Who was King Saul's father?

Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Church of the Masses

Home
Religious Music & Entertainment

Last updated on: March 1, 2003 at 1:03 pm by Barbara Nicolosi

2003-03-01T13:03:00-07:00 Barbara Nicolosi

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

TOWARDS A CHRISTIAN AESTETHIC OF ENTERTAINMENT

This just in: The Popular Culture is Not Going Away.

If we, the People of God, are going to see any improvement in entertainment, we first have to know what actually is the goal in entertainment productions. What is the role of entertainment in human life, and what would healthy entertainment look like? We need to avoid pat answers to this question. Some of the pat answers I have heard from Christians in the last few months about entertainment include:

“Healthy entertainment is…..

….anything I can watch with my four year old. If it isn’t appropriate for my four year old, then it isn’t good for me.”

(To be consistent, this credo must also be applied to alcoholic beverages, the operation of vehicles and the discussion of current polarization inthe Church.)

….something like The Sound of Music. ”

(Whereby, the absence of yodeling and liederhosen in a movie is to be considered a dangerous cinematic sin of omission.)

….something in which there is no gratutitous sex, language or violence.”

(Yesssssssssss…and when you say “gratuitous”, you mean…?)

…I don’t have to be subjected to a message when I sit down to watch a movie.”

(Ah. So, meaninglessness is the goal? Why not just go to bed?)

We can do much better than this, as far as giving creative direction to the next generation of Christian artists. We absolutely must do better than this. Once we figure out what we want/need in entertainment, then we can teach our kids, and then we can get “on message” to the people in entertainment who are not in our house. Because our first mandate from Jesus is NOT to make movies, but to teach and minister.

I was approached recently, to help a Christian University craft “A Creative Guideline Covenant”, assent to which, would then become part of the admission ritual for new students who will be applying to the film department. This is an innovation that is being bandied about in Christian – mainly Evangelical – film studies and communication departments all over the country.

I am a bit leery of this, especially when I hear some of my friends enthusiastically embracing the notion of bringing back the Motion Picture Production Code. That is not a good idea. In terms of story, we do not want to give artists a list of subjects they must not address. Much better to provide a list of values that they should be concerned to affirm in the stories they tell. In terms of story-telling method, not a list of words they can’t say or body parts they can’t show, but rather some fundamental theological and philosophical truths that would guide the way they go about telling their stories.

I am going to explore what some of these might be in this blog. I invite comments and emails to assist in bringing this Aestethic together. On October 23, Act One will sponsor a conference in Hollywood for Deans, Provosts and Professors of Communications, called “Mere Entertainment: Theory and Practice”. We will present them what we’ve put together for their suggestions and hopefully, adoption.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

March 1, 2003

Next Post

March 1, 2003

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 March 2012 October 2011 September 2011 July 2011 June 2011 April 2011 September 2010 August 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 November 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was King Saul's father?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Kish Methuselah Job Rehoboam