Theology and Film
Challenging the Sacred/Secular Divide
1. Auflage Dezember 2007
260 Seiten, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
This introductory textbook uses appreciation of film to explore debates between theology and contemporary culture. It examines both method and theory and features a range of film examples throughout.
* Explores how film can enrich our study of theology, opening up debates surrounding contemporary culture and theological inquiry
* Addresses a broad range of themes, including religion and the sacred, human dignity, eschatology, war and peace, violence, justice, feminism, and the environment
* Includes sections on methodological considerations as well as theoretical perspectives
* Features examples from a range of films, including Unforgiven, The Passion of Christ, An Inconvenient Truth, Jarhead, Something's Gotta Give, and Vanilla Sky
* Accompanied by website resources available at www.blackwellpublishing.com/theologyandfilm.
Acknowledgments.
Part I: Methodological Considerations.
1 Theology and Film.
Part II: Theological Perspectives and Filmic Themes.
2 Introduction.
3 Woman as Spectacle: Theological Perspectives on Women and Film.
4 The Green Screen: Theological Perspectives on the Environment and Film.
5 A Time to Kill?: Theological Perspectives on Violence and Film.
6 The Final Verdict: Theological Perspectives on Justice and Film.
7 Dark Beauty: Theological Perspectives on War as Cinematic Mythology.
8 Heaven, Hell, and the Sweet Hereafter: Theological Perspectives on Eschatology and Film.
9 Conclusion: Theological Perspectives on Cinematic Storytelling.
Bibliography.
Filmography.
Index
... .[They] reaffirm that films contribute to fundamental
questions and keep the debate going. Recommended."
CHOICE
"Ortiz and Deacy offer a singularly rich analysis of the ways
that theology and film interlace. Using Niebuhr's Christ and
Culture as an interpretive model, they put their fingers on the
theological pulse of thousands of contemporary and classic, pop and
art films with stunningly insightful success. Their command of both
film language and divergent currents in contemporary theology
allows them to respect each film as an artistic work in its own
right which illuminates issues such as violence, women's rights,
the environment, and apocalyptic discourse. I highly recommend this
thoughtful book for classroom use and just plain reading pleasure."
Sara Anson Vaux, Northwestern University
"It should hold much relevance for film students interested in
theology, and vice versa, as it offers a range of challenging ideas
and perspectives on the subject." M/C Reviews
in Applied Theology at the University of Kent and has written a
number of publications exploring the interface between religion and
film, including Screen Christologies: Redemption and the Medium
of Film.
Gaye Williams Ortiz teaches Communication Studies at
Augusta State University in Georgia. She has served as vice
president of SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for
Communication, and is co-editor of Explorations in Theology and
Film (Blackwell, 1997).