God in the Movies

    Discuss culture in relation to images of God. Many of the movies we’ve seen are from different time periods, genres, or appeal to different audiences. What is the significance of these different cultural contexts, and what might this say about how God is presented in movies? What do sociologists besides Bergesen and Greeley say about culture, images of God, or symbols in general? • Discuss gender in relation to images of God. What is the significance of “gendered” images of God in movies? Does the gender of God matter? Are different characteristics emphasized depending on whether God is portrayed as a man, woman, or gender neutral? What do sociologists besides Bergesen and Greeley say about gender, images of God, or symbols in general? • God can be present in different roles, e.g. as a parent, lover, friend, mentor, etc. What do these roles say about God? How do movies (or other forms of pop culture) utilize these images? • Explore a vengeful vs. forgiving image of God. Where do movies portray God as vengeful vs. forgiving? What purpose do these portrayals serve? Do you think one of these images is used more often or more effectively than the other?• In order to have a God-like character, does a film also need a devil-like “foil” character? What are some of these characters or events that could be seen as a “devil” contrast figure?