Lens: Film + Theology

We discuss the latest installment of the Star Wars Saga, "The Last Jedi." There are many parallels as well as major differences between the Star Wars cosmology and Christian worldview. How is the force similar to and different from God? What is the relationship between good and evil? And how does Luke Skywalker compare to Jesus?

We talk about Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 suspense-drama, "The Wrong Man." Starring Henry Fonda, it's based on the true story of a New York Jazz musician wrongfully accused of crimes committed by a man who was nearly his exact double. How does the film portray our world's attempts at justice, and how do God's justice and mercy compare?

We talk about 2016's Oscar-nominated Australian drama, "Lion." The film dives into themes of being lost, traumatized, adopted, and all the identity questions that arise as a result. How do these experiences compare to those within Christian salvation and adoption into the family of God?

We discuss 2016's Oscar-nominated sci-fi drama, "Arrival." The film's tagline asks about the aliens, "Why are they here?" We discuss the good reasons the aliens came, what they had to offer, and how they offered it — and how it all resembles or differs from the story and nature of Jesus.

We discuss the James Dean classic, "Rebel Without a Cause." What's the worldview narrative that the film's teenagers hear at the Planetarium, and how does that impact their outlook, emotions, and actions? What does the Gospel story offer instead?

We discuss Christopher Nolan's WWII epic, "Dunkirk." In a movie that's all about rescue, courage, self-sacrifice, and home coming to you when you can't get home, there's plenty to talk about.

In our first episode, we introduce ourselves and share where we're coming from when it comes to spiritual background and love for movies. Then we get into discussing The War for the Planet of the Apes!