In the fullness of time the answer came. I learned that I could offer them some insulation. The Bible carries all the stories of humankind. Somewhere between the opening titles and the credits, we will experience a piece of the Biblical story. Enabling our young people to discover a part of the Biblical story in the movie's plot, engaging them in refection about their thoughts and feelings, and discussing what happened when the people of God crossed this ground before, are elemental to the "insulation process." This process has been successfully woven into the model of Christian education, regardless of curriculum, in the churches I have served.
How does it work?
Before we go to the movie, I give the kids one basic question to think about. Here's an example:
Plot summary, by John Vogel: for the Poseidon Adventure, (1972)
"A passenger ship, on her way to the scrap yard is pushed to her limits by the new owners to save on the dismantling fees. A tidal wave hits her, flipping her over so that all the internal rooms are upside down. A priest takes a mixed band of survivors on a journey through the bowels of the ship in an attempt to survive."{jvogel@dgs.dgsys.com}Plot summary, by Leonard Maltin: for Romero (1989)
- Do you see Moses' reluctance to God's call in the reluctant leader/priest?
- How does the escape from the perils of the sinking ship parallel the Exodus story?
"Absorbing biography of El Salvador's Archbishop Oscar Romero, chronicling his transformation from passive cleric to eloquent defender of his church and people. Thoughtfully directed with a good script by John Sacret Young and a quietly powerful performance by Raul Julia." (Copyright © Leonard Maltin, 1998, used by arrangement with Signet, a Division of Penguin Press.)Plot summary, by Scott Renshaw: for Field of Dreams (1989)
- How is the "passive cleric" called to become an "eloquent defender of the church"?
"Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella hears a voice in his corn field tell him, If you build it, he will come." He interprets this message as an instruction to build a baseball field on his farm, upon which appear the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other seven Chicago White Sox players banned from the game for throwing the 1919 World Series. When the voices continue, Ray seeks out a reclusive author to help him understand the meaning of the messages and the purpose for his field." {as.idc@forsythe.stanford.edu}Afterwards
- How does "voice in the cornfield" sound like the voice of classic "call stories" in the Bible?
We gather with an opened-ended request. "Help me remember the plot, by retelling moments from the movie."
Once you are comfortable with using movies as a resource for teaching, you can use movie clips. Clips work well to conserve time, to spark Bible studies, to discuss hot topics or to present a multi-week program for all of God's children of all ages.
For example, cue up the scene near the end of City Slickers where the cattle are gathered on the cliff above the river. Billy Crystal and his friends move the cattle down the slope and across the river. On the other side a celebration begins for the successful crossing of the rain-swollen river. Suddenly we hear the cry of Norman, the baby calf, being swept down river. Billy Crystal throws caution to the wind and races off to the rescue. By the end of the sequence each of the actors have contributed to saving Norman. Show the clip. Then, invite your Bible study class to share their thoughts and then their feelings about the scene. This scene works with 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.
Now turn to Matthew 10:39, "Anyone who finds his life will lose; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it," and use the "African Bible study" method:
African Bible Study Method
Look for movies that present the opportunity to reflect thematically on the drama of redemption (creation, sin, judgment and redemption) I found those themes easy to explore in movies like E.T. and Beauty and the Beast. This format works very well in a five-week class or Lenten program. As a Lenten program, we usually introduce the evening with children and adults watching the movie or a movie clip. Children and teens head for a place where they can have an age-appropriate exploration of the theme. Adults gather in small groups to reflect on the theme for the evening.
Hot Topics
Movies that contain profanity, sexual situations, and/or violencearesometimes hard to deal with in church. Yet I believe we have a responsibility to address them. When using movies like these it is critical for your staff and the parents of the youth involved be clear about how you are using the movie. At our start-up Parents Night we spend a few minutes taking about how we use movie as a Christian education resource, making it very clear that any movie is optional.
Earlier this year our senior high group wanted to go to a paintball place. I said, "O.K. here's how we can get there. First we'll go see what real war is like by seeing and talking about Saving Private Ryan. Then in a couple of weeks later we'll invite some of the men and women who have served our country in time of war to share their thoughts in a "news conference" night, where you'll be the reporters and ask them questions about their experience. Everyone who attends those youth events will qualify to go to an outdoor paintball facility and choose which role you would like to play: a person in combat, medic, or chaplain. When our time expires we'll sit down and talk about our experience. The last piece to this program will be an evening on peacemaking, using material from the Episcopal Peace Fellowship.
Short List for Senior Highs
What about junior high you ask? I recommend lots of Disney and some Touchstone films. Most recently I've been skipping the movie, and meeting with them afterwards. I asked them to give me a summary of the plot. Then I invited the group to sit in a circle and share the process for movie reflection. Some we've used are:
You say, "I don't know that much about movies. Where can I access plot summaries and learn about film? For current movies, Friday's Entertainment section gives thumbnail reviews of what's playing. Another good source for finding plot summaries is Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide. If all else fails make your way to the video story and walk up and down the aisles reading jacket covers.
Reel to Real published by Augsburg Press P.O. Box 1209 Minneapolis MN 55440-1209 is a ready to use resource for engaging youth in Bible Study through movies.
If you are on-line, check out these websites www.unomaha.edu/wwwjrf and www.civa.org. You can also find good plot summaries at www.usimbd.com.
If you like books, Finding Meaning at the Movies, by Sara Anne Vaux is a must. Margaret Miles has two good academic books on movies, Insight and Image and Seeing and Believing. Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seeger is an excellent easy-to-read way to learn about how plots are developed.
Don't Just Watch...
Where there's a will there's often a way. Ultimately our young people will get to these movies, or to the video stores. So why not we're teach them how to look at movies carefully, with a critical eye? Why not put our spin on these movies? At a recent Pizza and Movie Night, one of our more popular youth group events, I overheard a sophomore in high school giving a seventh grader a little counsel:
"When you watch a movie with Father Robin, you don't just watch it. You've gotta listen to what the people are talking about and look at the story that's being told by the camera too."
If we don't teach our young people to think about the messages they are given from our pluralistic society, what they are seeing at the movies, we're allowing them to be in the world without regard for their becoming of the world as well.
For more information you may contact Robin Myers. Robin is the Associate Rector of St Christopher's Episcopal Church in Carmel IN.