USEFUL TEXTS, JOURNALS, AND WEBSITES
TEXTS
Aichele, George and Richard Walsh, eds. Screening Scripture: Intertextual Connection Between Scripture and
Film. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2002.
Anker, Roy M. Catching Light: Looking for God at the Movies. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004.
Apostolos-Cappadona, Diane. “From Eve to the Virgin and Back Again: The Image of Woman in
Contemporary (Religious) Film.” In New Image of Religious Film, edited by John R. May, 111–127.
Franklin, Wisconsin: Sheed & Ward, 1997.
Bach, Alice. “Teaching Biblical Tourism: How Sword-and-Sandal Films Clouded My Vision.” In Teaching
Religion and Film, edited by Gregory J. Watkins, 57–76. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
________. “‘Throw Them to the Lions, Sire’”: Transforming Biblical Narratives into Hollywood Spectaculars.”
Semeia 74: Atlanta, Georgia: Scholars Press, 1996: 1-13.
Barsotti, Catherine M. and Robert K. Johnston. Finding God in the Movies: 33 Films of Reel Faith. Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2004.
Baugh, Lloyd. Imaging the Divine: Jesus and Christ-Figures in Film. Franklin, Wisconsin: Sheed & Ward,
1997.
Bergesen, Albert J. and Andrew M. Greeley. God in the Movies. New Brunswick and London: Transaction
Publishers, 2009.
Boggs, Joseph M. and Dennis W. Petrie. The Art of Watching Films. 7th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2008.
Braudy, Leo and Marshall Cohen, eds. Film Theory & Criticism. 7th ed. New York: Oxford University Press,
2009.
Christianson, Eric C., Peter Francis, and William R. Telford, eds. Cinéma Divinité: Religion, Theology and the
Bible in Film. London: SCM Press, 2005.
Deacy, Christopher and Gaye Williams Ortiz. Theology and Film: Challenging the Sacred/Secular Divide.
Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2008.
Detweiler, Craig. Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Books, 2008.
Flesher, Paul V. M. and Robert Torry, Religion and Film: An Introduction. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007.
Horner, Grant. Meaning at the Movies: Becoming a Discerning Viewer. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010.
Humphries-Brooks, Stephenson. Cinematic Savior Hollywood’s Making of the American Christ. Westport, CT:
Praeger, 2006.
Johnston, Robert K. ed. Reframing Theology and Film: New Focus for an Emerging Discipline. Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2007.
Johnston, Robert K. Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker
Publishing Group, 2006.
Kinnard, Roy, and Tim Davis. Divine Images: A History of Jesus on the Screen. New York: Carol Publishing
Group, 1992.
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Leonard, Richard. Movies That Matter: Reading Film through the Lens of Faith. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2006.
Lyden, John. ed. The Routledge Companion to Religion and Film. London and New York: Routledge, 2011.
Lyden, John C. Film as Religion: Myths, Morals, and Rituals. New York: New York University Press, 2003.
Malone, Peter. Movie Christs and Antichrists. Sydney: Parish Ministry Publications, 1988.
________. Screen Jesus: Portrayals of Christ in Television and Film. London: The Scarecrow Press, 2012.
Marsh, Clive. Theology Goes to the Movies: An introduction to critical Christian thinking. London and New
York: Routledge, 2007.
________. Cinema & Sentiment: Film’s Challenge to Theology. Waynesboro, GA: Paternoster Press, 2004.
Marsh, Clive and Gaye Ortiz, eds. Explorations in Theology and Film: Movies and Meaning. Oxford:
Blackwell, 1997.
May, John R. ed. New Image of Religious Film, Franklin, Wisconsin: Sheed & Ward, 1997.
McGinn, Colin. The Power of Movies: How Screen and Mind Interact. New York: Vintage Books, 2005.
Mitchell, Jolyon and S. Brent Plate. eds. The Religion and Film Reader. New York and London: Routledge,
2007.
O’Brien, Catherine. The Celluloid Madonna: From Scripture to Screen. London and New York: Wallflower
Press, 2011.
Ostwalt, Conrad, and Joel Martin, Screening the Sacred: Religion, Myth, and Ideology in Popular American
Film. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1995.
Reinhartz, Adele. Bible and Cinema: Fifty Key Films. London and New York: Routledge, 2013.
________. Jesus of Hollywood. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
________. Scripture on the Silver Screen. Louisville, London: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003.
Scott, Bernard Brandon. Hollywood Dreams and Biblical Stories. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1994.
Shepherd, David, ed. Images of the Word: Hollywood’s Bible and Beyond. Atlanta: SBL, 2008.
Staley, Jeffrey L., and Richard Walsh. Jesus, the Gospels, and Cinematic Imagination: A Handbook to Jesus on
DVD. Louisville/London: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.
Stern, Richard, Clayton N. Jefford, and Guerric Debona. Savior on the Silver Screen. New York/Mahwah, NJ:
Paulist Press, 1999.
Tatum, W. Barnes. Jesus at the Movies: A Guide to the First Hundred Years and Beyond. Third Edition. Salem,
Oregon: Polebridge Press, 2013.
