Category Archives: Miscellaneous

General Articles, Miscellaneous

Trying to Reason When Lent is the Season

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Years ago, I had the privilege of illustrating a modern dramatization of the Good Friday story. It was for a live event attended by thousands of youth at the San Antonio Alamodome. I was the video producer for the event.

The story needed a soundtrack, and I have always been slain by the old classic hymn,  “O Sacred Head Now Wounded.” It is most beautiful—and yet so grief-stricken at the same time. Despite my inclination to use it, I couldn’t find a recording that fit the vibe of such an event, largely attended by a crowd influenced by postmodernism and pop culture.

Palestinian Christian artwork depicting Christ's life.
Palestinian Christian artwork depicting Christ’s life. Photo ©Philip J. Hohle.

So, I called my friend Robby Robertson of Frankie Valli fame (Robby is Valli’s musical producer). I asked him to take my highly edited hymn lyrics and make (ahem). . .

. . . make a heavy metal version of the hymn.

If my memory serves, Robby got some members of Grand Funk Railroad to help him record it (don’t hold me to that). I think it turned out amazing.

Tonight, as I write this on the close of Good Friday, I still have that hymn version in my head. I wanted to share it with you.

O Sacred Head Now Wounded (Youth Gathering Arrangement). Note the heartbeat at the end.

Monk sitting in the Tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Photo @Philip J. Hohle
Monk sitting in the Tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Photo ©Philip J. Hohle

Ten key realizations about Good Friday:

  1. Jesus’ death was not accidental. He timed it perfectly to coincide with the Passover. Likely, his death on the cross in the 9th hour of Good Friday aligned with the original Mosaic determination of when the passover lambs were to be slain on Passover. (See Joachim Jeremias’ The Eucharistic Words of Jesus, 1966, London: SCM Press.)
  2. At that time, the thousands of passover lambs necessary for the Passover crowds were raised in Bethlehem. After the sacrifice of the One born in Bethlehem, lambs are no longer necessary.
  3. Recall the story of Abraham who was commanded by God to offer his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice (Genesis 22). Tradition has it that Abraham’s place of sacrifice was on Mount Moriah, essentially on the same spot as we find the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. (Ironically, a Muslim mosque sits on it today, a religion that often asks fathers to sacrifice their sons for jihad and a place in heaven.)
  4. Isaac asked his father, “Where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” Isaac did not realize at that moment that he was the intended victim. As you know, God intervened at the very last moment and provided a substitute lamb (a ram). Ever since the first passover in Egypt, the Israelites have eaten the sacrificed lamb (or young goat) as prescribed by God.
  5. It is certainly no coincidence that, when Abraham reassured Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice, it was uttered at a spot only feet from where, hundreds of years later, Jesus was offered himself as the ultimate sacrificial lamb.
  6.  It is a profound reversal: Abraham, whose hand was stayed as he was about to sacrifice his only son, was then provided a ram caught in the thicket to take Isaac’s place.  Then later, Jesus himself, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, felt the burden of becoming that very sacrifice—He was caught in his predestined thicket, crying out to his Father for a way out. I would like to believe that the very thicket where Abraham found the ram was where the Garden of Gethsemane is today. At least, it is plausible.
  7. Instead of allowing the sacrifice of Isaac, God stayed Abraham’s hand, and ultimately, substituted His one and only son as the replacement. The amazing thing is that the crucifixion took place in virtually the same location, just hundreds of years later, in the fullness of time.
  8. Tradition has it that the Lord’s Supper was held in an upper room in the Mount Zion neighborhood of old Jerusalem. Due to the typography of the city, anyone standing at a north or east-facing window in an upper room in that part of Jerusalem would have likely enjoyed an unobstructed view of Mount Moriah (aka,  the Temple Mount). I would like to believe Jesus looked out such a window on Maundy Thursday and recognized the exact spot where Abraham’s ram was caught in the thicket as well as the place where the ram was sacrificed.
  9. In light of the events on Mount Moriah centuries prior, one must consider the charge of John and Peter to prepare the Passover meal on the day before Jesus’ crucifixion. I would like to believe that the two were told by Jesus to forego bringing a sacrificed lamb to the upper room. Such a critical omission would have certainly sparked some discussion: “But Lord, where will we get the lamb for the passover?” Or, “We have everything prepared, but we have no lamb to eat.” I imagine Jesus responding quietly as he glances out the window toward the temple, “Don’t worry. God will provide the lamb.” And so, he did.
  10. We read, “Take and eat, this (bread) is my body. . . and this (wine) is my blood” (Mark 14, et al.).  Mosaic law was strict in its demand that God’s people should avoid contact with dead things (Leviticus 21, Numbers 6, et al.). The law was equally insistent that people not consume the blood of their kills and sacrifices—the blood was to be poured out on the altar (Leviticus 17, Deuteronomy 12, et al.). Those Mosaic laws were meant to keep one from defiling oneself by touching a corpse or from consuming the very lifeblood of another being. So in the upper room, imagine the horror of the relatively orthodox disciples at the Lord’s Supper who were asked by Jesus to “take and eat. . . . this is my body. . . and take and drink, this is my blood.” Yet, that is exactly what Jesus offered his disciples. Indeed, it was an unimaginable and revolutionary new covenant, and the world has never been the same since.

