Last week, I wrote an article questioning the legitimacy of the term Christian art. Although I am wary of using “Christian” as an adjective, or genre, for the sake of convenience and clarity, I will be a bit of a hypocrite as I discuss the positives and negatives of “Christian films."
First of all, film is a powerful cultural messenger. The characters and stories draw us into their world. Like literature and plays, movies vividly connect us to the themes and issues at their core. They captivate two of our five senses and, ideally, our hearts and our heads.
Secondly, movies also have the advantage of being one of the most popular forms of entertainment. Because of the power and popularity of movies, Christians can use them to spread important messages and touch millions of lives. Through film, Christians can invest in the world while not being of the world.
Thirdly, Christians can use film to bring glory to God and use their God-given talents. Passion and talent come from God, and pursuing them in order to display the greatness of God glorifies Him.
Finally, movies can connect us to admirable Christians of the past and present. Movies such as "The End of the Spear," "Luther," and "soul Surfer," poignantly portray the true pain, failures, grace, and glory of fellow believers. These films tell the stories of the invisible church, and allow us to witness the walk of faith even amidst hardship.
Christian films have a notoriously bad reputation, and I believe they sometimes do not receive due credit. I truly do admire people who use their abilities of storytelling to praise their Creator, encourage fellow Christians, and reach the lost and hurting world. Please keep this in mind as I point out some of the common issues of Christian films.
As I mentioned, some Christian films portray true events. I enjoy these movies, and they are exempt from many of the issues I take with Christian films. The films I am critiquing here are fiction -- the result of the Christian-film industry's approach to creating and telling stories.
The plots of Christian movies tend to be predictable and unrealistic. There is a too common pattern in Christian films. The protagonist (or protagonists) feels a spiritual disconnect from God or perhaps never had a relationship with Christ to begin with. Problems arise in his/her work and relationships. A discussion with a Christian mentor shows him/her how to address these difficulties and how to renew or create a relationship with God. The protagonist makes a change, learning to succeed in the area he/she had failed in. Her/his problems are resolved.
Just once I would like to see a fictional Christian film that does not have an undeniably happy ending. Perhaps such films exist, I just have yet to see one. The continual happy endings of Christian films do not correspond with reality. Spiritual renewal and obedience do not always translate into resolution and blessing in the material world. Pretending this is the case discredits the unconditional peace and joy found in Christ and fails to minister to the pain of this world. Falling on the strength and love of God amidst the bleak moments may not fix everything. It may only teach you to trust, love, and let go. It may only teach you peace amidst the storm. Unfortunately, the majority of Christian movies I have seen emphasize the blessings God can provide and forget that sometimes the most powerful gift to receive is contentment in Christ despite the conditions.
Another problem with Christian movies is that they do not address difficult questions. I do not mean to say that every movie ever created has to tackle a burning question, but the majority of Christian fiction movies I have seen do not leave any room for contemplation. The audience knows which characters to like, which characters to dislike, which actions to admire, and which actions to reject. Not only are the stories oversimplified, but those outside the church can easily detect the hypocrisy of the shining morality of Christian characters.
Human beings and human situations are rarely so transparent. Consider the biblical stories of David, Gideon, Rahab, Abraham, Moses, Sarah, Noah, Mary, and Martha. They all act as examples of faith or obedience. None of their lives are simple. Examining their stories reveals sharp pain, times of doubt, disappointed hopes, sinful errors, points of grace and redemption, and in some cases, renewals of failure. They are human. They show the struggles of following God and making difficult choices, and we can neither condemn nor praise all of their actions.
Christian movies typically tout the comfortable themes that 99.99 percent of Christians would likely agree with: the importance and power of faith, prayer, fatherhood, motherhood, a strong marriage, and defending your faith. These issues do not challenge our opinions or speak to the questions we struggle with.
How do we deal with homosexuality in a Christ-like manner? What do we make of the neighbor lady who is so much kinder than her Christian next door? How do we escape self-righteousness? How do we stand against sin while showing the love of Christ? What about the Christian who cannot dare to admit he is struggling with sin?
Creating more realistic characters and more difficult conflicts could help Christian films have a more meaningful impact. As I said, non-believers can easily detect hypocrisy. Wouldn’t showing that Christians struggle with the same issues and need grace just as keenly as any other human being spread a more convincing and powerful message?
Movies are not parables. Parables and movies have separate purposes and techniques, and unlike a parable, the characters and plot of a film do not merely serve to make a moral point. As I said, I truly do admire the Christians who seek to make their mark on film and bring the truth about Christ to the screen. Movies based on events in real Christians’ lives often successfully show the power of grace and faith amidst conflict and flawed human beings. However, as followers of the Author of life, I believe Christians can do a better job of creating fiction that depicts life, in all its agonies and complexities, met by grace.
