Stone, Bryan P. Atlanta:
Chalice Press, 2000. 197 + ix pp. $19.19 (USD). ISBN: 0-8272-1027-2.
[1] Bryan Stone, professor of evangelism at Boston University
School of Theology, introduces this book with his conviction that “what
is especially needed with the Christian movement today is vigorous
and sustained thinking about both the gospel and the world,
about scripture and human existence, about text and context” (3;
italics in the original). Stone maintains that the task involves
more than just the study of the scriptures, but includes meaningful
engagement with culture. He argues that cultural artifacts such
as popular films are especially appropriate for such study since
they are “regularly and quite amazingly a source of revelation
about ourselves and our world” (4). With this perspective
in mind, Stone provides us with a fine example of just such engagement.
[2] Stone likens his work to an interfaith dialogue where both partners
(theology and film) have a voice. At times, a film can help us understand
an aspect of the Christian faith in a new and refreshing way; at
other times, the Christian faith can speak to the explicit messages
and implicit assumptions of popular film. To facilitate such a dialogue
with popular movies, Stone uses the Apostles’ Creed as one
partner in the dialogue. Each chapter has a similar structure; Stone
takes a phrase from the creed and reads it alongside a popular film
(two chapters discuss three films):
I believe [chapter 1; Contact] in God, the Father almighty
[chapter 2; Oh, God!], creator of heaven and earth [chapter
3; 2001: A Space Odyssey]. I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord [chapter 4; Jesus of Montreal]. He
was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary [chapter
5; The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Last Temptation of
Christ, and the Gospel According to Matthew]. He
suffered under Pontius Pilate [chapter 6; Romero], was crucified,
died, and was buried. He descended to the dead [chapter 7; One
Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest]. On the third day he
rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the
right hand of the Father [chapter 8; Phenomenon, Powder,
and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial]. He will come again
to judge the living and the dead [chapter 9; Flatliners]. I
believe in the Holy Spirit [chapter 10; Star Wars], the holy
catholic church [chapter 11; The Mission], the communion
of saints [chapter 12; Babette’s Feast], the forgiveness
of sins [chapter 13; Dead Man Walking], the resurrection
of the body and the life everlasting [chapter 14; The Shawshank
Redemption].
To facilitate the book’s use in church group settings, each
chapter also includes a number of questions for group discussion
or personal reflection, in many cases followed by a fairly inclusive
list of related films. The book closes with brief summaries of the
films discussed, and an index.
[3] Stone’s theological reflection is for the most part both
insightful and provocative, as is his interaction with the films.
He focuses his film criticism primarily on the message of the movies,
neither their cinematic or dramatic merit, nor their box office
success—as can be discerned by some of the films he discusses. The
movies covered represent a variety of genres (perhaps melodramas
are over-represented), and include some typical Hollywood fare as
well as some foreign films. All of the films discussed are
chosen because they resonate with Christian doctrine, because they
provide a contrast and a partner for dialogue, or both. An example
of the former includes his discussion of Romero, where Stone
underscores the social and political dimensions of Jesus’ ministry
and warns against making the gospel into a message that is only about Jesus,
and not also the message of Jesus. In the same way, Stone
uses One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to expand the
reader’s understanding of the atonement. Rather than limiting
atonement to the satisfaction model predominant in much contemporary
Protestantism, Stone suggests the “classical” or Christus
Victor view is more adequate, since it also takes into consideration
the systemic nature of evil and domination. He then shows how the
McMurphy character in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is
a figure of Christ’s atonement who suffers and dies (metaphorically;
he is lobotomized) to liberate his fellow inmates. On the
other hand, a number of films provide more of a contrast with Christian
theology. For example, Stone contrasts the impersonal “force” in Star
Wars with the Christian understanding of the Holy Spirit. Similarly,
he argues the karmic view of justice presented in Flatliners is
not the same as the retribution theology presented in the Christian
Scriptures. Lastly, Stone uses films to both illustrate and
provide contrast with Christian theology; for example, the Jesus
films he discusses, which either illustrate Jesus’ divinity
at the expense of his humanity (e.g., The Greatest Story Ever
Told), or vice versa (e.g., The Last Temptation of Christ).
[4] While Stone’s work is a great example of mature Christian
engagement with contemporary film, the book does have its weaknesses. Recognizing
the limitations of a book written for small group settings, I still
wish Stone could have deepened his discussions in many chapters. In
addition, some of the films he uses to illustrate Christian themes
work better than others; the parallels he draws with movies like Phenomenon and Powder were
not particularly compelling. Similarly, while I especially enjoyed
his discussion of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,
in many ways the film fails to illustrate Stone’s point since
the system of domination at the mental institution is still well
established after the curtain closes; it is only Chief who escapes. Additionally,
considering that this work is intended for church groups, stone
may risk alienating conservative readers who may balk at the use
of the one-third of the films which were given an “R” rating
from the Motion Picture Association of America. This would be unfortunate,
since Stone’s emphasis on the multifaceted nature of the gospel—its
spiritual, social, and political implications—would then be
lost to such an audience. Finally, Stone is perhaps too reliant
on Theodore Jennings’s Loyalty to God: The Apostles’ Creed
in Life and Liturgy (Abingdon Press, 1992) for his discussion
of the Apostles’ Creed, considering the number of excellent
treatments available.
[5] On the whole, this is an excellent introductory work on the
subject of faith and film, and I highly recommend it for individual
or group study. It is well-suited for church groups of all denominations,
though it would be more at home in Protestant circles. While the
use of the Apostles’ Creed makes it ideal for liturgical traditions,
those in non-liturgical traditions would doubly benefit since they
would not only be challenged to engage film in a meaningful way,
but would also be treated to a good exposition of the Creed. One
final note: if used in small group settings, it would be important
to follow Stone’s recommendations and view the film first
(using the study questions to facilitate discussion afterwards)
and then read the appropriate chapter, since most include “spoiler” information
about the film and interaction with the discussion questions.
Tyler F. Williams
Taylor University College
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
tyler.williams@taylor-edu.ca
