Going to the Movies

I love to go to the movies! And I'm really excited that so many people have expressed an interest in going to see 'Son of God' with me at Regal Countryside Theaters on Sunday, March 2. I'll be at the theater around 3:30. The movie starts at 3:55pm. Don't worry if that start time is not yet published; we have an inside connection with parishioner RJ Malam, who is a manager at the theater, and he assures me that the 3:55 time is correct AND we still get the matinee rate.

Movies are fun and entertaining. But they are also reflections of our culture, our ethics, what has meaning for us. They can inform how we live and move in the world.

My family jokes that I can always find some sort of theological message in whatever movie we see. I figure that since God is everywhere, working in and through all things, then we can find God speaking, whether in 'Son of God' or 'The Lego Movie' (which, I'm told has profound theological overtones - really!) Saving Mr. Banks was all about redemption! Dallas Buyer's Club, too.

Because we are bombarded with messages and information, telling us what to value and what will make us happy, we need practice reading the culture with theologically literate eyes. We need practice seeing the sacred in the secular. Our task as people of faith is to see beyond the hype to where God may be speaking and moving.

We will be seeing an overtly 'religious' movie this Sunday, and my hope is that we will watch with a discerning eye to see how the writers interpret scripture. What have the writers chosen to emphasize? What have they not included? How are our favorite scenes interpreted? How do we agree or disagree with them? I know we will have some rich discussion afterward. Remember, as Episcopalians, we are all theologians, and no questions are out of bounds.

And I hope we can practice together seeing 'secular' movies as well, through the lens of our faith, with discerning eyes and hearts. One of my favorite questions is: "where is God in this?" What an adventure. What a rich, exciting journey we are on. Amazing how God uses even the movies to grow and transform us.

So I'll see you at the movies. And don't forget to pass the popcorn!