“Movies Are Prayers”: A New Way of Discussing Film

Last updated on: July 26, 2017 at 7:31 am by Guest Contributor

“Movies Are Prayers”: A New Way of Discussing Film 2017-07-26T07:31:35-06:00 Guest Contributor

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.

Pixabay.com

Movies are Prayers is one of the best books that I’ve read this year, and I’m a graduate student with a side-job of writing books reviews. What Larsen has done in this brief book is tremendously impressive. Larsen has created a new way of discussing films, a “film theory” in which readers are invited to ask what a given film has to say to and about God. Movies are Prayers taught me much about movies and much about prayer, to my surprise. I’ll take them in order.

I’ve actually written for Larsen’s website Think Christian, so his uncanny ability to tease out the spiritual implications of a given film was of no surprise to me. Even regular readers of Think Christian, however, will be impressed with how thoughtful Larsen’s film analysis are. Larsen is equally profound when talking about lament in The Dark Knight (2008), confession in Trainwreck (2015), or reconciliation in Do the Right Thing (1989). Larsen analyses well over 100 films, placing them into nine different categories of prayer (one film encompasses all nine, but you’ll have to buy the book to find out what it is). The films represented are incredibly diverse: recent releases and silent films, multimillion-dollar blockbusters and indie films, family-friendly films and what Larsen calls “one-timers-” movies so difficult to watch you won’t want to rewatch them.

Larsen’s book would be great if it were simply a theological commentary on a wide variety of films. It is, however, more than just a Christian-themed anthology of film analyses. Movies are Prayers is as much a book about prayer as it is about movies. Each chapter is a type of prayer, and the order of the chapters reflects the story of the Christian Gospel. The book opens with movies that are prayers of praise, reflecting the goodness of God’s creation. But of course, the Christian story teaches that sin soon enters the world and corrupts it. The next few chapters deal with yearning, lament, and anger. The subsequent chapters reflect God’s gracious offer of reconciliation through confession and faith, covering films dealing with confession, reconciliation, obedience. Considering the Christian life subsequent to experiencing reconciliation to God and eschatological hope, Larsen ends his book with chapters on films about meditation and joy.

In addition to being a novel and creative way to structure the book, Larsen’s use of the Gospel story to delineate different forms of prayer provides its own unique mode of prayer. Movies are Prayers has shaped my own prayer life, as I’ve followed Larsen’s model of situating my prayer in the context of God’s larger salvific movement in the world. I’m a better viewer of films and a better Christian for having read Larsen’s book. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Meticulously researched, masterfully crafted, and profound on multiple levels, Movies are Prayers is one of the best books relating to Christian theology and spirituality this year. Don’t miss it.

Special to Patheos from Jake Raabe.

Previous Post

June 29, 2017

How the Church Can Heal the Race Divide

Next Post

July 21, 2017 From Newark to the Throne Room

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Author Q&A Book Review Christian Living Church Leadership Stump a Scholar Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2022 March 2021 October 2020 August 2020 February 2019 November 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 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 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What food did God provide for Israel in the wilderness?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Manna Fish Bread Milk