The Story

If you have read my column regularly (thanks!) then you will know that I enjoy watching movies and television, and particularly fond of searching for glimpses of God within those forms of media. What you may not know is that I also enjoy reading, novels, short stories, even theological journals (in small doses). I love a good story.

I think that most anyone can resonate with that idea; there is something about a story that is very powerful. We are people of stories, and not just Americans, but all people, are people of stories. From the caveman’s writing on the walls, to ancient oral tradition from all reaches of the globe, people have been formed by stories of their ancestors, and others. Stories fueled by fear, anger, love, hope, desire, despair and longing are common in any culture.

Stories have infiltrated every form of media; we have books, books on tape, plays, newspapers, television, movies, movies on television, all concerned with telling stories. There is something about a story that reveals truths in our lives in such a powerful way, that it makes other things, like textbooks for example, seem dry in comparison. Cultures are defined by their stories, their narratives forming them and reflecting their form simultaneously. There is a lot of power in stories.

Now you may understand why I try to take in media, because it is the framework which holds our stories. Not only am I a part of those stories, and they a part of me, but with careful consideration, they are also reveal much about myself as well as the culture around me. With careful consideration, a movie transforms into a short dossier on the culture of which I am a part, and of which we are trying to transform.

There is more value in media, however and again, if you have read my articles on a regular basis, you will see that I often talk about spiritual or Biblical truths found within the movie or TV show that I am talking about. Part of the reason that there are Biblical truths within our media is because we are a culture arisen from Christianity, and though not all media makers are Christian, they do all come from a culture formed from Christianity. Furthermore, that I believe that there is one great story: that of God’s working in the world and all stories, in some way, reflect the one great story. Watching media with a discerning eye, not only strengthens your ability to see God in the everyday, but it also offers an opportunity for one to examine oneself, and the culture that surrounds us, a useful tool when thinking about evangelism.