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Superheroes Can’t Save You: Epic Examples of Historic Heresies
Comic superheroes embody the hopes of a world that is desperate for a savior. But those comic creations cannot save us from our greatest foes—sin and death. Throughout the history of the Church there have been bad ideas, misconceptions, and heretical presentations of Jesus. Each one of these heresies fails to present Jesus as the Bible reveals him. In Superheroes Can’t Save You, Todd Miles demonstrates how these ancient heresies are embodied in contemporary comic superheroes. Miles compares something everybody already knows (who the superheroes are) with what they need to know (who Jesus is), in a book that makes vitally important Christian truths understandable and applicable to a wide audience.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2018
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217 people want to read
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March 15, 2018Since I just read the book out loud for the audio version, I figure that counts as reading it. I won't rate it, though I think it is pretty good. :)
July 25, 2019
This informative and entertaining book examines orthodox christology by illustrating various heretical views of Jesus’ divinity by comparing them with particular superheroes. The analogies work surprisingly well:
Docetism: Jesus seemed to be human but was actually God in disguise. Like Clark Kent is actually Superman in disguise.
Liberalism: Jesus was a remarkable man but not actually divine. Like Batman doesn’t actually have any superpowers.
Modalism: God appears in different modes (Father, Son, Spirit) at different times. Like Ant-man can turn into Giant-man or Yellowjacket.
Arianism: Jesus was a god, but not the God. Like Thor is a god, but not the God.
Adoptionism (Dynamic monarchism, Ebionites, Unitarianism, Socinianism): Jesus was a human given the power of God through the Holy Spirit. Like Green Lantern is just a human who is granted supreme power through a magic ring.
Apollinarianism: Jesus was part human and part divine. Like Bruce Banner was sometimes human, and sometimes the Hulk.
Eutychianism (Monophysitism): Jesus had a single nature that was a hybrid of human and divine. Like Spider-Man is hybrid of human and spider. This is the doctrine of the churches of Ethiopia and Armenia.
The orthodox view, as affirmed in the Chalcedonian Creed, is that Jesus is both fully God and fully Man in one person. Miles clearly explains why this view is both biblically consistent and theologically necessary.
Docetism: Jesus seemed to be human but was actually God in disguise. Like Clark Kent is actually Superman in disguise.
Liberalism: Jesus was a remarkable man but not actually divine. Like Batman doesn’t actually have any superpowers.
Modalism: God appears in different modes (Father, Son, Spirit) at different times. Like Ant-man can turn into Giant-man or Yellowjacket.
Arianism: Jesus was a god, but not the God. Like Thor is a god, but not the God.
Adoptionism (Dynamic monarchism, Ebionites, Unitarianism, Socinianism): Jesus was a human given the power of God through the Holy Spirit. Like Green Lantern is just a human who is granted supreme power through a magic ring.
Apollinarianism: Jesus was part human and part divine. Like Bruce Banner was sometimes human, and sometimes the Hulk.
Eutychianism (Monophysitism): Jesus had a single nature that was a hybrid of human and divine. Like Spider-Man is hybrid of human and spider. This is the doctrine of the churches of Ethiopia and Armenia.
The orthodox view, as affirmed in the Chalcedonian Creed, is that Jesus is both fully God and fully Man in one person. Miles clearly explains why this view is both biblically consistent and theologically necessary.
August 20, 2018
A well-done and clever intro to church history and Christology. Miles uses superheroes to stand in for church heresies and it works out quite well. The heresies covered are:
1. Docetism - Superman
2. Liberalism - Batman
3. Modalism - Ant-Man
4. Arianism - Thor
5. Adoptionism - Green Lantern
6. Apollinarianism - The Hulk
7. Eutychianism - Spider-Man
Each chapter has roughly the same format: An introduction, followed by explaining the heresy in question and how the superhero personifies it. Miles then looks at what Scripture has to say about it and then considers the implications and application for our lives. At the end of each chapter, he emphasizes that each heretical Jesus cannot, in fact, save us.
I really enjoyed Miles' approach here and am planning to teach through it to my students as part of a 4-week series next Spring. Highly recommended!
1. Docetism - Superman
2. Liberalism - Batman
3. Modalism - Ant-Man
4. Arianism - Thor
5. Adoptionism - Green Lantern
6. Apollinarianism - The Hulk
7. Eutychianism - Spider-Man
Each chapter has roughly the same format: An introduction, followed by explaining the heresy in question and how the superhero personifies it. Miles then looks at what Scripture has to say about it and then considers the implications and application for our lives. At the end of each chapter, he emphasizes that each heretical Jesus cannot, in fact, save us.
I really enjoyed Miles' approach here and am planning to teach through it to my students as part of a 4-week series next Spring. Highly recommended!
March 14, 2019
I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. Here are a few:
-easy to read and follow, great layout
-theologically rich
-gave me a deeper love and gratefulness for the person and work of Jesus Christ
-a great biography of many superhero’s (I now better understand the DC/Marvel world)
-humorous and filled will great personal stories
-I may forget what docetism is but not the Superman heresy!
A great book, not just about how superheroes can’t save you, but about who Jesus is, what he did, and how he can save you.
