Filmic Creativity and Multi-cultural Religious Education:Image of Jesus in Films

ABSTRACT

This paper is intended to evaluate the pedagogical value of film for multi-cultural religious education by analyzing various images of Jesus in films. First, we classify the relation of religion and film into two types: religion film and religious film. Religion film deals with particular tradition of religion, especially its belief system, ritual, and community. On the contrary, religious film focus on film as religion. Films make their viewers feel content and happy in film theaters. They have their own doctrine of salvation and ethics. Sometime religions play a role of cameo in films. If they are no religion in film, we can call this film non-religious film. Second, we examine different images of Jesus in films. Their transfomations depend on the differences of director, genre, subject matter and culture. The author analyzes Jesus films such as <From the Manger to the Cross>, <Intolerance>, <The King of Kings>, <King of Kings>, <The Greatest Story Ever Told>, <The Gospel According to St. Matthew>, <Jesus Christ Superstar>, <Godspell>, <Jesus of Nazareth>, <Jesus>, <The Last Temptation of Christ>, <Garden of Eden>, <Jesus of Montreal>, <Passion of Christ>, <Nativity Story>, <St. Mary>, <Messiah>. In <Youth without Youth>, the image of Christ-figure is transformed under the influence of Eastern religions. In conclusion, the author points out the contribution of media education through films to multi-cultural religious education: effective material for media education, introduction to various methods and understanding of feminism and multi-culturalism. We should develop more concrete programs of media education by using films.