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Ned Flanders

Ned Flanders

Nedward "Ned" Flanders is a character on The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. Ned, along with the rest of his family, is a devout Christian, and is often used to satirize Christian fundamentalism, as well as the "niceness" of doggedly upbeat born-again evangelicals. Homer once said that Ned is even holier than Jesus. Ned Flanders is named after Flanders St. in Portland, Oregon. Simpsons creator Matt Groening is originally from Oregon. __TOC__ Ned has the habit of attaching "diddly" and other nonsense phrases to sentences ("Hi-diddly-ho"). Despite an outward appearance of exceeding meekness, Ned has an exceptionally well-built physique under his sweater-vest. This is even more impressive upon considering that Ned is actually a very young-looking senior citizen at the age of 60 as evidenced in the season 10 episode Viva Ned Flanders. He also possesses a large penis as featured in the shower scene of Homer's singles dating video made after Maude's death. Homer more or less hates Ned because Ned's life just seems so much better than his own - better family, better job, better physicality, better everything. This perhaps makes him zero in more on the things he finds annoying about Ned much more so than he might with others. Ned was raised in New York City by two nihilistic beatniks whose terrible parenting skills made him a childhood terror. He was eventually put on an experimental eight-month spanking therapy program (the University of Minnesota Spankological Protocol) which taught him to suppress all feelings of anger. Also, all of the family's board games contain no dice, as Ned believes that dice are "wicked". Rod says that they just move one space at a time, as it is "less fun that way". At one point Ned Flanders became principal of Springfield Elementary School after Principal Seymour Skinner was fired, despite Ned's thorough lack of administrative skill and experience. Already a shaky establishment to begin with, the school fell apart even more so under Ned's rather lax approach to being principle, putting the whole place on the honor system instead of traditional punishment. Bart eventually decided to get Skinner reinstated, finding that there was no real challenge in pulling pranks under Ned's watch, since Ned didn't have Skinner's uptight personality for Bart to play off of. Ned was eventually fired after Superintendent Chalmers heard him making a prayer over the school radio, which is not allowed in public schools. During the course of the series, Ned has represented both the Devil and God. In The Treehouse of Horror IV special, Ned played the Devil/Satan/Prince of Darkness in the opening segment "The Devil & Homer Simpson", in which the Ned-Satan offers Homer a donut in return for his soul, but is thwarted in a court of law. Later in the series, when Marge fantasizes about being Eve opposite Homer as Adam, the naked Marge/Eve imagines Ned as God. There was a relative of Flanders who served in World War II. He was a superior to Sgt. Abe Simpson. (Note: When Abe threatened to report Pvt. Burns to Flanders, Abe indicates that his rank was commander, which is not a rank in the United States army).

Family

Ned Flanders had a wife, Maude Flanders (deceased), and two children, Rod and Todd Flanders. Ned presumably named his sons Rod and Todd because both names rhyme with God. (An alternate theory on their names is that they are meant to rhyme with Maude, their mother whose name also rhymes with God, whom Ned worships to the point of idolatry.) His mother's name was revealed as Mona in an early episode (strangely enough, this is also the name of Homer's mother). Ned is widowed from Maude Flanders and is currently married to a Las Vegas waitress named Ginger. After Ginger managed to track down Ned (Homer's Vegas wife did the same), Ned and his boys tried to reduce Ginger's "peppermint-ness" and have her embrace their Christian lifestyle. However, Ned's goody-goody ways drove her crazy and she fled.

The Leftorium

He quit his earlier career as a pharmacist to open a store in the mall called The Leftorium, which specializes in products for left-handed people. It sells items that are made only for left-handed people, from left-handed can openers to a left-handed car, of which only three were ever made. Known competitors of The Leftorium include Leftopolis and Left-Mart (a parody of Wal-Mart).

Beliefs

Despite his firm religious beliefs, Ned is quite timid and often insecure. He is obsessed with following the Bible as literally as possible, "even the stuff that contradicts the other stuff" and is easily shocked when someone challenges his beliefs. This leads to his frequent calls to Reverend Lovejoy ("I... I think I'm coveting my own wife!") who gets increasingly frustrated with Flanders ("Ned, have you tried any of the other major religions? They're pretty much the same"). His sons are very sheltered and raised in an extremely strict climate of Christian morality. In one episode, it is revealed that they "don't beleive in Flu shots". Most entertainment enjoyed by the family involves religion in some way. For instance, the family has at least five different Trivial Pursuit sets relating to different versions of the Bible. They were also part of a church bowling team called the "Holy Rollers". One of his childrens' stories concludes "And Harry Potter and all his wizard friends went straight to hell, for practicing witchcraft." Also, though they have satellite TV, nearly all of the channels are blocked out. Despite all this, Ned still holds a special reverence for the Beatles, remarking to Homer: "Of course I was into the Beatles. They were bigger than Jesus!". He has collected many Beatles-related items, including vintage records, Beatles-themed soda pop, Beatles bobble-heads, and a cardboard yellow submarine. Despite being timid, Ned Flanders can sometimes fight for what he believes in, e.g. when Homer and Bart became Roman-Catholic, which makes him also religiously intolerant: after having shaken a Catholic priest's hand in Episode 1621 (The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star) he made a "note to self" to get his hand "re-blessed". In the same episode, Bart also tells he wants to convert to Judaism, and Ned took out a bottle of chloroform. He also showed his "soft anti-semitism" in the episode "A Star is Born-Again", in a day-dream about Hollywood's wickedness: Rod and Todd are in a Mercedes with two gorgeous women and say that they're movie producers ...and jewish. Flanders' religious denomination (along with that of Rev. Lovejoy) is a matter of much speculation among fans. In Simpsons Episode 6x21 (Where Bart and Homer become Catholic) Rev. Lovejoy states that they will bring Bart and Homer back to the One True Faith: "The Western Branch of American Reformed Presbo-Lutheranism". Despite his religious fervor, or perhaps because of it, in Treehouse of Horror IV (outside the usual continuity of the show) he was "revealed" to actually be the Devil.

References outside The Simpsons

Inspired by the character, Brianists use the term "Ned" to refer to Christians in general and Protestants in particular. A "Head Ned" is a pastor or priest. Radio talk show host and cultural commentator Michael Medved often says that he was the inspiration for the character Ned Flanders. Medved notes such similarities as the glasses, the mustache, the sweaters, and the faith-based lifestyle (except that Flanders is a born-again Christian, while Medved is an observant Jew). Flanders, Ned

The Simpsons

The Simpsons is the longest-running animated television series in television history, and the longest-running sitcom in the history of American television, with 17 seasons and 363 episodes since it debuted on December 17, 1989 on FOX. The TV series, created by Matt Groening, is a spinoff of a skit originally aired on The Tracey Ullman Show; it is produced by Gracie Films for 20th Century Fox. It made the top 10 on the TV Guide's list of the greatest shows of all time in 2002. Highly satirical, the show lampoons many aspects of the human condition, but primarily parodies the "Middle American" lifestyle its titular family exhibits, and more generally American culture, society, and even television itself. The Simpsons is seen by many critics as the greatest animated series ever, including Time, which named it the best TV show of the 20th century in 1998. It has had a huge influence on post–Cold War popular culture. The Simpsons was also one of the key shows that changed the view of cartoons to a more adult standard. It is considered a sign of definite status as a celebrity or other important figure to be featured or asked to parody oneself in an episode of the show.

