Just leaving the cinema now. Been waiting so long to see this and was not disappointed. Agreed on the undertones. Movie was fantastic. Almost as good as the book.
Thanks for the article. I had heard about this and I look forward to reading it. I think you bring up a good question: what makes media Christian? In many cases this is “does it use Christian terminology” or “does it have Christian allegory” or “does it demonstrate self-sacrificial love”. My controversial take: that is thin Christianity, requires little discernment, and takes little courage to write. What I think makes great writing, Christian or non: are timeless truths contained in a compelling story?
"Growing up atheist in secular Canada, my only real exposure to Christian themes came through Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. They awakened in me a hunger for the spiritual that overt preaching never could have reached at the time."
The use of story to fire the imagination and open the soul to a new way of seeing the truth (not to open the soul to a new truth, but to a new way of seeing the truth). I think you'd enjoy getting to know Martin Shaw, by education and profession a mythologist. He's also a Christian (Orthodox) who uses stories and myths to convey spiritual truth.
In the linked YouTube conversation, Shaw talks about his own spiritual journey, how he was raised in an evangelical Baptist church in England (his father was the pastor), ended up leaving the church, taking a 30-year sojourn away from Christianity, and eventually being brought back through an encounter with Christ. Reflecting back on his journey, Shaw said, “The problem was that the drama [in the telling of the Biblical story] was always taking place in the pulpit, not at the altar. There was no contemplative tradition. Everything was sermon-oriented. There’s a dependence on the charisma of the teacher/preacher. This worked for the adults in the room, but not for me as a child.”
He said that his church experience growing up “did not touch me. I had a mystical heart. I like mysteries. I don’t need everything stretched on the rack of exegesis.”
I saw "Project Hail Mary" last week, and agree that it is a Christian movie. Not overtly. Subtly. The kind of thing which conveys truth without slamming it against one's head with a 2x4. It tells a story which connects with those who are not a sociopath--self-sacrifice where the sacrifice will very likely result in one's death for others; the idea that there are some things we encounter in life which are greater than ourselves; the bonds of friendship; being deeply touched by the sacrifice of another for oneself. These kind of stories, hopefully, turn us, even a little, back to things that matter.
I dislike movie theaters so I'll wait for the streaming edition. I listened to the book on Audible and really enjoyed it, though I didn't pick up on the Christian symbolism at the time. I think I'll re-listen to it with closer attention.
I wanted to see it anyway but now all the more.
Lemme know what you think!
“The world does not need more Christian literature. What it needs is more Christians writing good literature.”
-C.S Lewis
I’m not making any claims about the religion of Andy Weir or the people who worked on this movie, but I think the sentiment applies.
I think he's agnostic. He may not have intended this to be a Christian work, but the movie ended up that way.
I wrote an essay (that got published) about this sentiment from Lewis with respect to films.
https://substack.com/@refractedlight/note/p-146015787?r=kj38n&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Just leaving the cinema now. Been waiting so long to see this and was not disappointed. Agreed on the undertones. Movie was fantastic. Almost as good as the book.
Thanks for the article. I had heard about this and I look forward to reading it. I think you bring up a good question: what makes media Christian? In many cases this is “does it use Christian terminology” or “does it have Christian allegory” or “does it demonstrate self-sacrificial love”. My controversial take: that is thin Christianity, requires little discernment, and takes little courage to write. What I think makes great writing, Christian or non: are timeless truths contained in a compelling story?
Spot-on review!
There is also a shot where Rocky gives Grace one of the Xeon canisters and it sure looked like a cross was engraved on it.
Also the music has a choir throughout, and during the credits a Gospel song is playing.
Hmmmm, I wasn't going to get my wife to go to this movie, but you have stirred the interest of this Lutheran Pastor.
I will go see this now. Had heard it was good, now I agree I want to see it even more!
"Growing up atheist in secular Canada, my only real exposure to Christian themes came through Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. They awakened in me a hunger for the spiritual that overt preaching never could have reached at the time."
The use of story to fire the imagination and open the soul to a new way of seeing the truth (not to open the soul to a new truth, but to a new way of seeing the truth). I think you'd enjoy getting to know Martin Shaw, by education and profession a mythologist. He's also a Christian (Orthodox) who uses stories and myths to convey spiritual truth.
In the linked YouTube conversation, Shaw talks about his own spiritual journey, how he was raised in an evangelical Baptist church in England (his father was the pastor), ended up leaving the church, taking a 30-year sojourn away from Christianity, and eventually being brought back through an encounter with Christ. Reflecting back on his journey, Shaw said, “The problem was that the drama [in the telling of the Biblical story] was always taking place in the pulpit, not at the altar. There was no contemplative tradition. Everything was sermon-oriented. There’s a dependence on the charisma of the teacher/preacher. This worked for the adults in the room, but not for me as a child.”
He said that his church experience growing up “did not touch me. I had a mystical heart. I like mysteries. I don’t need everything stretched on the rack of exegesis.”
I saw "Project Hail Mary" last week, and agree that it is a Christian movie. Not overtly. Subtly. The kind of thing which conveys truth without slamming it against one's head with a 2x4. It tells a story which connects with those who are not a sociopath--self-sacrifice where the sacrifice will very likely result in one's death for others; the idea that there are some things we encounter in life which are greater than ourselves; the bonds of friendship; being deeply touched by the sacrifice of another for oneself. These kind of stories, hopefully, turn us, even a little, back to things that matter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5f5eXywDeE
I dislike movie theaters so I'll wait for the streaming edition. I listened to the book on Audible and really enjoyed it, though I didn't pick up on the Christian symbolism at the time. I think I'll re-listen to it with closer attention.
One of my favorite things that Jesus ever did was taking his name off of the constitution of the United States of America.
The movie is so Christian, the project is called Hail Mary