Sermon for January 17th, 2016

This is the fourth year that we've done this sermon series on faith and film, and right about this time each year (about halfway into it) someone will invariably come up to me and tell me what films I *should* have picked, or what films we should do next year, or what kind of movies they won't ever go see. Some people just don't like science fiction, others don't like animated movies...some *only* like animated movies.

In just a while, we'll get to the scripture passage and today's film. But first I wanted to take a moment to share with you how I choose the films we talk about, and why you should see them, either in the theater or when they come out on video, and regardless of what kind of films you like or don't like.

While I do try to select a variety of different types of films, it's not an attempt to please everyone (that would be impossible). It has more to do with getting a good cross section of ideas across different genres--seeing what's unique, and what they have in common.

So The first criteria is that it has to be a movie that came out in the past year. Not that there weren't some great movies five years ago, or fifty years ago--there were. But I'm interested in what ideas are circulating around our culture and our collective imagination now, and what our stories say about who we are today.

Another criteria is that it has to be a movie that people are actually talking about and thinking about. I usually look for movies that are either blockbusters (movies that a lot of people are going to want to see) or movies that are getting a lot of critical acclaim. Oscar nominations came out last week, and three of our five films were nominated for best picture (The Martian, Bridge of Spies, and today's film, Brooklyn). A fourth film, Inside Out, was nominated for (and will probably win) best animated picture, and the fifth film was Star Wars--that was the blockbuster.

Because we're a church, I try to avoid Rated R films, although once in a while

Ruth 2:8-12

8Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.” 10Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?” 11But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!”

Faith & Film IV: Brooklyn

• Film Clip #1: Trailer (1:50)

• Film Clip #2: Spaghetti (2:13)