-easy to read and follow, great layout
-theologically rich
-gave me a deeper love and gratefulness for the person and work of Jesus Christ
-a great biography of many superhero’s (I now better understand the DC/Marvel world)
-humorous and filled will great personal stories
-I may forget what docetism is but not the Superman heresy!
A great book, not just about how superheroes can’t save you, but about who Jesus is, what he did, and how he can save you.
January 8, 2020
A good read overall. And it’s great to know that an entertaining, informative, and clear book on the early Christological errors exists.
As for me personally, I didn’t totally enjoy reading it, but I also didn’t dislike it. I didn’t underline much in it, yet I was pleasantly surprised by some of it. The reason I didn’t love reading it was less about the content, but more about the fact that I’ve learned about these same heresies multiple times before, both in undergrad studies, then in seminary, and then in podcasts/sermons apart from this. I do not say this to make it sound like I’m an expert or anything in early Christological heresies—I’m most certainly not. But rather to say that the historical and theological info in this book was nothing new, nor did Miles present it in a unique or different way (which is probably a *good* thing). Rather, it was a book giving the typical heresies that the early church wrestled with, leading to the famous creeds. It was helpful when Miles then explained what the Bible actually says, and then showing how some Christians might still struggle with subtly believing these things today, but still, this was pretty basic.
The most interesting thing about the book, then, was not his content concerning the heresies nor the biblical exegesis nor the applications. It instead was how he cleverly was able to see these heresies in modern superheroes. I’ll be honest: Going into the book, I thought he’d really have to stretch these superheroes to fit his goals. But to my surprise, this really didn’t happen. Sure, some superheroes fit better than others. But nevertheless, all of them did help to illustrate the heresy. For this, the book was worth reading, because it gave some clarity and illustration to the heresies which often doesn’t exist in church history discussions.
As for other things, I thought his “What the Bible Says” section in each chapter could’ve been a bit better. He opted to choose only one or two main texts for each chapter instead of quoting a lot of verses. Since he’s a scholar, I know this isn’t because he doesn’t know more texts; rather, it was a deliberate choice to make it simpler. But I think including more texts in each chapter would’ve been helpful.
And finally, I thought his last words section, with explaining to the Chalcedonian creed, was really good at tying it all together.
Would I recommend? It matters. If someone is interested in early church history and Christology, or is confused at how Jesus could be both God and man, then this is an accessible, clear book, with good superhero illustrations. But if someone knows a bit of these heresies and such, they might just read the Last Words where he quickly summarizes each superhero and heresy. The rest is nothing new (which, again, when discussing church history, is a good thing—you don’t want to be novel). Overall, I’m glad I read it.
As for me personally, I didn’t totally enjoy reading it, but I also didn’t dislike it. I didn’t underline much in it, yet I was pleasantly surprised by some of it. The reason I didn’t love reading it was less about the content, but more about the fact that I’ve learned about these same heresies multiple times before, both in undergrad studies, then in seminary, and then in podcasts/sermons apart from this. I do not say this to make it sound like I’m an expert or anything in early Christological heresies—I’m most certainly not. But rather to say that the historical and theological info in this book was nothing new, nor did Miles present it in a unique or different way (which is probably a *good* thing). Rather, it was a book giving the typical heresies that the early church wrestled with, leading to the famous creeds. It was helpful when Miles then explained what the Bible actually says, and then showing how some Christians might still struggle with subtly believing these things today, but still, this was pretty basic.
The most interesting thing about the book, then, was not his content concerning the heresies nor the biblical exegesis nor the applications. It instead was how he cleverly was able to see these heresies in modern superheroes. I’ll be honest: Going into the book, I thought he’d really have to stretch these superheroes to fit his goals. But to my surprise, this really didn’t happen. Sure, some superheroes fit better than others. But nevertheless, all of them did help to illustrate the heresy. For this, the book was worth reading, because it gave some clarity and illustration to the heresies which often doesn’t exist in church history discussions.
As for other things, I thought his “What the Bible Says” section in each chapter could’ve been a bit better. He opted to choose only one or two main texts for each chapter instead of quoting a lot of verses. Since he’s a scholar, I know this isn’t because he doesn’t know more texts; rather, it was a deliberate choice to make it simpler. But I think including more texts in each chapter would’ve been helpful.
And finally, I thought his last words section, with explaining to the Chalcedonian creed, was really good at tying it all together.
Would I recommend? It matters. If someone is interested in early church history and Christology, or is confused at how Jesus could be both God and man, then this is an accessible, clear book, with good superhero illustrations. But if someone knows a bit of these heresies and such, they might just read the Last Words where he quickly summarizes each superhero and heresy. The rest is nothing new (which, again, when discussing church history, is a good thing—you don’t want to be novel). Overall, I’m glad I read it.
January 13, 2020
Final score for this book: 33/50. See Template on "Why I am Not A Christian" - Bertrand Russell.
Despite the lower score rating, I definitely think this is a good book. Miles brings an interesting element in contrasting the superheros we all love with erroneous beliefs about Jesus. Chapters can leave you feeling convicted about the wrongful beliefs you have while being entertained by the superheros and the "nerdiness" of Miles. At the end of each chapter is a section devoted to helping aid discussion and providing more scripture to argue on behalf of the truths of Christ.
