Movies are available today on an unprecedented scale. You can watch a movie on your Ipod, your Play Station Personal, on Pay-per-view, Digital and Cable Television or through DVD postal rental service, not to mention the particular pleasure of sitting in a cinema and seeing a film in its natural habitat! It would seem that our society consumes films on a grand scale. Flickering Images offers a very helpful introduction to assist Christians to engage with an increasingly visual culture. The book is a collaborative effort of 16 authors and is divided into three main sections.
Part One presents five essays on the method of theological film criticism. These essays range from a very technical examination of structuralist film criticism to an essay on the pastoral implications of using film in church.
Part Two provides 13 examples of theological readings of Hollywood movies. The films examined include: You’ve Got Mail, Sliding Doors, Lord of the Rings and The Passion of the Christ. The reader should be aware that many of these essays give away key plot lines and so should be read after viewing if you want to get maximum enjoyment of the movie!
Part Three offers 11 film studies that could be used in a small group setting and include discussion questions and some Bible references. There are some classic films included in this section including Blade Runner, The Killing Fields and Gandhi. Unfortunately the most recent film looked at is Bridget Jones Diary (2001) so there is a sense that this section feels a little dated.
This book is a really useful resource for individuals or churches seeking to learn how to listen to our contemporary culture and then to begin to communicate the gospel sensitively and effectively.
The advantage of a collaborative book is that it allows the reader access to a wide range of views and approaches in a single volume. The disadvantage, of course, can be a lack of coherence. If you are a keen movie watcher and an aspiring theologian then this is a good book for you. If you are someone looking for a basic introduction to how movies can be useful in both understanding our faith and communicating it Mark Stibbe and J.John’s books The Big Picture 1 & 2 may be a more accessible read.
Dr Krish Kandiah is Director of the Oxford Centre for Evangelism and Apologetics FLICKERING IMAGES
Edited by Anthony J.Clarke & Paul S. Fiddes
REGENTS STUDY GUIDES
