The Gospel According to Disneys Frozen By Jeff Totey l The Movie Frozen l Disney

In Disney’s most recent animation production of Frozen, much can be gleamed from this simple yet profound story. Similar to Disney’s previous hit, Tangled, Frozen shares a more complex story line than traditional animated fare. The story centers on two sisters, princesses really, Elsa the older and Anna the younger. Elsa has a unique skill in that she can create her own winter wonderland in her bedroom.

Jeffrey Totey is lover of pop culture and tends to see spiritual truth in the oddest places. Sometimes he writes about fluff other times, he'll write about substance. You can read more of his work at Peanuts and Popcorn.

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect

“We all stumble in many ways…” James 3:2

Elsa uses this power to entertain her younger sister Anna. Together they build snowmen, have snowball fights and what not. However, when Elsa accidentally strikes and hurts Anna with a frozen bolt, the king steps in and demands that Elsa stops using her powers. She feels that no one would understand her if they knew the “real” Elsa. The people of Arendelle see a poised, pretty girl who has it all together on the outside, but on the inside, she’s a wreck.

People regularly attend church with smiles on their faces and tell everyone that they are doing “fine” when in reality; their lives may be falling apart. Just like how Elsa wears gloves in hopes of hiding her powers, some people in church try to cover up their negative feelings.

Celebrate Your Talents

“As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.” I John 2:27

Every season on American Idol or America’s Got Talent there is a story or two about a contestant who wants to share their talents of singing with others, but who is regularly discouraged by their parents. Whether they think that their son or daughter can’t sing well, or that the dream is a silly idea, they just can’t seem to see the beauty in their child’s gifting. The same is true of Elsa’s father. What others would see as a gift, he sees Elsa’s powers as a curse to be hidden. While his intentions are good, Elsa learns to be ashamed of her abilities.

To Build Up or to Destroy

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” – James3:9-10

When Elsa embraces her powers, she is able to create beautiful creations like Olaf the happy little snowman who loves warm hugs and her beautiful ice castle. However, when faced with the stresses of life, her powers create ugly and frightening creations like “Marshmallow” the snowman guard and the insides of her palace start to grow shards of ice as sharp as glass. Just like fire can be used for good as in cooking or heating, it also can be used to destroy. The Bible talks about how the tongue can be used for good or evil as well.

Give Others a Break

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” – Romans 12:3

While Anna and Kristoff are visiting the trolls, they begin to sing a song about how Kristoff is a “bit of a fixer upper.” The silly song has some surprising messages of truth: “We’re not saying you can change him, because people don’t really change. We’re only saying that love’s a force that’s powerful and strange. People make bad choices if their mad scared or stressed, but throw a little love their way and you’ll bring out the best.” They go on to say that everyone is a bit of a fixer upper and that we need each other to help us round each other out. How many times has a “difficult” person entered a church and instead of being approached with love, was made to feel threatened?

Sacrificing Yourself

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13

While others are afraid of Elsa, Anna is not. She believes in her sister and will do anything for her. Near the end of the movie, Anna is just about to become frozen herself. If she can make her way to Kristoff, her true love, she will be saved. However, she sees that Elsa is about to be killed by Hans, she bravely steps between the two of them and then freezes solid which protects Elsa. She had the choice of seeing her own happiness or sacrificing herself for the happiness of her sister. Olaf the snowman has a similar realization when he starts a fire in the palace fireplace to warm up Anna. She warns him that he will melt, but he replies, “Some people are worth melting for.”

Don’t Face the World Alone

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” - Romans 12:9

Elsa’s father was not a mean person, but he incorrectly encouraged his daughter to hide from others. The movies main song, “Let It Go” echoes Elsa’s father’s word to her: “Don’t let them in. Don’t let them see. Be the good girl you always have to be. Conceal. Don’t feel.” When Elsa runs away to the North Mountain, she is filled with a sense of false freedom: “It’s time to see what I can do to test the limited and break through. No right, no wrong, no rules for me. I’m free!” The song is triumphant as Elsa learns to love herself but she also thinks that she still needs to shut others out: “You’ll never see me cry. Here I stand and here I’ll stay. Let the storm rage on. The cold never bothered me anyway.” Later, in the song, “For the First Time in Forever (Reprise)” when faced with the damage she’s done to Arendelle, she says: “I’m such a fool! I can’t be free!” but Anna says: “You don’t have to protect me, I’m not afraid…We can fix this hand and hand. We can head down this mountain together. You don’t have to live in fear ‘cause for the first time in forever, I will be right. Here.”