good)

[ immigration](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/immigration) [ news releases](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/news-releases) [ Activism](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/activism) [ statement](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/topic/statement)

### Categories

- [September 2017 (11)](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/archive/2017/09)
- [June 2021 (8)](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/archive/2021/06)
- [August 2018 (7)](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/archive/2018/08)
- [February 2017 (6)](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/archive/2017/02)
- [September 2018 (6)](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/archive/2018/09)
- [December 2018 (6)](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/archive/2018/12)

### Read more of what you like.

## [Images of Hope: Advent in Art](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/images-of-hope)

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/images-of-hope>

## [Student Rev. Alicia Reese Creatively Mixes Ministry with Improv](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/alicia-reese-mixes-ministry-improv)

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/alicia-reese-mixes-ministry-improv>

## [Donors Establish the Wilson Yates Chair of Theology and the Arts](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/donors-establish-the-wilson-yates-chair-in-theology-and-the-arts)

<https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas/donors-establish-the-wilson-yates-chair-in-theology-and-the-arts>

[![Sample The Canvas Logos_1_Yellow-Grey -2.png](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Sample%20The%20Canvas%20Logos_1_Yellow-Grey%20-2.png?width=1779&name=Sample%20The%20Canvas%20Logos_1_Yellow-Grey%20-2.png "Sample The Canvas Logos_1_Yellow-Grey -2.png")](https://blog.unitedseminary.edu/the-canvas)

Copyright © 2020 The Canvas

![](https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1618067998521479&ev=PageView&noscript=1)