Believers in the Biz

Part 3 of an exclusive 3-part series on the Sundance Film Festival and how Christian filmmakers are getting more involved in Hollywood.

Last night my wife and I watched Bruce Almighty, Jim Carrey's 2003 comedy about a man who's briefly granted God's powers. We watched the film because we're teaching a class on film and theology at church in which we're examining how Hollywood deals with Christian themes. And we're teaching the class because so many films these days deal with Christian themes.

That's a reality that was firmly reinforced in my mind when I attended the Sundance Film Festival a few weeks ago, where I watched quite a few movies that grappled with faith-related issues. Some of them even did so thoughtfully.

In part, this trend is a reflection of our culture's interest in all things spiritual—something Hollywood has taken note of. But the increasing incidence of faith in film can also be partially attributed to Christians in the business whose beliefs influence their work. Bruce Almighty, for example, was directed by Tom Shadyac, a Catholic who wanted to challenge audiences' conception of God. (Check out our review for a discussion of how good a job he did.)

Christian Colleges Get Into the Act
At the very least, this nexus of faith and film has coincided with the emergence of a new generation of Christian filmmakers. (Many of whom I met at Sundance this year.) And a growing number of Christian schools have developed programs to equip them. Indeed, aspiring Christian filmmakers have never had more options for formal, faith-infused training.

Craig Detweiler, who led an animated, week-long discussion of faith and film at Sundance this year and is the associate professor for mass communication in Biola University's film/TV/radio department, helps guide one of those opportunities. In high school, he was moved by the Martin Scorsese's boxing film Raging Bull, which he says helped propel him onto his spiritual journey. Since then, he's explored the intersection of theology and popular culture (earning degrees in both arenas). Now he helps prepare Biola's film students for careers in the film industry. And he does so because he's convinced that God works through movies. "As God spoke through burning bushes, donkeys and Persian Kings in the Old Testament, perhaps He continues to communicate (or at least ask questions) through equally unexpected sources today," he says.

Detweiler's not alone in that assessment. Robert Johnson, professor of theology and culture at Fuller Seminary, says, "Movies function as modern-day parables, giving us fresh eyes to see and ears to hear." Putting action to convictions, in 2002 Fuller began offering an MA degree in theology with an emphasis in theology and the arts.

Similarly, Azusa Pacific University launched its cinema and broadcast arts program in 2001. The program's director, John Hamilton, believes his students have a "growing awareness that Christ wants us to be in the world and not of it. ... The challenge is to integrate Christian perspectives [and] biblical thinking with what we want to accomplish in the media."

"God Is Calling His People Back Into the Arts"
What is it, exactly, that needs to be accomplished "in the media"? Another organization that's dedicated to equipping the next generation of Christian screenwriters through its intensive month-long screenwriting course is Act One Inc. The group's overarching approach focuses not only on skills but on a commitment to integrity and holiness as well. Act One's executive director, Barbara Nicolosi, believes it's a new day for Christians in Hollywood. "There's a new renaissance happening all around us," she says. "God is calling His people back into the arts, and that's good."

Nicolosi believes that film can perform an important kind of pre-evangelism in the way it deals with spiritual themes and stories. That movies don't always have to present an explicit gospel message—as critical as that is—to open the door for the Holy Spirit's work. She's convinced filmmakers can (and sometimes should) "settle" for plowing the hard ground of unbelieving hearts, influencing moviegoers who've never seen Christians portrayed in a positive light. "I say this to my Christian artists who have a desire to evangelize, to do good," Nicolosi said in a recent interview, describing her advice to young Christian filmmakers. "I tell them, 'Your task is a humble one—it's to break up the ground. In many cases, that's it. The ground of people's hearts is hard as a rock, and you're here to make their hearts fleshy.'"

I'm happy to report that the evangelical film students I met at Sundance are determined to do just that. They're eager to work the dirt as they apply themselves to their craft. As they do so, I hope and believe we're going to see more and more films that don't just deal with "Christian themes," but actually give honor—directly or indirectly—to God.