The Gospel According to Lost
By Chris Seay
3/5
()
About this ebook
“Chris Seay is one of my favorite people. He’s a shepherd at heart. His insights on culture always take me into a better understanding of the world we live in. I’m grateful for him in so many ways.”
—Don Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz
An epic journey into the deepest mysteries of faith
Lost is not just a television show. It has become much larger than that, growing into a complex, mystery-filled epic that has garnered over twenty-three million participants. Some might call these people viewers, but you don’t just watch Lost—you participate in it. It demands that you dialogue with the story, seeking theories, discussing with friends, and comparing yourself to the characters.
Lost has broken all the formulas for television, and in doing so has drawn together millions of people on a shared journey that explores life, faith, history, science, philosophy, hope, and the basic questions of what it means to be human. It’s the seemingly infinite ideas, philosophies, and biblical metaphors that draw us in and leave us wanting more.
The Gospel According to Lost explores each of these elements in an analysis of faith and metaphor—a perfect resource for those who want to go even deeper into the journey.
Inside, you’ll discover what Lost has to say about
- The clash between faith and reas0n, on the island and in real life;
- The struggle with guilt that consumes each character—and sometimes us too;
- The dichotomy between fatalism and fate, and what the Bible advises;
- How being lost—on an island or in society—presents an opportunity for reinvention that liberates some and paralyzes others.
Chris Seay
Chris Seay is the pastor of Ecclesia, a progressive Christian community in Houston, Texas, recognized for exploring spiritual questions of culture and breaking new ground in art, music, and film. Chris is the author of The Gospel According to Tony Soprano and The Gospel Reloaded. He lives in Houston with his wife, Lisa, and their four children.
Read more from Chris Seay
Advent Conspiracy: Making Christmas Meaningful (Again) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gospel According to Jesus: A Faith that Restores All Things Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5A Place at the Table: 40 Days of Solidarity with the Poor Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Story of The Voice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to The Gospel According to Lost
Related ebooks
Summary of N. T. Wright's The Day the Revolution Began Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus's Final Days in Jerusalem Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJesus as Divine Suicide: The Death of the Messiah in Galatians Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Church in Rome in the First Century Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRejected Prophets: Jesus and His Witnesses in Luke-Acts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReading the Parables: Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Big Jesus: A Pastor’s Struggle with Christology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Scandal of the Gospel: Preaching and the Grotesque Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMoses, 2nd ed. Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Trial of Innocence: Adam, Eve, and the Yahwist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTelling Tales about Jesus: An Introduction to the New Testament Gospels Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Devil, Demons, Judas, and “the Jews”: Opponents of Christ in the Gospels Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCreated Male and Female Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEvermore: Edgar Allan Poe and the Mystery of the Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Invitation to Genesis: Participant Book: A Short-Term DISCIPLE Bible Study Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bear's Adventures in Muse Hollow: The Stars Sang Together! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesus as Man, Myth, and Metaphor: Beyond the Jesus of History Debate Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Other Jesus: Rejecting a Religion of Fear for the God of Love Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJesus Tried and True: Why the Four Canonical Gospels Provide the Best Picture of Jesus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat Christ Did for Women: (This Includes You, Gentlemen) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWHAT IS MAN?: Adam, Alien or Ape? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Many Faces of Adam and Eve Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dramatizing of Theology: Humanity’s Participation in God’s Drama Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEgg Whites or Turnips?: Archaeology and Bible Translation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod Became Incarnate Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat Would Jesus Read?: Popular Religious Books and Everyday Life in Twentieth-Century America Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBrave: Women of the Bible and Their Stories of Grief, Mercy, Folly, Joy, Sex, and Redemption Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPaul the Progressive?: The Compassionate Christian’s Guide to Reclaiming the Apostle as an Ally Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPicturing the Face of Jesus: Encountering Christ through Art Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Christianity For You
Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Less Fret, More Faith: An 11-Week Action Plan to Overcome Anxiety Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Pursuit of God with Study Guide: The Human Thirst for the Divine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5NIV, Holy Bible Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Grief Observed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Gospel According to Lost
20 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5"The Gospel According to Lost" is not normally a book I would blindly pick up. I am not a major fan of any of the "Gospel According to" books. To say that Chris Seay pleasantly surprised me would be and understatment. As an avid viewer of LOST, I generally enjoyed this spin on the show.
