Spirituality in Movies
Join us each month as we enjoy watching a movie with significant spiritual or religious themes, and engage in conversation afterwards, led by Pastor Michael Coffey. Movies are shown in digital projection with surround sound. You’re welcome to bring your own dinner to enjoy during the film. Free popcorn is provided.
Winter/Spring 2012 Schedule: Second Monday (unless otherwise indicated)
All films begin at 6:30 PM in the FELC Parlor
January 9: Of Gods and Men
February: The Tree of Life
March 12: The Passion of Joan of Arc
April 10 (Tuesday): L. A. Story
May 14: The Empire Strikes Back
Previous Films in the Series
13 Conversations About One Thing
2001: A Space Odyssey
Blade Runner
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Pacifist, Nazi Resister
Chariots of Fire
Chocolat
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Dr. Strangelove
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Food, Inc.
Grand Canyon
Groundhog Day
Jesus of Montreal
Life of Brian
Lord, Save Us from Your Followers
Magnolia
Modern Times
Ordet
Shadowlands
The Apostle
The Gospel According to St. Matthew
The Great Dictator
The Mission
The Name of the Rose
The Piano
The Shawshank Redemption
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Up!
Wings of Desire
Press Release about the series:
Is church the only place you can go to enhance your spiritual life? Not necessarily, according to the Reverend Michael Coffey, an ordained Lutheran pastor who also happens to be a lifelong movie buff. “You could go to the movies. People might be surprised at the prevalence of spiritual and theological themes that can be found in mainstream, secular films.”
Coffey leads a “Spirituality in Movies” film series at First English Lutheran Church in Austin, where he is the pastor. The public is always invited, and the event is free. Following each film, Coffey leads a discussion that explores these themes, offering spiritual, theological, and biblical insight.
The films in the series are not the expected religious/biblical-theme movies. Rather, the films include a wide swath of Hollywood, independent and foreign productions that can be viewed as having a positive impact on the way people explore their own faith and lives. Coffey says, “Really good films are art, and art, when it’s really good, explores those very central themes about life, faith, God and spirituality. That’s what this series is about.”
Films in the series will include a wide range of genres: comedy, science fiction, documentary, drama, fantasy, animation. They are presented with digital projection and surround sound.
“Certain movies touch us because they are deep, profound and thought-provoking, and we leave the theater wishing we could share our thoughts and questions about the issues that stay with us. With this film series, we’ll be able to do that – to discuss our ideas and questions. We can search for theological and universal themes that connect us spiritually, and have a forum for sharing them.” Coffey says.