On this page, you will find our three-part video series on the movies Wicked (2024) and Wicked For Good (2025). You can also enjoy these videos on our YouTube channel’s Arts and Theology playlist!

Part 1: Wicked, the Beasts of Revelation, and Trumpism

Many Christians have criticized the two Wicked movies (2024, 2025). But we think the movies help us better understand the Bible and live in our political moment. Consider the biblical themes of Empire, deception, and accusation -- especially in the Book of Revelation, and the first and second beasts of Revelation 13. Consider that the Wicked movies show us something about Trumpism, the scapegoating of vulnerable people to deflect from the administration's own corruption, and the abuse of power.

9:05 Revelation 13: The Dragon and the Two Beasts

12:58 A Quick Survey of the Theme of Empire in the Bible

17:23 Empire and Propaganda in Revelation 13

22:07 The Wizard of Oz and the Scapegoating of the Animals

26:30 Propandist 1: Madame Morrible as Dean of Shiz, then Press Secretary

28:03 Trump's Press Secretaries

33:52 Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi

36:31 Propandist 2: Nessa and Trump's GOP Congress

37:50 Progandist 3: Glinda

38:10 The Animals, the Dehumanization of Outsiders, and Real Examples

46:10 If You Feel Defensive

Trailer 1: George W. Bush -- An Inspiration for the Wizard of Oz? Who Else Was an Inspiration?

Trailer 2: Trump's Press Secretaries - Like Madame Morrible? Like the Second Beast in Revelation 13?

Part 2: Are We Post-Postmodern? Back to Good and Evil?

Are We Post-Postmodern? Back to Personally Struggling Between Good vs. Evil?

The Wicked movies show that we are post-postmodern. Postmodernism is the rejection of Modernism, which is the rejection of Imperial Christianity, which is a rejection of the way of Jesus. Modernism made truth claims that were really power claims in disguise. Postmodernism is the notion that if we undermined truth claims, we would have more equal power. But as we showed in Part 1: Wicked, the Beasts of Revelation, Empire, and Trumpism, we didn't get more equal power. We got authoritarian fascism. Postmodernism led us into Empire. Can post-postmodernism lead us out? Maybe - if we return to the framework of personal struggle between good vs. evil, truth vs. lies, beauty vs. ugliness? Consider how Elphaba says, "We can't let good be just a word. It has to change things." And how the song For Good says, "I do believe I have been changed for the better." If we believe in character growth, not just character shifts or random changes of opinion, then we are post-postmodern: We believe in a personal struggle between good vs. evil.

0:00 Trailer

1:00 Definition of Postmodernism

2:57 Postmodernism in the movies, Into the Woods (2014) and The Dark Knight (2008)

9:00 Argument #1 from Wicked: Postmodern leads to Empire

14:08 Argument #2 from Wicked: Character growth means good vs. evil

20:07 Argument #3 from Wicked: Character growth means truth vs. lies

31:59 Argument #4 from Wicked: Character growth means beauty vs. ugliness

38:00 Argument #5 from Wicked: We are human beings and human becomings

45:03 Summary

Trailer 1: Do the Wicked Movies Show That We Are Post-Postmodern?