Reverend Timothy Lovejoy
Encyclopedia
Reverend Timothy "Tim" Lovejoy is a recurring character in the animated television series
The Simpsons
. He is voiced by Harry Shearer
, and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head
". Lovejoy is the minister at The First Church of Springfield—the Protestant
church in Springfield
which most of the show's characters regularly attend. Initially kind-hearted and ambitious, Lovejoy has become apathetic towards others because of Ned Flanders
's constant personal worries.
He attended Texas Christian University
. He initially came to Springfield an eager, idealistic, guitar-playing, Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
-driving young man in the seventies
, only to become cynical and disillusioned about his flock and ministry, mostly due to Ned Flanders
, who constantly pesters him with religious non-emergencies such as "coveting his own wife or sometimes non-religious non-emergencies such as thinking he swallowed a toothpick." Lovejoy would dispatch such concerns with maximum brevity so that he could return to playing with his model trains
. At one point, Lovejoy "just stopped caring," but rediscovered the joy of helping others, though Ned still irritates him. Lovejoy even suggests Ned join another religion, as Lovejoy says they are all much the same.
His sermons currently vary between dreary recitations of more opaque parts of the Old Testament
, to the occasional "fire and brimstone
" about Hell
, with very little of the love and joy that his surname suggests. When congregation members begin to nod off, Lovejoy can awaken them by pressing a button on the lectern
which results in pre-recorded irritating noises.
are a Christian
group, or he could believe that Jesus has commanded his followers to respect all people in his statement "Christ is Christ", and agreed to marry Apu and Manjula on the basis that he believes all people should take part in matrimony.), co-hosts a religious radio program with Krusty the Klown's rabbi father, and admits evolution may be true. However, despite the fact that he married a Hindu couple, he lists Apu's religion as "Miscellaneous" in the 4th season episode "Homer the Heretic
" ("Hindu!" snaps Apu, "there are 700 million of us." To which Lovejoy sarcastically replies "That's super." This occurs well before Apu's marriage, however).
However, Lovejoy has become increasingly intolerant. When Lisa Simpson
converted to Buddhism
, he referred to her as "Marge Simpson's devil-daughter". Moreover, he appears bitter about the tall Episcopal church across the street, wanting to build a larger steeple and, when mentioning the other church, placing the emphasis on "pis
". He maintains two rolodexes – 1 for Christians
, and one for non-Christians. While he seems to have originally believed in evolution, he later takes up the creationist
cause to bolster his church's membership.
He is especially intolerant of the Roman Catholic Church
as he is shown brawling with a priest, though the other man participates as well. He tells Marge that he might as well do a Voodoo dance for Abe Simpson
when asked to give him the last rites
. He also helps kidnap Bart
to keep him from converting to Catholicism.
Lovejoy is firmly opposed to same-sex marriage
, and declared that he couldn't marry two people of the same sex any more than he could put a hamburger
on a hot dog bun
.
, Lovejoy does not always follow the example of Jesus
and has been shown to do things that would be considered sinful. Lovejoy has been known to exploit his congregation for money, brawl with a Roman Catholic priest, encourage his dog to foul Ned Flanders
's lawn, and implied that he once burned down his church for insurance
money. In "Whacking Day
", he made up a passage in the Bible to attempt to convince Lisa that "even God himself endorses Whacking Day." In "The Joy of Sect
", the episode in which the whole town of Springfield is deceived into joining a cult, Lovejoy kidnaps Homer with Groundskeeper Willie from the cult and violently hits him across the head numerous times hoping to knock him out. Also, when Lovejoy sees the spaceship emerge from the "forbidden barn" he throws his religious collar
on the ground and stomps on it several times. After it is revealed that the spaceship is fake, Ned Flanders notices his collar on the ground and informs Lovejoy. He instantly picks it up and puts it back on making it seem like an accident.
Lovejoy is not always enthusiastic about the Bible
and is often disparaging about its content and purpose, even calling it a "2000-page sleeping pill"; it is unsure if he even owns a Bible, as it was once said he borrows it from the library every week. He tends to stress attending church and community work over any involved study of biblical text. In another episode which dealt with marriage counseling, Lovejoy recommends Marge divorce
Homer. When Marge objects that the Bible has strict guidelines concerning marriage and divorce, Lovejoy states that "according to the bible, just about everything is a sin, technically we can't even go to the bathroom".
Lovejoy's wife, Helen was originally portrayed as a moralistic, judgmental gossip, but in voice actress Maggie Roswell
's long absence her character was seen but not heard. Now Helen is rarely seen without being at her husband's side. His father is also, briefly, shown in the episode "Bart After Dark
" as an older version of Lovejoy (including clerical collar) who visits the Maison Derrière but has no speaking part.
has indicated that Lovejoy is named after Lovejoy Street (which in turn is named for Portland co-founder Asa Lovejoy
) in Portland, Oregon
, the city where Groening grew up.
