Last night, I joined several hundred million people to watch the Oscars, celebrating the best cinema of 2013. This was a particularly deep field of celluloid hits, with many worthy films, directors, screenplays, and actors, so I watched with a fair degree of interest. Somewhere along the way, I realized it was a bit ridiculous on one level: if the money spent on gowns, jewelry, and hairstyles - not to mention advertising - were used to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless, there might just be a sizeable dent in teh world's poverty epidemic.
Soon after, however, I had a second realization: as a pastor and a follower of Christ, I needed to watch the Oscars. In a culture where God is shoved aside and the church is relegated to the sidelines, people are desperate for a story (or stories) to provide meaning in life. Movies, and media in general, are (and have been) filling that void...and people are devouring it! How else to explain an industry that continues to boom and thrive in the midst of recession? Add in the multiple-approach advertising and widespread access to films (blockbuster and independent alike), and its no wonder that movies are dominant as a narrative of meaning in our culture.
Recognizing this, pastors, church leaders, and Christians of every stripe need to know what story these movies are telling...and the stories that are the most ubequitous might just surprise the church. Sure, there is a lot of "sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll" in the movies produced today - not to mention gratuitous violence - but the most important and influential tell a different story. Look no further than the 9 nominees for 'Best Picture' to see that today's cinema - a dominant voice in contemporary culture - is touching on elements of a story that Christians know well, a story that people desperately want to hear.
The first movie nominated - 'Zero Dark Thirty' - tells the story of the 10-year hunt for Osama bin Laden. It is a tale of sacrifice in defeating evil and protecting freedom. 'Django Unchained' and 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' portray the evil of oppression (slavery in 'Django,' poverty in 'Beasts') and the struggle to survive and overcome. 'Silver Linings Playbook' addresses issues of mental illness and love, while 'Amour' explores the ways serious and debilitating illness can shake the foundations of marriage. 'Life of Pi' is a metaphysical, fantastic tale which asks questions about life, death, identity, and God. The historical epic 'Lincoln' retells the great political struggle leading to the abolishment of slavery following the Civil War. Redemption and freedom are the dominant themes of the incredible 'Les Miserables,' and eventual Best Picture winner 'Argo' tells a (mostly) true story of a man risking everything to save a group of people who can't save themselves.
These stories shouldn't sound alien to the pastor, the Christian, or the church. These stories should resonate. With the possible exception of 'Zero Dark Thirty,' the nominees for Best Picture wrestle with struggle against oppression, the limits of humanity in the face of illness, and the need for redemption. In short, they all have spiritual themes...and they wouldn't have been made if people wouldn't go to see them.
Despite the flight from and rejection fo traditional Christianity by large segments of our society, people are still asking the same questions: "Why am I here? Is there some point to life? Why do bad things happen - and what is my responsibility when they do?" People are asking the questions - just at the movies and not at church.
This is why pastors need to watch the Oscars (and read popular books and listen to music): it is where the conversation is happening. And, strange as it might seem to us, it just might be where God is answering questions and joining the conversation. You see, God doesn't limit himself to the sanctuary. He loves people too much for that. And so he is out there: in the coffee shops, record stores, university classrooms, bookstores, and even the movie theaters of our day. That's where the conversation is happening - the conversation he wants to have. The question for us is, are we there, too?
In Christ,
Adam
Soon after, however, I had a second realization: as a pastor and a follower of Christ, I needed to watch the Oscars. In a culture where God is shoved aside and the church is relegated to the sidelines, people are desperate for a story (or stories) to provide meaning in life. Movies, and media in general, are (and have been) filling that void...and people are devouring it! How else to explain an industry that continues to boom and thrive in the midst of recession? Add in the multiple-approach advertising and widespread access to films (blockbuster and independent alike), and its no wonder that movies are dominant as a narrative of meaning in our culture.
Recognizing this, pastors, church leaders, and Christians of every stripe need to know what story these movies are telling...and the stories that are the most ubequitous might just surprise the church. Sure, there is a lot of "sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll" in the movies produced today - not to mention gratuitous violence - but the most important and influential tell a different story. Look no further than the 9 nominees for 'Best Picture' to see that today's cinema - a dominant voice in contemporary culture - is touching on elements of a story that Christians know well, a story that people desperately want to hear.
The first movie nominated - 'Zero Dark Thirty' - tells the story of the 10-year hunt for Osama bin Laden. It is a tale of sacrifice in defeating evil and protecting freedom. 'Django Unchained' and 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' portray the evil of oppression (slavery in 'Django,' poverty in 'Beasts') and the struggle to survive and overcome. 'Silver Linings Playbook' addresses issues of mental illness and love, while 'Amour' explores the ways serious and debilitating illness can shake the foundations of marriage. 'Life of Pi' is a metaphysical, fantastic tale which asks questions about life, death, identity, and God. The historical epic 'Lincoln' retells the great political struggle leading to the abolishment of slavery following the Civil War. Redemption and freedom are the dominant themes of the incredible 'Les Miserables,' and eventual Best Picture winner 'Argo' tells a (mostly) true story of a man risking everything to save a group of people who can't save themselves.
These stories shouldn't sound alien to the pastor, the Christian, or the church. These stories should resonate. With the possible exception of 'Zero Dark Thirty,' the nominees for Best Picture wrestle with struggle against oppression, the limits of humanity in the face of illness, and the need for redemption. In short, they all have spiritual themes...and they wouldn't have been made if people wouldn't go to see them.
Despite the flight from and rejection fo traditional Christianity by large segments of our society, people are still asking the same questions: "Why am I here? Is there some point to life? Why do bad things happen - and what is my responsibility when they do?" People are asking the questions - just at the movies and not at church.
This is why pastors need to watch the Oscars (and read popular books and listen to music): it is where the conversation is happening. And, strange as it might seem to us, it just might be where God is answering questions and joining the conversation. You see, God doesn't limit himself to the sanctuary. He loves people too much for that. And so he is out there: in the coffee shops, record stores, university classrooms, bookstores, and even the movie theaters of our day. That's where the conversation is happening - the conversation he wants to have. The question for us is, are we there, too?
In Christ,
Adam
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