7 Reasons Community’s Shirley Bennett was the Best Christian Character on TV

Christians have long been the subject of mockery on television. At the same time, some are depicted as nearly perfect individuals. However, few portrayals capture what the average Christian is really like.

On Parks and Recreation, Marsha Langman, the conservative leader of the Society for Family Stability Foundation, embodies the extreme Christian protestor and politician archetype. She is intolerant to the point of willful ignorance, fully convinced of her own correctness, and determined to impose her lifestyle on others.

In The Office, the character Angela represents a hypocritical Christian, quick to judge others for not adhering to her standards, while oblivious to her own moral failings. She believes, for example, that being vegetarian is a Christian virtue and that cats go to heaven (unless euthanized), yet has trouble staying faithful in her relationships.

The Middle offers a portrayal of the overly sweet, song-singing youth pastor whose advice is revered as if it comes directly from God. His non-judgmental, upbeat attitude comes off as too perfect, almost nauseating.

And then there’s good old Ned Flanders from The Simpsons, who, through many seasons, has maintained his faith despite numerous hardships. While he’s gone through tough times—like the destruction of his home, his wife’s tragic death, or financial struggles—he’s seen by others as either insane, annoying, or in denial due to his unwavering faith.

Amid these depictions of Christians, Shirley Bennett, played by Yvette Nicole Brown on NBC’s Community, stands out as one of the most authentic representations of faith on TV. Here are seven reasons why:

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She does not have a perfect life.

Professor Whitman: “WHY ARE YOU HERE?!”

Shirley: “Because I wasted fifteen years of my life on a man who left me with nothing but stretch marks and a foggy memory of two bland orgasms and now it’s time to get what’s mine!”

Christians on TV are often shown as people whose lives seem perfect, feeling blessed and devoted to God because everything is going well. But when difficulties arise, they quickly cry out, “Why has God forsaken me?!”  

When we first meet Shirley, she is dealing with the pain of a divorce after her husband cheated on her and left her with their two children. Despite this, she doesn’t question her faith or blame God for her situation. She recognizes that her husband’s poor choices are due to his own free will, and her faith is what helps her remain kind and compassionate.  

This is what real Christianity looks like. Becoming a Christian doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a trouble-free life. In fact, it’s often the opposite. Yet, we believe that God works through all situations for the good of those who love Him. This faith gives us hope in the darkest moments and strength when we feel weak.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. –1 Peter 4:12-13 (NIV)

She slowly learns the correct way to be tolerant.

Shirley: “Uh, Annie, I didn’t know you weren’t, uh, Christian.” 

Annie: “Yep. One might even say I’m Jewish.” 

Shirley: “Oh, tha-that’s good for you. Tha-that’s wonderful. I respect all religions of the world.” 

Abed: “I’m Muslim.” 

Troy: “Jehovah’s Witness.” 

Britta: “Atheist.” 

Shirley: “The Lord is testing me.”

Christians on TV are often portrayed as intolerant, hypocritical, or both. This stereotype suggests that Christians view people of other religions, or those without religion, as evil. However, this isn’t an accurate reflection of real Christian beliefs.  

In the first season of Community, Shirley is shown to be somewhat intolerant of other belief systems, even though she tries to hide it. But as the show progresses and she learns more, she grows in how she treats people with different beliefs. She stops seeing them as lesser and instead struggles with how to share her own faith without offending them.  

Her growth in this area is inspiring. Many Christians, especially when new in their faith, may have an “Us vs. Them” mentality. However, with time and maturity, we come to understand that everyone arrives at their beliefs through years of thinking, questioning, and choosing. Someone’s worldview is deeply personal and rarely formed without serious consideration. For a Christian to simply say, “Your beliefs are wrong,” is not only disrespectful but dismisses the experiences that have shaped that person’s life.  

We are called to share the Gospel, but that doesn’t mean forcing it on people. We should share our testimony with love and respect, planting the seeds of faith and trusting that God will do the work in their hearts.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. -Col. 4:5-6 (NIV)

Every time she gets holier-than-thou, it backfires.

Shirley: “I can’t believe I’m giving pies to a drug addict!”

Britta: “Drug addict? You’re a pie pusher! You push pies to get love!”

Christians on TV are often depicted as spiritual know-it-alls who act as though they have everything figured out and are morally superior to others. Take Ned Flanders from The Simpsons—he’s portrayed as part of a bowling team called The Holy Rollers, and in one scene, he looks to the sky and says, “It’s Ned,” prompting a heavenly light to knock down the final bowling pin for a strike. 

Shirley also falls into this trap at times, thinking that being the only Christian in the group makes her better than everyone else. This attitude often backfires on her, or she’s brought down a notch. What’s frequently revealed is that her “holier-than-thou” behavior is actually hiding deeper emotional pain. For instance, when she throws a very Christ-centered Christmas party for her non-Christian friends, her enthusiasm is masking the hurt of experiencing her first Christmas since her husband left her and their family broke apart.

Christians can sometimes fall into the habit of wearing “holy” masks to cover up their pain, not wanting others to know they’re suffering, don’t have everything together, or even struggle with doubts. However, pretending like this isn’t beneficial, and it certainly doesn’t help our cause of showing genuine faith.