Lovejoy becomes the central character in the episode "In Marge We Trust
". By season eight, the show had begun to explore secondary characters. Lovejoy was selected for this episode because, aside from being noted as "the priest who didn't care", he had not had much character development.
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. He is voiced by Harry Shearer
Harry Shearer
Harry Julius Shearer is an American actor, comedian, writer, voice artist, musician, author, radio host and director. He is known for his long-running role on The Simpsons, his work on Saturday Night Live, the comedy band Spinal Tap and his radio program Le Show...
, and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head
The Telltale Head
"The Telltale Head" is the eighth episode of The Simpsons first season, and it originally aired February 25, 1990. It was written by Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Sam Simon, Matt Groening, and directed by Rich Moore. In the episode, Bart cuts the head off the statue of Jebediah Springfield in the center of...
". Lovejoy is the minister at The First Church of Springfield—the Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
church in Springfield
Springfield (The Simpsons)
Springfield is the fictional town in which the American animated sitcom The Simpsons is set. A mid-sized town in an undetermined state of the United States, Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. The geography of the town and its...
which most of the show's characters regularly attend. Initially kind-hearted and ambitious, Lovejoy has become apathetic towards others because of Ned Flanders
Ned Flanders
Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
's constant personal worries.
Profile
Lovejoy is the pastor of the Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutheranism church that almost everyone in Springfield attends. In "Father, Son and Holy Guest Star" there is a fight between churches, Protestantism and Catholicism.He attended Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
. He initially came to Springfield an eager, idealistic, guitar-playing, Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia is a 2+2 coupe and convertible marketed from 1955 to 1974 by Volkswagen – combining the chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1 , styling by Luigi Segre of the Italian carrozzeria Ghia, and hand-built bodywork by German coach-builder Karmann.The Karmann Ghia was...
-driving young man in the seventies
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
, only to become cynical and disillusioned about his flock and ministry, mostly due to Ned Flanders
Ned Flanders
Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
, who constantly pesters him with religious non-emergencies such as "coveting his own wife or sometimes non-religious non-emergencies such as thinking he swallowed a toothpick." Lovejoy would dispatch such concerns with maximum brevity so that he could return to playing with his model trains
Rail transport modelling
Railway modelling or model railroading is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale...
. At one point, Lovejoy "just stopped caring," but rediscovered the joy of helping others, though Ned still irritates him. Lovejoy even suggests Ned join another religion, as Lovejoy says they are all much the same.
His sermons currently vary between dreary recitations of more opaque parts of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, to the occasional "fire and brimstone
Fire and brimstone
Fire and brimstone is an idiomatic expression of signs of God's wrath in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. In the Bible, they often appear in reference to the fate of the unfaithful. "Brimstone," possibly the ancient name for sulfur, evokes the acrid odor of volcanic activity...
" about Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, with very little of the love and joy that his surname suggests. When congregation members begin to nod off, Lovejoy can awaken them by pressing a button on the lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
which results in pre-recorded irritating noises.
Tolerance
His tolerant side is demonstrated when he performs a marriage for Hindus (though he apparently thinks HindusHinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
are a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
group, or he could believe that Jesus has commanded his followers to respect all people in his statement "Christ is Christ", and agreed to marry Apu and Manjula on the basis that he believes all people should take part in matrimony.), co-hosts a religious radio program with Krusty the Klown's rabbi father, and admits evolution may be true. However, despite the fact that he married a Hindu couple, he lists Apu's religion as "Miscellaneous" in the 4th season episode "Homer the Heretic
Homer the Heretic
"Homer the Heretic" is the third episode of The Simpsons fourth season, which originally aired on FOX in the United States on October 8, 1992. In the episode, Homer decides to forgo going to church and has an excellent time staying home. His behavior quickly attracts the wrath of God, who visits...
" ("Hindu!" snaps Apu, "there are 700 million of us." To which Lovejoy sarcastically replies "That's super." This occurs well before Apu's marriage, however).
However, Lovejoy has become increasingly intolerant. When Lisa Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
converted to Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, he referred to her as "Marge Simpson's devil-daughter". Moreover, he appears bitter about the tall Episcopal church across the street, wanting to build a larger steeple and, when mentioning the other church, placing the emphasis on "pis
Urine
Urine is a typically sterile liquid by-product of the body that is secreted by the kidneys through a process called urination and excreted through the urethra. Cellular metabolism generates numerous by-products, many rich in nitrogen, that require elimination from the bloodstream...
". He maintains two rolodexes – 1 for Christians
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, and one for non-Christians. While he seems to have originally believed in evolution, he later takes up the creationist
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
cause to bolster his church's membership.
He is especially intolerant of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
as he is shown brawling with a priest, though the other man participates as well. He tells Marge that he might as well do a Voodoo dance for Abe Simpson
Abraham Simpson
Abraham J. "Abe" Simpson, often known simply as Grampa, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and he is also the patriarch of the Simpson family, the father of Homer Simpson, and the grandfather of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson...
when asked to give him the last rites
Last Rites
The Last Rites are the very last prayers and ministrations given to many Christians before death. The last rites go by various names and include different practices in different Christian traditions...
