What Should Christians Think of ‘Stranger Things’? Sean McDowell Weighs In

Michael Foust

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By Michael Foust, Crosswalk.com

One of the nation’s leading apologists has turned his attention to Netflix’s Stranger Things, exploring the popular series from a Christian perspective in a podcast recorded with his 21-year-old son.

Sean McDowell and son Scottie McDowell acknowledged in a new episode of the Sean McDowell Show that they enjoyed watching much of the series, which spans five seasons and follows a group of kids in 1980s small-town Indiana as they confront mysterious dangers spilling into their town. Both McDowells, though, agreed that the first three seasons were more compelling than the final two.

“I don't love the way it ended,” said Sean McDowell, who serves as associate professor of Christian apologetics at Biola University, where Scottie attends.

The elder McDowell said he enjoyed the nostalgia and intrigue, while his son said he appreciated the character development, feeling as if he were growing up alongside the teens in the show.

The most controversial scene took place in Season 5, when one of the teen characters, Will, revealed to supportive friends and family that he was gay. Both McDowells said the scene seemed forced and unnatural.

“The world is literally ending, but we need to take a 15-minute break so Will can tell everybody that he's gay,” a frustrated Scottie said. “... They're just trying to preach – that this is normal.”

“It's driven by an agenda, and it's driven by a worldview,” Sean said.

Another critique of the series from a Christian perspective, Sean said, is the coarse language, especially the frequent use of God’s and Jesus’ names in vain in the later seasons.

“I don't think [Jesus] ever comes up except as a swear word,” Sean said. “... It insults a huge segment of the people who are watching this. It's not necessary. Look, I was there in the 80s. That is not the main way people were cussing.”

The series’ demonic-type elements, they said, pushed the boundaries in the first few seasons but crossed the line toward the end. The final two seasons, Scottie McDowell, “glorified” evil.

The two men also analyzed the worldview of the plot, saying it has parallels to Christianity. Sean McDowell said he views one of the series’ most mysterious characters, Eleven (or “El,” portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown) as a Christ-like figure.

“She's totally misunderstood, kind of like Jesus, arguably is when He shows up in Luke – He's rejected by his hometown, Nazareth. She's strange. She's persecuted, she's different. She has miracle-type powers, although, again, they explain them away, but she has supernatural kinds of powers. Ironically, her mother is mentioned [but] her father is never mentioned. … This is almost like a kind of virgin birth.”

Eleven also sacrifices herself to save others, he noted.

Another way Stranger Things reflects Christianity, Sean McDowell said, is through its emphasis on characters confessing their secrets.

“This is such a biblical idea that we have secrets – we have sins – and the way we overcome them is we have to confess them,” the elder McDowell said.

“I think some of the assumptions in this show only make sense within the Judeo-Christian worldview, even though they use it to critique the Judeo-Christian worldview,” he added.

Contrary to conventional wisdom about the plot, Sean McDowell said the series does not present a supernatural worldview. That’s because there is a scientific explanation for the series’ mysterious subplots.

“I actually think the worldview behind this is not supernaturalism,” he said. “It's actually naturalism.”

The series is rated TV-14, though its coarse language – particularly after the first few episodes – would likely push it toward an R rating if it were released theatrically.

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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.