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18 (NIV)

She is a flawed human being.

Britta: “Shirley, don’t you think you’ve had enough?”

Shirley: “Of you.”

Christians are often shown as flawed human beings on TV, but typically as deliberate hypocrites—fully aware they’re doing the wrong thing yet not caring.  

Shirley, however, is different. She knows she has issues and grapples with them daily. She struggles with gossip, anger, revenge, being overly sensitive, divorce, drinking, and she has made mistakes—like sleeping with a man outside of marriage (though, in her defense, they were about to be eaten by zombies). But she isn’t proud of her flaws, and she often beats herself up for them.  

This is how real Christians are. If someone claims they’re not flawed, they’re likely in denial. Christianity doesn’t make you perfect; it simply makes you forgiven. We’re all just as human as anyone else. We’re still going to sin, make mistakes, and fall short—a lot.  

Relying on God isn’t always easy. Following Him can be scary, and doing the right thing is often much harder than giving in to the pressures around us. We’ll never be perfect, but the difference is that we strive to be. We’ve found a better way, and though we don’t always choose it when life gets tough, we never regret it when we do. God desires for us to be happy, but real happiness requires effort—and sometimes, we struggle to handle it.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. -Romans 7:15 (NIV)

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She is devoted to her marriage.

Andre Bennett (Shirley’s ex-husband, on trying to reconcile with Shirley): “The old me would have been long gone by now. I didn’t think I could ever change, but I’ma tell you, the love of a good woman makes anything possible.”

Christian marriages on TV are often depicted as being just as disposable as any other relationship. One mistake, and it’s time to kick the person to the curb and find someone new, as if there’s someone out there who won’t ever mess up (which, of course, doesn’t exist).  

When Shirley is introduced in Community, she has gone through a divorce after her husband cheated on her and left with his mistress. She’s understandably angry, and at one point, she even hopes he’ll come crawling back so she can tell him to “go to Hell.” Yet, despite her pain, she still views him as her husband and isn’t ready to give up on him.  

In season 2, her husband returns, apologizing for his mistakes, and by season 3, they have reconciled and remarried. This is one of my favorite storylines in Community. Her husband made a huge mistake, but he realized it, came back, and sought forgiveness. Shirley, rather than giving up on him, chose to give him another chance, leading to their successful reconciliation.  

While many, like Britta Perry, might view Shirley as foolish or naïve for allowing her unfaithful husband back into her life, the truth is that people do make mistakes, and marriages can get tough. But that doesn’t mean they are doomed to fail. People can change, and when something is broken, you don’t just throw it away—you work on fixing it.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. -1 Cor. 13:4-8a (NIV)

She has compassion for everyone.

Shirley: “Kind people are always kind. Not just when it’s easy.”

Christians on TV are rarely portrayed as compassionate; instead, they are often shown as judgmental, hypocritical, or outright mean.  

Shirley, to be fair, has exhibited these traits at times, but in almost every instance, she either forgives or seeks forgiveness. She genuinely cares about others, even those who mistreat her, harass her, or make her uncomfortable, such as “innocent perverts.” Although her actions are sometimes misguided or overzealous, her intentions are sincere—she wants everyone in her group to find Jesus because it’s been the best experience of her life, and she wants to share that joy with them.  

This is the attitude Christians are called to have. We are meant to love our neighbors as God loves us, to forgive as we’ve been forgiven, and even to lay down our lives for others, regardless of their faith or beliefs. It’s incredibly hard not to hold grudges or take offense, but we understand that clinging to hurts only poisons our hearts and souls.

To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit. -1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)

She is sure in her faith.

Troy: “You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”

Shirley: “Mmhmm. Our team’s walking with God.”

Christians on TV are often portrayed as if their faith is constantly on shaky ground, always in need of some Divine intervention to reaffirm their beliefs. While it’s true that nearly all Christians experience questions and doubts, it doesn’t mean they are always on the verge of abandoning their faith.  

Shirley has her share of struggles, as we’ve seen, and she faces many failures and hurts from others. Yet, her faith remains unwavering. It’s clear that her character has gone on a journey, and her faith was a deliberate choice, not something she stumbled into. No amount of hardship, discouragement, or personal failings has shaken the foundation of her belief. Even when she falls, she rebuilds on that firm foundation time and again. Jesus is the rock she stands on.  

I’m not suggesting that doubting or having questions about faith is wrong—in fact, it’s the opposite. To base your life around a belief system without wrestling with those doubts is naive. Even when we are confident that God is real, that Christ died for our sins and rose again, there will still be times when we’re figuring things out. But those moments of uncertainty don’t mean our faith is on hold or that it will crumble under pressure. Christ provides a firm foundation, one that holds steady no matter the storms.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. -Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

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These qualities make Shirley Bennett one of the most relatable and realistic Christian characters on television. Community captures the complexities of her faith journey in a way that resonates with viewers, Christian or not. If you haven’t watched Community yet, it’s worth checking out to see this portrayal in action.

The full series is available on Peacock and on DVD, and a finale movie is currently in production (which will hopefully see Yvette Nicole Brown return as Shirley).