Setting, characters, and plot of The Simpsons

Characters

The main characters were originally created by Matt Groening as part of a series of original animated segments for The Tracey Ullman Show. Over the course of the series Groening has used many of the themes present in his long-running comic strip series, Life in Hell. (For instance, the idea of creative school children constantly being persecuted and suppressed by totalitarian grown-ups stems from the strip.) Many of the characters in The Simpsons take their names from important people and places in Groening's life — for example Lisa, Maggie, Marge and Homer share names with Groening's sisters, mother and father respectively. Bart, however, is an anagram for brat. The show's basic premise centers on the antics of the family: Homer and Marge, their children Bart, Lisa and Maggie, the colorful citizens of Springfield, and occasional guest stars. Maggie Homer, a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, is a generally well-meaning buffoon whose short attention span often draws him into outrageous schemes and adventures. Marge (of French origin) was once intelligent and sophisticated, but has come to conform with the stereotype of housewife/mother. Bart, the oldest sibling, is a troublemaker and classroom terror ("the devil's cabana boy" is how Lisa once described him) who thinks of himself as a rebel while Lisa is a brainy student, vegetarian, Buddhist and jazz music fan who dreams of a better future (she is referred to as "the future of the family"). Maggie is an eternal baby, and despite the fact that numerous years (and birthdays) clearly pass (for example, many Christmas episodes), the Simpsons do not appear to age. Some characters' ages have fluctuated throughout the years; this is most likely due to simple oversight on the part of the writers. Homer describes his family as "upper lower middle class", and this appears to be about right. The Simpson family (which sometimes includes Homer's father, Abraham "Abe" Simpson) lives in a relatively large four-bedroom house bordering a friendly neighbor on one side, Ned Flanders, and many varying things, including a cemetery, on the other. The Simpson lifestyle yo-yos depending on whether or not Homer is employed at the time; Marge is largely a stay-at-home mom. The Simpsons go several years into the internet age before acquiring a computer, reflecting the fact that the Simpson family is perpetually several years out of date. There are other clues as well, such as the avocado-green kitchen equipment (this color was popular in the 1960s) and the family's two cars, both of which appear to have been manufactured in the early 1970s. The show also has a vast array of quirky supporting characters, including co-workers, teachers, family friends, extended relatives, and local celebrities. Many of these characters have developed a vast cult following of their own. For a comprehensive list, see characters from The Simpsons. Some of these, like Itchy and Scratchy, ultraviolent versions of Tom and Jerry, are fictional even within the Simpsons universe.

Setting

The Simpsons is set in the fictional United States town of Springfield. Throughout the show's history fans have tried to determine where Springfield is by taking the town's characteristics, surrounding geography and nearby landmarks as clues (as Lisa once said of the state, "It's a bit of a mystery, yes, but if you look at the clues, you'll figure it out"). However, both the town itself and its location are fictional. Nearly every state and region in the U.S. has been both suggested and ruled out by conflicting "evidence" of a location for Springfield, so that the town could not really be anywhere. It seems it is kept indeterminate on purpose so that the location can suit any plot, as Springfield and its surrounding areas have been shown to contain coastlines, deserts, vast farmland, and tall mountains, or whatever the story requires. (See [http://www.snpp.com/guides/springfield.list.html Where Is The Simpsons' Springfield?] for more information on this issue.) According to the video game The Simpsons Hit & Run, the town of Springfield is in Florida, but this could be ruled out in the episode Special Edna, in which a sign in Springfield shows the distance to Orlando too far for Springfield to be in the same state. In an episode during season 13, Mr. Burns states they will smuggle sugar in from south of the border to which Homer replies, "Oh, you mean Tennessee?", implying they live in Kentucky. Also, in one of the behind-the-scene episodes, Behind the Laughter, the narrator says "...but that wasn't the end for this Northern Kentucky family." Looking closely at a map of Kentucky in the northern part of the state, the towns of Simpsonville and its neighbor city Shelbyville can be clearly seen. Creator Matt Groening has stated that Springfield has much in common with Portland, Oregon, the city he grew up in (see [http://www.portlandtribune.com/simpsons/ Matt Groening's Portland]), and the name "Springfield" was chosen because virtually every state has a town or city with that name. According to David Silverman, writer for the series, Springfield is in North Tacoma. This has not been confirmed officially. Animation scholars and fans have noted that the series uses the medium of animation to its advantage, allowing the show to take place in many settings and feature a far greater cast of characters than a live-action sitcom. The cost of having an episode of The Simpsons take place in the mountains, Europe, the city park, or a cruise ship on the ocean (all of which simply use drawn and painted backgrounds) is hardly more than placing the family in the more conventional sitcom settings of a living room, a kitchen, and perhaps one or two related settings. This allows for far more flexibility in plot development than in a typical live-action sitcom constrained by physical limitations and logistics.

Themes

Authority, especially in undeserving hands, is a constant target of the show's often sharp satire. This probably explains the often strong negative reaction to the show from social conservatives. This negative reaction was most pronounced during the early seasons of the show. Nearly every authority figure in the show is portrayed unflatteringly:
- Homer is thoughtless and irresponsible, the antithesis of the ideal 1950s TV father, though he always comes through for his family in the end.
- Marge Simpson is also of the 50's stereotype category, and attempts to exercise control to compensate for her husband's failings.
- Springfield police chief Clancy Wiggum (voiced by Hank Azaria in an Edward G. Robinson-influenced tone) is obese, stupid, lazy, corrupt and not overly concerned with constitutional rights (not to mention that he somewhat resembles a pig).
- Mayor Quimby — who sounds like John F. Kennedy — is a corrupt, spendthrift womanizer.
- Seymour Skinner (who sounds like Charles Kuralt), the principal of Springfield Elementary School, is an uptight, humorless bachelor who lives with his domineering mother. He has frequent flashbacks to his capture and imprisonment by the Viet Cong, and in early seasons, Skinner was repeatedly likened to Norman Bates in Psycho though this ultimately was dropped later on in the series.
- Ms. Edna Krabappel is Bart's depressed, sexually-promiscuous, chain-smoking elementary school teacher who is impatient and ignorant of her class, and demands darkness and silence when she is hung over.
- Reverend Lovejoy, the pastor of the local church, is judgmental and moralistic (but only regarding other people), with a monotonous voice that always puts Homer to sleep during Sunday sermons.
- While most of these characters are more incompetent than truly evil there is one true sadist: C. Montgomery Burns, owner of the Springfield Nuclear Plant and Homer Simpson's boss. Evil and cruel, Burns is aided in his campaign of terror against the residents of Springfield by his trusted assistant Waylon Smithers, who secretly harbors an unrequited love for Burns. Waylon Smithers During the more recent years of Simpsons production, some social conservatives have come to embrace the show. One of the main explanations of this shift is that the Simpsons portrays a traditional nuclear family among a lineup of television sitcoms that now portray less traditional families. The show has toyed with the possibility of extramarital affairs, such as when Homer falls for a female nuclear technician who shares his love of donuts, or when Marge's ex-boyfriend Artie Ziff tries to rekindle their old romance. Nevertheless, these affairs never occur, and by the end of every episode, Homer and Marge's marriage is strongly affirmed. Social conservatives and some evangelical Christians have also pointed to the positive role model of devout Christian Ned Flanders, whose fretfulness is occasionally ridiculed but whose decency never wavers despite constant provocation from Homer (except that time that he had extra-marital sex). In several episodes, God actually intervenes to protect the Flanders family, invoking such Protestant concepts as Predestination. As compared with the Simpsons family, the Flanders family is relatively well-off and less dysfunctional, reflecting certain theories expressed by sociologist Max Weber in his seminal work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Race relations are also the subject of satire in the show, as the handful of African American characters are almost always portrayed as being more intelligent and rational than their "Yellow" counterparts. Some people interpret this as a satire of Hollywood and liberal TV's portrayal of exaggerated 'reverse stereotypes' in which the computer genius is always a black actor. For instance, Dr. Hibbert, despite a tendency to laugh at the most inappropriate times, is arguably among the least dysfunctional characters in the series, and is certainly more professionally qualified for medical practice than Dr. Nick Riviera. Furthermore, Officer Lou is constantly lecturing Chief Wiggum on his inept law enforcement practices, and even Homer's co-worker Carl, in addition to possessing a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering, occasionally lambasts Homer's stupidity. The show also routinely mocks and satirizes show business conventions and personalities. Krusty the Klown has an enthusiastic following among Springfield's kids, but offstage he is a jaded, cynical hack, in poor health from a long history of overindulgence and substance abuse. He will endorse any product for a price. Kent Brockman is a self-important, spoiled TV news anchorman with little regard for journalistic ethics. Many wealthy characters are members of the Republican Party, which meets in a dark castle. Even Rupert Murdoch—whose corporate empire includes The Simpsons' broadcast network, Fox—has been gently spoofed in a couple of episodes. In fact, Fox itself has been ridiculed many times, and Fox News has been portrayed as extremely biased towards conservatives.
Plots
A standard "template" Springfield situation, in terms of characters and events, has emerged over the years. Each episode presents some sort of change in that situation, its consequences, and almost always how things get back to normal. Episode plots rarely follow any sort of linear course, often taking several digressions to move storylines in unexpected directions. For example, the description of the 2003 episode "Dude, Where's My Ranch?" offered to Shaw Cable subscribers reads: "After David Byrne turns Homer's anti-(Ned) Flanders song into a monster hit, the family vacations at a dude ranch, where Lisa falls in love." The plots of many episodes focus on the adventures of one particular family member, frequently Homer. However the plots have never been particularly predictable or constant and tend to be very character-driven. Recurring themes in episodes include:
- Homer gets a new job (Simpson writers had Homer count 30 of them in a recent episode but the actual list is far longer) or attempts to make money in a get-rich-quick scheme.
- Marge attempts to escape the monotony of keeping house by finding employment or taking up a hobby.
- Bart causes a large problem and attempts to fix it.
- Lisa embraces or advocates the merits of a particular political cause or group.
- The entire family goes on vacation. (Because of these vacations the entire family has been to every continent on Earth with the exception of Antarctica.)
- Grandpa Simpson or Abraham Simpson needs help sorting out issues from his past and calls upon the main Simpsons family.
- Sideshow Bob attempts to kill Bart. There are several types of scenes that recur often and have become conventions of the show's storytelling style. Examples of these stock scenes include:
- A scene at the very beginning of the show in which the family goes somewhere together, like a cartoon festival or a cider mill. After a few minutes there, the main plot begins.
- A scene, often near the middle of the show, in which Homer and Marge are in bed together discussing the events of the story so far.
- A scene in which the family is eating dinner together and talking about the events of the plot. Conceptually this is very similar to the "Homer and Marge in bed" scenes, but including Bart and Lisa.
- A scene in the morning in which Marge is preparing breakfast, and the kids and Homer are eating before going to work or school as they talk about what they are going to do. This is often near the start of the episode.
- A scene in which Homer is at Moe's Tavern escaping the hassles of work and family to be with his friends.
- A scene in which one or more Simpsons are watching a TV program, which the viewer watches along with them.
- A crowd scene, in which the entire town of Springfield convenes to witness some notable event, protest something, attend a civic meeting, or even start a riot. Many recurring minor characters appear and speak.
- TV anchorman Kent Brockman reporting on the events of the plot.
- Scenes that cut from the main action to show what a secondary character, like Krusty or Mr. Burns, is doing at the time.
- A fantasy in which one of the Simpsons imagines how something might turn out.
Hallmarks

