Should Christians Be Involved in Movie Discussion Groups?

A common objection to movie discussion groups is that many of the most respected and sought after films are saturated with violence, profanity, and sexuality. Many of these movies are anti-God. How can Christians, who are called to be “different” from the world and its cultural patterns watch such morally questionable movies? I am not sure how to answer this question. It might be the best thing for some Christians not to watch some of these movies. But for those who think these movies can become platforms to discuss the gospel, I offer these two provisional insights.

First, it is always important to remember that God has not forsaken the most God-forsaken places. Even the face of a prostitute can exhibit the grace and glory of God. I believe that we, like God (albeit not in the exact same way), can never forsake the most God-forsaken movies.

Second, it is wise to remember that Christ is never simply “against” or “for” culture. Instead, he is dialectically “above and through” culture. Practically speaking, this means that God’s way of being in the world is never identical to our culture’s way of being in the world. The gospel will always challenge our culture in one way or another. But at the same time, God never operates in a “supra-cultural” sphere. This means that God always communicates his gospel within the forms and structures of a particular culture. This is a pattern we should emulate.

The real question we have to ask our selves is, “how can we be in the world but not of it?” I believe questionable movies can be interpreted as creative vehicles of God’s truth without endorsing them en toto. I don’t want to stretch this too far, but using movies like There Will Be Blood and Requiem for a Dream for movie discussion groups is actually a redemptive endeavor. We are taking sharp and jagged swords and converting them into creative plowshares for the endorsement and extension of the gospel.