Breaking Bad showrunner Vince Gilligan wants to believe that heaven exists, but he "can't not" believe there's a hell. Throughout this fascinating TV show depicting the shocking life and tragic times of Walter White, Gilligan offers his singular glimpse into a morally amoral universe, a place not unlike the world we live in. This critically acclaimed TV series seeks to answer the question, "In a seeming world of chaos, can justice ultimately prevail?"
The Gospel According to Breaking Bad takes a thoroughly Christian look at AMC's popular and critical TV hit. Covering such weighty theological issues like identity, death, justice, power, fate, free will, and the gospel itself, readers will be coerced into thinking more deeply about the universal questions Breaking Bad asks. In sections covering the colors and metaphors of Breaking Bad, fans will also come to a further appreciation for one of the most well-done TV series in recent history.
More than just an entertaining RV ride through the Albuquerque desert, Breaking Bad presents two unique characters, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, each on notably different trajectories in their lives. Are either redeemed by series' end? What do our reactions to their stories tell us about ourselves?
Through these stories and more, The Gospel According to Breaking Bad seeks to tell the old, old story through one of the most visceral and alluring stories of the present. As author Madeline L'Engle wrote, "Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light."
Across its digital, print, and audiobook sales, The Gospel According to Breaking Bad has sold more than 3,000 copies since late 2013.
We have the word “gospel” thanks to the Old English “god-spell,” meaning “good news.” The Old English term is a word-for-word translation of the Greek word euangelion, from where we get our present-day words for evangelism and evangelist. More likely than not, you’ve heard these words, though possibly used in a wide range of ways. Depending on a number of variables, the connotations in your mind with the term “gospel” may range from a knowing nod of grateful affirmation to a dismissive grimace of offense. The word has been misused and abused for millennia. If it helps, consider replacing “gospel” with “good news” any time you read it.
So what’s the good news of Breaking Bad?
Like Walter, we are human so we are loved. Within a Christian worldview, all are loved unconditionally because of our creation in the image of God. Yes, God loves even Walter White. The tangible view of this love appears in Walt Jr.s’ plaintive pleas for his father’s well-being while being interviewed on the nightly news about the website he created to help raise money for his dad’s treatments. One could even argue that Walter’s eventual downfall is God’s love at work, a just God seeing to it that a violent, greedy, arrogant man is held fully accountable for his misdeeds that have hurt so many. Anyone can be loved by God, regardless of their actions, but it is a love that has to be acknowledged and accepted. In the most famous parable Jesus ever told, the shocking story of the prodigal son reveals that anyone who humbly turns from their waywardness will be welcomed home with the open arms of a sprinting, all-loving Father.
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Portuguese
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Translation in progress.
Translated by Angela Barbosa
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by Manuel Bento Falcón
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Author review: Manuel did a fantastic job and was very easy to work with. He kept me up-to-date on the rapid progress he made on translating my book. He finished a month earlier than I expected. He was very easy to communicate with, too. You can be sure that for any future Spanish-translation needs I may have, or that my writing and editing clients may have, I'll be seeking out Manuel first. His work is highly recommended. |
