Finding Faith at the Movies

By Barbara Mraz

This practical, hands-on book will help Christian educators, youth leaders, and anyone wishing to use films as teaching tools to explore and discuss film segments within the usual 40-50 minutes of class time available. Discussion questions provided to explore temptation, duty, forgiveness, redemption, gratitude, and other important Christian values. Industry film ratings are provided.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 081921955X
• ISBN13: 9780819219558
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Morehouse Publishing
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 3.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Engaging

Barbara Mraz's book, 'Finding Faith at the Movies', is a practical guide for ministry with an important and influential aspect of the media. Movies have strong impact on the psyche of people in today's society - some films have enough influence to change public policy, change popular perception, or even create cultural change on a significant scale. How can this medium be used in service of the faith concerns of the community? Mraz has written this book for both group leaders and those looking for individual insight and guidance. She addresses the concerns of many groups, which is that it is often too much of a time (and stamina) commitment to watch a 2-hour film and then have substantial discussion about it. She proposes concentrating on selected pieces or storylines, which can be shown in brief, and members of the group can (individually or severally) watch the film before or after the discussions. Mraz provides guiding questions for conversation, suggested themes for consideration, background material on the films, relevant scriptural passages, as well as suggestions for further reflection. She includes DVD and VCR counter numbers to facilitate the scene-sequence process (and discusses the legal issues involved in showing films to groups and/or copying sequences of scenes onto other tapes). Mraz has selected twelve films (for those who might want a monthly movie group, this would provide a year's worth of material). This centre around themes such as sacrifice, envy, forgiveness, repentance, temptation, disappointment, gratitude, and more. The films included in this series are the following: Saving Private Ryan (1998) Contact (1997) A River Runs Through It (1992) Quiz Show (1994) The Music Box (1990) Amadeus (1984) Shadowlands (1993) Smoke Signals (1998) American Beauty (1999) Dead Man Walking (1995) The Prince of Tides (1991) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Many of these films are known well enough by many people that a good discussion can be held by people remembering the films and having refreshed insights based on the suggested film clips. Mraz' synopses and background information pieces are well written (not done as film reviews as much as essays written toward the spiritual focus of the book's purpose). This is a very useful book. For those who like movies, this can give insight in a new way of viewing. For those who seek meaningful activities for youth and adults, this book gives good suggestions and practical guidelines. A very worthwhile text.