The book begins by explaining how LOST is different from other shows and why it has become an import influence to the people who watch it every week. After this introduction, each chapter examines a specific character by looking at the main philosophical theme they represent and how their character changes throughout the show in regard to their theme. He then compares the LOST narrative to stories found in the Bible.
I often found myself making the same connections that Seay did:
* Eko with his bible-stick of scripture
* Sawyer's bad-boy-seeking-redemption story
* Locke with his insistence on faith
* Shephard's stubborn anti-supernatural stance
On the negative side, Seay often took the easy road when reflecting on the characters--there are a lot of deeper connections that could have been plumbed. Also, the structure of the book was quite scattered. There was no unifying arc to the book as a whole. This book provides a great review of certain characters and mysteries the show has created, which is especially useful before the final season this spring. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Gospel according to lost is what happens when a pastor enjoys a television series.This book is not a book of theories and speculation about Lost. (With one season to go, that would be a foolish endeavour!) It’s a reflection on the religious and philosophical themes that permeate the award winning television show. Seay (with a few exceptions) has written a chapter on each of the main characters, reflecting on what they bring to questions of faith.As a pastor, I often found myself making the same connections that Seay did: * Eko with his bible-stick of scripture * Locke with his insistence on faith * Shephard’s stubborn anti-supernatural stance * Sawyer’s bad-boy-seeking-redemption story * The list goes on . . .On the negative side, Seay often took the easy road when reflecting on the characters—there are a lot of deeper connections that could have been plumbed. Also, the structure of the book was quite scattered. There was no unifying arc to the book as a whole. Maybe a second edition released following the final season could clear things up!If you love the show Lost, and are curious to see how a believer puts the pieces together, give this book a try.Disclaimer: I received this book as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Being a fan of the TV show Lost, I couldn't help putting my hand up for a copy of Chris Seay's The Gospel According to Lost through ThomasNelson's Booksneeze program. This book looks at how life, faith, science, philosophy, hope and the basic questions of what it means to be human are explored in the TV show and relates them back to biblical stories and characters.If you have watched Lost you will know that there are always questions and as an answer for each question is found more questions result. I like what Chris has to say in the first chapter - "We were created from mystery to live in mystery - to trek an adventure of faith - but instead of embracing the process, we stir and squirm until we find an answer to anchor us, to make us feel safe." The book is a short easy read, broken down into chapters, most of them dealing with one character and the issues they face. I felt some of the parallels drawn were a bit of a stretch and some issues could have been delved into more deeply. Just as things started to get interesting the chapter would finish and he would move onto the next character. As a starting point for thinking and discussion though it is a great resource.Now I'm impatiently waiting for the last season of Lost to start over here and carefully avoiding any spoilers on the internet.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Ultimately, this book offers just what the back cover copy suggests: examples of Biblical truths using observations taken from the television show LOST. On more than one occasion, Seay takes things a bit far, but he admits on a few occasions “this may seem far-fetched, but…” and I commend him for that.But I suppose the main fault I see with the book is its simplicity. I’m not entirely sure who the target audience is for this book – Christians? Seekers? – because the simplistic presentation of the gospel will likely bore the believer, while being too watered-down for a seeker to truly get the point of Jesus’ message.Seay methodically looks at each main character in the TV show, drawing examples from the episodes and relating their experiences to Scripture. The main point he tends to draw out is that we’re all broken people, especially the figures on LOST, but we’re not actually lost forever. Jesus’ truth can save us, in the same way that the island seems to be the redemptive point for many of the characters on the show.This isn’t a book for someone who’s never seen the show. In fact, if you haven’t seen the show, I’m not sure why you’d bother with this book at all, since it already assumes a level of familiarity with the characters. I appreciate what Seay is trying to do, but without a clear target, I’m afraid that the reaction he’s aiming for falls badly off course… much like Oceanic 815.At the very least, for a Christian, it might provide a good starting point for discussions with friends of all backgrounds — and I suppose that’s something.
Book preview
The Gospel According to Lost - Chris Seay
Praise for The Gospel According to Lost
"Chris Seay is a genuine voice for a confused culture. This book will help you find your way no matter how Lost you may be."
Mark Batterson
Lead Pastor
National Community Church
Chris Seay is one of my favorite people. He’s a shepherd at heart. His insights on culture always take me into a better understanding of the world we live in. I’m grateful for him in so many ways.
