'The Bible is Alive and Well and Living in Popular Films!': A Survey of Some Western Cinematic Transfigurations of Holy Writ

Abstract

Scant critical attention has been devoted to utilising popular films for religious education despite: (a) cinema being the 20th centmy art form, (b) RE classes traditional being tagged as "the boring subject," and (c) significant declines in biblical knowledge amongst the populace. Even less well known is the richness of biblical figures embedded in movies beyond Cecil B. DeMille style Biblical Epics, but which can be easily invoked to enthuse media-weaned students. A brief survey of (a) Redeemer Christ-Figures, (b) Saviour Christ-Figures; (c) Off-Beat Christs, (d) Female Christ-Figures, (e) and other cinematic manifestations of biblical characters were canvassed. Such consciousness raising will help recenter religious pedagogy and establish cinematic theology as a viable teaching modality for the post-millennium era.