Miles explains each heresy that we or others have believed about Jesus as analogous to certain attributes that superheros have. For the most part, the hero's fit surprisingly well, with the exception of the "Hulk" chapter. I thought the way he set up every chapter was very systematic that never left me wondering if I missed something, the only problem with this is that the chapters and materials became quite repetitive. The chapters mesh very well together too, and he puts certain heresies before others which really aided to see the build off between heresies.
I really enjoyed this book at certain points, especially when Miles dives into the background for each character, as well as the historical set up for each heresy. I didn't really enjoy the times in his chapter where he dives into the biblical argument against each heresy. This is mostly because I felt his exposition was at times superfluous. At times, he reverted to repetitive statements to possibly help the audience "Click" with the thesis. It seemed as though he was trying to explain the heresy to a group that would struggle with understanding it, like the middle school/high school level. I would understand a passage of scripture that was relevant to the argument at hand, but he would continue to expound on it for a lengthy period of time. I suppose I would have rather had more scripture written out and explained very briefly than a minimal quantity explained in great detail. This, to me, was always the biggest hump to get over in every chapter and I mostly skimmed it due to understanding the heresy and the proper view at hand.
The part I found most interesting in this book, is that we ascribe certain attributes we think are notable to both Jesus and superheros. There is some tendency, some belief about us that wishes for our God to be a certain way and we can see that manifested through our wishing of superheros. It would have been interesting to hear Miles thoughts on why we might wish Jesus to be only God or why we might want him to be only a remarkable man. Maybe we believe these things because of our comfort, our fear of society, our trust in our own understanding, or a multitude of other beliefs that, when manifested, see us proclaiming a false Christ. Miles didn't really talk about this hardly at all, and yet I think it would have been one of the most helpful things.
I would definitely recommend this book to a new believer or a group of middle/high school students and maybe a freshmen course for college students, maybe. It would be especially helpful to dive into the discussion questions because here is where our wrongful beliefs would be most apparent. Aside from that I wouldn't really recommend it to many others, especially if a person has read or researched into things like the trinity or the hypostatic union. If they have, there are many other books that might go into better detail that would end up being more helpful. Still a great book and a good read.
Despite the lower score rating, I definitely think this is a good book. Miles brings an interesting element in contrasting the superheros we all love with erroneous beliefs about Jesus. Chapters can leave you feeling convicted about the wrongful beliefs you have while being entertained by the superheros and the "nerdiness" of Miles. At the end of each chapter is a section devoted to helping aid discussion and providing more scripture to argue on behalf of the truths of Christ.
Miles explains each heresy that we or others have believed about Jesus as analogous to certain attributes that superheros have. For the most part, the hero's fit surprisingly well, with the exception of the "Hulk" chapter. I thought the way he set up every chapter was very systematic that never left me wondering if I missed something, the only problem with this is that the chapters and materials became quite repetitive. The chapters mesh very well together too, and he puts certain heresies before others which really aided to see the build off between heresies.
I really enjoyed this book at certain points, especially when Miles dives into the background for each character, as well as the historical set up for each heresy. I didn't really enjoy the times in his chapter where he dives into the biblical argument against each heresy. This is mostly because I felt his exposition was at times superfluous. At times, he reverted to repetitive statements to possibly help the audience "Click" with the thesis. It seemed as though he was trying to explain the heresy to a group that would struggle with understanding it, like the middle school/high school level. I would understand a passage of scripture that was relevant to the argument at hand, but he would continue to expound on it for a lengthy period of time. I suppose I would have rather had more scripture written out and explained very briefly than a minimal quantity explained in great detail. This, to me, was always the biggest hump to get over in every chapter and I mostly skimmed it due to understanding the heresy and the proper view at hand.
The part I found most interesting in this book, is that we ascribe certain attributes we think are notable to both Jesus and superheros. There is some tendency, some belief about us that wishes for our God to be a certain way and we can see that manifested through our wishing of superheros. It would have been interesting to hear Miles thoughts on why we might wish Jesus to be only God or why we might want him to be only a remarkable man. Maybe we believe these things because of our comfort, our fear of society, our trust in our own understanding, or a multitude of other beliefs that, when manifested, see us proclaiming a false Christ. Miles didn't really talk about this hardly at all, and yet I think it would have been one of the most helpful things.
I would definitely recommend this book to a new believer or a group of middle/high school students and maybe a freshmen course for college students, maybe. It would be especially helpful to dive into the discussion questions because here is where our wrongful beliefs would be most apparent. Aside from that I wouldn't really recommend it to many others, especially if a person has read or researched into things like the trinity or the hypostatic union. If they have, there are many other books that might go into better detail that would end up being more helpful. Still a great book and a good read.
