Yes, we can even learn and benefit from Hollywood at times:
Now and then I can be surprised – sometimes even shocked – by the comments some people will leave after I have written or posted something. And I am even more surprised and shocked when it is a Christian who makes some of these comments.
As a recent case in point: I had posted some quotes from articles I had written on the very important – and fully universal – matter of parents and their children, specifically when kids are alienated or unloved or mistreated. Billions of people know all about this reality, and there is no shortage of books and films devoted to these themes.
So I mentioned two recent films that zeroed in on this matter of broken family relationships, and how in the end reconciliation was achieved. The films powerfully and movingly spoke to an issue that most of us have experienced. I was quite happy to share the insights that even pagan Hollywood filmmakers might offer on such matters.
Many people replied, saying how much they could relate, telling me about their stories, speaking of their sad childhood, and so on. Some spoke of how later on they did get reconciled to their parents. I was pleased an appeal to some movies could result in all this good sharing and conversation – and even be cathartic for some folks.
But then one Christian wrote in this comment that I found a bit odd, and to be honest, not very helpful: “Why watch Hollywood movies? Why live life vicariously?” Oh dear. Sometimes you wonder if folks are being satirical, but this guy seemed to be serious. So I quickly posted this reply:
Why read a novel? Why go to a sporting match? Why read poetry? Why listen to music? Why play a game of chess? Why use the social media? Why use your imagination? Filmmakers are human beings like you and me – they can describe the human condition and present real truth about human relationships. And given that one of these films was based on a true story of a real Christian, I will appreciate them and learn from them and thank God for them. That has nothing to do with living vicariously of course. It is about appreciating life, learning from others, sharing our common humanity, and growing as believers via God’s common grace.
There is so much more one can say about this – thus this article. One obvious point is that fiction can be used to share truth – sometimes it can better be used than non-fiction to do this. Whether a story or a parable or a song or a novel or a movie, these can all be used as vehicles to convey truth and to help people in their journeys.
Thus to use an illustration from a book or a film or a story or whatever to help teach Christian truth is perfectly valid and acceptable. Jesus used stories all the time – he appealed to the imagination. He was happy to offer made-up stories to make a point and drive home much needed truth.
And with something like movies, there are always great bridge-building opportunities going on as we seek to reach non-Christians. I often would suggest to my students that they go see a new film with a non-Christian friend and then get a coffee afterwords and have a discussion with him.
One can look at the worldviews being expressed in a movie, or what it says about the human condition, or what is wrong with the world, or what can be done to solve these problems, etc. These can make for great discussions and open doors for sharing the gospel with non-believers.
If some believers want nothing to do with movies or fiction or stories or music or so many other great gifts God has blessed us with, that is up to them. They can live in their splendid isolation from the world of people, their problems, and their common issues.
But my calling as a believer is to be salt and light. My calling as a believer is to seek to reach the lost. If something like a Hollywood film can be used in this process, then I am more than happy to prayerfully do so.
The Christian imagination
Let me share from just one book on these matters. Back in 1981, Leland Ryken – who was then professor of English at Wheaton College – released a very important volume: The Christian Imagination: Essays on Literature and the Arts. Although it is not primarily on film, it does have chapters on the visual arts. Some 39 essays are found there by people like C. S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, T. S. Eliot, Flannery O’Connor, Chad Walsh and Hans Rookmaaker. In the Preface Ryken says this:
There are two main themes in this volume. The first is that the imagination is one way we know the truth. For truth – including religious truth – is not solely the province of the reason or intellect. For example, one can experience the truth about God and salvation while listening to Handel’s Messiah. But how? Not primarily through reason, but through the senses, (hearing), emotions, and the combination of mind, senses, and emotions that I call the imagination….
The second great theme of this book is that people do not live by knowledge or truth alone. They also stand in need of beauty. In our best moments we know this. We know that Handel’s Messiah is as important to us as a Christian sermon, and that an autumn sunset, though not “useful” in the utilitarian sense, is nevertheless necessary to a full life. Genesis 2:9 tells us that when God formed Paradise he “made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” A perfect human world, in other words, is both beautiful and functional. In this regard, too, our church services and our Bibles show us the truth, but we too often overlook it. The beauty of color or harmony or metaphor is not less valuable because it does not put money into our pockets or food into our mouths.
