Biblical Themes in Cinema: From Femme Fatales to Superheroes and Apocalypse
This course will take a light-hearted but informative look at biblical stories and themes exploring how they resonate through the lens of cinema and shape the way we interpret familiar biblical figures.
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Wed 07 May
- Discounted course fee (per person) if you register and pay for two or more learners on one order $65.00 incl. GST
- $130.00 incl. GST
Sessions
Session 1
Wed 07 May 19:00 - Wed 07 May 21:00At Selwyn College, Auckland.Session 2
Wed 14 May 19:00 - Wed 14 May 21:00At Selwyn College, Auckland.Session 3
Wed 21 May 19:00 - Wed 21 May 21:00At Selwyn College, Auckland.Session 4
Wed 28 May 19:00 - Wed 28 May 21:00At Selwyn College, Auckland.Session 5
Wed 04 Jun 19:00 - Wed 04 Jun 21:00At Selwyn College, Auckland.Session 6
Wed 11 Jun 19:00 - Wed 11 Jun 21:00At Selwyn College, Auckland.Please note there is NO refund or transfer if you cancel less than 5 working days in advance of a class starting. Our refund policy can be read in full here.
Description
In this fun yet insightful course, we’ll explore how the Bible has influenced some of the most iconic themes and characters in popular films. Have you ever wondered if the Hollywood femme fatale can be traced back to the Old Testament? Or how the New Testament might inform a modern superhero like Batman? What about the Apocalypse—could it shape our vision of disaster movies? This course will take a light-hearted but informative look at biblical stories and themes exploring how they resonate through the lens of cinema and shape the way we interpret familiar biblical figures.
Expected learning outcomes
- Understand how biblical stories, characters, and themes have been woven into popular culture
- Analyse how modern films have influenced our perceptions of biblical figures and narratives
- Learn to apply these biblical adaptations to contemporary pop culture contexts
- Creatively engage with course material to develop new profiles and interpretations of traditional biblical character types, reimagining them in light of their cinematic representation
Course outline
- Week 1: The history of the Bible. We will work out where selected biblical texts “fit” in the continuum of beliefs about the Bible. This is followed by an overview of what religion and popular culture are, the intersections between them, and how they influence each other.
- Week 2: A look at how directors add details to fill in details that are not given in the Bible, using De Mille’s Samson and Delilah movie as an example. This class involves an interactive activity in creating a femme fatale character.
- Week 3: The class will engage with the historical, social, and spiritual context of Old Testament prophets to develop the profile of a contemporary prophet.
- Week 4: This class involves creative engagement with films that have saviour figures to apply Messianic tropes to a new cultural context. This week we will look at short clips from The Last Temptation of Christ, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Passion of the Christ.
- Week 5: How the Bible influences apocalyptic themes in films and which modern fears are represented in these films. The class will decode the symbolism in selected film clips from Snow Piercer, A Thief in the Night, Left Behind, The Last of Us, and Wall-E. The class will offer examples of which fictional character they would choose as an ally in an apocalypse.
- Week 6: We consider how marketing distorts or reflects biblical traditions relating to angels and the biblical Eve. We decode ads to work out whether any traces of biblical symbolism remain or if the context has become purely secular.
Who should attend?
Whether you’re a film buff, a biblical scholar, or just curious about the intersection of religion and media, this course will provide a fresh perspective on how the Bible continues to shape storytelling in the modern world.
About your tutor, Marina
Marina has a doctorate in theology and degree qualifications in law, music, and teaching and has presented her research in New Zealand, Poland, Romania, and Russia. She enjoys public presentations.
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