Moviegoers might have been driven to Barbie by nostalgia, or controversy, or simply to participate in the cultural zeitgeist. And I certainly don’t think every Christian must see the film. I respect those, like my mom, who’ve chosen not to contribute their time and money to this pink summer blockbuster. But since seeing the film, I’ve had several good (and difficult) talks with both my mom and my daughter about its themes. I suspect that’s true for millions of people trying to navigate the tensions in our world between feminism and patriarchy, between men and women.

I hope Christians who do see the movie will engage these conversations. Our culture is struggling with questions about power, gender, purpose, and death. Barbie raises these questions brilliantly, but believers can point to the One who ultimately answers them: the Triune God who created all humans with purpose and for partnership. Only Jesus Christ, as creator and incarnate redeemer, can tell each of us who we really are, what we are for, and that we are profoundly loved.