That is a quite general comment of course, whereas here I am mainly focusing on film. But you get the point. Because of God’s common grace, even movies made by non-believers can at times convey real truth and real beauty. They can tell us much about who we are and the world that we live in. Such aspects of general revelation can supplement the special revelation of Christ and Scripture.
Sure, the Christian must learn to discern – not just when viewing non-Christian films or reading non-Christian books – but Christian ones as well. Cutting ourselves off from every pagan movie – or book or work of art or story or parable or song, etc. – is not only foolish, but almost impossible. Living in a cave all by oneself might be the only way to keep ‘pure’ and ‘unspotted’ from any non-Christian contact. But there goes your chance of being a Christian witness as well.
In sum, it is not living vicariously to enjoy a good novel or a well-made film. We can benefit greatly from them. And if even our Lord could make use of imaginative stories, illustrations and parables to convey biblical truth, then we should not be so dismissive of film, literature and the arts.
For further reading
Here is a list of 15 books penned by Christians on how we can use, with discernment, the offerings of Hollywood – and others – in our Christian life and witness.
Baehr, Ted, So You Want to Be in Pictures? B&H, 2005.
Barsotti, Catherine and Robert Johnston, eds., Finding God in the Movies: 33 Films of Reel Faith. Baker, 2004.
Barsotti, Catherine and Robert Johnston, eds., God in the Movies: A Guide for Exploring Four Decades of Film. Brazos, 2017.
Cawkwell, Tim, The Filmgoer’s Guide to God. Darton, Longman and Todd, 2004.
Detweiler, Craig, Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century. Baker, 2008.
Geivet, R. Douglas and James Spiegel, eds., Faith, Film and Philosophy: Big Ideas on the Big Screen. IVP, 2007.
Godawa, Brian, Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment. IVP, 2002.
Hibbs, Thomas, Shows About Nothing. Spence Publishing, 1999.
Johnston, Robert, Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue. Baker, 2006.
Johnston, Robert, Useless Beauty: Ecclesiastes Through the Lens of Contemporary Film. Baker, 2004.
Johnston, Robert, Craig Detweiler and Kutter Callaway, Deep Focus: Film and Theology in Dialogue. Baker, 2019.
Lewerenz, Spencer and Barbara Nicolosi, eds., Behind the Screen: Hollywood Insiders on Faith, Film, and Culture. Baker, 2005.
Romanowski, William, Cinematic Faith: A Christian Perspective on Movies and Meaning. Baker, 2019.
Romanowski, William, Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture. Brazos, 2001.
Turek, Frank and Zach Turek, Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God. NavPress, 2022.
Let me quote from just one of them – Eyes Wide Open. In his Introduction, Romanowski says this:
I know a lot of people who say, “It’s only a movie. You can’t take it so seriously.” “I just want to be entertained.” “It’s got a good beat and you can dance to it.” While much popular art can be enjoyed with little intellectual effort, this does not mean that it must or should be enjoyed in this way or that the arts cannot be provocative and make people think. Moreover, developing good critical skills and practices does not have to ruin the fun and excitement that people associate with popular art.
I suggest that much of the delight of popular art can come from intentional involvement as a Christian. We need to look as Christians at the stories that contemporary culture is telling us by learning how to discern and evaluate perspectives in these representations of life in God’s world. And as Christians we also need to create popular art that shows what it means to live everyday life in God’s world, while others consume and eavesdrop on our contribution to the cultural conversation.
Postscript
Let me mention a related thing, also involving my recent posts on the social media about two famous films. One movie I had discussed was It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, the 2019 film about Mister Rogers. The other was Spielberg’s 2001 film, A.I.
One Christian social media friend demurred, at least over my discussion of A.I. and its themes. “No. Humanizing machines is a no-go for me” she said. I replied this way:
Thanks. Those who have read my 45 articles on AI and transhumanism know I share those concerns. But in this case, you might be missing my point. I am not saying anything about cyborgs and so on. Both films I have been discussing here have to do with parents and their children. Both involved alienation but later reconciliation. Both made clear the impact parents can have on their children for good or ill. These are all wonderful human – and Christian – themes that are worth discussing. That is why I used them. So in the case of the Spielberg film, the “son” finally got to know about a mother’s love, and hear the words, “I have always loved you.” So, no, I have not turned into a zealous transhumanist! I am simply trying to share some universal truths that we all can relate to, and might be of real help to some people. Thanks again.
