As I'm deep into The Gospel According to Star Trek, I'm re-blogging this series from the UCP Blog Archive.

I’ve done a lot of work with Star Trek over the last five years of research, writing and speaking, but few things have been as compelling for me as watching the gospel unfold in amazing, surprising ways in Star Trek II, III and IV.

Unexpectedly discovering how rich the “accidental” symbolism of these films is made for a totally unplanned and beautiful Holy Week leading up to Easter for me last year. Now that we have audio commentaries for all these films, I can share what I discovered on the journey with you!

I’ll be going through the films and commentaries myself and blogging devotional thoughts throughout the week. Here’s the schedule of events:

Holy Saturday
Rest. Reflect. Pray. Fast. Prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.
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I hope this Star Trek Holy Week is a beautiful, life-giving one for you. Maybe you’ll want to invite some geeky/Trekkie friends to join you. Feel free to use the comments sections of the devotional blog posts to share your thoughts and prayers. I’m looking forward to sharing this time with you!

​More than one person has shared an article with me entitled, "Nothing says Christmas like Spock dying of radiation poisoning in a tree ornament." I shall therefore put in my two slips of latinum on the subject.

I appreciate the humor of the headline and I certainly understand the author's puzzlement at a Christmas ornament that depicts death. However, I see this as far from the least seasonally appropriate Star Trek ornament Hallmark has produced. For me, that honor goes to "Locutus of Borg," released a decade ago, because nothing says Christmas like "Resistance is Futile."

​This year's ornament, "The Needs of the Many," I honestly find to be in good--if bittersweet--taste. While its significance seems lost on the author of this article, it clearly stands as a poignant tribute to the fact that this is the year we lost Leonard Nimoy.
Star Trek has been closely associated with Christmas for many of us through Hallmark ornaments since 1991. That was the year Hallmark released its first Star Trek ornament, "Starship Enterprise," depicting the Enterprise NCC-1701 in honor of Star Trek's 25th anniversary. (For those of you keeping track, that will be 25 years ago next year. Feeling old yet?)

The following year, Hallmark released an ornament depicting the Galileo shuttlecraft and featuring a specially recorded message, voiced by Leonard Nimoy: "Shuttlecraft to Enterprise. Shuttlecraft to Enterprise. Spock here. Happy Holidays. Live long and prosper." Since then, Spock's voice has greeted many of us every Christmas.

In that context, then, and in the year of Nimoy's death, listening to the edited dialogue from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan played from this ornament brought more than a little mist to my Trekkie eyes.

However, it is interesting to note that Hallmark did not originally plan this as a eulogistic tribute to the late actor. At the time this design was approved, in fact, he was very much alive. From Hallmark's corporate website:

"Hallmark's Keepsake Ornament team starts working on each year's ornament line about two years in advance. "The Needs of the Many" ornament was planned, designed and produced months prior to the death of Leonard Nimoy. The ornament design was fully approved by our licensing partners at Star Trek and CBS, as well as by Mr. Nimoy himself, in early 2014."

Hallmark was aware, however, that this could become a potentially difficult situation.

"Out of respect for Mr. Nimoy and his family, and sensitivity to the situation, we consulted with our licensing partners at Star Trek and CBS this spring, to see if they had concerns about releasing this ornament in 2015. Our partners agreed that this ornament is a fitting tribute to Leonard Nimoy in one of his most memorable scenes."

And I absolutely agree. Honestly, outside the context of Nimoy's death, the ornament seems far less appropriate, even if the man himself approved it. That is, unless you view it from another perspective.

​While there are other elements involved, the moment depicted in this year's Hallmark ornament is the moment in Spock's character arc that most solidly earns him his well-known distinction as a Christ figure.

As we celebrate the coming of Christ, we celebrate not only his birth, but the bringing of salvation--a salvation wrought through sacrificial death. Certainly, his birth takes precedence during this season and his death and resurrection have their times of remembrance as well. So, it could be said that this is perhaps a more appropriate Easter (or at least Palm Sunday) ornament.

Still, meditating on the birth of Christ is only enriched by also meditating on his life, death and resurrection. So, for me, this stands as a uniquely beautiful moment in the history of the Hallmark Star Trek ornaments--the moment when Star Trek, Christmas, and Christ all came together in one singular piece of popular art. In that sense, then--truly--nothing says Christmas like the death of Spock.
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Happy Christmas, everyone. Live Long and Prosper! (John 10:10)