January 24, 2020
Overall this book is a great lesson in early church history and the many mistakes we have made in the past. For someone who is not so familiar with the heresies I found the book to be educational, convicting and a great reminder of the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith. Miles was very entertaining in his presentation of the individual superheros and it was quite impressive how they connected allegorically to the main heresies in the church. It was an easy read, an entertaining read and one I highly recommend to anyone who wishes to be come familiar with the heresies of the past. My biggest critique of the book is the theological defense against the individual heresies. While it was helpful, it was simple and somewhat boring to me. This could be do to my familiarity with the texts he was presenting (so for someone who has not spent as much time in the bible it might be more intriguing). All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Marvel or DC who desires to know our Great God more clearly.
February 9, 2019
Very helpful book for exposing past and current heresies in the Christian church. The superhero analogies made it easier for this layman to understand, and the analogies didn’t seem a stretch to be directly tied to their particular heresy. The chapters were broken down in a similar fashion, so it was easy to know what to expect and could easily be used as a study guide.
My only issue was Miles often jumped into church history controversies with ancient words and people, and these little vignettes were hard to follow.
My only issue was Miles often jumped into church history controversies with ancient words and people, and these little vignettes were hard to follow.
May 20, 2019
All you want to know about how super-hero’s teach us church history. Especially how they helpfully represent Christological heresies. Todd is a fantastic writer and an even better theologian. This book made me want to study church history even more (I already love it). It made me want to know Jesus even more (I love him, but not enough). I’m thankful for this work and I pray it is read widely.
The discussion questions at the end of each chapter makes it perfect for a discipleship tool and/or Sunday school classes.
The discussion questions at the end of each chapter makes it perfect for a discipleship tool and/or Sunday school classes.
March 3, 2020
Great book! What a creative idea on how to teach the heresies of the church. I teach church history this spring and will totally use these ideas when teaching the great heresies. Thanks professor Miles!! Highest recommendation
August 16, 2018
Even better the second time!
February 3, 2021
Even better the second time!
September 18, 2018
There is no hint that Batman is anything other than an incredible human being (with seemingly unlimited amounts of cash). Though such qualities and skills are never found in any one real human being (that is what makes him Batman, after all), they are just human qualities and skills. He may be the most remarkable human being in comic lore, but in the final analysis he is just a human being.
And some people feel the same about Jesus.
Todd Miles, professor of theology at Western Seminary in Portland, Ore., spent most of his allowance on comic books for many years back around the time each book cost a quarter. He would browse the drug store rack weekly, reading most issues while in search of the few he would redeem with his not-so-hard-earned dollar. Many years later (after the experiments of a mad scientist would ruin his ambition to become the first man to circumnavigate Mars in a weather balloon), he connected his theological training to his comic lore fascination to make this conclusion: “Every bad idea about Jesus can be illustrated by a superhero,” at least the biggest bad ideas can. He ran with that idea in a Sunday School class, later a youth retreat, and with much encouragement wrote a book on it.
Superheroes Can’t Save You covers seven of the most popular heresies about the person of Christ Jesus, tying each of them to memorable comic figures. The chapter on the Trinity ties to Ant-Man, arguing against the idea that God manifests himself in one of three modes: the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. The chapter on Jesus’s full humanity connects to Superman, explaining how Jesus, as God, did not merely pose as a man (as Kal El did in taking the alias Clark Kent) but became a man completely.
While each chapter is not evenly paced, they do follow a pattern. Miles begins with the comic lore, segues into the heresy, takes a moment to explain who commits the heresy today, describes the biblical truth, and then offers reasons for the importance of these truths. I think in every case, the key problem with the heresy is the undermining of our salvation. The Bible offers a clear logic for salvation, why we need it and how it is accomplished. With humor and careful writing, Miles tells his readers these alternate concepts of Christ don’t work in that logic. Thor can’t save us. Neither can a savior like the Hulk with all of his incredibleness. Only the living Jesus can save us.
I said each chapter is not quite even, because some of them dive into the comic storyline more than others and some swim through history more than others. Miles’s explanation of each heresy in a modern context brings the history forward, so it doesn’t remain as weird ideas from the past. Casual readers can discover liberals commit the Batman heresy and ways we teach about the Trinity easily lead people into the Ant-Man heresy (Oneness Pentecostals teach that heresy explicitly).
In the chapter on the Green Lantern heresy, Miles’s dive into Christ’s humility as Paul puts it in Philippians 2:5-8 had me in tears. Christ Jesus is awesome. He is the only one who can save us. But from who? Luthor? Bane? Magneto or Doctor Doom? No, the real life treat we face is ourselves. We have forged our own destinies, followed our own dreams, and would pour dust upon dust forever if the Lord God, our Creator, refused to intervene.
June 1, 2018
Superhero media and memorabilia represent billions of dollars spent worldwide every year. Once relegated to the realm of pulp magazines, they became subjects of cartoon shows, live actions television, movies, and recently, a fiction podcast. The movies overshadow American pop culture for now with Marvel having released nearly twenty films in half as many years. Tom Holland only took on the role of Spider-Man in a film released in 2016, but viewers saw him play the role once a year since then. The movies and money do not lie: Americans have a huge interest in superheroes.
