The Role of Faith

The role of faith in the lives of people is something that should not be denigrated, but celebrated.  And, all too often, the entertainment industry is criticized for its refusal to present a positive portrayal of faith in our culture.  But not all faith perspectives are the same, and only one leads to eternal life with God.  Christianity, when considered as one of the world's religions, is more than a system of beliefs - it is a relationship with the living God.  In 1st Timothy 3 (ESV), Paul writes:
14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that,
15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Soon, the annual Movieguide Awards will be presented, recognizing achievement in faith and family movies and television.  While Ted Baehr and the Movieguide folks approach entertainment from a Christian perspective, they have always been champions for positive portrayals of faith in the sphere.

The publication, Variety, also has an awards ceremony recognizing faith.   On its website, it says:

Not a seat was empty at Variety’s second annual Variety Faith & Spirituality in Entertainment Honors presented by Coalition for Faith & Media as attendees gathered to celebrate the evening’s honorees at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills Thursday night. The event was one filled with tears, laughter and rigorous applause as guests came together to celebrate the power of positive representations of faith and spirituality in today’s entertainment landscape.

Podcast host Jay Shetty was the emcee and noted that faith is important, no matter what you believe.  He is quoted as saying that "[Faith] can mean believing in the universe,” adding, “It can mean believing Mercury is finally out of retrograde, or believing your green juice will fix your entire life … We all believe in something.”  It was meant to be humorous, but I do contend it matters what one believes.  And, for the Christian, we follow the way that leads to life.  Variety went on to say, "And while storytelling can act as a pathway to connection, Shetty noted that there is still a need for narratives of faith, spirituality and the search for purpose in film and television."

While the assortment of quotes in the article certainly embrace an ecumenical point of view - championing faith, but not necessarily one particular faith perspective.  There was one exchange mentioned in the article that I believe was notable:

Actor and producer Essence Atkins introduced Traci Blackwell, senior development executive, Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, who was awarded for her work creating faith-based series like “House of David.” Atkins praised Blackwell for her sincerity.

Blackwell related, “At work, I try not to hide my faith...I don’t have to be shy about saying that I’m a follower of Christ. In fact, I am encouraged to draw upon it for work. My faith has become my superpower.”

Comedian and actor Tiffany Haddish had essentially the last word in the ceremony, saying, “May we all use our gifts, our stories, our laughter and our creativity to lift spirits, our hearts and bring more love into the world, one moment, one truth, one soul at a time. Because when you walk in your purpose, when you walk in your truth, when you don’t just shine, you help everyone around you shine.”

Yes, that's the difference between Christianity and the potpourri of world religions: Haddish says "your truth," and that seems to sum up the vibe from the Variety evening. Believers in Christ honor and recognize Him as THE Truth!

But, all in all, I think it can be a net positive to explore faith elements in the entertainment industry, as the Variety and Movieguide awards ceremonies do.   Because the exploration of faith can plant a seed that can lead someone to a exploration of Jesus - in a search for answers, people turn to personal faith.  How often have you heard that people turn to God in the midst of struggle?

The Church can take an openness to faith and help lead people to the true Jesus.  And, I believe God can take a seed in any form of media and speak to the hearts of people.  But, if the prevailing narrative is to reject faith, to reject something - or Someone - bigger than themselves, then we've lost the battle before it even starts.  

So, when we talk about "faith-based" and "family-friendly" entertainment, we can recognize that there may be elements that will not offend our Christian sensibilities or our deeply-held values.  But, we also have to recognize that we have a role to play in making sure that the distinctions are drawn between mere "spirituality" and Biblical "Christianity." Entertainment can prime the pump, but an exposure to the truth of the Bible can help provide the stability and security that is only found in Christ.