Philip J. Hohle, Ph.D.

Altar Over Mt. Calvary in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Photo @Philip J. Hohle.
Altar Over Mt. Calvary in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Photo ©Philip J. Hohle.
Miscellaneous

Clues for Caddo Lake

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Clues to assist in solving the Mystery of Caddo Lake (spoilers):

  1. Three related characters all suffer from the same abnormality. Each may also travel forward and/or backward in time, coinciding with seizures or tremors and temporary deafness.
  2. Their capability is only triggered when the water in the lake is very low.
  3. The characters struggle to recognize the connection between their physical symptoms and time travel, much less control the ability or avoid it.
  4. The main characters’ actions seem to be occurring simultaneously but will be found to have happened days, years, or even decades apart. Some of these events even happen in the exact same place.
  5. Cee, Celeste, and Ellie’s mother are the same person (she does not travel in time).
  6. The dam on the lake provides clues to a linear interpretation of the story. It was built new in one era, modified with a road across it in a later time, and deteriorated to the point of failure almost two decades later.
  7. The sound of search helicopters overhead is only present in the latest era (2022).
  8. The daylight, or lack thereof, often changes as characters step from one era into another.
  9. The appearance of rare moths and wolves indicates the character has stumbled into a past era.

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Miscellaneous

Denise Patrick

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Dr. Denise Patrick

Dr. Denise Patrick, a prominent figure with a career spanning over 30 years in the realms of business and academia, has made significant contributions across a wide spectrum of organizations. Her expertise has been sought after by New York City agencies, global and national nonprofits, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies. She specializes in executive coaching, leadership development, and change management.

As a leadership consultant and coach, Dr. Patrick empowers individuals and organizations to unlock their potential and achieve transformative growth. She is passionate about helping leaders refine their communication and interpersonal skills to create meaningful connections. Dr. Patrick believes that “Communication is an art beyond words. It’s about connecting hearts, understanding emotions, and seeing the world through each other’s eyes. Let’s not just exchange information.”

As an award-winning educator, Dr. Patrick currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication, where she teaches in the Communication Studies and Communication & Leadership Program. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Baruch College, City University of New York, where she has taught in the Executive MBA program at the Zicklin School of Business and the Executive MPA and MPA programs at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. Her academic influence has also extended to the University of New Mexico, Temple University, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

Dr. Patrick holds a PhD in Business Management from Capella University, an MA in Rhetoric and Communication from Temple University, and a BA in Corporate Communication from the City University of New York, Baruch College. She is a distinguished member of five honor societies and has received numerous accolades for her excellence in teaching and leadership.

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Film Series, Miscellaneous

Four Films for Spring 2025

Faith and Film at Film Alley

Here is the list of movies we will examine in the class, along with some key questions the films raise.

(Note: Movies are subject to change if circumstances warrant.)