Opening sequence
Kent Brockman Kent Brockman The Simpsons opening sequence is one of the show's most memorable hallmarks. Almost every episode opens with a title shot coming through the cumulus clouds and into the school where Bart is writing sentences on the class chalkboard, presumably set as a punishment by one of his teachers for some mischievous deed or wayward comment; Homer is shown leaving the power plant, with Mr. Burns (seen putting his watch to his ear, then shaking it to get it to work) and Smithers in the background (second season onwards); Marge and Maggie are shown checking out at the supermarket with Maggie traveling across the scanner, ringing up at $847.63, the then-annual cost of raising a baby (although a 'trivia question' shown as a wraparound for commercials during the episode "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" claims that the register says "NRA4EVER" — National Rifle Association For Ever, ironically and comedically portraying the non-aligned writers of the show as gun-crazed right-wingers); The sequence then introduces Lisa (who leaves a band rehearsal, usually playing a different saxophone solo); the family is then shown on their way to their house at 742 Evergreen Terrace (the address varied in the beginning, but the writers now use 742 Evergreen Terrace exclusively). The members of the family weave dangerously through traffic and in between fellow (and, from the second season onward, familiar) Springfield denizens, all miraculously reaching home at the exact same time. Upon entering, they all speed towards the family room couch where, in comedic parallel with the audience, they settle to watch their "must-see" TV show. For each episode, the sequence includes four variations: Bart writes something different on the chalkboard, Lisa plays a different solo on her saxophone, Homer screams in a different way (only done in the first couple of seasons), and the family attempts to sit on the couch as something goes awry in an often surreal manner. In the syndicated version, part or all of the opening sequence is usually cut in order to include more commercials in the show's allotted timeslot. The "couch gag" sequence is frequently used to help show staff make the show longer or shorter, depending on the length of the episode itself. Most couch gags last only about five seconds, but the longest one on record lasted 46 seconds. The chalkboard gag lasted several seasons before it was cut to save time; however, it was reintroduced for the premier episode of the 17th season with a self-and education-jeering "Does any kid still do this anymore?" The first season opening sequence featured a number of differences from the later seasons, including a shot of Lisa riding her bike on the way home and Bart's way home consisting of snatching a bus stop sign, forcing several dazed Springfieldians to chase the bus, rather than just riding past a number of well-known characters. The series' distinctive theme tune was composed by musician Danny Elfman. The current arrangement, which dates back to the third season, is orchestrated by Alf Clausen.
Halloween episodes
Alf Clausen's Night Gallery.]] An annual tradition is a special Halloween episode consisting of three separate, self-contained pieces. These pieces usually involve the family in some horror, science fiction, or supernatural setting; they always take place outside the normal continuity of the show (and are therefore considered to be non-canon), and completely abandon any pretence of being realistic. Regular Simpsons characters play humorous special roles, occasionally being killed in gruesome ways by zombies, monsters, or even each other. These Halloween segments have parodied many classic horror and science fiction films; often one of the segments spoofs an episode of The Twilight Zone. Some include "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", "To Serve Man", "Living Doll", "It's a Good Life", The Shining and "Little Girl Lost" In later years the series dropped the framing device of characters telling stories, but kept the Treehouse title; for several years the characters broke the fourth wall and introduced their pieces directly to the audience. In Treehouse of Horror II the writers decided to give the cast and crew of the show scary names in the opening and closing credits (like "Mad Matt Groening" and "James Hell Brooks"). This also became a tradition, and has been done in every Halloween episode except I, XII, and XIII. The names have changed in subsequent seasons. Another mainstay of the Halloween shows is the appearance of the two space aliens Kang and Kodos, introduced in the second segment of the first "Treehouse of Horror." In a section of "Treehouse of Horror VI" called "Homer³", Homer and Bart go into a three-dimensional world, which Homer likens to Tron, created by Pacific Data Images (Now owned by Dreamworks SKG), a computer animation company. This segment from the Halloween show was also used as a segment of a film shown in the IMAX 3D film Cyberworld. This was one of the few times The Simpsons have strayed from their traditional 2D animation, along with a live action cameo by Regis and Kathie Lee in "Treehouse of Horror IX", a couple of claymation scenes in "'Tis The Fifteenth Season" featuring The California Prunes and Jimmy Stewart, and a live action couch gag consisting of a sketchbook being flipped by a hand to make the characters run towards the couch and sit down. Another recent episode featured a CGI trailer for a comedy about humanoid playing cards. Other Treehouse segment name parodies include "Citizen Kang", "The nightmare on Evergreen Terrace", "The Thing and I", "House of Whacks", and "Reaper Madness".
Guest celebrities
Many episodes feature celebrity guests contributing their voices to the show, as either themselves (especially during the middle of the Simpson's years, i.e. seasons 7 to 13) or as fictional characters (mainly during the early and later seasons). In fact, the highest rated episode featuring celebrity guest voices was shown during the 12th season in which pop stars N
- Sync supplied their voices to give helpful advice and dance moves to Barts boy band "The Party Posse".