Jesus Christ continues to stand as the object of faith for Christians. If the church desires to worship, praise, and adore him, they must do so truly. To misunderstand Christ and think one knows him would commit the same kind of error as a man bringing his wife the favorite flowers and candy of an ex-girlfriend on Valentine’s Day! Sadly, the history of the church provides numerous examples of men misunderstanding Jesus.
What could superheroes and misunderstandings of Jesus possibly have in common? In his new book, Superheroes Can’t Save You, Todd Miles offers a great points of contact between these seemingly unrelated phenomena. He puts it plainly: Every bad idea about Jesus can be illustrated by a superhero, (5).
He’s not wrong.
In 200 pages, Miles provides quality explanations of six ancient heresies about Christ and one with a more modern origin. He connects each heresy with a well-known comic superhero, explaining how an essential part of the superhero’s power and/or identity illustrates wrong thinking about Jesus. For example, Superman illustrates the ancient heresy of docetism. Superman appears human, but he most certainly proves inhuman through his incredible strength and ability to fly. Contra Superman, Jesus does not appear human—Jesus stands true as a member of humanity.
In every entry, Miles provides helpful material: a succinct origin story for each false teaching, the current advocates of the heresy, biblical data refuting the heresy, and how the preceding information bears on the life of the Christian. Rather than a crusty textbook about long-gone men in togas who taught dead wrong ideas about Jesus, the book uses American cultural icons to illustrate distortions of Scripture. In so doing, Miles expresses orthodox Christian theology in a compelling and culturally appropriate way. In the vein of the late Thomas Oden, Miles contributes nothing new to the content of theology, rather, he explains essential biblical teaching on Christ in a fresh way. Each chapter concludes with questions for the individual, questions for group discussion, and a text of Scripture for further meditation.
I truly enjoyed reading the book, and I suspect others will also. Rarely does one find a hardback theology book for the cover price of $19.99. Still rarer proves the theological work which has appeal for the average church-goer. As a man tasked with teaching the Bible to teenagers, I sometimes find difficulty explaining some points of christology in a way teenagers can understand and why those points matter. Books which can double as doorstops have uses (I own many of them), but a book of less-intimidating length serves the interests of the non-theology nerd well.
At risk of sounding trite, I feel compelled to declare the book one thing above all: fun. Miles provides an enjoyable read. I never got the feeling of a chapter or section becoming sluggish or outlasting its interesting and useful content. Furthermore, Miles’s work bears a distinct simplicity. He writes salient prose which never becomes overwrought. His accounts from church history and the errors found therein provide the reader with accurate understanding without entire pages becoming devoted to footnotes.
The book avoids a tired formula so common in current evangelicalism. Every time a new pop culture phenomenon arises, various authors, bloggers, and other communicators find a need to justify their enjoyment of the media by finding gospel references or echoes. Rather than tell his reader about Batman’s indicators of Jesus, Miles recounts accurate theology through doing the opposite. He accomplishes his task without maligning heroes of comic lore; instead, he explains how they pale in comparison to the incomparable Christ.
With Spider-Man and the Hulk a few years past the age minimum to join AARP and Green Lantern and Batman pre-dating the United States’s entry into World War 2, the illustrative material of Superheroes Can’t Save You has a multi-generational appeal. Anyone seeking an accurate and authentic description of erroneous thinking can benefit from reading the book.
In terms of cultural capital, I think Miles has found a good touchstone. A follow-up concerning the practice of the Christian life using other comic book characters is possible, perhaps other ideas made easy-to-understand using today’s cultural currency exist as well.
Jesus Christ continues to stand as the object of faith for Christians. If the church desires to worship, praise, and adore him, they must do so truly. To misunderstand Christ and think one knows him would commit the same kind of error as a man bringing his wife the favorite flowers and candy of an ex-girlfriend on Valentine’s Day! Sadly, the history of the church provides numerous examples of men misunderstanding Jesus.
What could superheroes and misunderstandings of Jesus possibly have in common? In his new book, Superheroes Can’t Save You, Todd Miles offers a great points of contact between these seemingly unrelated phenomena. He puts it plainly: Every bad idea about Jesus can be illustrated by a superhero, (5).
He’s not wrong.
In 200 pages, Miles provides quality explanations of six ancient heresies about Christ and one with a more modern origin. He connects each heresy with a well-known comic superhero, explaining how an essential part of the superhero’s power and/or identity illustrates wrong thinking about Jesus. For example, Superman illustrates the ancient heresy of docetism. Superman appears human, but he most certainly proves inhuman through his incredible strength and ability to fly. Contra Superman, Jesus does not appear human—Jesus stands true as a member of humanity.
In every entry, Miles provides helpful material: a succinct origin story for each false teaching, the current advocates of the heresy, biblical data refuting the heresy, and how the preceding information bears on the life of the Christian. Rather than a crusty textbook about long-gone men in togas who taught dead wrong ideas about Jesus, the book uses American cultural icons to illustrate distortions of Scripture. In so doing, Miles expresses orthodox Christian theology in a compelling and culturally appropriate way. In the vein of the late Thomas Oden, Miles contributes nothing new to the content of theology, rather, he explains essential biblical teaching on Christ in a fresh way. Each chapter concludes with questions for the individual, questions for group discussion, and a text of Scripture for further meditation.
I truly enjoyed reading the book, and I suspect others will also. Rarely does one find a hardback theology book for the cover price of $19.99. Still rarer proves the theological work which has appeal for the average church-goer. As a man tasked with teaching the Bible to teenagers, I sometimes find difficulty explaining some points of christology in a way teenagers can understand and why those points matter. Books which can double as doorstops have uses (I own many of them), but a book of less-intimidating length serves the interests of the non-theology nerd well.
At risk of sounding trite, I feel compelled to declare the book one thing above all: fun. Miles provides an enjoyable read. I never got the feeling of a chapter or section becoming sluggish or outlasting its interesting and useful content. Furthermore, Miles’s work bears a distinct simplicity. He writes salient prose which never becomes overwrought. His accounts from church history and the errors found therein provide the reader with accurate understanding without entire pages becoming devoted to footnotes.
The book avoids a tired formula so common in current evangelicalism. Every time a new pop culture phenomenon arises, various authors, bloggers, and other communicators find a need to justify their enjoyment of the media by finding gospel references or echoes. Rather than tell his reader about Batman’s indicators of Jesus, Miles recounts accurate theology through doing the opposite. He accomplishes his task without maligning heroes of comic lore; instead, he explains how they pale in comparison to the incomparable Christ.
With Spider-Man and the Hulk a few years past the age minimum to join AARP and Green Lantern and Batman pre-dating the United States’s entry into World War 2, the illustrative material of Superheroes Can’t Save You has a multi-generational appeal. Anyone seeking an accurate and authentic description of erroneous thinking can benefit from reading the book.
In terms of cultural capital, I think Miles has found a good touchstone. A follow-up concerning the practice of the Christian life using other comic book characters is possible, perhaps other ideas made easy-to-understand using today’s cultural currency exist as well.
December 31, 2018
This is the book I've been raving about the most in the last few months of 2018.
Todd Miles has taken our current cultural obsession with superheroes and channeled it into a fruitful multi-pronged illustration of historical heresies about the person of Christ.
You read that right. Even though it's chock-full of superhero lore, it's really about and magnifies Jesus, but not in a "Jesus-juke" kind of way. In fact, Miles is a super-fan of super-heroes, which as a sometime comic-book fan myself (Make Mine Marvel!), I really appreciated. Yet at the same time he puts them in their place and cleverly appropriates features of the characters to illustrate bad ideas about who Jesus is that have popped up throughout church history. For example, Superman can illustrate docetism (the heresy that Jesus only seemed to be human) or Ant-Man can illustrate modalism (the heresy Jesus is just one"costume" of God that the one person of God puts on when He isn't being the Father or the Spirit).
If you don't like superheroes, this book probably isn't for you, though you still could learn a lot. Miles knows his stuff (and even adroitly navigates some current theological controversies with panache). I've been using it weekly with our youth boys' class on Wednesday nights. Miles holds your attention. He's really fun and funny and concise, and yet is teaching you deep theology and church history and making application to your spiritual life all at the same time. I'm really glad this book exists. Excelsior!
Todd Miles has taken our current cultural obsession with superheroes and channeled it into a fruitful multi-pronged illustration of historical heresies about the person of Christ.
You read that right. Even though it's chock-full of superhero lore, it's really about and magnifies Jesus, but not in a "Jesus-juke" kind of way. In fact, Miles is a super-fan of super-heroes, which as a sometime comic-book fan myself (Make Mine Marvel!), I really appreciated. Yet at the same time he puts them in their place and cleverly appropriates features of the characters to illustrate bad ideas about who Jesus is that have popped up throughout church history. For example, Superman can illustrate docetism (the heresy that Jesus only seemed to be human) or Ant-Man can illustrate modalism (the heresy Jesus is just one"costume" of God that the one person of God puts on when He isn't being the Father or the Spirit).
If you don't like superheroes, this book probably isn't for you, though you still could learn a lot. Miles knows his stuff (and even adroitly navigates some current theological controversies with panache). I've been using it weekly with our youth boys' class on Wednesday nights. Miles holds your attention. He's really fun and funny and concise, and yet is teaching you deep theology and church history and making application to your spiritual life all at the same time. I'm really glad this book exists. Excelsior!
September 11, 2018
First a disclaimer: Todd Miles, the author of this great book, is a friend of mine. It is conceivable I am a bit biased (which is likely why I gave it four stars instead of five).
This book highlights a (seemingly) unlikely intersection of comic book superheroes and theology (Christology to be specific). It uses the backstory of these superheroes to illustrate historic heresies of how we view Jesus Christ, and then refutes these views with strong biblical argument.
This may not be groundbreaking, but it is certainly a unique approach. There were many times throughout my reading that I thought, “I’ve seen my thinking veer in that heretical direction at times”. It gives substance and historical background to some of these views, and then offers the biblical counterpoints. I’ve never smiled so much at being rebuked.