February 2

From IMDb: “A Texas baseball coach makes the major league after agreeing to try out if his high school team made the playoffs.”
On a conventional level, this inspiring movie should be familiar in many ways, not only in the locations where it was filmed, but also in the relatable story of a husband who tries to fulfill all his life’s callings and duties at once—in a new career, as a husband, and also as a son and father.
The story is also a notable exploration of the expectations fathers have of their sons (or parents of their children) as well as the bold faith the son has in the father (the child in the parent).
On a less conventional level, sports movies often remind us of the obstacles one must overcome to, so to speak, make it to the big leagues. It can also serve as a metaphor for how we gauge our abilities as disciples with the vocational calling to serve in his kingdom. Are we ever ready? Conversely, are we ever past our prime? Are we blessed by what it takes?

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. Are we ever ready to fulfill a calling from God? Or our we content to stay in the minor leagues? And how will we handle it if we blow it? What if we suffer an injury?
  2. Morris became a major league player in an unconventional way. How might God be leading you toward something in a less than conventional way?
  3. If your career and life are following a Plan B path, what was your Plan A? How was God’s hand evident in that change?
  4. How can one perform our multiple calling at the same time in different arenas? What must we give up, and to what must be held tightly? Where has this stress caused a break in your life?
  5. The role of the relief pitcher is to come into the game and hold the lead, often with runners already on base threatening to steal the win. Consider how often you have been confronted with a seemingly impossible task, one that you were unsure of how it would work out. What do you do in those threatening moments?
  6. Consider Jimmy’s students, his son Hunter, and for Lorri, his wife. What life lessons do they take away from his success? Likewise, what is your take—how do you benefit from the rookie’s story?
  7. The Catholic Church recognizes four patron saints for impossible causes. In what impossible causes do you still maintain hope? How should one pray for such things?

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” — Hebrews 12:1-2a

Respondent: Scott Linebrink

Scott Linebrink is a former major league pitcher, having played for 15 seasons with teams like the Astros, White Sox, and San Diego Padres. Recently, he has served as Brand Ambassador for Water Mission, a faith-based organization providing clean water resources globally for communities in need. He is continually active promoting Christian living among current and retired professional althletes.

DISCLAIMER: MOVIES SELECTED MAY CONTAIN ROUGH LANGUAGE AND DEPICT SEXUAL SITUATIONS.

Series Curator

The Faith and Film Series is led by Dr. Philip J. Hohle, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television-Film from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. from Regent University in Communication Studies. A member of the Society for the Cognitive Study of the Moving Image, he has presented how audiences interpret the movies they watch in the U.S., Finland, and Spain. He has also published two books and several articles on viewer response theory. Currently, he teaches at The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Southeastern University.

Faith and Film Logo

From IMDb: “A sequel that features Riley entering puberty and experiencing brand new, more complex emotions as a result. As Riley tries to adapt to her teenage years, her old emotions try to adapt to the possibility of being replaced.”
Like the first Inside Out story, the sequel explores the sense of belonging and self-identity in a young person—a story made relevant and poignant in light of the trends in society today.
This new story addresses a new phase in Riley’s life; she has grown into puberty. Very few movies satisfactorily deal with this traumatic transition, much less any film that explores the drama from a narrowly Christian perspective. Even scripture seems to be relatively silent on the topic—there is not much help for the young person trying to make sense of their suddenly changed world. Or is there?
Inside Out 2 is more than just a movie for a young person. On a less conventional level, it is for the new or immature Christian who must deal with unexpected changes and unfamiliar feelings standing in their way as they embark on their journey of faith.

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. This movie could belong to the genre we might call, Adolescent Girl Stories Full of Complex Interpersonal Drama and Conflict. Consider how this one might fit that genre and how it may be different from others in that classification.
  2. Society today sets the bar high for young people, insisting that they can do anything one sets their minds to do and to be whatever they chose their identity to be. How might we put this bold optimism into the context of what the Gospel says about vocation, ambition, success, and failure.
  3. Riley quickly loses traction as she struggles to keep what the filmmaker and society call the sense of self. How often can a similar confusion be recognized in the life of the growing disciple?
  4. Must one burn bridges, so to speak, when they join a new team? Consider the conundrum of a new believer.
  5. It is not unusual today that a child like Riley is away at a sports camp when she faces this identity crisis. Her parents seem mostly unaware of the internal competition she is facing within her soul. Consider where and how these life lessons best should be learned and interpreted.
  6. Consider if or how the roles of parents have changed in a day of all the school, club, and sports opportunities children enjoy outside of the home? What is missing?
  7. As you continue your journey in life, using the sports metaphor, what is it like to discover that you are not yet fully ready to be in the game? From a Biblical perspective, what should be our response?