. He also helps kidnap Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
to keep him from converting to Catholicism.
Lovejoy is firmly opposed to same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, and declared that he couldn't marry two people of the same sex any more than he could put a hamburger
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
on a hot dog bun
Hot dog bun
A hot dog bun is a type of soft bun shaped specifically to contain a hot dog. The original purpose of this bun was to make it possible to eat hot dogs without burning ones hands....
.
Negative qualities
Despite being a Christian pastorPastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, Lovejoy does not always follow the example of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and has been shown to do things that would be considered sinful. Lovejoy has been known to exploit his congregation for money, brawl with a Roman Catholic priest, encourage his dog to foul Ned Flanders
Ned Flanders
Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
's lawn, and implied that he once burned down his church for insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
money. In "Whacking Day
Whacking Day
"Whacking Day" is the twentieth episode of The Simpsons fourth season, and originally aired April 29, 1993. It concerns the fictional holiday "Whacking Day", celebrated annually May 10, in which the citizens of Springfield drive snakes into the town square, then club them to death...
", he made up a passage in the Bible to attempt to convince Lisa that "even God himself endorses Whacking Day." In "The Joy of Sect
The Joy of Sect
"The Joy of Sect" is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons ninth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 8, 1998. In the episode, a cult called the "Movementarians" takes over Springfield, and Homer and the rest of the Simpson family become members...
", the episode in which the whole town of Springfield is deceived into joining a cult, Lovejoy kidnaps Homer with Groundskeeper Willie from the cult and violently hits him across the head numerous times hoping to knock him out. Also, when Lovejoy sees the spaceship emerge from the "forbidden barn" he throws his religious collar
Clerical collar
A clerical collar is an item of Christian clerical clothing. It is a detachable collar that buttons onto a clergy shirt or rabbat , being fastened by two metal studs, one attached at the front and one at the back to hold the collar to the shirt. The collar closes at the back of the neck, presenting...
on the ground and stomps on it several times. After it is revealed that the spaceship is fake, Ned Flanders notices his collar on the ground and informs Lovejoy. He instantly picks it up and puts it back on making it seem like an accident.
Lovejoy is not always enthusiastic about the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and is often disparaging about its content and purpose, even calling it a "2000-page sleeping pill"; it is unsure if he even owns a Bible, as it was once said he borrows it from the library every week. He tends to stress attending church and community work over any involved study of biblical text. In another episode which dealt with marriage counseling, Lovejoy recommends Marge divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
Homer. When Marge objects that the Bible has strict guidelines concerning marriage and divorce, Lovejoy states that "according to the bible, just about everything is a sin, technically we can't even go to the bathroom".
Family
Lovejoy's rarely seen daughter Jessica loves to cause mischief and manipulate people. Her hijinks are revealed to stem from her hunger for attention, which her father does not sufficiently provide. Lovejoy sent her to boarding school in an attempt to curb her tendencies, but Jessica was expelled, having shown no improvement. He does nothing about it out of denial and refuses to believe his daughter is worse than Bart.Lovejoy's wife, Helen was originally portrayed as a moralistic, judgmental gossip, but in voice actress Maggie Roswell
Maggie Roswell
Maggie Roswell is an American film and television actress and voice artist from Los Angeles, California. She is well known for her voice work on the Fox network's animated television series The Simpsons, in which she has played recurring characters such as Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Miss...
's long absence her character was seen but not heard. Now Helen is rarely seen without being at her husband's side. His father is also, briefly, shown in the episode "Bart After Dark
Bart After Dark
"Bart After Dark" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons eighth season, first aired by the Fox network on November 24, 1996. After accidentally breaking a stone gargoyle at a local house, Bart is forced to work there as punishment. He assumes it will be boring work, but is pleasantly surprised when...
" as an older version of Lovejoy (including clerical collar) who visits the Maison Derrière but has no speaking part.
Character
Matt GroeningMatt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
has indicated that Lovejoy is named after Lovejoy Street (which in turn is named for Portland co-founder Asa Lovejoy
Asa Lovejoy
Asa Lawrence Lovejoy was an American pioneer and politician in the region that would become the U.S. state of Oregon. He is best remembered as a founder of the city of Portland, Oregon...
) in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, the city where Groening grew up.
Lovejoy becomes the central character in the episode "In Marge We Trust
In Marge We Trust
"In Marge We Trust" is the twenty-second episode of The Simpsons eighth season, which originally aired April 27, 1997. It was written by Donick Cary and directed by Steven Dean Moore. The episode guest stars Sab Shimono as Mr. Sparkle, Gedde Watanabe as the factory worker, Denice Kumagai and Karen...
". By season eight, the show had begun to explore secondary characters. Lovejoy was selected for this episode because, aside from being noted as "the priest who didn't care", he had not had much character development.