Production and history of The Simpsons

celebrity.]] The Simpson family first appeared in animated form as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, with the first short "Good Night" airing on April 19, 1987. Matt Groening admits the reason that they were so crudely drawn in the beginning was because he could not draw well and the animators did nothing more than just trace over his drawings. The shorts were aired by the BBC in the UK the first time the shows were broadcast, but not subsequently, though some of them, including "Good Night", were included in a Simpsons anniversary episode. The Simpsons was converted, by a team of production companies that included what is now the Klasky Csupo animation house, into a series for the FOX Network in 1989 and has run as a weekly show on that network ever since. The first full length episode shown was "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", however the intended first episode was "Some Enchanted Evening", but when "Some Enchanted Evening" was completed it was rejected due to poor animation, so Fox aired "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" first. The Simpsons was the first true TV series hit for the FOX Network; it was the first Fox show to appear in the top twenty highest-rated shows of the time. It also sparked controversy, as Bart Simpson was portrayed as a rebellious troublemaker who caused trouble and got away with it. Parents' groups and conservative spokespersons felt that a cartoon character like Bart Simpson provided a poor role model for children. When a Simpsons T-shirt was marketed featuring Bart and the logo "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')", Simpsons T-shirts and other merchandise were banned from public schools in several areas of the United States. United States issue.]] The outcry against Bart was reflected in the second season opener, featuring an episode called Bart Gets an F where Bart's school wants to make him repeat the fourth grade. In this episode, the school counselor quotes the controversial T-shirt by stating, "He is an underachiever... and proud of it." In September 1990, Barbara Bush said in an interview for People magazine that The Simpsons was the dumbest thing she had ever seen (adding insult to injury, she went on to say that she was a fan of America's Funniest Home Videos). Six years later, an episode had George and Barbara Bush move to Springfield and leave after George gets involved in a feud with the Simpson family (in a style reminiscent of Dennis the Menace and Mr. Wilson). Mr. and Mrs. Bush were both portrayed by voice actors. One of the Simpsons DVD sets includes a special feature that presents an exchange of letters between the First Lady and show staff. In another address, Mr. Bush said that America needed to be closer to The Waltons than to The Simpsons, causing Bart to say they were a lot like the Waltons, since they were both praying for an end to the Depression. the Depression The writers have shown a love for cameo appearances by celebrities and extended pastiches of contemporary and classic movies, as well as subtle visual jokes. In 1995, Western Pacific Airlines repainted a Boeing 737 jet with Simpsons characters to promote the series. The creator Matt Groening and some of writers didn't go for the plane's first trip as they feared it would crash, and they would die with the The Simpsons (plane). On February 9, 1997 The Simpsons surpassed The Flintstones as the longest-running prime time animated series in America, however it has not yet beaten several Japanese anime series such as Sazae-san (which has been running since 1969) and Doraemon (running since 1979). In 2004 it surpassed Scooby Doo in number of episodes. In January 2003, it was announced that the show had been renewed by Fox through 2005 — meaning it has replaced The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952 to 1966) as longest-running sitcom (animated or live action) ever in the United States. In 2004, the series was renewed through its 19th season. Some take the view that The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet should continue to be counted as the longest-running sitcom as The Simpsons is animated, not live-action, although this view is declining as more authorities unambiguously credit The Simpsons as television's longest-running sitcom. In its 1998 issue celebrating the greatest achievements in arts and entertainment of the 20th Century, TIME magazine named The Simpsons the century's best television series. In that same issue, Bart Simpson was named to the Time 100, the publication's list of the century's 100 most influential people. He was the only fictional character on the list. Since the series originated as part of The Tracey Ullman Show, it is also considered the longest running and most successful spinoff of all time. Over the years, virtually every Simpsons character has appeared on a magazine cover, ranging from TIME to Christianity Today and even Airliners. Airliners] The Simpsons has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series, including 21 Emmy Awards, 22 Annie Awards, a Peabody and numerous others. On January 14, 2000 the Simpsons were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The voice actors have been involved in much-publicized pay disputes with Fox on more than one occasion. In 1998, the voice actors stopped working, forcing 20th Century Fox TV to increase their salary from $30,000 per episode to $125,000. The actors were supported in their action by series creator Matt Groening. [http://www.snpp.com/other/interviews/groening99e.html] As the revenue generated by the show continued to increase through syndication and DVD sales, six actors (playing over 50 characters) — Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer — stopped showing up for script readings in April 2004 after weeks of unsuccessful negotiations with Fox. They asked for $360,000 per episode, or $8 million for a 22-episode season. On May 2, 2004, the actors resolved their dispute with Fox after having their demands met. The universally reported claim that this dispute was in fact a full-blown strike is denied by Harry Shearer. [http://www.metronews.ca/column_tube_talk.asp?id=2347&cid=650] Since as early as Season 4, the show has drawn criticism from some fans for straying too far from its comedic structure, for becoming too "mainstream," and changing character personalities without explanation. Some consider its parody of the prequel Star Wars trilogy in the episode Co-Dependent's Day being very harsh considering the show's own "downfall." These attacks have been countered by less hardcore fans stating that the show was always more or less mainstream, and nonsensical personality changes and the structural changes were done in a spirit of creative experimentation, and has not damaged the show (see Criticism).
Producers
The series has gone through numerous executive producers, also known as show runners, throughout its run. The showrunner is in charge of every aspect of the show for a season.
- Season 1–2: Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon
- Season 3–4: Al Jean and Mike Reiss
- Season 5–6: David Mirkin
- Season 7–8: Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein
- Season 9–12: Mike Scully
- Season 13–present: Al Jean
Voice actors and their characters
Al Jean and many other characters.]] All episodes (with the exception of one) list only the voice actors (not the characters they voice) in keeping with the mystique of having the audience not associate any one character with an actor — this is to discourage the audience from easily identifying exactly which voice actor did what. Yeardley Smith, voice actress of Lisa Simpson, and Marcia Wallace, voice actress of Edna Krabappel, are the only cast members who only do one voice, though both have on occasion voiced one-shot characters. Dan Castellaneta performs the voices of Homer Simpson and his dad, Abraham Simpson, while Julie Kavner performs the voices of Marge Simpson and her sisters, mother, and (in one episode) her aunt. Nancy Cartwright performs the voice of Bart Simpson and other children from the school that he attends. Guest stars had performed as well.
Writing
John Swartzwelder is the most prolific writer on the Simpsons' staff, personally writing over 50 episodes (more than any other Simpsons writer). According to the DVD commentaries, he used to write episodes while sitting at a booth in his favorite restaurant. When the restaurant closed down, he bought the booth and had it installed in his house. Current late-night talkshow host Conan O'Brien was a writer during the fourth and fifth season. He wrote "New Kid on the Block" (9F06), "Marge vs. the Monorail" (9F10), "Homer Goes to College" (1F02) and part of"Treehouse of Horror IV" (1F04). Ian Maxtone-Graham has been a prominent writer for The Simpsons since the eighth season. The character Professor John Frink was named for writer/producer John Frink.
Animation

