Screening the Afterlife: Theology, Eschatology and Film

Where do people go when they die? What is the best way to describe the afterlife? What does Peter Jackson’s Lovely Bones or Vincent Ward’s What Dreams May Come contribute to humanity’s long interest in constructing post-mortem possibilities in response to such questions? Christopher Deacy sets a course at the intersection of popular film and theology, proceeding to navigate through vast eschatological territory addressing everything from mind-dependent worlds, to near-death experiences, to heaven and hell, all while paying close attention to the detailed difficulties involved in such interdisciplinary pursuits. At the heart of Deacy’s project is the vital consideration in which theology and popular film “can both learn from and be challenged or changed by the other—they are not two discrete, monolithic or changeless entities” (x). By drawing from multiple film genres, as well as from the plurality of theological voices across the long Christian spectrum, Deacy steers away from eschatological overconfidence toward an interpretive stance that is contextually informed.

The strengths in Deacy’s project clearly outweigh the minor points of irresolute contention. First, by approaching the initial two-edged conversation with a view that there are actually many more edges involved for both theology and film (158-62), Deacy crosses in and out of disciplinary boundaries without discrediting the integrity which film creation specialists, as well as theologians, too often claim as private space for construction. Second, Deacy’s methodology, following the revised correlational model of Gordon Lynch, provides for a balanced approach by considering the descriptive theology resident in each piece of popular art within the proper context (x). Third, Deacy explores idea developments in films that do not necessarily have explicit eschatological connections, such as Working Girl (110) and The Shawshank Redemption (118). Although some may protest that the theological inference is too weak to sustain an argument, Deacy aptly connects the metaphors in a way that provides for further possibilities regarding this-world eschatologies. Fourth, by selecting film as a conversation partner, Deacy steps on firmer ground for asking concrete questions of the afterlife, where at times theology is a little too shy to embark on questions that people are asking (163). Here, Deacy broadens the scope of construction materials available for theologians. A final note worth giving considerably more attention is found where Deacy brings philosophical, historical and religious sources into a forum where asking and listening become predominant stances for theological construction. Deacy has opened up further room for popular film and theology to converse, yet not without critical challenges (163).

Admittedly, Deacy states the profound difficulties in correlating the theological constructions between film and theology, yet he remains positive that a relationship will prove fruitful (162). The strength of Deacy’s conclusion also becomes somewhat of an irresolution, which may be more symptomatic of the reader’s desire for more detailed work regarding the mutual willingness of both parties to listen than of Deacy’s inattentiveness to such detail (163). Naturally, Deacy’s theological direction helps encourage more work by theologians, but one is curious as to whether or not film is listening and asking similar questions of theology. Deacy does confront some of these concerns early on in a discussion of methods, but one is still left wondering whether these obstacles are being lifted or simply moved around. Again, the irresoluteness may simply be serving as a sign post to point to further work that needs to be done at the interpretive level with a clearer understanding of how better metaphors work to challenge those established eschatological doctrines and how such metaphors enliven the human imagination in contemporary society (164).

Deacy’s work is strongly recommended for instructors and students working in interdisciplinary research, as well as those students in more specified areas of study such as in religion and film. I will be adding Deacy’s work for discussion in future courses on eschatology. Deacy’s bibliography helpfully provides further steps for...