Walsh, Richard. Reading the Gospels in the Dark: Portrayals of Jesus in Film. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press
International, 2003.
Watkins, Gregory J., ed. Teaching Religion and Film. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Watkins, Tony. Focus: The Art and Soul of Cinema. London: Damaris Books, 2007.
Wright, Melanie J. Religion and Film: An Introduction. London: I. B. Tauris, 2007.
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JOURNALS
Ahlstrom, Sydney E. “The Traumatic Years: American Religion and Culture in the ‘60s and ‘70s.” Theology
Today 36. 4 (January 1980): 504–522.
Aichele, George. “Translation as De-canonisation: Matthew’s Gospel According to Pasolini.” Cross Currents
51.4 (Winter 2002).
Blake, Richard. “From Peepshow to Prayer: Toward a Spirituality of the Movies.” Journal of Religion and Film
6. 2 (October 2002).
http://www.unomaha.edu/jrf/peepshow.htm.
Brown, Kevin. “’Tis Pity She’s a Whore: The Revision of Mary Magdalene in Contemporary Fiction.” Papers
on Language & Literature 42. 3 (2006). http://www.questia.com/reader/printPaginator/492.
Goodacre, Mark. “Do you think you’re what they say you are? Reflections on Jesus Christ Superstar.” Journal
of Religion and Film 3. 2 (October 1999). http://www.unomaha.edu/jrf/jesuscss2.htm.
Jenkins, Bill. “Jesus Christ Superstar? Why the Gospels Don’t Make Good Movies.” Journal of Religion and
Film 12. 2 (October, 2008). http://www.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol12no2/Jenkins_Passion.htm.
Lyden, John. “To Commend or To Critique? The Question of Religion and Film Studies.” Journal of Religion
and Film 1. 2 (October 1997). http://www.unomaha.edu/jrf/tocommend.htm.
Marsh, Clive. “‘High Theology’/‘Popular Theology’? The Arts, Popular Culture and the Contemporary
Theological Task.” Expository Times 117.11 (2006): 447–451.
McEver, Matthew. “ The Messianic Figure in Film: Christology Beyond the Biblical Epic.” Journal of
Religion and Film. 2.2. (October 1998).
Rainey, Jon. “The Cinematic Savior: Jesus Films and Related Literature.” Theological Librarianship 3.2
(December 2010). https://journal.atla.com/ojs/index.php/theolib/article/viewFile/157/448.
Reinhartz, Adele. “History and Pseudo History in the Jesus Film Genre.” Biblical Interpretation 14 (2006).
Reinhartz, Adele. “Jesus in Film: Hollywood Perspectives on the Jewishness of Jesus.” Journal of Religion and
Film 2. 2 (October 1998). http://www.unomaha.edu/jrf/JesusinFilmRein.htm.
Reinhartz, Adele. “The New Testament and anti-Judaism: a literary critical approach.” Journal of Ecumenical
Studies 25:4 (Fall 1988): 524–537.
Spiegel, James S. “Cinematic Illustrations in Christian Theology.” Journal of Religion and Film 6.2 (October
2002).
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WEBSITES
Decent Films
The Decent Film Guide offers in-depth reviews of both contemporary and older films, evaluating them for
moral and spiritual worth as well as artistic and entertainment value." Maintained by Steven Greydanus.
http://www.decentfilms.com/
Dirks, Tim. “Film Site.”
A comprehensive site which tells you everything you need to know about films.
http://www.filmsite.org/directors.html
“Film Directors’ Site.” http://www.filmdirectorssite.com/sitemap.
Internet Movie Database
IMDb is part of the Amazon.com group of companies. Its objective is to provide useful and up to date movie
information freely available on-line, across as many systems and platforms as possible.This site is widely
recognized as the most comprehensive source of information about movies.
http://www.imdb.com/
Journal of Religion and Film
The Journal of Religion and Film examines the description, critique, and embodiment of religion in film.
http://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/jrf/
Movie Theology: Movie Reviews & Resources
The list includes both general websites where you can find information on literally thousands of movies, as well
as websites that offer reviews from a Christian perspective. Maintained by Gordon Matties at Canadian
Mennonite University. http://www.cmu.ca/library/faithfilm.html
Movies and TV: Christianity Today
This site offers reviews from a Christian point of view. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/
Page, Matt.
A very informative and useful site. “The Bible Blog.” http://biblefilms.blogspot.com.
Plugged In Online
Plugged In is a Focus on the Family publication designed to help equip parents, youth leaders, ministers and
teens with the essential tools that will enable them to understand, navigate and impact the culture in which they
live. http://www.pluggedinonline.com/
Spirituality and Film
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat answer these questions: How do you find spirituality in today's films? How
can you make watching a film into a spiritual experience? Lots of resources.
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/features.php?id=10933
Wabash Centre
Mark this as a “favourite”.
http://www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/resources/resultbrowse.aspx?advkey1=film&advkey2=religion&advconj=and&type=syllab
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