Religion in The Simpsons

Religion frequently appears in *The Simpsons*, often using humor to poke fun at Christianity and organized faith in general. However, episodes like "Bart Sells His Soul" and "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily" can be read as containing genuine spiritual themes. The show’s handling of belief has drawn both praise and criticism from atheists, agnostics, liberals, conservatives, and religious viewers alike. It also serves as a source of biblical knowledge for younger, less religious audiences.

The Simpson family regularly attends services at the church of Reverend Lovejoy. In the episode "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star," the church is identified as the "Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutheranism," a fictional blend meant to represent a broad range of American Protestant traditions rather than any single denomination.

Despite its mockery of religion, the series has found support from some religious circles. In 2001, *The Christian Century* noted that the show’s popularity among believers suggests religious people do have a sense of humor. The article argued that *The Simpsons* satirizes all kinds of human flaws and hypocrisies, not just religious ones, and that it is unusually aware of religion’s importance in American life. That same year, *Christianity Today* featured Ned Flanders on its cover, calling him "the most visible evangelical to many Americans." In 2007, a *Christianity Today* film reviewer gave *The Simpsons Movie* a positive review, praising its seamless transition from television to cinema and noting that it reunited many of the series’ best writers and creators. In 2009, the Vatican’s newspaper *L'Osservatore Romano* commended the show for its realistic treatment of religion, observing that Homer often turns to God as a last refuge, even if he gets the name wrong. Creator Matt Groening has pointed out that *The Simpsons* is one of the few TV shows where the family regularly attends church and is often shown praying. Scholar William Romanowski noted that the series treats religion as an integral part of American life, poking fun at American attitudes and practices rather than at faith itself.

The 1995 episode "Bart Sells His Soul" is a key example. In one scene, Milhouse asks Bart why religions would lie about concepts like the soul, and the scene cuts to Reverend Lovejoy counting money. Critic M.