Top Ten Stories of Doctor Who With Religious Elements and Themes

Last updated on: September 5, 2016 at 5:47 am by Henry Karlson

Top Ten Stories of Doctor Who With Religious Elements and Themes 2016-09-05T05:47:48-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

6. Snakedance

Book cover for the novelization of Snakedance. Fair use intended.

The sequel to the story, Kinda, has the Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison, with companions Tegan and Nyssa dealing with the ramifications of that previous story.

Tegan, it is shown, is under control of the psychic entity, the Mara, who is trying to reestablish itself in physical form in the universe in order to take control and create a new empire for itself. It had existed and ruled in the past but was exiled and forced to exist as a psychic parasite trying to assert itself through those it could possess. On the planet the TARDIS lands upon, Manussa, taken there by the possessed Tegan, there was a prediction that the Mara would come back, but the prophecy had not been taken seriously. Through Tegan, the Mara plans to use the ritualistic remembrance of its banishment to return and take control of the people of Manussa using Tegan and a descendant of the one who banished it to bring it back.

The Mara is the distillation of the evil psychic impulses of the people, often seen in the form of a snake, though it can and also find itself in other forms based upon the people it possesses. To overcome the Mara, the Doctor has to go on an ascetic journey, taking a snakebite to put him in a trance which allows him to come in contact with the monk like Dojjen, the one who predicted the return of the Mara, and be told the means by which the Mara can be defeated (for, as is now clear, the Doctor was only partially successful in the past). The Mara gains strength from fear, and the means to defeat it requires finding the “still point”which transcends the fear and blocks the power of the Mara. If the Doctor is able to attain that in himself, then he will be able to use the great crystal which enhances mental energies and use it to send the Mara back into exile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib6R1HM7bZA

Snakedance is one of several Buddhist inspired stories, and unlike its predecessor, Kinda, this Buddhist element is allowed to remain true to itself without much integration with Western mythology. It is in some ways a parallel story to the overcoming of the Mara by the Buddha, with the Doctor having to find the proper center of being in order to defeat the impulses of the Mara.

The Mara (or Maras) in Buddhism represent the spiritual forces which rule the world of desire, making most people attached to the world, stuck in the cycle of reincarnation (samsara). This cycle is used to explain the defilement and sorrow, the pain and unsatisfactory nature of life itself. If we blindly give in to our desires in pursuit of the pleasures we think they will bring, we will create our own sorrow which forms as the consequence of our pursuit. To overcome the Mara, the Eightfold Path was established by the Buddha, where we detach ourselves from our desires, so we can find ourselves leaving the cycle of samsara. To overcome the Mara is to overcome our own defilement and to go beyond his control. In the Buddhist legend, the Mara tried all kinds of means to make the Buddha stop his pursuit of Enlightenment, and in his victory over the Mara, he transcended the Mara’s influence and achieved nirvana.

The depth of its embrace with Buddhist lore is what makes Snakedance one of the most religious stories in the whole history of Doctor Who. While there are several defects in the story which make it inferior to its predecessor, Kinda, it remains a classic story which is enjoyable not only for its religious elements, but for its plot as well.

Go back Continue Reading

Previous Post

September 3, 2016

Marian Contemplations X: Mediatrix of All Graces and Co-Redemptrix (Part 2)

Next Post

September 7, 2016 On the Virtuous Life: Different People. Different Virtues

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Halloween Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz