The Truth-Telling Power of Film
by Dr. Marc T. Newman
May 27, 2005
(AgapePress) - Many people talk about stories as if they are a trivial side-issue compared to the weightier issues of the day. When we want to downplay the plans of someone else, we will sometimes say, "stop living in a fantasy world." But it is hard to ignore the hunger people have for fictional stories. This week, Revenge of the Sith is breaking box office records daily. People spend billions of dollars going to the movies every year. Of course, money is not the measure of all things -- but if stories really are simply entertaining trifles, why bother to use film as illustrations in sermons, small group discussions, or youth groups?The answer lies in the power of many stories to embody the truth and to make morality come alive. The fact is that fictional stories possess more power to tell the truth than most people are willing to admit, and that our natural affinity for stories makes them a great visual vehicle for illustrating timeless truths.
Stories Are Better
I once heard an interview with Donald Williams in which he discussed Sir Philip Sidney's work, "The Defence of Poesie." Sidney wrote it in 1580 -- and what he had to say about literature then is just as true of movies today.
Sidney argued that stories were better at communicating the truth than either philosophy or history. Philosophy was great at providing abstract moral and ethical thought, but it was powerless to point to concrete examples of people who lived them out. History was shackled by what actually happened, so it could lead people to real world examples, but none of them were truly exemplary.
Stories, on the other hand, have the strengths of both philosophy and history, and none of the drawbacks. Screenwriters and directors are free to take any ideal and create a character to embody it. In film, ideals and examples can come together in a moving way to inspire people to become better -- a film like Because of Winn-Dixie teaches kids to extend friendship and forgiveness, while Seabiscuit teaches the power of second chances. Conversely, movies may warn viewers about the consequences of doing wrong -- the harrowing Thirteen illustrates a culture that has lost control of its youth and Mean Girls vividly demonstrates the danger of worshipping popularity. Film represents western culture's most accessible storehouse of morality tales.
Natural Affinity for Narratives
People love stories. They spend most of their time telling and hearing them. Dr. Walter Fisher, a professor at USC, said that in addition to being homo sapiens or wise creatures, human beings are homo narrans or storytelling creatures. In fact, he argues that stories are the key identifying feature of human beings, because they are used by people to understand others, and themselves.
Jesus offers many great examples of the power of stories, but two should be enough to prove the point. I don't know anyone who thinks that the Good Samaritan or the Prodigal Son were real people -- in the sense of being historical. Jesus had lessons He wanted to teach average, everyday sinners. He did not pull out a volume on Jewish Systematic Theology -- He told stories. In these stories, He was free to create characters ideally suited to the lesson He wanted to teach -- about mercy, hospitality, love, and forgiveness. The truths that lived in these simple stories were ones He wanted to see people live out. They were memorable.
Jesus told stories to people that mirrored the circumstances of their lives. His stories were full of farmers and fisherman, shepherds and landholders, paupers and kings. Film today presents pastors and lay leaders with object lessons from chefs (Spanglish) and firefighters (Ladder 49), millionaires (The Aviator) and hotel managers (Hotel Rwanda), the powerless (Amistad) and the powerful (Bruce Almighty) -- and many others.
While pastors may use film illustrations to maintain their cultural relevance (and I think that is a great idea), such illustrations offer so much more. We should not neglect the use of this great store of collective cultural experience to grab hold of people's natural liking for stories. Sensitively used, these fictional tales can strike a responsive chord in congregations, small groups, or youth ministries that can lead people into a relationship with the God of Truth.
Marc T. Newman, PhD (marc@movieministry.com) is the president of MovieMinistry.com -- an organization that provides sermon and teaching illustrations from popular film, and helps the Church use movies to reach out to others and connect with people.
