I'm currently working on several movie and television based Bible studies. I love this part of my work and because summer has been so hectic, I've had trouble finding the time. But now I'm making real headway.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA is a show that I only got into this summer at the urging of some friends, and I cannot believe it took me so long to find the show. For someone like me who is heavily into science fiction and religion, this is a must-watch show. And it screams for a Bible study. It is all about these people who are on a long-term Exodus to some mysterious Promised Land after their home is destroyed by alien robots their ancestors created. The human beings are polytheists and the alien robots are monotheists. And their war has this whole religious element. There is all the stuff about the Love of God, and whether One God makes more sense than many, and on and on. The only problem is that there is almost too much to do. It is hard to whittle it down to some manageable size.
WONDERFALLS is also perfect for Bible study. It is all about this girl who is just about my age and kind of wandering aimlessly in life. All of a sudden she starts getting messages from God through various in animate totems (basically any inanimate object that has a face starts talking to her and giving her instructions on what to do and how to liver her life.) I haven't actually gotten started on this one, but this will be a blast to write, since it is highly religious but primarily comedic.
THE LEGO MOVIE is one of the best films of the year, in my opinion. If it doesn't win best animated film for 2014 it'll be a travesty. This film really surprised me with the way it deals with some deep questions in lighthearted and fun ways. It is all about the interplay of rules and freedom, and the importance of faith and belief, and ultimately it is a reflection on the way all these issues influence the parent/child relationship. The Bible study is flowing very easily here as well.
OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU is one I've wanted to write for a long time. It is all about salvation and the way the figure of the wanderer captures the deepest parts of our imaginations and spirits. It is basically a semi-modernized and Christianized version of THE ODYSSEY.
I love this part of my job. I love exploring film, and critiquing popular culture products, particularly in a Christian light. It is so much fun, and at the same time it really is Bible-focused. It allows me to enlighten the Bible in ways I wouldn't otherwise be able to. I can take particular stories and lessons and show how they are presented in a more accessible, relatable way using these modern cultural products. Which films speak to you on this level? Which television show? Which Bible studies do you think I should be writing?
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