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Monday, March 31, 2008

Still Employed

So far, I still have a job.

Today is one of those Mondays when I wonder when my inbox (or the inboxes of our executive pastors) will begin to fill up with complaints and criticism.

I was asked to lead an adult education course called "Theology Goes to the Movies." Yesterday was the first class and I used our time to provide some introductory comments about why I think movies (and culture in general) are important conversation partners for theological thinking.

I then ran through a series of clips to illustrate my points:
If I had more time, I would have also shown a series of clips from Superman Returns, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Jesus, and Life of Brian.

Of all these clips, the only real controversy was Fight Club, which sometimes gets me in trouble. Last fall I led a Community Book Group discussion of the novel, the reception of which divided along fairly predictable generational lines: for the most part (though not exclusively) younger readers loved it and older readers hated it. One older gentlemen was quite astonished that we would read such "trash" in church and that a pastor would have anything to do with it.

I continue to maintain that Fight Club is one of the most important spiritual stories of my generation. I also maintain my argument that Tyler Durden is perfectly styled as a biblical prophet, albeit with a message quite different from core biblical faith.

I didn't show clips of violence or sex, showing instead a select set of clips to illustrate these two arguments. It's hard to judge Presbyterians' reactions based on facial or other cues, since most Presbyterians don't provide any when a pastor is speaking or preaching to them. No one came right out and objected, however, which is good.

Fight Club may be a slow sell for many in our congregation, but I'll keep pushing it here and there. And, hopefully, I'll continue to have a job that allows me to do so.

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