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” — Hebrews 5:13-14

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. . . . Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” — Philippians 2:3-4, 12b-13.

Respondent: Dr. Denise Patrick

Dr. Patrick is a seasoned expert with over 30 years of experience in business and academia, specializing in executive coaching, leadership development, and change management. Her consulting work spans Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, small businesses, and government agencies. Dr. Patrick is passionate about helping leaders refine their communication and interpersonal skills to achieve transformative growth.
Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin, teaching in the Moody College of Communication. She also holds a faculty position at Baruch College, City University of New York, where she has taught in the Executive MBA and MPA programs. Dr. Patrick is deeply committed to empowering leaders to create meaningful connections and lasting impact. (Read more about Dr. Patrick.)

May 4

From IMDb: “A Texas baseball coach makes the major league after agreeing to try out if his high school team made the playoffs.”
On a conventional level, this inspiring movie should be familiar in many ways, not only in the locations where it was filmed, but also in the relatable story of a husband who tries to fulfill all his life’s callings and duties at once—in a new career, as a husband, and also as a son and father.
The story is also a notable exploration of the expectations fathers have of their sons (or parents of their children) as well as the bold faith the son has in the father (the child in the parent).
On a less conventional level, sports movies often remind us of the obstacles one must overcome to, so to speak, make it to the big leagues. It can also serve as a metaphor for how we gauge our abilities as disciples with the vocational calling to serve in his kingdom. Are we ever ready? Conversely, are we ever past our prime? Are we blessed by what it takes?

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. Are we ever ready to fulfill a calling from God? Or our we content to stay in the minor leagues? And how will we handle it if we blow it? What if we suffer an injury?
  2. Morris became a major league player in an unconventional way. How might God be leading you toward something in a less than conventional way?
  3. If your career and life are following a Plan B path, what was your Plan A? How was God’s hand evident in that change?
  4. How can one perform our multiple calling at the same time in different arenas? What must we give up, and to what must be held tightly? Where has this stress caused a break in your life?
  5. The role of the relief pitcher is to come into the game and hold the lead, often with runners already on base threatening to steal the win. Consider how often you have been confronted with a seemingly impossible task, one that you were unsure of how it would work out. What do you do in those threatening moments?
  6. Consider Jimmy’s students, his son Hunter, and for Lorri, his wife. What life lessons do they take away from his success? Likewise, what is your take—how do you benefit from the rookie’s story?
  7. The Catholic Church recognizes four patron saints for impossible causes. In what impossible causes do you still maintain hope? How should one pray for such things?

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” — Hebrews 12:1-2a

Respondent: Scott Linebrink

Scott Linebrink is a former major league pitcher, having played for 15 seasons with teams like the Astros, White Sox, and San Diego Padres. Recently, he has served as Brand Ambassador for Water Mission, a faith-based organization providing clean water resources globally for communities in need. He is continually active promoting Christian living among current and retired professional althletes.

DISCLAIMER: MOVIES SELECTED MAY CONTAIN ROUGH LANGUAGE AND DEPICT SEXUAL SITUATIONS.

Series Curator

The Faith and Film Series is led by Dr. Philip J. Hohle, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television-Film from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. from Regent University in Communication Studies. A member of the Society for the Cognitive Study of the Moving Image, he has presented how audiences interpret the movies they watch in the U.S., Finland, and Spain. He has also published two books and several articles on viewer response theory. Currently, he teaches at The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Southeastern University.

