Rick Richardson Reimagining Evangelism: Inviting Friends on a Spiritual Journey
The Deliberate Church: Building Your Ministry on the Gospel
Bill M. Sullivan New Perspectives on Breaking the 200 Barrier
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Modern-Day Parables
By jason | December 30, 2005
Alex Field, The Hollywood Project: A look into the minds of the makers of spiritually relevant films, 2004.
175 pages.
$11.19, amazon.
Film is the modern day parable. Much of our lives are shaped by the narrative complexion of film. With its power to move us, to shape who we are, and ultimately impact our culture it seems of great importance for Christians to engage meaningful in the film industry. Alas, the Christian ghetto gets so wrapped up with tangential issues that we are failing to produce high caliber people within the film industry who are impacting our world through film.
While on a whole Christians have relatively little impact in the film industry there are some bright lights out there. In his book The Hollywood Project: A look into the minds of the makers of spiritually relevant films Alex Field helpfully provides a solid source for such cultural impact. By including several significant Hollywood players (and hopefuls) such as Ralph Winter (producer of X-Men 1, 2, and 3, Fantastic Four, Planet of the Apes, and on and on), Mel Gibson, Lee and Janet Batchler (writers of Batman Forever and the Million Dollar Script Smoke and Mirrros), and David Cunningham (writer and producer of the critically acclaimed To End all Wars) Field helps to raise some very important questions for Christians to think through with regard to Film.
If you’re looking for a book to give you a list of thumbs up and thumbs down movies for Christians to watch based on bad words, violence or the like you will need to go elsewhere. Field’s concern is “to hear directly from the filmmakers themselves about their original intentions, their spiritual ideals, and what they’ve learned about God and film. One question constantly beat in my head like a drum: How can we truly change culture through film?� (xi). On this count Field has succeeded and I would highly recommend his book as a beginning in this conversation.
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