Saint Paul at the Movies: The Apostle's Dialogue With American Culture

365 Pages·1993·0.81 MB·English

by  Robert Jewett

Saint Paul At the Movies : The Apostle's
title:
Dialogue With American Culture
author: Jewett, Robert.
publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
isbn10 | asin: 0664254829
print isbn13: 9780664254827
ebook isbn13: 9780585272931
language: English
Bible.--N.T.--Epistles of Paul--Theology,
subject Motion pictures--Religious aspects--
Christianity.
publication date: 1993
lcc: BS2652.J48 1993eb
ddc: 225.9/2
Bible.--N.T.--Epistles of Paul--Theology,
subject: Motion pictures--Religious aspects--
Christianity.
Page i
Saint Paul at the Movies
Page ii
Also by Robert Jewett
Jesus Against the Rapture:
Seven Unexpected Prophecies
Page iii
Saint Paul at the Movies
The Apostle's Dialogue with American Culture
Robert Jewett
Page iv
© 1993 Robert Jewett
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For
information, address Westminster/John Knox Press, 100 Witherspoon
Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396.
Scripture translations throughout this book are the author's own,
unless otherwise indicated.
Scripture quotations marked are from the Revised Standard
RSV
Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, © 1971, 1973 by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.
Chapter 5 is a slightly revised and expanded version of Chapter 1,
"'Life to the Dead' from the God of Tender Mercies" in Life as Liberty,
Life as Trust, edited by J. Robert Nelson, copyright 1992 by Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co. Used by permission.
Permission to use material in chapter 3 has been granted by Pickwick
Publications for "Sin and Salvation: Amadeus in the Light of
Romans," in Ex Auditu: An International Journal of Theological
Interpretation of Scripture 5 (1989), 159169.
Book design by Drew Stevens
First edition
This book is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American
National Standards Institute Z39.48 standard.
Published by Westminster/John Knox Press
Louisville, Kentucky
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
9 8 7 6 5 4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jewett, Robert.
Saint Paul at the movies / Robert Jewett. 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-664-25482-9 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Bible. N.T. Epistles of PaulTheology. 2. Motion picturesReli-
gious aspectsChristianity. I. Title.
BS2652.J48 1993
225.9'2dc20 93-1315
Page v
Contents
Preface 1
1. Prologue: Pauline Theology Takes In the Movies 3
2. Star Wars and "the Force" of Paul's Gospel 19
3. Amadeus: Sin, Salvation, and Salieri 31
4. A Separate Peace with Adam's Fall 43
5. The Mysterious God of Tender Mercies 54
6. Righteous Gentiles in Grand Canyon 65
7. Tootsie and the Comfort of Christ 77
8. Earthen Vessels and Ordinary People 90
9. Empire of the Sun and the Death of Innocence 105
10. The Disguise of Vengeance in Pale Rider 118
11. Works of Darkness in Red Dawn 134
12. Epilogue: "Saint" Paul and Dead Poets Society 148
Notes 162
Index of Scripture 181
Index of Subjects and Names 182
Page 1
Preface
This book arises from a long-standing interest in relating critical
biblical study to the American cultural setting. My colleagues and
students at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary have heard
preliminary forms of most of these chapters; their encouragement has
been invaluable.
The task of relating biblical materials to contemporary films is
daunting even with the aid of colleagues, friends, and family
members, but without them this project could never have come to
fruition. I am especially indebted to the readers of earlier drafts of this
project who helped me separate some wheat from much chaff: Patrick
H. Alexander, James B. Ashbrook, Phyllis Beattie, Roger Bourland,
William Doran, Gerald E. Forshey, Rosemary Skinner Keller, Lallene
Rector, and Dean Lanning. Important refinements were suggested by
Dennis E. Groh, Ellen Jewett, Jeffrey Mahan, R. Franklin Terry,
Mariam Thalos, and Robert Richardson. Decisive critical aid was
given by David Rhoads and the members of the class we taught in the
fall of 1992, "Biblical Interpretation and Contemporary Film."
Participants in the Society of Biblical Literature section, "The Bible in
Ancient and Modern Media," including Thomas E. Boomershine,
David Rhoads, and Bernard Brandon Scott, have offered significant
encouragement as well as theoretical resources over
Page 2
the past decade. Other New Testament scholars in the Association of
Chicago Theological Schools have also provided encouragement and
critical suggestions.
Movies are the most thoroughly collaborative products of
contemporary culture. It is therefore appropriate that this book is
indebted to so many partners. There is insufficient space here to name
everyone whose insights have influenced this project, including
scholars and students, ministers and laypersons, film devotees and
cultural critics. Some of their writings are acknowledged in the notes.
In the hope that it will encourage others to reflect on the relation
between the Bible and the movies, I dedicate this book to the
churches, classes, and circles of friends that have already joined the
dialogue.