Overseas animation studios involved: AKOM—192 episodes
- Exclusively produced the first two seasons of the series.
- Produced various episodes throughout the run of the series. Anivision—55 episodes
- Produced animation for episodes from seasons 3–10. Rough Draft Studios—113 episodes
- Produced animation for episodes from season four onwards. U.S. Animation, Inc.—2 episodes
- Jointly produced "Radioactive Man" with Anivision.
- Produced "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" Toonzone Entertainment—2 episodes
- Produced "The Fat and the Furriest" and "She Used to Be My Girl".
The Simpsons has been animated by many different studios over the past 18 years, both domestic and overseas. Throughout the run of the animated shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, the animation was solely produced domestically at Klasky Csupo. Klasky Csupo was also the animation studio during the first three seasons of the half-hour length series, however, due to the increased workload, production was now being subcontracted to overseas studios, usually in Korea, where labor is cheaper. While character and background layout is done by the domestic studio, inbetweening, coloring and filming is done by the overseas studios. Throughout the years, different overseas studios have animated different episodes, even episodes within the same season. During season four, Gracie Films made a decision to switch domestic production to DPS Film Roman, which continues to animate the show to this day. The last episode to be animated by Klasky Csupo was "A Streetcar Named Marge". After season 13, production was switched from traditional cel animation to digital ink and paint. Originally, the switch was intended to happen during season 12 with the episode "Tennis the Menace", but after seeing the results, Gracie Films decided to hold off for two more seasons. Tennis the Menace, however, being already completed, was broadcast this way. The Simpsons has been widely distributed internationally; for a list of distributors, see List of TV channels that air The Simpsons. "The Simpsons" is one of the longest running TV shows ever created. By the end of its 16th season, the show had accumulated 356 episodes (see list).
Cultural impact
A number of neologisms that started on The Simpsons have entered common usage. The most famous of which is Homer's saying: "D'oh!", which is referred to in scripts, as well as three episode names, as "annoyed grunt". D'oh is now listed in the Oxford English Dictionary, but without the apostrophe. "D'oh" is the accepted spelling, and is certainly the most common; the closed captions for the program (at least in the U.S.), however, spell it "D-OHH". Note: A much earlier use of the same expression, often similarly used to denote thwarted expectation, was established in the long-running BBC (UK) radio series 'The Archers', where it was used, almost as a catch-phrase, by the character 'Walter Gabriel' (voiced by actor Chris Gittings). Dan Castalanetta has explained that he borrowed the phrase from an actor in early Laurel and Hardy comedies, but that he originally pronounced it much more stretched-out and whiny. He was told by the show's director to shorten the noise, leading to the annoyed grunt we know today. Groundskeeper Willie's description of the French as "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" was used by conservative National Review columnist Jonah Goldberg, a fan of the show, in 2003, after France's opposition to the proposed invasion of Iraq, and quickly spread to other journalists. The expression "excellent" — drawn out as a sinister and breathy "eeeexcelllent…" in the style of Montgomery Burns — has also entered popular use, as have Homer's triumphant "Woohoo!" and Nelson Muntz's mocking "HA-ha!". "Woohoo" subsequently became the catch phrase of Melissa Joan Hart's portrayal of Sabrina in Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Homer's unsporting "IN YOUR FACE!" has become a standard vocalization of unsporting behaviour, particularly in children. The phrase was not invented by The Simpsons, but they made it popular. In various internet communities, the popular meme "I, for one, welcome our new overlords!" stems from a quote of Kent Brockman from the episode "Deep Space Homer". It can also be heard on VCPR radio in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The character Waylon Smithers. Since the debut of the show, the term "Smithers" has become a common eponym for a spineless underling. The show's creators also take pride in having passed on schoolyard rhymes to a new generation of children who otherwise may not have heard them.
Fan controversy
In spite of the devotion the show has inspired among its fans (or perhaps because of it) there has been an extraordinary amount of analysis of the show's strongest and weakest periods, especially among its most ardent fans. This brand of criticism is distinct from the broader debate over the show's sociopolitical themes that have drawn fire from both ends of the political spectrum. Fans hold a wide range of views on which period in the show's history was the best. Some prefer the earliest seasons, particularly 2 and 3, when the show focused more on realistic, character-driven humor instead of what they perceive as cheap, throwaway gags. Others prefer seasons 4–7, when Al Jean/Mike Reiss, David Mirkin and Bill Oakley/Josh Weinstein were the showrunners. Under Mirkin, the show began to focus more and more on social satire, as well as shifting focus away from young Bart to Homer. In contrast, seasons 9–12 and the appointment of Mike Scully as showrunner are often considered to be the show's lowest point creatively. While many fans feel Scully's first two seasons, seasons 9-10 weren't terrible, it is believed that season 11 is where the show began to deteriorate significantly, with the show beginning to focus on more supporting characters for shifting attention away from the Simpsons, with the exception of Homer. The show also became heavily reliant on celebrity guest stars (who almost always were cast to play themselves) and often episodes bent the rules of realism in order to justify these types of episodes. Fans also criticize more recent episodes for being boring and having a lack of plot and innovation that the earlier episodes had. Others point out the fact that many of the recent episodes (particularly those in seasons 14, 15, and the current 16th season) focus more on Marge and Homer's strained relationship, noting that the plotline "Marge and Homer fight, Marge and Homer nearly get divorced, Marge and Homer barely reconcile" is being used far too often. Simpsons writer Mike Reiss had this to say: "much of the humanity has leached out of the show over the years....It hurts to watch it, even if I helped do it."[http://slate.msn.com/id/2078501/] The biggest controversy is on the change in Homer's personality. Some fans believe that under Scully, the character of Homer became unrealistically stupid and uncaring in most episodes, while inexplicably contradicting his own political and moral beliefs in others. This reinvention, referred to as "Jerkass Homer" by online fans, caused a large backlash from many longtime fans of the series, who felt the show had jumped the shark. The episode where Homer is raped by a panda is one low point they continually cite. Many such fans welcomed the return of Al Jean as showrunner, calling it a return to the show's roots. However, to some people the more stupid Homer became the funnier, which has caused them to say that the show is getting better every season. Some feel the complete opposite in it that the series has entered an irreversible decline, and should be cancelled (they feel that the show could tarnish its own legacy if it continues at this pace). Others feel that The Simpsons has become almost a part of their life and without it, TV will never be the same. Some other changes the created criticism were giving the character of Apu a wife and octuplets and having town drunk Barney Gumble, quit drinking, although he appears on again and off again as drunk currently. While some argue that The Simpsons is past its prime, the show remains an important aspect of pop culture, and is particularly influential among teenagers. Its popularity has earned it numerous awards and appearances on magazines such as TV Guide. And most fans argue that the constant changes in the American culture and psyche make it impossible for The Simpsons to pass its prime.
Academia
Serious academic work has been done on the show. Simpsons-related publications include:
- Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation by Chris Turner ISBN 0679313184
- Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture (Contemporary Film and Television Series) by John Alberti ISBN 0814328490
- The Simpsons And Society: An Analysis Of Our Favorite Family And Its Influence In Contemporary Society by Steven Keslowitz ISBN 1587362538
- The Gospel According to the Simpsons: Leaders Guide for Group Study by Mark I. Pinsky, Samuel F. Parvin ISBN 066422590X
- The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer by William Irwin (Editor), Mark T. Conard (Editor), Aeon Skoble (Editor) ISBN 0812694333
- The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family by Mark I. Pinsky ISBN 0664224199
- The Gospel According to Bart: Examining the Religious Elements of The Simpsons by Beth L. Keller
Simpsons publications
TV Guide Numerous different Simpsons-related comic book series have been published by Bongo Comics since 1993. The Simpsons, Futurama, and Bart Simpson comics are also reprinted in the UK, under the same titles, with various stories from the other Bongo series reprinted in the main Simpsons comic. The comics have also been collected in book form; many other Simpsons books such as episode guides have also been published. Music is prominently featured in The Simpsons, with virtually all members of the cast breaking into song at least once during the course of the series. Perhaps the best known song is "Do The Bartman", which was released as a single and became an international success. The Simpsons Sing the Blues and The Yellow Album contained cover versions of songs, as well as some originals (including "Do The Bartman"). Songs in the Key of Springfield and Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons are CD collections of original music featured in the TV series. With the incredible popularity of The Simpsons, especially amongst children, it was only natural for the video game industry to turn to the characters and world of Springfield. While there have always been flops, the majority of Simpsons games did very well commercially and some (such as The Simpsons: The Arcade Game and Bart vs. the Space Mutants) are considered minor video game classics in their own right.
DVDs
Many episodes of the show have been released on DVD and VHS over the years. When the first season DVD was released in 2001, it quickly became the best-selling television DVD in history (although it would later be overtaken by the first season of Chappelle's Show) [http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=2338]. The seven DVD volumes rank as the best-selling television DVD series of all time. In particular, these DVDs have been released in North America (Region 1), Europe (Region 2) and Australia/New Zealand/Latin America (Region 4).
Video games
Video games have been made since 1990. The first game was The Simpsons (arcade game), published by Konami. It was, at the time, one of the most successful arcade games ever. Various games have been made, including The Simpsons: Hit and Run, The Simpsons Road Rage, and Krusty's Super Fun House.
Movie
Talk about a possible feature-length Simpsons movie has been going on since the early days of the series. The episode "Kamp Krusty" was originally going to be a movie, but became a regular episode after difficulties were encountered in trying to expand the script to feature-length. Rumors were circulated on the Internet about a movie already being in development, but it was not until 2004 that any were confirmed. In that year, producers announced a theatrical movie is in the very early stages of development, and that it will not be released until after the series ends. With the series being renewed for a twentieth season, an estimated premiere date for The Simpsons Movie was set for the summer of 2008. This was confirmed by 20th Century Fox June 6, 2005. Just like the series, the movie will be animated (Matt Groening recently turned down a proposal to make a live action film based on the characters, as this would likely ruin the franchise and anger fans) and will star the six main voice actors: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, and most likely Marcia Wallace, Maggie Roswell, Pamela Hayden, and Tress MacNeille. It is speculated that there will also be guest stars appearing in large roles or cameos. IMDb has also created a page for [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462538/combined The Simpsons movie], and claims a release date of November 2008. News website [http://corona.bc.ca Corona] posted a popular April Fool's Day hoax describing [http://web.archive.org/web/20000511131708/www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/simpsonsmovie.html fictional plans] for a live action movie.
Debut in Arab/Muslim Countries
The program finally made an official debut in Arabic-speaking markets in September of 2005, under a title that transliterates as "El Shempshoon" or "Al-Shamshoon." In addition to being dubbed in Arabic (with subtitles provided

