Faith, Film and Philosophy: Big Ideas on the Big Screen [Paperback]

R. Douglas Geivett (Editor), James S. Spiegel (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2007

"Those who tell stories rule society." Plato So who today are our principal storytellers? Not philosophers, but filmmakers. For those who know both the enormous entertainment potential and the culture-shaping power of film, this book will stir mind and imagination. For great stories freight world-sized ideas, ideas worthy of contemplation and conversation. Great cinema inspires wonder. But another philosopher, Aristotle, reminds us that wonder is the true source of philosophy. So perhaps Plato or Aristotle might have a shot at ruling society, even today if they took an interest in film. These fourteen essays consider classic and current films together with several major philosophical themes, all within the context of Christian faith: (1) the human condition, (2) the human mind and the nature of knowing, (3) the moral life, and (4) faith and religion. Citizen Kane, Big Fish and Pretty Woman contribute to an in-depth consideration of the human condition. The Truman Show, The Matrix, Being John Malkovich and It's a Wonderful Life, among others, illuminate reflection on the human mind and the nature of knowing. Looking at the moral life, contributors interact with such notable films as Pleasantville, Bowling for Columbine, Mystic River and The Silence of the Lambs. The final section pursues the theme of faith and religion traced through a number of Hong Kong martial arts films, Contact, 2001: A Space Odyssey and U2's music documentary Rattle and Hum. A veritable film festival for all those who want to nurture the wonder of philosophical inquiry and the love of Christian theology through an engagement with the big ideas on the big screen.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

R. Douglas Geivett is professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, in La Mirada, California. His previous books include Evil and the Evidence for God and Contemporary Perspectives on Religious Epistemology (coedited with Brendan Sweetman). James S. Spiegel is professor of philosophy and religion at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. The author of Hypocrisy, How to Be Good in a World Gone Bad and The Benefits of Providence, Spiegel is active in many professional organizations and runs a music recording studio, where he records his own music and others'. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 311 pages
• Publisher: Intervarsity Press (November 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830825894
• ISBN-13: 978-0830825899
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #642,236 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Doug Geivett is a native a southern California who has been teaching philosophy at Biola University (La Mirada, CA) since 1993. He was educated at Multnomah University (B.S.), Gonzaga University (M.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (M.A.), and the University of Southern California (Ph.D.). He has participated in public debates on the question of God's existence with Richard Dawkins, Michael Shermer, Paul Draper, Bruce Russell, John Shook, and Gordon Stein. He lectures nationally and internationally on an assortment of topics related to his publications.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique and Important Book, February 10, 2008

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Brian T. Looper (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Faith, Film and Philosophy: Big Ideas on the Big Screen (Paperback)

This is a very fine collection of film analyses from fourteen Christian philosophers. It is a diverse book in that it covers films from a variety of genres, new films and old films; it is also a focused book in that each film is carefully mined for its philosophical ideas and presuppositions and then assessed for how sound those ideas and presuppositions are and for how well they align with the Christian worldview. Don't miscontrue me on that last point: the films mentioned in this book are not praised or scorned for merely superficial reasons (such as, for example, whether or not a film contains gratuitous violence--you don't need a philosopher to tell you that). These chapters are consistently philosophical in their approach, dealing with the ideas the films propose (or assume, rightly or wrongly) about larger truths about reality.

The book is split into 4 parts: The Human Condition, Mind and Knowledge, The Moral Life, and Faith and Religion. Spiegel and Geivett both have chapters; as do Dallas Willard, Winfried Corduan, and Sara L. H. Shady, just to name a few. It is written in such a way that people without a background in philosophy should be able to understand it given some effort, but I don't think that anyone who has studied philosophy will read it and find it too "basic." Having read it, I not only have a deeper understanding of the ideas underlying the films that were covered(all well-known, highly lauded films, I should add), but I feel better prepared to analyze films from a philosophical and Christian perspective in the future. Considering how much impact films have on our culture, it's very important to be assess them in such a way, don't you think? I strongly recommend this book. If you really enjoy watching films, or even if you don't particularly but you are aware nonetheless of the impact films have on society, this is a great book for you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Screen School 101, July 7, 2009

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Loyd A. Boldman "Forensic Mediaholic" (Oviedo, FL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Faith, Film and Philosophy: Big Ideas on the Big Screen (Paperback)

"Faith, Film and Philosophy" is an excellent collection of essays on various aspects of the messages of modern film. It gets a bit thick with the academics at times, but is still a brain-stirring, thought-provoking read. As always, an anthology is sometimes spotty in content, and this one, good as it is, is no exception. The chapter on horror movies is somewhat of a waste. But the majority of the essays are well worth the read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love movies, sort of love philosophy, and really love this book, April 18, 2008

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Heather E. Seville (Schaumburg, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Faith, Film and Philosophy: Big Ideas on the Big Screen (Paperback)

I can't stop talking to people about this book! It covers a wide time frame for movie-making, as well as many different genres, and even if you haven't seen a movie you're fine because the book has plot summaries in the back.

It was the most fun to read chapters focusing on films I already knew, but it also inspired me to want to watch at least three I haven't seen.

I took a few philosophy courses ten years ago and at this point I have no interest in slogging through dense, painful, footnote-infested textbooks. This book was the opposite of that.