I’ve asked myself who this book would appeal to. The answer? It, no doubt, depends. Certainly serious thinking Christians COULD like this. Theology is not a dry subject, but this really adds an interesting layer to the consideration. If you’re a Christian AND a fan of superheroes (despite Todd’s complete wrongheadedness of preferring the DC universe over Marvel...OK, I’ll retract the word “complete”) then there is MUCH appeal here. I even think a layman (like myself) could do much worse as an introductory book into any aspect of theology. This book is approachable.
In the end, this is a worthwhile read for even the mildly curious.
This book highlights a (seemingly) unlikely intersection of comic book superheroes and theology (Christology to be specific). It uses the backstory of these superheroes to illustrate historic heresies of how we view Jesus Christ, and then refutes these views with strong biblical argument.
This may not be groundbreaking, but it is certainly a unique approach. There were many times throughout my reading that I thought, “I’ve seen my thinking veer in that heretical direction at times”. It gives substance and historical background to some of these views, and then offers the biblical counterpoints. I’ve never smiled so much at being rebuked.
I’ve asked myself who this book would appeal to. The answer? It, no doubt, depends. Certainly serious thinking Christians COULD like this. Theology is not a dry subject, but this really adds an interesting layer to the consideration. If you’re a Christian AND a fan of superheroes (despite Todd’s complete wrongheadedness of preferring the DC universe over Marvel...OK, I’ll retract the word “complete”) then there is MUCH appeal here. I even think a layman (like myself) could do much worse as an introductory book into any aspect of theology. This book is approachable.
In the end, this is a worthwhile read for even the mildly curious.
December 20, 2018
So I'll admit, I'm not the biggest superhero fan, but this book intrigued me when I saw it on the library shelves. And the very accessible style pulled me in so hard that I found myself reaching for it every spare minute. Not bad for a theology book!
I enjoyed the way the author used the different superheroes to illustrate various heresies about Jesus that have arisen through church history. I also appreciated that he explained the various superheroes for those of us with less background on the subject. ;) The explorations into church history were very interesting, as were the explanations of where we see these heresies occurring today. Particularly useful were the sections on how believers can stumble into these wrong ways of thinking and the difference that knowing the truth makes in our daily lives. Concepts like the Trinity and the hypostatic union may be hard to understand, but they're not just interesting philosophical constructs that don't affect our lives. What we believe about Jesus affects so many things--how we relate to God, how we see ourselves, how we relate to each other. And I really appreciated the focus on what the Bible says about Jesus, rather than on what makes sense to our finite human minds. (After all, that's how most of these heresies began...)
Very well done!
Content--talk about fictional superheroes and their various powers/origins (used to explain the way some people wrongly picture Jesus)
I enjoyed the way the author used the different superheroes to illustrate various heresies about Jesus that have arisen through church history. I also appreciated that he explained the various superheroes for those of us with less background on the subject. ;) The explorations into church history were very interesting, as were the explanations of where we see these heresies occurring today. Particularly useful were the sections on how believers can stumble into these wrong ways of thinking and the difference that knowing the truth makes in our daily lives. Concepts like the Trinity and the hypostatic union may be hard to understand, but they're not just interesting philosophical constructs that don't affect our lives. What we believe about Jesus affects so many things--how we relate to God, how we see ourselves, how we relate to each other. And I really appreciated the focus on what the Bible says about Jesus, rather than on what makes sense to our finite human minds. (After all, that's how most of these heresies began...)
Very well done!
Content--talk about fictional superheroes and their various powers/origins (used to explain the way some people wrongly picture Jesus)
May 17, 2018
There's a fairly crucial scene in Avengers: Infinity War where Dr. Strange uses the time stone to peruse something like 14 million possible outcomes of the battle with Thanos. When I watched this happen, I couldn't help but notice aloud, "Hey! That's open theism! Open theism is the Dr. Strange heresy!" This is a thought I'm thoroughly confident I would not have had, if i hadn't been reading this book.
I just finished listening to "Superheroes can't save you" on Audible, and I can't wait to take some guys through the print version this summer. The premise of the book is very, very clever, and delivers over and over again. Whether you look at it from the perspective of Christology, Church History, or just fun comic book talk, there is a wealth from which to benefit in every chapter. The brief exposition of Job 9 in the last chapter is worth the price of the book by itself.
Given the deluge of super hero films currently bombarding us, Todd has provided us a wonderful guide not only for our own theological filters, but also a timely tool for engaging the culture around us for Christ.
5/5 stars
I just finished listening to "Superheroes can't save you" on Audible, and I can't wait to take some guys through the print version this summer. The premise of the book is very, very clever, and delivers over and over again. Whether you look at it from the perspective of Christology, Church History, or just fun comic book talk, there is a wealth from which to benefit in every chapter. The brief exposition of Job 9 in the last chapter is worth the price of the book by itself.
Given the deluge of super hero films currently bombarding us, Todd has provided us a wonderful guide not only for our own theological filters, but also a timely tool for engaging the culture around us for Christ.
5/5 stars
January 1, 2023
A study of who Jesus is, according to the Bible, should not be only academic. It should be life-changing. Simply put, how we view Jesus Christ makes an impact on our lives, both now and in eternity.
Todd Miles made a study of Christ fun, and theological. Using superheroes to illustrate heresies about Christ made it easy to understand. He also explains how and why Jesus has to be what the Bible says He is, and how He should change our lives.
