To Him Who Has Eyes To See
I have been thinking a great deal about Christ and film in the last few years. Studying the gospel of John has particularly opened my eyes to the presence of Christ in film. I used to think that a Christian film must be transparent. The story must promote Jesus or His followers directly. But as I studied John's use of symbols, irony, double entendre and allusions, I found that the power of the Gospel is often displayed in mystery, riddle, and ambiguity, instead of blatant propoganda
Jesus' Example
Our Lord taught in parables. He provided answers in the form a mystery, leaving his listeners to solve it. Jesus offered His parables to those who had "ears to hear." It is often mistakenly beleived that Jesus taught in parables as an illustration. "Jesus taught in parables so that people would understand his point." But this isn't what the Bible says.
Mark 4:10-12 "And as soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables, in order that while seeing, they may see and not perceive; and while hearing, they may hear and not understand lest they return and be forgiven." (see also Matthew 13:13 ;Luke 8:10)
Thus, Jesus taught in parables so that only those seeking the answer would understand. He was the Sower who spread the seed. But His seed would only grow in the ground that was willing to receive it.
The gospel of John doesn't record any of Jesus' parables. But it does quote the same words as Matthew, Mark and Luke use in relation to Jesus' parables. It comes at the end of Jesus public ministry.
John 12:37-40 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him; that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, "LORD, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" For this cause they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, "He has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; lest they see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted, and I heal them."
John dosn't use parables. Instead he offers us Christ's actions as the mystery to be deciphered. This is why John calls Jesus mircles "signs." Jesus miricles arn't simply supernatural acts or good deeds they are messages to those who has eyes to see.
Christians films should follow the example of Jesus. They should provide the answer witout spelling out directly the solution. Christian story tellers must become master caftsmen at indirection and ambiguity.
Why We Don't Follow?
Protestant/Evangelical movies (not to mention novels and songs) have tended towards blatant transparency because of the nature of our worship services. Our primary method of teaching has been through the preaching/interpretation of the Word. Teachers and Preachers don't like mystery and therefore they train their congregations to hate mystery as well. While I was putting together the Longing of Man someone asked me if I was going to use clips from the Passion of the Christ? When I told him I wasn't he looked at me as if I were failing to proclaim the gospel.
Catholics have tended to be better story tellers because their worship service proclaims the mystery of the mass. For years the Catholic Church performed all of their services in Latin. Paritioners were left to either interpret the signs and symbols all around them or walk away in frustration. Surprisingly this example follows closer to Jesus's use of parables then the teaching methods of the Protestant Chruch.
We as Evangelicals in particular cannot accept mystery because we don't want to aknowledge the fact that no matter what we do some will simply go away empty handed. Only when we begin to accept this will we follow the example of Jesus and truly become great story tellers.
Why We Should Follow?
Teaching will never be successful unless the student first ask the question. All too often teaching and preaching is done with unstated assumption that the student is in need of the answer. But does the student know it? Does he want it? All great teaching/preaching begins with opening the students to the quesiton as well as ones need for the solution. Only then is the student prepared to embrace the answer.
Evangelical preaching has assumed for far to long that people are asking the right questions. At one time we might have assumed this because the culture was largely Christian. But no more. People no longer operate under the same basic beleif systems. And therefore they more often then not come to our services without first pondering the quesiton. More and more we find ourselves preaching the choir as fewer and fewer people come to our services looking for answers.
Christian propoganda films (i.e. Left Behind, Omega Code, Facing the Giants -this last one I actually thought was prettty good) simply push our answers on the culture. "You won't come to us so we'll come to you," I would say is the motto of most Christian film makers. But without asking the quesitons the answers in Christian films become obnoxious to the non-beleiver. And again we find ourselves preaching to the choir. I'd say in the last decade the Christian audience of a Billy Grahm crusade has grown to well over 90%.
This is why the Christians use of ambiguity and mystery in film is essential.
1) By offering mystery and ambiguity we sow the question in the hearts and minds of the non-beleivers and thus prepare them for the answer on Sunday Mornings.
2) By setting transparency we open the doors to a wider audience. Christians and non-christians alike can watch our films together without feeling exploited. Instead of only the choir attending our films, we'll find non-beleivers asking the right questions as well.
