Twilight's Mormon Roots

As the Twilight juggernaut gets into gear again this week with Friday's release of Breaking Dawn, Part 1, the frenzy about this story and these characters continues to fascinate millions while baffling others. For many Christian fans, this saga relates more than a tale of teenaged love and all of its trials and tribulations. These narratives raise issues related to faith, redemption, and hope as well as demonstrate positive values with regard to family, friendship, building community, and the expression of sexuality. But many overlook one of the more interesting religious themes: The idea of human free will and the importance of the ability to make moral choices stand out as central topics throughout the Twilight saga, although they are often confused by the idea that these characters exist in an eternally fixed and determined universe.