I am using it as a tool for my monthly church youth dates, and giving them a challenge about how Jesus should impact their lives. Since they know comics very well, it brought it down to their level to help them understand and relate. Well written.
Todd Miles made a study of Christ fun, and theological. Using superheroes to illustrate heresies about Christ made it easy to understand. He also explains how and why Jesus has to be what the Bible says He is, and how He should change our lives.
I am using it as a tool for my monthly church youth dates, and giving them a challenge about how Jesus should impact their lives. Since they know comics very well, it brought it down to their level to help them understand and relate. Well written.
February 7, 2022
Todd does a masterful job bringing church history and deep theological issues to bear in the lives of real-life, ordinary people through the lens of familiar and comprehensible super heroes. Would recommend reading if you want church history that is accessible and doubly recommend to read if you are a comic buff; but doubly, definitely recommend if you are curious about Jesus.
August 29, 2018
One of the clearest works on heresy I have ever read!
March 4, 2019
Engaging way to think through historic Christological heresies leading one to see and savour the glory of Jesus—fully God and fully man.
June 7, 2025
The chapters felt a little long, and some of them had overlapping content, but overall, I found this required read for my Humanity/ Christ/ Salvation class to be very helpful in explaining several historical heresies about Jesus (by comparing them to superheroes!) The only one I had a hard time following was Green Lantern bc laaaame
April 30, 2020
Incredible book by an incredible author!
December 27, 2019
Outstanding
April 7, 2019
Is this a trend or something? Earlier this year I read a book explaining quantum mechanics using superheroes and now I just read a book explaining theology with the same method.I guess that's what happens when nerds grow up and get doctorates?
Todd Miles has a very easy, conversational style, so even when he's not talking about superheroes, it's fun to read. That doesn't stop the book from being deep and thought-provoking. I thought I had all my Christology down pat. As I read Mile's discussion of the first few heresies, and found nothing I hadn't heard before, I assumed I was in merely for an entertaining look at things I already knew. I wasn't expecting to be challenged about the way I viewed Christ and the Trinity, about Jesus's special trait of complete divinity and complete humanity. I may have been able to spout off to you some version of the Nicene Creed, but really knowing what Jesus being fully God and fully man means is another thing. It changes you.
Todd Miles has a very easy, conversational style, so even when he's not talking about superheroes, it's fun to read. That doesn't stop the book from being deep and thought-provoking. I thought I had all my Christology down pat. As I read Mile's discussion of the first few heresies, and found nothing I hadn't heard before, I assumed I was in merely for an entertaining look at things I already knew. I wasn't expecting to be challenged about the way I viewed Christ and the Trinity, about Jesus's special trait of complete divinity and complete humanity. I may have been able to spout off to you some version of the Nicene Creed, but really knowing what Jesus being fully God and fully man means is another thing. It changes you.
April 28, 2019
This was an excellent introduction to the major Christological heresies. While Miles effectively uses different superheroes to as illustrations, he is even more compelling in his descriptions of the controversies from church history. He also does a very good job explaining how modern day Christians can easily live as though we believe these misunderstandings.
July 23, 2018
Awesome read!
This is one of the most accessible, engaging, interesting, thorough, awe-inspiring, and Christ-exalting (and even funny at times) theology books I’ve ever read. It made me love Jesus more and desire to know Him more. A great read!
This is one of the most accessible, engaging, interesting, thorough, awe-inspiring, and Christ-exalting (and even funny at times) theology books I’ve ever read. It made me love Jesus more and desire to know Him more. A great read!
July 7, 2018
My friend Todd Miles has written a thoroughly enjoyable book that uses the stories of various comic book heroes as a lens through which to present the primary heresies regarding the Person of Jesus Christ. Beneath this creative strategy is a lucid and intriguing account of the villains of (mostly) ancient church history, along with the insightful examples of how their heresies are embraced by both Christian and non-Christians today.
Along the way, he is obviously is having a great time recounting his own, boyhood fascination with comics and superheroes and his vibrant, genuine relationship with Jesus Christ--who, (as Miles reminds the reader at the conclusion of every chapter)--alone is able to save.
I highly recommend this book--it reads like a relaxed, often humorous conversation with a fellow super-hero fan--who happens to have a PhD, and is an accomplished professor of theology. I imagine this book might prove very enjoyable and effective to any pre-teen and up super-hero fans, too.
Along the way, he is obviously is having a great time recounting his own, boyhood fascination with comics and superheroes and his vibrant, genuine relationship with Jesus Christ--who, (as Miles reminds the reader at the conclusion of every chapter)--alone is able to save.
I highly recommend this book--it reads like a relaxed, often humorous conversation with a fellow super-hero fan--who happens to have a PhD, and is an accomplished professor of theology. I imagine this book might prove very enjoyable and effective to any pre-teen and up super-hero fans, too.
July 5, 2018
A very creative approach that is thus far proving memorable for learning the historical heresies concerning Christ. Miles uses his love of Superheroes combined with his years of teaching theology. This would be a great book for youth leaders and anyone else that has been aware of the Marvel and DC Universes.
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