In answer to your ultimate question, “But what are we supposed to do . . . ” I’d say yes. :) There’s wisdom in all three responses, and the right one for each person depends on gifts, background, and spiritual insight. I’m definitely not the one to analyze scary movies, no matter how important they are. But for mediaphiles like you and Rod, it could be a way of reaching those who are searching for spirituality in very dark places.
That said — there are also movies that I believe no Christian needs to see. I’ve seen some of them, and I regret it deeply. So caution and discernment are essential, and also, it’s hard to argue that watching any movie on Saturday night is a better idea than attending Vespers (or praying / studying Scripture at home.) They have a place in a balanced life, but far behind Christ and the church. Trying to keep up with secular culture, even for purposes of ministry, is dangerous!
I think you can tell that I am wrestling with my issues on horror movies, in part because the genre is so central to discussions of death, afterlife, etc. I have never been a movie CRITIC. I am a reporter-columnist who writes about entertainment -- based on interviews with artists, etc. I honestly think that someone needs to create a kind of master website on the work of religious voices in the field of entertainment criticism. We need a way to give people more info AND more critical insights (like these Dreher Eggers posts).
I have not seen the movie "witch" but the Calvinism comments intrigued me. My understanding of Calvin and Calvinism thought is that Christian believers could be oppressed by demons but not possessed by demons or evil spirits because we have the Holy Spirit in us (i.e. Eph. 1:13, Romans 8:9, 1 Cor. 6:19). The Holy Spirit did not indwell believers until Pentecost (Acts 2). In the Old Testament the Spirit only "rested" on some select faithful people for a time. Hence demon possession did occur in the O.T. To reiterate, the potential for Christians to be oppressed by demons is possible in Calvinist thought but not demon possession. Non-believers can be possessed. I am not a Calvin scholar but I think that would be correct.
In answer to your ultimate question, “But what are we supposed to do . . . ” I’d say yes. :) There’s wisdom in all three responses, and the right one for each person depends on gifts, background, and spiritual insight. I’m definitely not the one to analyze scary movies, no matter how important they are. But for mediaphiles like you and Rod, it could be a way of reaching those who are searching for spirituality in very dark places.
That said — there are also movies that I believe no Christian needs to see. I’ve seen some of them, and I regret it deeply. So caution and discernment are essential, and also, it’s hard to argue that watching any movie on Saturday night is a better idea than attending Vespers (or praying / studying Scripture at home.) They have a place in a balanced life, but far behind Christ and the church. Trying to keep up with secular culture, even for purposes of ministry, is dangerous!
I think you can tell that I am wrestling with my issues on horror movies, in part because the genre is so central to discussions of death, afterlife, etc. I have never been a movie CRITIC. I am a reporter-columnist who writes about entertainment -- based on interviews with artists, etc. I honestly think that someone needs to create a kind of master website on the work of religious voices in the field of entertainment criticism. We need a way to give people more info AND more critical insights (like these Dreher Eggers posts).
I have not seen the movie "witch" but the Calvinism comments intrigued me. My understanding of Calvin and Calvinism thought is that Christian believers could be oppressed by demons but not possessed by demons or evil spirits because we have the Holy Spirit in us (i.e. Eph. 1:13, Romans 8:9, 1 Cor. 6:19). The Holy Spirit did not indwell believers until Pentecost (Acts 2). In the Old Testament the Spirit only "rested" on some select faithful people for a time. Hence demon possession did occur in the O.T. To reiterate, the potential for Christians to be oppressed by demons is possible in Calvinist thought but not demon possession. Non-believers can be possessed. I am not a Calvin scholar but I think that would be correct.