Faith on Film: Theology at the Movies

Richard Poss
Spring 2015
FRIDAYS |  
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Jan. 30, Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27, March 6, 13, 27, April 3, 10, 2015
Course Format: Hybrid
Location: Main Campus
Tuition: $195

Can a movie probe more deeply into theology than other works? Can it show the strengths and weaknesses of religious thought more directly, more dramatically? This seminar probes theology and film, examining movies with strong Christian themes. We will use film criticism and literary and art theories to look at and interpret movies that address the spiritual dimensions of life. The class will study classic directors like Buñuel, Pasolini, and Zeffirelli, tease out new meaning from familiar texts such as A Man for All Seasons and The Matrix, and make brief forays into many less familiar works and genres: Gladiator to Battlestar Galactica, an episode of Yes, Prime Minister, and one from the standup comedy of “executive transvestite” Eddie Izzard. Thoughtful analysis of a movie opens discussion up to multiple meanings, and we will think through films that question, explore, and compare ideas.

Required Reading

Bolt, Robert. A Man for all Seasons: A Play in Two Acts. Vintage paperback, 1990. ISBN-10: 0679728228.

Osborne, John. John Osborne: Plays 3. Contemporary Classics, 1998. ISBN-10: 0571178472.

 

Recommended Reading

Tillich, Paul. Dynamics of Faith. HarperOne, Perennial Classics, 2009. ISBN-10:0060937130.

Chesterton, G. K. Orthodoxy. Ortho Publishing, 2014. ISBN-10: 1493508075.

Meet Your Instructor

Associate Professor

RICHARD POSS is an Associate Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona, where his work bridges the sciences and the humanities. His research explores the role of astronomy in European literature and art, examining how writers and thinkers—from Dante and Leonardo da Vinci to Thomas Hardy and Walt Whitman—have looked to the stars for meaning and inspiration. He has also written on the ethics of space exploration, including humanity’s future on Mars. A recipient of multiple teaching awards, Professor Poss is known for his engaging, interdisciplinary approach and is a longtime contributor to the University’s Humanities Seminars Program.

Location

POETRY CENTER
Dorothy Rubel Room
1508 E Helen
Tucson, AZ 85721
United States

Located on the SE corner of Helen Street and Vine Avenue, one block north of Speedway and three blocks west of Campbell Ave.

Street map image of Poetry Center

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