Democracy Defying Gravity: WICKED as Movie and Metaphor

Resisting authoritariansim. Not succumbing to the mass reverence for “the man behind the curtain.” Recognizing the value of those who are different, even if shunned by the majority. Staying true to one’s beliefs no matter what. These themes could just as easily reference American politics and culture on the cusp of 2025 as they do the hit movie musical Wicked.That’s what we explore on the final episode of The State of Belief for 2024, as host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush welcomes colleague Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, an ardent fan of the Gregory Maguire book and subsequent productions of the Wizard of Oz prequel Wicked.

Defying conventional wisdom and expectations, Elpheba flies above the crowd, both figuratively and literally. Starting with the personal impact of the story during their formative years, Paul and Guthrie discuss its contribution to their passion for social justice and equality. Guthrie’s even written an Advent devotional that weaves in themes from Wicked, and wraps up the conversation with five important lessons for the challenging year ahead from this surprisingly relevant story.

“It opens our thinking to why do people believe differently than us, why do people come to different conclusions about policy and politics than us? And can we have cognitive empathy…not to justify the actions of others, but to have empathy for why they come to those decisions and try to think through it.”

– Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, Wicked superfan as well as Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at Interfaith Alliance. He’s held cornerstone roles at the BJC, the Center for American Progress, and the National Immigration Forum. Holding an MDiv, Guthrie is the author of the book Just Faith: Reclaiming Progressive Christianity, and his Advent devotional appears in Word & Way.