Faith and Film Logo

From IMDb: “A sequel that features Riley entering puberty and experiencing brand new, more complex emotions as a result. As Riley tries to adapt to her teenage years, her old emotions try to adapt to the possibility of being replaced.”
Like the first Inside Out story, the sequel explores the sense of belonging and self-identity in a young person—a story made relevant and poignant in light of the trends in society today.
This new story addresses a new phase in Riley’s life; she has grown into puberty. Very few movies satisfactorily deal with this traumatic transition, much less any film that explores the drama from a narrowly Christian perspective. Even scripture seems to be relatively silent on the topic—there is not much help for the young person trying to make sense of their suddenly changed world. Or is there?
Inside Out 2 is more than just a movie for a young person. On a less conventional level, it is for the new or immature Christian who must deal with unexpected changes and unfamiliar feelings standing in their way as they embark on their journey of faith.

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. This movie could belong to the genre we might call, Adolescent Girl Stories Full of Complex Interpersonal Drama and Conflict. Consider how this one might fit that genre and how it may be different from others in that classification.
  2. Society today sets the bar high for young people, insisting that they can do anything one sets their minds to do and to be whatever they chose their identity to be. How might we put this bold optimism into the context of what the Gospel says about vocation, ambition, success, and failure.
  3. Riley quickly loses traction as she struggles to keep what the filmmaker and society call the sense of self. How often can a similar confusion be recognized in the life of the growing disciple?
  4. Must one burn bridges, so to speak, when they join a new team? Consider the conundrum of a new believer.
  5. It is not unusual today that a child like Riley is away at a sports camp when she faces this identity crisis. Her parents seem mostly unaware of the internal competition she is facing within her soul. Consider where and how these life lessons best should be learned and interpreted.
  6. Consider if or how the roles of parents have changed in a day of all the school, club, and sports opportunities children enjoy outside of the home? What is missing?
  7. As you continue your journey in life, using the sports metaphor, what is it like to discover that you are not yet fully ready to be in the game? From a Biblical perspective, what should be our response?

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” — Hebrews 5:13-14

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. . . . Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” — Philippians 2:3-4, 12b-13.

Respondent: Dr. Denise Patrick

Dr. Patrick is a seasoned expert with over 30 years of experience in business and academia, specializing in executive coaching, leadership development, and change management. Her consulting work spans Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, small businesses, and government agencies. Dr. Patrick is passionate about helping leaders refine their communication and interpersonal skills to achieve transformative growth.
Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin, teaching in the Moody College of Communication. She also holds a faculty position at Baruch College, City University of New York, where she has taught in the Executive MBA and MPA programs. Dr. Patrick is deeply committed to empowering leaders to create meaningful connections and lasting impact. (Read more about Dr. Patrick.)

May 4

From IMDb: “A Texas baseball coach makes the major league after agreeing to try out if his high school team made the playoffs.”
On a conventional level, this inspiring movie should be familiar in many ways, not only in the locations where it was filmed, but also in the relatable story of a husband who tries to fulfill all his life’s callings and duties at once—in a new career, as a husband, and also as a son and father.
The story is also a notable exploration of the expectations fathers have of their sons (or parents of their children) as well as the bold faith the son has in the father (the child in the parent).
On a less conventional level, sports movies often remind us of the obstacles one must overcome to, so to speak, make it to the big leagues. It can also serve as a metaphor for how we gauge our abilities as disciples with the vocational calling to serve in his kingdom. Are we ever ready? Conversely, are we ever past our prime? Are we blessed by what it takes?

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. Are we ever ready to fulfill a calling from God? Or our we content to stay in the minor leagues? And how will we handle it if we blow it? What if we suffer an injury?
  2. Morris became a major league player in an unconventional way. How might God be leading you toward something in a less than conventional way?
  3. If your career and life are following a Plan B path, what was your Plan A? How was God’s hand evident in that change?
  4. How can one perform our multiple calling at the same time in different arenas? What must we give up, and to what must be held tightly? Where has this stress caused a break in your life?
  5. The role of the relief pitcher is to come into the game and hold the lead, often with runners already on base threatening to steal the win. Consider how often you have been confronted with a seemingly impossible task, one that you were unsure of how it would work out. What do you do in those threatening moments?
  6. Consider Jimmy’s students, his son Hunter, and for Lorri, his wife. What life lessons do they take away from his success? Likewise, what is your take—how do you benefit from the rookie’s story?
  7. The Catholic Church recognizes four patron saints for impossible causes. In what impossible causes do you still maintain hope? How should one pray for such things?

