Bible and Cinema: An Introduction

by Adele Reinhartz

Overview

Bible and Cinema: An Introduction is a comprehensive examination of how the Bible has been used and represented in mainstream cinema to develop its plots, characters, and themes. The book considers two general types of films: Bible movies that retell biblical stories, such as the Exodus and the life of Jesus, and Bible-related movies that make use of biblical books, stories, verses, and figures, and Bibles themselves to tell non-biblical, often fictional, narratives. Topics covered include:

• the contribution of Bible and Bible-related movies to the history of the Bible’s reception;
• the ways in which filmmakers make use of scripture to address and reflect their own time and place;
• the Bible as a vehicle through which films can address social and political issues, reflect human experiences and emotions, explore existential issues such as evil and death, and express themes such as destruction and redemption;
• the role of the Bible as a source of ethics and morality, and how this role is both perpetuated and undermined in a range of contemporary Hollywood films; and
• film as a medium for experiences of transcendence, and the role of the Bible in creating such experiences.

This thoroughly updated second edition includes insightful analysis of films such as Noah, Gods and Men, Mary Magdalene, and The Shawshank Redemption, paying attention to visual and aural elements as well as plot, character, and dialogue. The book also includes pedagogical resources including discussions of film theory, as well as key words and discussion questions. Teachers, students, and anyone interested in the intersection of Bible and cinema will find this an invaluable guide to a growing field.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367250232
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	03/31/2022
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	422
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Adele Reinhartz is Professor in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa, Canada. She has authored a number of books on the intersection of Bible and film, including Scripture on the Silver Screen (2003), Jesus of Hollywood (2007), Bible and Cinema: Fifty Key Films (2012), and Bible and Cinema: An Introduction (first edition, 2013).

Table of Contents

Introduction  Part 1  The Bible on Film  1 "As It Has Been Written": The Old Testament Epics  2 "I Have Seen The Lord": Jesus on the Silver Screen  3 "Make Disciples Of All Nations": Swords, Sandals, and Christianity  4 "What Would Jesus Do?" Epic and Analogy  Part 2 The Bible in Film  5 "Make Them Known To Your Children": The Old Testament in Modern Guise  6 "One Like A Son Of Man": Christ-Figure Films  7 "The Devil Quotes Scripture": Movies and Morals  8 "In That Future Day": Worlds Destroyed and Restored  9 "My Heart Is Glad, And My Soul Rejoices": Cinema and Transcendence  Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

"Reinhartz is the leading interpreter of the use of the Bible in film. In this volume she provides readers with a helpful overview of the subject, raising a host of significant questions and unpacking a wide variety of relevant movies. It is a must-read book for anyone interested in the field." - Robert K. Johnston, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA and author of Reel Spirituality

"Reinhartz deftly shows how cinematic representations of the Bible always reflect the values of the times in which the films are made, as she examines how gender, race, class, and other ideological constructs influence the adaptation of the Bible onto the screen. Through a wide range of examples from biblical epics to modern comedies, her analysis suggests that these films tell us more about contemporary society than about biblical times, as we see how films have used the Bible to validate American exceptionalism, and to structure modern ideas about redemption, morality, apocalyptic, and transcendence." - John Lyden, Liberal Arts Core Director, Grand View University, USA

From the Publisher