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New ideas are so hard to come by that even saying so isn't new. Several thousand years ago, a wise Israelite king pointed out: "What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, 'See, this is new'? It has been already in the ages before us." (Eccl 1:9-10 ESV) So it's no surprise that creative churches often borrow ideas from the culture to parody.

Borrowing ideas has been a staple of ministry for as long as I've been involved in it. I used to serve in a parachurch ministry to high-school students that put a high value on connecting to kids with humor. A running joke among the staff and volunteers around the country was, "Originality is forgetting who you stole it from." When the "who" you're forgetting is a fellow servant of Christ who gives freely with no expectation of return, there's no problem. When it is a commercial enterprise with a vested interest in defending its copyright, that's a different issue. 

An example of parody

At the same time, we have a responsibility to a higher Judge. Solomon added a qualifier to his "nothing new" axiom: under the sun. As followers of Christ in direct relationship to the Creator of All Things, we're not limited to what is "under the sun." We have the inside connection to beat all connections. The question here is whether parody is the most creative choice after all.

So that's the ticket—or two tickets, as the case may be. Always ask yourself these two questions: When is parody right? When is it appropriate? Unfortunately, neither of these questions comes packed with easy answers. They are, by nature and  design, squarely in the realm of subjectivity, which means that even if I were a lawyer and a theologian, I couldn't give you a definitive answer. I won't leave you hanging, however. There are some relatively simple guidelines to help define the playing field. If we keep a handle on them, perhaps we can all stay in bounds.

Many people assume copyright is like the speed limit: you're either violating it or you're not, and everyone should know by looking at your actions. While there are indeed actions that are clear violations of copyright law, there is no copyright speedometer to tell you when you've exceeded the bounds. There is a wide swath of grey. Without getting into the gory details of copyright law, you should have at least an introductory understanding of how to stay on the lighter side of grey. (If you like gory details, see the sidebar for a list of references.)

The most important thing to understand is a legal term known as Fair Use. Fair Use isn't something you have to post anywhere or get a permit for. It is a defense you should be able to use if someone sues you. Copyright law is in the civil realm, not the criminal. Bringing suit, therefore, is the only way to settle disputes. Sometimes one person can use copyrighted material without breaking the law while another person is held in violation for doing the exact same thing. It all depends on the purpose. Political and cultural commentary and nonprofit educational purposes are more likely to be considered Fair Use than profit-making purposes. Other factors the courts examine have to do with the work being used: its inherent nature; the portion used; the importance of that portion; and the effect of your use on the original work's value.

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