Part 7/11:
The Absence of Christian Characters Since the 1990s
The disappearance of openly Christian characters from Disney media has been notable. The last significant example was The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1996, which included characters with religious themes and references. Another instance was Bridge to Terabithia (2007), which features adolescents attending church and discussing faith. Since then, overt religious themes have largely vanished from mainstream Disney films and series.
Given Disney’s immense influence, this retreat from faith-centric storytelling reflects broader cultural shifts toward secularism and multiculturalism, where religious expression—particularly Christianity—is often minimized or overlooked.