ChristianIty
Christianity

Satire
Satire is a literary technique of writing or art which exposes the follies of its subject (for example, individuals, organizations, or states) to ridicule, often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change. In Celtic societies, it was thought a bard's satire could have physical effects, similar to a curse. The humor of such a satire tends to be subtle, using irony and deadpan humor liberally. Most satire has specific, readily identifiable targets; however there is also a less focused, formless genre known as Menippean satire. The burlesque form of satire can also be segregated into two distinct categories: High burlesque, or taking subject matter which is crude in nature and treating it in a lofty style, or low burlesque, taking subject matter traditionally dealt with in an epic or poetic fashion and degrading it.
History of satire
In western European literature, satire has been an accepted form of social commentary since the 5th century B.C., principally in the form of plays and poetry. Aristophanes, a Greek playwright, is one of the best known early satirists. Other prominent satirists from antiquity include Horace and Juvenal, who were active during the early days of the Roman Empire and are the two most influential Latin satirists. There are few examples of satire from the Early Middle Ages; with the advent of the High Middle Ages and the birth of modern vernacular literature in the 12th century, it began to make a comeback. However, direct satirization of public figures was rare and heavy use was made of allegories; literary figures were occasionally satirized, but rarely actual people or institutions. More direct social commentary via satire did not return until the 16th century, when farcical texts such as the works of Rabelais tackled more serious issues (and incurred the wrath of the crown as a result). But the greatest satirists emerged with the Age of Enlightenment, an intellectual movement in the 17th and 18th century advocating rationality. Here, astute and biting satirization of institutions and individuals became a popular weapon. Foremost among these is Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), arguably the greatest prose satirist in the English language. In the 19th century, Mark Twain became the best-known American satirist, publishing satires in a variety of forms, including news satire and full-length books. In the 20th century, satire has been used by authors such as Aldous Huxley and George Orwell to make serious and even frightening commentaries on the dangers of the sweeping social changes taking place throughout Europe. A more humorous brand of satire enjoyed a renaissance in the UK in the early 1960s with the Satire Boom, led by such luminaries as Peter Cook, Alan Bennett, Jonathan Miller, David Frost, Eleanor Bron and Dudley Moore and the television programme That Was The Week That Was. It continues to be a popular form of social commentary and expression today, although there is an increasing perception that satire must be explicitly humorous (which has not always been the case).
Satire in pop culture and public media
Some works of satire are subtle enough in their exaggeration that they still seem believable to many people. The satiric nature of these works may be lost on the public at large, and there have been instances where the author or producers of a satirical work have been harshly criticized as a result. In 2001 the British television network Channel 4 aired a special edition of the spoof current affairs series Brass Eye, which was intended to mock and satirize the fascination of modern journalism with child molestors and pedophiles. The TV network received an enormous number of complaints from members of the public, who were outraged that the show would mock a subject considered by many to be too "serious" to be the subject of humor. The movie This is Spinal Tap, a spoof of rockumentaries, about a fictitious hard rock band was mistaken for non-fiction by some critics. On occasion, satire can cause social change when used to make a political or social point (although simply revealing absurdities to the public, as opposed to the quality of the satire, may be the actual cause of any consequences). For instance, the comic strip Doonesbury satirized a Florida county that had a racist law that minorities had to have a passcard in the area; the law was soon repealed with an act nicknamed the Doonesbury Act. In the 2000 Canadian federal election campaign, a Canadian Alliance proposal for a mechanism to require a referendum in response to a petition of sufficient size was satirized by the television show This Hour Has 22 Minutes so effectively that it was discredited and soon dropped. Many modern comedy TV shows use satire to some extent, especially animated comedies such as The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy and Futurama which can easily use images of public figures and generally have greater latitude than conventional shows using actors. One episode of the 2005 Doctor Who series "Bad Wolf" satirised what might happen if reality TV shows got out of hand and ended up in people getting killed for entertainment. Satire and parody are also popular forms of expression on the internet; one of the most prominent examples is the news satire site The Onion. Individuals are picking up the idea and exploiting the genre through their Blogs.
Notable satires and satirists

- Ovid The Art of Love
- Juvenal (c. A.D. 55-140) - 16 Satires
- Petronius (c. A.D. 55-140) - Satirae
- Lucian of Samosata (c. A.D. 160) - True History and "Alexander"
- Nigel of Canterbury - Speculum Stultorum (Mirror for Fools), 12th c. satire of monks and universities
- De Nugis Curialibus (The Courtiers' Jests), 12th c. satire of life at court in England
- Jonathan Swift - A Tale of a Tub, Gulliver's Travels and A Modest Proposal.
- damali ayo rent-a-negro.com and How to Rent a Negro
- Alexander Pope - Rape of the Lock
- Bill Hicks - The late Hicks was a revolutionary satirist and stand-up comedian.
- Voltaire - Candide, satirizing optimism
- Erasmus - In Praise of Folly, a satire of corruption in clergymen.
- George Orwell - Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopia, a form of literature which also commonly satirizes.
- George Orwell - Animal Farm, satire of Stalinist Russia
- Anatole France - Penguin Island, a utopia
- Aldous Huxley - Brave New World, a dystopia
- Mark Twain - Later works, notably The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg
- Flannery O'Connor - Wise Blood, satirizing contemporary religious attitudes
- Thomas Nast - Political cartoons against Boss Tweed
- Stanley Kubrick - Movies Doctor Strangelove.
- Dario Fo - Accidental Death of an Anarchist
- le Canard Enchaîné publishes satirical cartoons and columns along with well-researched information on French political or economic life.
- Private Eye publishes satirical cartoons and columns along with well-researched information on British political or economic life.
- Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Cat's Cradle is a political satire, adopting a sci-fi motif.
- Chuck Palahniuk - Fight Club, a satire of masculinity, consumerism, and nihilism.
- Paul Fericano - Sinatra, Sinatra, a satire on conservatism in America.
- Yossarian Universal News Service or YU News Service, a parody news and disinformation syndicate.
- The Onion and The Daily Show, satires of the American news media
- The Landover Baptist Church - Internet parody of Christian fundamentalism
- Don DeLillo - White Noise, satire of consumerism and modern society
- Witold Gombrowicz - Ferdydurke, satire of modern society
- Father of the Pride, an animated satire which criticises many different aspects of society in its one season.
- Joseph Heller - Catch-22, novel, satire of the military, war, consumerism, capitalism and communism.
- Richard Condon - The Manchurian Candidate, novel, satire of Cold War paranoia and patriotism
- Joseph Addison - The Spectator i
External links

- [http://www.virtualsalt.com/satire.htm The Purpose and Method of Satire] Category:Humor Category:Rhetoric
- Satire ja:風刺

Born again

:This article is about the religious concept. For other uses of the term see Born Again. Born again is a term used primarily in Evangelical Protestant Christianity, where it is associated with salvation, conversion and spiritual rebirth. By extension it is applied in other areas, including a transcending personal experience — or the experience of being spiritually reborn as a "new" human being.

Christian concepts

To be born again in Christianity is synonymous with spiritual rebirth and, in many denominational traditions, salvation. The term is used somewhat differently in different Christian traditions. The Christian use of the term is derived from the third chapter of the Gospel of John, where Nicodemus visits Jesus: :Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." :Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again." :Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." ::-John 3:1-5 (New Revised Standard Version) :::::(Note that some translators consider "born from above" to be a better translation than "born again".) Another important verse used to illustrate the concept is found in the fifth chapter of the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians. :Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. ::-2 Corinthians 5:17 (Contemporary English Version) Most Christian denominations hold that a Christian must be born again, in some sense, and thus that those who are true Christians are born again, whether they describe themselves as such or not. The Roman Catholic church, for example, considers that "Baptism is ... the sacrament by which we are born again of water and the Holy Ghost." [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02258b.htm#III], though the term is not frequently used by Catholics. The term is most frequently used by Evangelical Protestants, where it is often associated with an intense conversion experience and an encounter of the individual with the power of God. Some "born again" Christians deny that those without such an experience are true Christians. It is common to find that Christians who describe themselves as born again consider those who do not to be counterfeit. The idea of born again carries with it the theological idea that a Christian is a new creation, given a fresh start by the action of God, freed from a sinful past life and able to begin a new life in relationship with the Holy Spirit. John Wesley and Christians associated with early Methodism referred to the born again experience as "the New Birth". In recent history, born again is a term that has been associated with evangelical renewal since the late 1960's, first in the United States and then later around the world. Associated perhaps initially with Jesus People and the Christian counterculture, born again came to refer to the experience that all evangelical believers had in becoming Christians, and was increasingly used as term to identify devout believers. By the mid 1970's, born again Christians were increasingly referred to in mainstream media as part of the Born Again Movement. The term became so prevalent that by the 1976 Presidential campaign, Jimmy Carter used the term to refer to his own faith experience.

