Author: Greg Garrett
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
ISBN: 0664230520
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 199
Get Book
Book Description
In this new book in the Gospel According To series, Garrett looks at the theological elements in dozens of classic Hollywood films, including a discussion about what the new openness to spirituality in the movies might mean for the future of American cinema and American religion. (Biblical Studies)
Author: Adele Reinhartz
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780199724857
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Get Book
Book Description
Since the advent of the cinema, Jesus has frequently appeared in our movie houses and on our television screens. Indeed, it may well be that more people worldwide know about Jesus and his life story from the movies than from any other medium. Indeed, Jesus' story has been adapted dozens of times throughout the history of commercial cinema, from the 1912 silent From the Manger to the Cross to Mel Gibson's 2004 The Passion of the Christ. No doubt there are more to come. Drawing on a broad range of movies, biblical scholar Adele Reinhartz traces the way in which Jesus of Nazareth has become Jesus of Hollywood. She argues that Jesus films both reflect and influence cultural perceptions of Jesus and the other figures in his story. She focuses on the cinematic interpretation of Jesus' relationships with the key people in his life: his family, his friends, and his foes. She examines how these films address theological issues, such as Jesus' identity as both human and divine, political issues, such as the role of the individual in society and the possibility of freedom under political oppression, social issues, such as gender roles and hierarchies, and personal issues, such as the nature of friendship and human sexuality. Reinhartz's study of Jesus' celluloid incarnations shows how Jesus movies reshape the past in the image of the present. Despite society's profound interest in Jesus as a religious and historical figure, Jesus movies are fascinating not as history but as mirrors of the concerns, anxieties, and values of our own era. As the story of Jesus continues to capture the imagination of filmmakers and moviegoers, he remains as significant a cultural figure today as he was 2000 years ago.
Author: William D. Romanowski
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199942587
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 336
Get Book
Book Description
Religious Communication Association's Book of the Year Hollywood and Christianity often seem to be at war. Indeed, there is a long list of movies that have attracted religious condemnation, from Gone with the Wind with its notorious "damn," to The Life of Brian and The Last Temptation of Christ. But the reality, writes William Romanowski, has been far more complicated--and remarkable. In Reforming Hollywood, Romanowski, a leading historian of popular culture, explores the long and varied efforts of Protestants to influence the film industry. He shows how a broad spectrum of religious forces have played a role in Hollywood, from Presbyterians and Episcopalians to fundamentalists and evangelicals. Drawing on personal interviews and previously untouched sources, he describes how mainline church leaders lobbied filmmakers to promote the nation's moral health and, perhaps surprisingly, how they have by and large opposed government censorship, preferring instead self-regulation by both the industry and individual conscience. "It is this human choice," noted one Protestant leader, "that is the basis of our religion." Tensions with Catholics, too, have loomed large--many Protestant clergy feared the influence of the Legion of Decency more than Hollywood's corrupting power. Romanowski shows that the rise of the evangelical movement in the 1970s radically altered the picture, in contradictory ways. Even as born-again clergy denounced "Hollywood elites," major studios noted the emergence of a lucrative evangelical market. 20th Century-Fox formed FoxFaith to go after the "Passion dollar," and Disney took on evangelical Philip Anschutz as a partner to bring The Chronicles of Narnia to the big screen. William Romanowski is an award-winning commentator on the intersection of religion and popular culture. Reforming Hollywood is his most revealing, provocative, and groundbreaking work on this vital area of American society.
Author: David A.R. White
Publisher: HarperChristian + ORM
ISBN: 0310345952
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 193
Get Book
Book Description
Between Heaven & Hollywood is David’s inspirational journey from the wheat fields of his Mennonite home outside of Dodge City Kansas, to the bright lights of Los Angeles. This story of perseverance will assure you that your dreams aren’t frivolous. They might be the most important part of your life. White has starred in more than twenty-five movies and produced forty films, including the blockbuster God’s Not Dead. He serves as a Managing Partner of Pure Flix, the largest faith-based movie studio in the world. With his signature wit and sidesplitting hilarity, David’s story of faithfulness, grounded in the biblical truth that no dream is too big for God, will inspire you to relentlessly pursue your dreams, and in the process, bring the reality of God’s kingdom a little closer to the here and now. God has planted a dream in your heart that is both unique to you and essential to the world. White reminds us that there is no one too common, too uneducated, too poor, too inexperienced, or too broken that he or she cannot be used by God.
