Circles of Refraction
A blue glass hangs in the window of my room, refracting what's left of the morning sunlight. It troubles me slightly. This beautiful, densely coloured disc was a gift from colleagues - something by which to remember Turkey. There, concentric glass rings are believed to ward off evil spirits. Should I, an avowed Christian, display such a pagan thing?
If I let this one circle of refracting glass trouble me, what about the 376 others in the next room - my collection of Digitally Versatile Discs? Christians in a bygone era would not go to the Cinema. There was a reason, they said, that the first phoneme was 'sin'. Since the briefest audit of many of our DVD collections would make the ten commandments shudder, should these not trouble us?
The answer to that question is 'No' - at least, that's according to my reading of the account of Paul straining to convince the Greeks about Christ on Mars Hill (Acts 17:16-34). The Athenians know they have their being in God, says Paul, because their own poets say so (v 28). He's not trying to be clever, he wants to persuade them. His razor-sharp mind is rallying their cultural artefacts for Christ, ensuring that all future readings of those poets call to mind his testimony to the one true God. Herein, perhaps, lies the challenge for the movie fans among us: to release the missionary potential of an art form we love.
If Paul considered the world of contemporary film, wouldn't he want Christians ready to use the incredible range and reach of this medium for God? Might he not say, 'Capitalise on this celebration of the joy and angst of being human', or 'Take captive the pain we are laundering in our collective conscience', and 'Testify that people today still cannot let go of the idea of soul'? He'd surely see cinema in our time as equivalent to the Greek poetry of his time, and argue that it bears the fingerprints of God because it references him deeply. Paul would challenge us to communicate this so passionately that future readings of these 'visual poets' would be a reminder of the one true God.
Like the blue glass in my window, DVDs cannot help but refract something of the true light of God. Though they are often far from perfect, they are still beautiful; they are still a gift, because they can help us say to our friends and colleagues, 'You have your being in God'.
Jon Arthur
Comments
Hello Jon, Thank you for your relections on refractions. I have a very impertinent question: as we live in the country I have a subscription to Lovefilm and am supposed to have a wishlist of DVDs to be sent. I would be very grateful for suggestions of films that are "worth" watching and would stretch the mind and be good conversation fodder, and preferably entertaining. Best wishes, Christine Friend and contemporary of Margaret Killingray and Helen Parry
Just got back from tonight's session on film at LICC and am still chewing over all that was shared. This session was particularly fascinating - beyond identifying the number of films I should add to my own lovefilm list! - as someone who definitely finds it easier to spot the negative portrayals of God in film than the positive opportunities to explore the subject. Really great stuff - particularly the references to cartoons (Pixar films are utterly phenomenal and packed with imagery) and youth-friendly titles. Managed to scribble down 3 of the 4 "big points" from this evening - film represents a step of faith, brings us closer to significant others including God & in dystopia, Christ is revealed - but am wracking my brain for number 4 - can you remind me?! Thanks Paul
Date:
2010-10-11 23:46:09
Author:
Paul Windo