What is Reel Faith?
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the connection between movies and faith. Growing up, my grandparent's home was a frequent destination, and one of the ways my grandpa and I bonded was by watching Biblical epics from the 50s and '60s. From King of Kings (1961) to Ben-Hur (1959), I was captivated by seeing an honest portrayal of Jesus on the silver screen. Of course, it was just Jeffrey Hunter in a wig, but the power of cinema to transport me into a story has been a significant part of my spiritual practice ever since.
At Cosmic Christ, our core belief is that "the Divine permeates every aspect of creation, inviting us to embark on a transformative journey of faith and discovery." As an art form, film uniquely combines multiple disciplines to tell a story, exercising our imaginations in ways other mediums cannot. For example, Pasolini's The Gospel According to Matthew (1964) uses text directly from the Bible. Still, his portrayal of Jesus and the dark, grungy setting reflect his Marxist ideologies. Pasolini's depiction of Christ as a young revolutionary rebuking the powerful creates a cultural stir, demonstrating how testimonies and their storytelling methods can keep faith relevant for generations.
A few years ago, I asked myself a question that changed how I watched movies:
"What can this film teach me about God?"
Movies can be viewed as modern-day parables, offering us dynamic ways to grasp aspects of the Divine that words can not convey. Like the parables Jesus used to illustrate spiritual truth through simple stories, films use visual storytelling to illuminate complex ideas about faith, morality, and humanity. They invite us to see the world through different perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding. In this way, movies become a powerful medium for spiritual teaching. So, here we go! Reel Faith is a collection of films that have influenced my spirituality. These films present profound questions and thought experiments that have stayed with me, helping me remain curious and engaged in my faith journey.