Author: Frank Turek
Publisher: NavPress
ISBN: 1641583533
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 253
Get Book
Book Description
Captain America assembles the Avengers. Iron Man battles Thanos. Luke Skywalker duels Darth Vader. Aragorn charges Mordor. Batman confronts the Joker. Superman destroys Doomsday. Wonder Woman defeats Ares. We are captivated. Why? We are entranced by stories that take us to a world where heroes fight evil and sacrifice themselves for a greater good because we long for our world to be free from pain, suffering, and struggle. That’s the real hope and promise of Jesus—when He returns to set things right. In Hollywood Heroes, you’ll see how: Your favorite movie heroes are patterned after the Ultimate Hero—Jesus of Nazareth Big screen stories parallel the real-world fight between good and evil Movies and characters can impart inspiring biblical life lessons on justice, purpose, courage, strength, sacrifice, faith, and love Hollywood Heroes begins with the true story of a US Navy SEAL who faced evil and sacrificed himself to save his teammates. Authors Frank and Zach Turek then use Spider-Man’s origin story to address the question: “Why would a good God allow evil?” You’ll then read how seven movie franchises—Captain America, Iron Man, Harry Potter, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Batman, and Wonder Woman—portray the battle against evil, providing a set of modern-day parables that reveal truths about God and His mission for us.
Author: Godfrey Esoh
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1532074174
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 178
Get Book
Book Description
The Gospel of Hollywood is a disruptive new book series that unveils the transcendent messages hidden in some blockbuster Hollywood movies. This series presents these hidden messages in plain and fascinating language that turns an ordinary movie into a spiritual master class. Here comes a book that you will find to be an exceptional and compelling companion on your journey of personal transformation. This first book in The Gospel of Hollywood series offers a spiritual and metaphysical interpretation of the movie National Treasure released in 2004 and starring Nicolas Cage. It decodes this movie into a personal spiritual journey in twelve lessons.
Author: Kevin C. Neece
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532601131
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Get Book
Book Description
What's Christian about Star Trek? Nothing. That's the way most people see it and that certainly seems to be the way the franchise is intended. There's no question that the Trek universe is based on a doggedly humanistic world view and is set in a future time when religion has essentially vanished from Earth. If that's the case, how can there even be a "gospel according to Star Trek"? In The Gospel According to Star Trek: The Original Crew, you'll discover how the continuing voyages of Kirk and company aboard the Enterprise--from the original series to the Abramsverse--tell us more about our human quest for God than you ever imagined. You'll learn how Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's own spiritual quest informed the franchise, what he and the series really have to say about God and religion, and the amazing image of Christ contained in Star Trek's most popular character. You'll also see how Star Trek can help us recover a deeper, more fully human gospel that embraces our humanity instead of denigrating it and echoes the call of both Spock and Christ: "Live long and prosper!" (John 10:10).
Author: Gabriel McKee
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
ISBN: 1611644267
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 291
Get Book
Book Description
In this thorough and engaging book, Gabriel McKee explores the inherent theological nature of science fiction, using illustrations from television shows, literature, and films. Science fiction, he believes, helps us understand not only who we are but who we will become. McKee organizes his chapters around theological themes, using illustrations from authors such as Isaac Asimov and H. G. Wells, television shows such as Star Trek and The Twilight Zone, and films such as The Matrix and Star Wars. With its extensive bibliography and index, this is a book that all serious science fiction fans--not just those with a theological interest--will appreciate.
Author: Paul L. Metzger
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830868267
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Get Book
Book Description
The Resonate series recovers the ancient wisdom of Scripture and helps us understand how it resonates with our complex world. The stories and insights of each book of the Bible are brought into conversation with contemporary voices of hope and lament--the cultural messages we interact with on a daily basis. The Scriptures become a meeting ground where God speaks to the pressing concerns of our day, and we are confronted in turn with a fresh experience of God's truth. In this journey through the Gospel of John, Paul Louis Metzger wrestles with the question of what happens when God, who is love, comes to town and takes up residence among us. For some this new neighbor love is welcome; for others, unusual; for still others, suspect--even dangerous. We learn from John's Gospel what it means to be called friends and lovers of God, what it means to put love to death and what it means for love to rise again in our midst and in our lives.
Author: DeVon Franklin
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062684329
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Get Book
Book Description
DeVon Franklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Wait and prominent Hollywood producer, reveals that secular and spiritual success are not opposites. To have one, you need the other. Are you tired of living a life paralyzed by fear? Are you anxious to break free of the “beware mentality” that has kept generations of well-meaning people living beneath the fullness of their calling? You’re unfulfilled because you’ve been convinced that you would lose your faith if you pursued the secular ambitions God has put in your heart. However, until you pursue those ambitions you will miss out on the fullness of God and the success you were created to have. For too long there’s been a line drawn between the spiritual and the secular, and we have been conditioned to believe that if we cross this line in either direction, we will have gone too far. It’s time to break down this barrier so you are free to go further than any believer has gone before. The Success Commandments combines spiritual teachings with secular strategies to help you achieve unprecedented success and live the life you were destined to live.
