The Kirk of Jesus Christ

A new Star Trek movie hits the theaters this week, and it’s an origins film — it goes back to the time when James T. Kirk was a young man. It’s a film we use to discuss origins — the origin of the church.

For fans of Spock and Captain Kirk, the future begins on Friday.

A new Star Trek movie hits the theaters this week, and it’s an origins film — it goes back to the time when James T. Kirk was a young man, enrolling at Starfleet Academy. Far from being the captain of the Enterprise, Kirk just barely makes it onto the starship for a journey into space. Then, when the ship’s captain is forced to step down, it’s Spock who’s left in charge of the bridge — with Kirk as his assistant.

For die-hard Trekkies, this role reversal will take some getting-used-to.

Still, the film promises to be a summer blockbuster, with a dramatic invasion of Spock’s home planet by evil Romulans from the future. You’ll see all your favorite characters at the beginning of their careers: Scotty, Bones, Chekov, Uhura. And since Scotty manages to invent time travel as part of his engineering duties, you’ll see some familiar old friends as well. Leonard Nimoy, the...