Reel Spirituality
Robert K. Johnston

This book should be required reading for any Christian who is perplexed about, disgusted with, threatened by, or worried over the entertainment monster which is Hollywood.

Books on the relationship between film and culture do not come any better than Robert Johnston's Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue.

Johnston begins with a brief history of the relationship between Christianity and Hollywood (many readers will be surprised to find that Christian themes prevailed in the earliest days of filmmaking).

According to Johnston, "Movies cannot be dismissed as mere entertainment and diversion. Rather, they are life stories that both interpret us and are being interpreted by us. As Elia Kazan, the controversial film-maker of the '50s, '60s and '70s, said, film is now 'the language of mankind.'"

In successive chapters he provides an overview of theological approaches to film criticism, the reasons why Christians should enter into a theological dialogue with film, a discussion of film as art, and the importance of film as a way of telling a story.

His arguments are intriguing every step of the way. His discussion of the five ways Christians can encounter film is especially provocative (avoidance, caution, dialogue, appropriation and divine encounter). The chapter entitled "Why Look at Film? A Theological Perspective" is one of the best apologies ever made for the need for Christians to watch films and encounter them theologically.

If you were only going to read one book on the theology of film, this is that book.

My particular favourite chapters among a wealth of material are the chapters "Becoming a Film Critic" and "Responding to Movies Theologically".

"Becoming A Film Critic" is a do-it-yourself home kit that teaches you how to be a professional movie critic in 30 minutes or less. You'll learn about genre criticism, outer criticism, thematic criticism and cultural criticism.

"Responding To Movies Theologically" provides a methodology for moving from film critic to theological film critic by moving from experience to reflection to the Holy, to the human, staying within the movie and learning from others.

Reel Spirituality references and engages a staggering array of movies, novels and pop culture sensibilities, yet it's easily accessible to us pew warmers, lay leaders and movie buffs with a yen to put all that accumulated trivia to some useful purpose. It should quickly rise to the top of a growing body of work addressing the intersection between religion/spirituality/theology/ faith and the movies.

Adrian Drayton