Salvation on Screen

In this coursewe will think together about sin and salvation: how films depict the humancondition, and the longing for wholeness, and how we might reflect on this to deepenour understanding of the Christian understanding of sin and salvation. Filmscan also portray the human condition in powerful ways, giving us not just asense of what sin might consist in, but what it might feel like to be flawed, trapped,or sinful. Participants will have the opportunity to use film as a medium forsustained theological reflection; to explore how ideas are animated and given shapeby stories; and to think critically about their own theological assumptionsabout sin, and salvation.

In doing this,we will be guided by the words of C S Lewis, who wrote: ‘The first demand anywork of art makes upon us is surrender. Look. Listen. Receive. Get yourself outof the way. (There is no good asking first whether the work before you deservessuch a surrender, for until you have surrendered you cannot possibly find out.)’.So, we will watch films together, and then reflect on what happened when we letthe film do whatever it is it does.  

The basic formatof each evening will be very simple: introductory talk; film screening; groupdiscussion. Each week there will be follow-up materials available for those whowant to reflect on the film further, including readings from The HeythropLibrary to provide some food for thought.

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