St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology (Aug 2023)
Film and Christian Theology
Abstract
This article puts forward a robust historically-informed analysis of the current state of Christian theology and film discourse, establishing the necessary conditions not only for making sense of how the field has developed over time but also for imagining where it might go in the future. In comparison to other academic disciplines, the subdiscipline of theology and film is still in its infancy, but the field has also experienced a great deal of expansion, maturation, and growth since its inception in the early twentieth century. Thus, this article maps the current state of the theology and film discourse in light of the discipline’s historical development, focusing in particular on its theological, biblical, ethical, aesthetic, and ecclesial contours. It concludes by exploring the leading edges of the field’s horizon of possibilities, namely, a renewed emphasis on greater engagement with world cinema, an expansion of the boundaries of ‘theology’, a more responsible interaction with the social sciences, and a recognition that ‘cinema’ is a fundamentally dynamic and ever-emergent concept.