General usage

Self-described born again Christians are often enthusiastic and outspoken concerning their beliefs; hence the phrase has come to be used to describe any overly enthusiastic supporter of some recently-acquired cause - e.g. born-again conservative, born-again sports fan, born-again skeptic etc.

External links

- [http://gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/serm-045.stm Sermon #45: The New Birth] by John Wesley
- [http://gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/serm-018.stm Sermon #18: The Marks of the New Birth] by John Wesley
- [http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/topic/regeneration.html The Calvinist View of the Doctrine of Regeneration or The New Birth]
- [http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/monergism_short.html What is Monergistic Regeneration?] (Calvinist/Reformed)
- [http://www.zyworld.com/jamus/Regeneration.htm Rosicrucians: Regeneration] by Charles Weber, 2003 Category:Theology Category:Christian evangelicalism Category:Christian theology Category:Charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity

Evangelicalism

The word evangelicalism usually refers to a tendency in diverse branches of Protestantism, typified by an emphasis on evangelism, a personal experience of conversion, biblically-oriented faith, and a belief in the relevance of Christian faith to cultural issues. In the late 20th century and early 21st century, Protestant people, churches and social movements were often called evangelical in contrast to Protestant liberalism. The term 'evangelical', in a lexical, but less-commonly-used sense, refers to anything implied in the belief that Jesus is the savior. The word comes from the Greek word for 'Gospel' or 'good news': ευαγγελιον evangelion, from eu- "good" and angel "message". To be evangelical would then mean to be merely Christian, that is, founded upon, motivated by, acting in agreement with, spreading the good news message of the New Testament. In Western cultural usage, Evangelical has usually referred to Protestantism, in intended contrast to Catholicism. At different times, the name has developed nuances according to the controversies of the age:
- In Europe since the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, Lutheran churches have been called Evangelical churches, in contradistinction to the Reformed churches of Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, and their associates.
- In the 17th century and onward, the Puritan party in the Church of England who sought to identify that church with the Reformed movement of the Reformation, who later withdrew from that Communion and became known by the derogatory names of "Non-Conformists" and "Dissenters", were also called the evangelical party.
- In the 18th century, the Wesleyan revival within the Church of England influenced the formation of a party of pietistic Anglicans, whose descendant movement is still called the "Evangelical party".
- In North American experience, particularly the United States of America, in the Great Awakenings, the term distinguished the supporters of revivalism. As compared to those who emphasized conversion as a prolonged process, and a result of Christian nurture, evangelicals looked for a single experience to mark the starting point of the Christian life. The earliest meanings continue to be current, depending on the context. In the name, Evangelical Orthodox Church, for example, the word in the title of this Old Catholic group simply means "Christian". The Union of Evangelical Churches is Germany's national Protestant church, formed by the state-mandated union of Lutheran and Reformed churches. Similarly several churches have Evangelical in their title, meaning evangelical in the sense of "Protestant", but not necessarily part of the modern evangelical movement per se. For most of Protestant history the term 'evangelical' for a self-description has been used by both modernists and fundamentalists. However, in common contemporary parlance, the name has been all but relinquished to the "moderates", rather than liberals or fundamentalists.

Roots

The contemporary evangelical movement has its origins in the 18th century. In that period, the First Great Awakening was deeply influencing American religious life, while at the same time John Wesley and the Methodist movement were renewing British Christianity. Much of this religious fervor was a reaction to Enlightenment thinking and the deistic writings of many of the western philosophical elites. The chief emphases of the fledgling Methodist movement as well as the Awakening were individual conversion, personal piety and Bible study, public morality often including Temperance and family values, and Abolitionism, a broadened role for lay people and women in worship, evangelism and teaching, and cooperation in evangelism across denominational lines (that is, interdenominationally). In its early years, what was to become known as evangelicalism was largely a hybrid of the Reformed emphasis on doctrinal orthodoxy, and the pietist emphasis on the heart and a "personal relationship" with God. The movement saw a variety of liturgical styles and ministry approaches, though strong preaching, personal conversion (similar to Wesley's Aldersgate experience), and evangelism were common features. Other key figures include: Jonathan Edwards, American Puritan preacher/theologian; George Whitefield, British Methodist preacher; Robert Raikes, who established the first Sunday School to prevent children in the slums entering a life of crime; Charles Wesley, popular hymn writer; and Francis Asbury, American Methodist bishop.

Doctrine

The Bible is accepted as reliable and the ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice. The Protestant Reformation doctrines of sola scriptura and sola fide are primary. The historicity of the miracles of Jesus and the virgin birth, crucifixion, resurrection, and Second Coming are asserted, although there are a variety of understandings of the end times and eschatology. Commentators and historians describe four characteristics of evangelicals: #Emphasis on the conversion experience, also called being saved, or new birth or born again after John 3:3. Thus evangelicals often refer to themselves as born-again Christians. This experience is said to received by "faith alone" and to be given by God as the result of "grace alone." #The Protestant canon of the Bible as the primary, or only, source of religious authority, as God's revelation to humanity. Bible prophecy, especially as interpreted according to dispensationalism, is often emphasized. Thus, the doctrine of "sola scriptura" is often affirmed and emphasized. #Encouragement of evangelism (the act of sharing one's beliefs) -- in organized missionary work or by personal encounters and relationships with others. #A central focus on Christ's redeeming work on the cross as the only means for salvation and the forgiveness of sins. These characteristics are similar to the Bebbington quadrilateral identified in his study of British evangelicalism. John C. Green, director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron in Ohio, found in the 2004 American Religious Landscape Report [http://pewforum.org/publications/surveys/green-full.pdf] that despite many variations, evangelicals in the United States generally adhere to four core beliefs: #Biblical inerrancy #Salvation comes only through faith in Jesus and not good works #Individuals (above an age of accountability) must personally trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. #All Christians are commissioned to evangelize In regard to "Biblical inerrancy", a notable summit on Bible inerrancy was held in Chicago in 1978. The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy was signed by nearly 300 noted evangelical scholars (see main article). There is no absolute consensus among evangelicals regarding Biblical inerrancy, however there is a general acceptance of Biblical authority.

Development

19th century

Evangelical Christians were a diverse group; some were at the forefront of movements such as abolition of slavery, prison reform, orphanage establishment, hospital building, and founding educational institutions. In 1846, eight hundred Christians from ten countries met in London and set up the Evangelical Alliance. They saw this as "a new thing in church history, a definite organization for the expression of unity amongst Christian individuals belonging to different churches." However, the Alliance floundered on the issue of slavery. Despite this difficulty it provided a strong impetus for the establishment of national and regional evangelical fellowships. Evangelicals, along with trade unionists, Chartists, members of cooperatives, the self-help movement and the Church of England were involved in setting up the temperance movements in the U.S.A., Ireland, Scotland and England. William Booth, a Methodist minister, founded the Christian Mission in London, England on July 5, 1865. This became The Salvation Army in 1878 as it took on a quasi-military style.