Don Miller
Author, Blue Like Jazz
I’m an enthusiastic fan of Chris Seay’s work—his ability to see patterns of truth and wisdom in the artifacts of pop culture, and his desire to highlight what’s good and right instead of merely lamenting what’s shallow or shabby.
Brian McLaren
Author/Speaker
Chris is not only a good friend and an innovative church planter/ leader, he is a missionary to Houston, Texas. In being a great missionary, he has lovingly told God’s story through his culture’s narratives. This book is a must read for people who are called to be or want to be missionaries to our 21st century cities.
Gideon Tsang
Gideon Tsang
Lead Pastor Vox Veniae, Austin
"One of the reasons I never miss an episode of Lost is it makes me think. The Gospel According to Lost is no different. Thanks to the watchful eye of Chris Seay, the connections between this show and the deeper truths of our faith become more than interesting observations. They become a chance to consider what I believe and why. Talk about a conversation-starter!"
Greg Holder
Pastor; coauthor of The Advent Conspiracy; and
contributing writer for The Voice, a new translation of scripture
Whenever someone can help us connect our day-to-day lives— the ones we spend, more often than not, on couches in front of the television—with the bigger, more sweeping questions of our lives (Who are we? How are we connected to one another? What matters?), there is space created for something extraordinary to happen. Chris lives in that space, and draws us into it through this book.
Shauna Niequist
Author of Cold Tangerines
Chris Seay has taken one of TV’s greatest shows and has brought depth, meaning, and understanding to a series that ironically prides itself on mystery. Answers will be revealed, but not necessarily the answers you were looking for. Without question, J. J. Abrams would be proud.
Mike Foster
Creative Principal at PlainJoe Studios and
author of Deadly Viper Character Assassins
"Within the story of Lost, we all find ourselves with our common expressions: love and hate, peace and fear, life and death, good and evil, truth and the unknown. Chris Seay, with his niche for the smart, the sassy, and the unconventional, leads the reader to the island—not just in the show, but the one within, where we are asked to confront and contemplate the ageless questions of mystery, the gospel, story, relationships, the Scriptures, hope, and redemption. This book does not answer all the questions Lost asks; in fact, it asks more. But those that get Lost, note that the journey is as valuable as the destination— perhaps, even more."
Mike Lawrie
Pastor, thinker, and all-around good guy
"So, just what is the gospel according to Lost? Chris Seay is just as mysterious and mum about the venerable TV series as the show’s creators. But if you love Lost and have spent productive hours pondering its possibilities, Seay provides a guide for your imaginative voyage. And if you’ve been struck by Lost’s biblical parallels, Seay is your surrogate castaway—along for a long and lively conversation of What ifs
and Yeah, buts.
Marv Knox
Editor, Baptist Standard
Dallas, TX
Chris has the keen eye of a missiologist who understands the windows within our culture that offer redemptive opportunities to explain the Gospel. This is another great example of his skill and insight.
Rick McKinley
Lead Pastor of Imago Dei Community
and author of This Beautiful Mess
"Chris Seay at the height of his powers. The Gospel According to Lost shows off Chris’ sharp wit, thoughtful writing style and his unique ability to penetrate the Culture. Because Chris is such a fan of Lost, the reader is able to revel along in the joy and mystery of all the big questions, about Lost and life. A really fun read and yet another book by Seay that I wish I had written."
Dan Merchant
Writer/ director/ author
Lord, Save Us From Your Followers
Title page with Thomas Nelson logo© 2009 by Chris Seay
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This book was not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by ABC and/or Disney Enterprises, Inc. or any other person or entity involved with the Lost television series. Lost is a registered trademark of Disney Enterprises, Inc., 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from The Voice. © 2008 and 2009 Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the KING JAMES VERSION.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Seay, Chris.
The gospel according to Lost / Chris Seay.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-8499-2072-1 (pbk.)
1. Lost (Television program) 2. Television broadcasting—Moral and ethical aspects. I. Title.
PN1992.77.L67S43 2009
791.45'72—dc22
2009039265
09 10 11 12 13 RRD 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Information about External Hyperlinks in this ebook
Please note that footnotes in this ebook may contain hyperlinks to external websites as part of bibliographic citations. These hyperlinks have not been activated by the publisher, who cannot verify the accuracy of these links beyond the date of publication.