3) By embracing ambiguity and mystery we can begin to realize that non-Christians sometimes get it right. The best Christian films I have ever seen have been made by non-Christians and were rated R. Films like the Shawsank Redemption and Magnolia, surprisingly explore the right questions and mysteriously point to the right answer. They provide the right foundation for sharing our faith.
Jesus' Example
Our Lord taught in parables. He provided answers in the form a mystery, leaving his listeners to solve it. Jesus offered His parables to those who had "ears to hear." It is often mistakenly beleived that Jesus taught in parables as an illustration. "Jesus taught in parables so that people would understand his point." But this isn't what the Bible says.
Mark 4:10-12 "And as soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables, in order that while seeing, they may see and not perceive; and while hearing, they may hear and not understand lest they return and be forgiven." (see also Matthew 13:13 ;Luke 8:10)
Thus, Jesus taught in parables so that only those seeking the answer would understand. He was the Sower who spread the seed. But His seed would only grow in the ground that was willing to receive it.
The gospel of John doesn't record any of Jesus' parables. But it does quote the same words as Matthew, Mark and Luke use in relation to Jesus' parables. It comes at the end of Jesus public ministry.
John 12:37-40 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him; that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, "LORD, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" For this cause they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, "He has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; lest they see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted, and I heal them."
John dosn't use parables. Instead he offers us Christ's actions as the mystery to be deciphered. This is why John calls Jesus mircles "signs." Jesus miricles arn't simply supernatural acts or good deeds they are messages to those who has eyes to see.
Christians films should follow the example of Jesus. They should provide the answer witout spelling out directly the solution. Christian story tellers must become master caftsmen at indirection and ambiguity.
Why We Don't Follow?
Protestant/Evangelical movies (not to mention novels and songs) have tended towards blatant transparency because of the nature of our worship services. Our primary method of teaching has been through the preaching/interpretation of the Word. Teachers and Preachers don't like mystery and therefore they train their congregations to hate mystery as well. While I was putting together the Longing of Man someone asked me if I was going to use clips from the Passion of the Christ? When I told him I wasn't he looked at me as if I were failing to proclaim the gospel.
Catholics have tended to be better story tellers because their worship service proclaims the mystery of the mass. For years the Catholic Church performed all of their services in Latin. Paritioners were left to either interpret the signs and symbols all around them or walk away in frustration. Surprisingly this example follows closer to Jesus's use of parables then the teaching methods of the Protestant Chruch.
We as Evangelicals in particular cannot accept mystery because we don't want to aknowledge the fact that no matter what we do some will simply go away empty handed. Only when we begin to accept this will we follow the example of Jesus and truly become great story tellers.
Why We Should Follow?
Teaching will never be successful unless the student first ask the question. All too often teaching and preaching is done with unstated assumption that the student is in need of the answer. But does the student know it? Does he want it? All great teaching/preaching begins with opening the students to the quesiton as well as ones need for the solution. Only then is the student prepared to embrace the answer.
Evangelical preaching has assumed for far to long that people are asking the right questions. At one time we might have assumed this because the culture was largely Christian. But no more. People no longer operate under the same basic beleif systems. And therefore they more often then not come to our services without first pondering the quesiton. More and more we find ourselves preaching the choir as fewer and fewer people come to our services looking for answers.
Christian propoganda films (i.e. Left Behind, Omega Code, Facing the Giants -this last one I actually thought was prettty good) simply push our answers on the culture. "You won't come to us so we'll come to you," I would say is the motto of most Christian film makers. But without asking the quesitons the answers in Christian films become obnoxious to the non-beleiver. And again we find ourselves preaching to the choir. I'd say in the last decade the Christian audience of a Billy Grahm crusade has grown to well over 90%.
This is why the Christians use of ambiguity and mystery in film is essential.
1) By offering mystery and ambiguity we sow the question in the hearts and minds of the non-beleivers and thus prepare them for the answer on Sunday Mornings.
2) By setting transparency we open the doors to a wider audience. Christians and non-christians alike can watch our films together without feeling exploited. Instead of only the choir attending our films, we'll find non-beleivers asking the right questions as well.
3) By embracing ambiguity and mystery we can begin to realize that non-Christians sometimes get it right. The best Christian films I have ever seen have been made by non-Christians and were rated R. Films like the Shawsank Redemption and Magnolia, surprisingly explore the right questions and mysteriously point to the right answer. They provide the right foundation for sharing our faith.
posted by Matthew Miller at 9:47 AM
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