20th century

Evangelicals today are at least as varied as ever. Some work entirely within their own denominations, others pay less heed to denominational differences and may be members of less formal and locally based, independent churches. Their focus may be on assisting their own members first and foremost, their inspiration being this emphasis of Paul in his New Testament letters. However, there remains the long-standing evangelical tradition of taking to needy areas practical assistance (e.g. medical, educational) along with the gospel, though eschewing attempts, at home or abroad, to influence society by means other than the gospel. Others, particularly in the USA, are engaged in attempts at social improvement through political means. Evangelical activism might be expressed in literacy training, inner-city relief and food banks, adoption agencies, marriage counselling and spousal abuse mediation, day-care centers for children, and counsel and care for unwed mothers, or any number of other help and advocacy works. The popular perception seems to locate all of evangelicalism on the 'right' of political controversies, such as abortion, or the liberalizaton of the legal definitions of "family", "marriage", or "civil union" to include same-sex couples. This supposed uniformity is not actually the case; however there is some correspondence between theological and religious conservatism, and social conservatism, for obvious reasons. The World Evangelical Fellowship (now Alliance) (WEA) was formed in 1951 by believers from 21 countries. It has worked to support its members to work together globally. Within the broad denominations (often called "mainline denominations") evangelical movements are organizing within various structures, which are often referred to as the Confessing Movement. The theological call for the mainline churches to return to their evangelical roots is known as Paleo-Orthodoxy, especially within Methodism, where Thomas Oden is one of its best known spokesmen. The movement represents a range of Protestant understandings of the Bible, liturgical forms, and church traditions - some of which are very non-traditional, and artistically conceived or innovative. On the average, evangelicals tend to be distrustful of reliance upon historical definitions of belief, if they are not qualified as being subordinate to the Bible; and yet, they may be inclined to refer to these documents of faith in defense of their understanding of the Bible. In controversies with those who favor a more highly structured liturgy, the evangelical party is usually the one in favor of a relatively more simple, casual and participatory form of worship, centered on preaching and the Lord's Supper (Eucharist), rather than more elaborate ceremony. Especially toward the end of the 20th century, the secular media tended to describe traditional Christian believers as fundamentalists, including most evangelicals. However, in both movements, these terms fundamentalist and evangelical are not synonymous; the labels represent differences of approach which both groups are diligent to maintain.

Fundamentalism

At the turn of the 20th century, in light of modern scholarship gaining the majority view, Modernist Christianity in the Protestant denominations was producing novel understandings and/or interpretations of the role of the Bible for a Christian, and the Bible's teachings. These trends were seen by their opponents as a threat to Christian faith and the welfare of society, as accommodations to the Enlightenment and an abandonment of the principles of the Protestant reformation. The Fundamentalist Movement was a conservative Protestant response in the USA to liberal trends in their churches. It was a movement to preserve what they saw as being a minimum orthodoxy, a fundamental Christianity, over against the liberals' abandonment of such basic features of a traditional understanding of the faith as, the inerrancy of the Bible, the virgin birth of Christ, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, the authenticity of his miracles, and the belief that his death on the cross takes away sins. This defense of fundamental Christian tradition was called Fundamentalism, though in fact it was little more than orthodoxy as found in the official statements of faith of Protestant denominations. Some Fundamentalists strongly advocated separation from those denominations and institutions in which modernism was dominant. Many of these identified the Fundamentalist cause with certain specific doctrines, approaches to culture, and styles of worship, preaching, or plans of church governance, which were not shared by their fellows - some of which, in fact, had only arisen in the previous century. Others strongly reacted against separatism and exclusiveness. They sought to distinguish their agenda to defend the fundamental orthodoxy familiar to their forebears, from the Fundamentalists who sought to establish a new orthodoxy. Some of the leaders of this broader party called themselves 'neo-evangelicals'.

Renewed Evangelicalism: Neo-evangelicalism

The Neo-Evangelical movement was a response among traditionally orthodox Protestants to fundamentalist Christianity's separatism, beginning in the 1920s and 1930s. Neo-evangelicals held the view that the modernist and liberal parties in the Protestant churches had surrendered their heritage as evangelicals by accommodating the views and values of the world. However they saw the Fundamentalists' separatism and rejection of the Social gospel as an over-reaction. They charged the modernists with having lost their identity as evangelicals, and attacked the Fundamentalists as having lost the Christ-like heart of evangelicalism. They argued that the Gospel needed to be reasserted to distinguish it from the innovations of the liberals and the Fundamentalists; thus they coined the term, 'Neo-' (new or renewed) 'evangelicalism'. They sought to engage the modern world and the liberals in a positive way, remaining separate from worldliness but not from the world — a middle way, between modernism and the separating variety of Fundamentalism. They sought allies in denominational churches and liturgical traditions, among non-dispensationalists, and trinitarian varieties of Pentecostalism. They believed that in doing so, they were simply re-acquainting Protestantism with its own recent tradition. The movement's aim at the outset was to reclaim the evangelical heritage in their respective churches, not to begin something new; and for this reason, following their separation from Fundamentalists, the same movement has been better known as merely, "evangelicalism". By the end of the 20th century, this was the most influential development in American Protestant Christianity. The term neo-evangelicalism no longer has any reliable meaning except for historical purposes. It is still self-descriptive of the movement to which it used to apply, to distinguish the parties in the developing fundamentalist split prior to the 1950s. The term is now used almost exclusively by conservative critics to distinguish their idea of evangelicalism from this movement. Some liberal writers, speaking critically, might refer to neo-evangelicalism, or neo-fundamentalism, with comparably variable meanings.

Evangelical politics in the United States

Evangelicalism in the United States was prominently active in political movements which are now popularly considered to be important social advancements, such as Women's Rights and Suffrage, and Abolitionism. Evangelical influence was also evident in past movements which are now unpopular, such as prohibition and anti-immigration. But Roe v Wade, the Supreme Court decision rendered in 1973 preventing states from making laws that prohibit abortion, is the most prominent landmark of a new era of conservative evangelical political action, unprecedented in its intensity and coordination. In the U.S. the Religious Right is influential especially in the Republican Party, and is often popularly perceived to be the political wing of the conservative Evangelical movement. The Bush Administration bases many of its policy directions on what it understands to be core conservative evangelical values. Consequently, criticism of controversial conservative political stances frequently falls on the evangelical movement as a whole, in the USA at least. The mass-appeal of the Christian right in the so-called red states, and its success in rallying resistance to certain social agendas, is sometimes characterized by an otherwise unwilling, and secular, society as an attempt to impose theocracy on the country. While most who consider themselves evangelical oppose theocracy, there are indications that the belief is widespread among conservative evangelicals in the USA that Christianity should enjoy a privileged place in American public life according its importance in American life and history. Accordingly, those evangelicals often strenuously oppose the expression of other faiths in schools or in the course of civic functions. For example, when Venkatachalapathi Samuldrala became the first Hindu priest to offer an invocation before Congress in 2000, the September 21 edition of the online publication operated by the Family Research Council, "Culture Facts", raised objection: :While it is true that the United States of America was founded on the sacred principle of religious freedom for all, that liberty was never intended to exalt other religions to the level that Christianity holds in our country's heritage. The USA's founders expected that Christianity--and no other religion--would receive support from the government as long as that support did not violate peoples' consciences and their right to worship. They would have found utterly incredible the idea that all religions, including paganism, be treated with equal deference.

Parachurch organizations

Parachurch organizations are a vehicle by which evangelical Christians work collaboratively both outside their and across their denominations to engage with the world in mission, social welfare and evangelism. Through many decentralized organizations, parachurch organizations function to bridge the gap between the church and culture. These are organizations "alongside" (Grk: para-) church structures, and often seek to be less institutional, however over time, with growth and success, and in response to environmental pressures they can become more institutional.

Roles and organizations

Roles undertaken by parachurch organizations include:
- evangelistic crusade associations (patterned after the Billy Graham Association)
- evangelistic and discipleship ministries (such as The Navigators, Campus Crusade for Christ)
- music and print publishers, radio and television stations, film studios, online ministries
- study centers and institutes, schools, colleges and universities
- political and social activist groups
- welfare and social services, including, homeless shelters, child care, and domestic violence, disaster relief programs, and food pantries and clothing closets, and emergency aid centers
- self-help groups
- Bible study groups
- house churches

Globally

Globally, evangelicalism and Pentecostalism are among the most influential and fastest growing Christian movements. Growth in Africa and Latin America is especially rapid, and because it is not dependent on European and North American evangelical sources allowing greater diversity. An example of this can be seen in the African Independent Churches.

World Evangelical Alliance

The World Evangelical Alliance is now :a network of churches in 121 nations that have each formed an evangelical alliance and over 100 international organizations joining together to

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Evangelicalism

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Development

19th century

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Fundamentalism

Renewed Evangelicalism: Neo-evangelicalism

Evangelical politics in the United States

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Globally

World Evangelical Alliance