Reel Theology: Join the Conversation!

reel theologyRuminations is the name we’ve given to a [free, downloadable] “Seasonal/Quarterly Spiritual Formation Resource, especially designed as a guide for personal or small group retreats-devotions.  (For back issues as well as a link to an article highlighting the basis of “Ruminations” as the title of this quarterly, go to https://zoe-life.net/ruminations/.)

Epiphany
(with its images of light shining on [and through?] things,
illuminating truth for
all the world to see)
seems like a perfect season for us to ponder the power of cinema as an channel of spiritual formation—the basis of our next issue of Ruminations (to be released on Wednesday, January 8).

Page 3&4 of this coming issue
(focused on “Reel Theology: Focused Conversations
at the Intersection of Hollywood and Divine”)
posits a host of our favorite movies
(valued for the ways they spark meaningful spiritual conversations),
including…

Movies for Young Adults and Older (in alpha order)…
* August Rush (2007)
* Amadeus (1984)
* Chocolat (2000)
* The Color Purple (1985)
* Dead Poets Society (1989)
* The Godfather Trilogy (1972, 1974, 1990)
* Grand Canyon (1991)
* Groundhog Day (1993)
* The Help (2011)
* Hoosiers (1986)
* The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
* The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
* Les Misérables (1998)
* Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003)
* Mass Appeal (1984)
* The Matrix (1999)
* The Mission (1986)
* Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
* Schindler’s List (1993)
* Shawshank Redemption (1994)
* Silence (2016)
* Tender Mercies (1983)
* The Truman Show (1998)
* The Way (2010)

Movies for Young Families
* Radio (2003)
* Rudy (1993)

Movies for Children
* Finding Nemo (2003)
* Frozen (2013)
* Lion King (1994)

Also included in this issue is an invitation to “Join the Conversation.”

And so, we open up the reply section, below—inviting you to…

  • Affirm our choices (of tope films to watch)… and/or register a few of your own favorites.
  • Or, maybe, enter into a discussion about whether the Church/Christians should be hosting such conversations about engaging cinema as a “spiritual discipline.”

One thought on “Reel Theology: Join the Conversation!

  1. Les says:

    Jim, I must admit I don’t watch movies a whole lot theses days, though I have seen about a dozen of those on your list. I read instead. Recently I have found interest in linking history from Acts, through Augustine’s Confessions, to Bede, and John Wesley’s sermons.

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