Dedicated to the memory of
Tommy Head (1957–2009)
Living Water International Peru
Tommy Head did everything to the extreme. Eleven years ago, he and his wife, Angela, gave up the life they knew to work with native tribes deep in the Amazon rain forest. His passion for life was only exceeded by his passion to bring clean water to the forgotten people of the Amazon. If we don’t serve these people,
he would say, who will?
In 2002, Tommy and Angela started drilling wells (and teaching others to do the same), traveling hours by boat in piranha- and anaconda-infested rivers to live and work in native villages. Today, Living Water International Peru thrives through two well-trained national teams that seek to love their neighbors with clean water.
Tommy was a teacher, a hippie, a motocross king, a gifted administrator, a friend like no other, and an inspiration to everyone who met him. He found his way in the deepest, darkest jungles, and I pray that his footprints will lead those of us who are still lost in the jungle of our own selfish pursuits into the adventure of rediscovering who we can be through love and the power of God.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Prologue
1 Embracing the Mystery
2 Life as Backgammon
3 Numbers Don’t Lie—Hurley: Patron Saint of Blessed Losers
4 Sayid Jarrah: Patron Saint of Tormented Humanitarians
5 Kate Austen: Patron Saint of Beautiful Killers
6 James Sawyer
Ford: Patron Saint of Kindhearted Con Men
7 Man of Science, Man of Faith: Saint Jack and Saint John
8 Locke and the Island: John Locke (1632–1704)
9 Jack Shephard: Patron Saint of Wounded Healers
10 Jesus Wrote a Best Seller
11 Eko: Patron Saint of Warlord Priests
12 John Locke: Patron Saint of the Fatherless
13 Sun and Jin: Patron Saints of Discontented Fishermen
14 Benjamin Linus: Patron Saint of Dutiful Tyrants
15 Jacob: Patron Saint of Fathers
16 The Lovers: Desmond Hume and Penelope Widmore
17 Daniel Faraday: Patron Saint of Mystic Scientists
Epilogue
Notes
Acknowledgments
To my family and my lovely wife, Lisa, I am so grateful for all of you and am so excited about my newest niece and nephew, David Yenenah and Sosy Seay.
Ecclesia, it is a privilege to serve you as we seek to see the gospel of our Liberating King change the world. Thank you for believing in miracles and looking for the best in other people. I love you all!
Alison Wisdom, it has been a pleasure working on this with you. Your intelligence and love for Lost has made this a much better book.
J. Wakeham and Kelly Hall, thanks for your contributions, editorial help, honest feedback, and great ideas.
Thanks to Dustin Hatfield, Elizabeth Puente, Robert Crowl, Daniel Park, Steven Hicks, John Starr, Wayne Brown, Houston Farris, Jack Wisdom, Gideon Tsang, Scott Erickson, Steven Hicks, RSB, and so many others who have picked up on so many things during the writing of this book.
My amazing agent, Esther Fedorkevich, I am so grateful for your partnership on this and many future projects.
Matt Baugher, it has been a joy working with you on this unique book. I am also grateful to the entire Thomas Nelson family, namely Mike Hyatt, Tammy Heim, Frank Couch, Maleah Bell, Jennifer McNeil, and many others who work faithfully to get books and Bibles printed and available for sale in so many stores.
Rick McKinley, Greg Holder, and all the Advent Conspirators, I pray that we all continue to Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, and Love All!
Jay and Jack Podcast, you guys are hilarious, and I am grateful that you keep the Lost discussion moving forward every week. I also enjoy the many bloggers who elevate this conversation.
Ecclesia Bible Society and all the team working on The Voice, your hard work in bringing the Scriptures to life for those who may have never heard this good news is forever appreciated.
To Sky Bar in Galveston, your sushi was the fuel that made this project a reality. I am also grateful to others who shared good food to keep me writing, especially Pappasitos, The Houstonian, Pointe West, Taft Street Coffee, Mai’s, T’Afia, Jaspers, Doyles, and Tia Maria’s—thanks for allowing me to eat and write at your fine establishments.
Finally to J. J. Abrams, Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof, the Lost writers, and the amazing cast who take the time to respect their audience and tell a new story. We are all grateful!
Prologue
Television—and all of the good and bad that goes with it—defines much of who we are as a culture. Television motivates conversations and often determines, whether adversely or positively, what we value in life. We must, then, be mindful of our intake. We monitor the nutritional essentials our bodies need; we stress the importance of a balanced diet. Similarly, the public is