The Cross and the Camera: How Christians Should Interact with Film
Film has always held a special place in my heart. Indeed, some of my most precious memories revolve around films: watching my mom burst out laughing at a joke in All Things Bright and Beautiful, being elbowed by my brother during a tense moment of Stranger Things, and seeing the lines of stress ease from my roommate’s face during an episode of Psych.
However, it has become increasingly difficult for Christians to find their place within visual storytelling. Traditional values have become increasingly ostracized from modern entertainment, causing many Christians to condemn film or TV as harmful, an excuse for people to waste the precious time humanity has on this Earth. To an extent, this is true; truly mind-numbing, time-wasting TV exists. However, I believe that our interaction with TV and film can be a deeply engaging experience that, if given the chance, can deepen our minds and hearts.
Watching Film as a Means for Exploring Truth
Like any other form of storytelling, film and TV can explore broad questions of meaning and morality. In his book Hollywood Heroes, apologist Frank Turek delves into how some of the most popular movie franchises, from Star Wars to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, explore divine truth. Even bad films can engage the mind, forcing the viewer to consider the film on multiple levels to discover why it was bad. Was it poor acting and cheap special effects? Flat characters and the ham-fisted dialogue? An underlying message that promoted something morally or philosophically abhorrent? Examining these different factors, the viewer has the opportunity to wrestle with why he believes what he believes and how this particular story could affect culture and his own thinking.
Film as Community
Especially before the pandemic, I would wonder why people would spend money on movie tickets, especially since they could get a greater variety of entertainment far more cheaply at home. Yet, during the months of 2020, I began to understand; people went to the movies for the joy of participating in a communal story. They went to be part of a community, to enjoy “the power of the shared adventure. I distinctly remember attending a showing of Avengers: Endgame and the audience breaking into a round of applause after the movie finished.
Humans are innately social creatures, and film provides a way for people from diverse backgrounds to share something they love. Finding someone who loves the same movie or shows is probably best described by C.S. Lewis in The Four Loves: “What, you too? I thought I was the only one!”
Where To Go from Here
Now, dear reader, you may be thinking, “Well this is all well and good, but where are we to go from here?”
First, be intentional. Rather than vegging out after a long day, deliberately create times for family or friends to gather to watch a movie. Instead of picking whatever is playing on TV or scrolling aimlessly through Netflix, consider trying some of the best cinema can offer. Websites like the American Film Institute 100 Years. . . 100 Movies provide an overview of the greatest classics in cinema. Not only will movies like these broaden your appreciation for the technical developments in film but can also open your eyes to the sheer breadth of storytelling that has been explored over film’s history.
Second, be open-minded. Many films have astonishingly profound lessons to teach if we allow ourselves to learn, lessons about the depravity of man and the beauty of redemption. Even genres like horror have a place in Christian thought and creativity, with Christian horror novelist Mike Duran noting, “For me, it’s like the belief in something beyond us. If evil exists, if these demonic forces exist, then so must the good forces.” Great art is about communication, and film is simply a form of visual communication. It can be misused, of course, but that is not the medium’s fault but the fault of its creator. Rightly used, film can create some of the most memorable stories of modern culture.
Finally, be discerning. Watch actively, not passively. Engage with the story critically, pay attention to aspects like narrative structure and character development, and question how the theme is revealed through these aspects of storytelling. Encourage conversation around the film’s themes with family and friends. Ask probing questions about the movie’s message and how it might affect broader culture. Even movies that promote untrue ideas can exercise critical thinking. Visual storytelling has had a powerful effect on modern culture, so if Christians want to make a difference, studying and understanding classic and popular films can help make sense of the surrounding culture.
Whatever is True, Whatever is Noble. . .
In the book of Philippians, Paul exhorts the church, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Much of Hollywood has indeed abandoned these principles in their creativity, choosing to emphasize shock value over substantive storytelling. However, there is still high-quality entertainment to be enjoyed. The answer for Christians is not to abandon the film industry but rather to critically evaluate it.
Film can be a vehicle for deeper relationships and a source of jokes, conversations, tears, and laughter, but in recent years, Hollywood has made it a vehicle to promote darkness, ugliness, and hatred. If Christians want to see real, positive change in the culture, then perhaps it is time to get involved, to take back the culture’s storytelling. It will not be easy.
But it will be worth it.