Film-experience is at the heart of contemporary culture. A film is primarily meant for entertainment but a ‘film is never only a film”. Joel Martin contends, “Films, as with other cultural forms, have the potential to re-inforce, to challenge, to overturn or to crystallize religious perspectives, ideological assumptions and fundamental values” [Joel W. Martin 1995:1] Films bring ‘philosophical/ religious imports’ into our ‘life-space’ and invite us to engage in conversations. Patrick Philip contends,
We come out a cinema wanting to talk. We want to share impressions, sort out our own reactions, debate what happened and what it all meant, and the make some sort of judgment. This social, negotiated response is one of the pleasures provided by the cinematic experience.
Such conversations happen in everyday life but much of it remains outside the Church’s theological concern. Robert Johnston contends, “Conversations about God – what we have traditionally called theology – is increasingly found outside the church as well as within it. One of the chief venues for such conversation is the movie theatre with its adjacent cafes” [ Robert Johnston, 2000:14].Cinema, Coffee and ‘God-conversations’ are no longer the ‘perfect strangers’ they used to be.
Films are replete with theological themes and they provide ready material for god conversations (read theology). Films are a natural way to engage in God conversations in a cultural context where the wider preference is to understand truth “embedded in a story” [Robert Johnston, 2004]. Besides, films are better suited to open-up conversations on deeper and profound questions. Barry Taylor (pastor and Musician) recounts his experience of how The Third Miracle triggered an hour long discussion about God, Faith and Miracles instead of customary feedback on technical aspects of the film, much to the surprise of the producer and the director. Films (can) provide empowerment, motivation and learning tools since film experience (both auditory and visual) gives rare ‘access’ to meanings.
Theology and film is an emerging discipline and many have explored the theological use of films. However, most explorations resort to an illustrative use of films to explore universally valid religious/theological themes. Such approaches do not treat the film texts with integrity and allow it to speak in its own voice. Clive Marsh argues for the ‘contributive use’ of films in God-conversations “wherein films can become genuine resource with which contemporary Christian theology could work” [Clive Marsh, 2004:x].
Films may not ‘simply deliver a systematic theology’ but nevertheless it has a potential to unfold it, if it can be used in imaginative ways. The possiblity of using film for unfolding god-conversations (read theology) must be seriously considered. Deacy and Ortiz remind us, “a conversation between theology and film is not only recommended but is integral to any proper and balanced account of the role of religion and society in the modern world” [Deacy,2008:200].