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” — Hebrews 12:1-2a

Respondent: Scott Linebrink

Scott Linebrink is a former major league pitcher, having played for 15 seasons with teams like the Astros, White Sox, and San Diego Padres. Recently, he has served as Brand Ambassador for Water Mission, a faith-based organization providing clean water resources globally for communities in need. He is continually active promoting Christian living among current and retired professional althletes.

DISCLAIMER: MOVIES SELECTED MAY CONTAIN ROUGH LANGUAGE AND DEPICT SEXUAL SITUATIONS.

Series Curator

The Faith and Film Series is led by Dr. Philip J. Hohle, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television-Film from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. from Regent University in Communication Studies. A member of the Society for the Cognitive Study of the Moving Image, he has presented how audiences interpret the movies they watch in the U.S., Finland, and Spain. He has also published two books and several articles on viewer response theory. Currently, he teaches at The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Southeastern University.

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From IMDb: “When an 8-year-old girl disappears on Caddo Lake, a series of past deaths and disappearances begin to link together, altering a broken family’s history.”
Mysteries are certainly one of the most popular movie genres. It challenges the viewer to think outside the box and to open the mind to the impossible and unthinkable. Caddo Lake is such a mystery—challenging the viewer to consider time travel, which requires a mental reordering of the events in the film. Solving or accepting the mystery will lead to a more profound understanding of the relationships among the characters.
The Bible often reveals a preconfigured Christ. In addition, we can read about the re-appearing of the previously ascended Christ to Saul on the road to Damascus. Imagine how Peter, James, and John struggled in their unimaginable encounter with Moses and Elijah on the mount of Transfiguration. How was it possible for them to appear now? What did their appearance in the present do to recast past events and store insight into events yet to come? How might it have changed their relationship with Jesus?
On a less conventional level, Caddo Lake challenges the viewer to travel back and forth in cinematic time. Can the mysteries of the present help the Christian better understand the past and project themselves into the future? Can past events help interpret or even determine what happens today and tomorrow? How will our knowledge of what is to come help reimagine our lives for the present?

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises (possible spoilers):

  1. M. Knight Shyamalan is known for the award-winning movies Signs, The Sixth Sense, and The Village. What thematic thread is common among these three (and perhaps his less known works)?
  2. Consider why the mystery in this movie manifests itself when the water in the lake is low. How might this serve as a metaphor for life?
  3. Re-examine those events in scripture where God manipulates time. What conclusions can you make about God’s use of His supernatural power to control time?
  4. In this movie, one character travels across time and ends up saving another character’s life. How is this reminiscent of Christ’s mission on earth?
  5. Consider how coming to a new understanding of past events can help one interpret or even determine what happens today and tomorrow. How is hope carried on the wings of time?
  6. Mainstream Christianity does not recognize reincarnation in God’s creation. As a metaphor, however, the idea still has some appeal. What note would you write to yourself in the future? Or, write to yourself in the past?

“This is what the Lord says, ‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.’” — Isaiah 43:16,18-19

Click here to read some spoilers—some clues to help unravel this movie mystery.

Respondent: Dr. Jacob Youmans

Dr. Youmans has served as the Director of the DCE (Director of Christian Education) program at Concordia University Texas, since 2009. Prior to that, he served as a Youth and Family Minister in Hawaii and California.
He has authored four books, including Talking Pictures, which demonstrates how one can use movies to teach the faith to teenagers. He also was a contributor to Movies From the Mountaintop, an anthology on faith and films that also featured insights from Rob Lowe and Mark Wahlberg.

April 6

From IMDb: “A sequel that features Riley entering puberty and experiencing brand new, more complex emotions as a result. As Riley tries to adapt to her teenage years, her old emotions try to adapt to the possibility of being replaced.”
Like the first Inside Out story, the sequel explores the sense of belonging and self-identity in a young person—a story made relevant and poignant in light of the trends in society today.
This new story addresses a new phase in Riley’s life; she has grown into puberty. Very few movies satisfactorily deal with this traumatic transition, much less any film that explores the drama from a narrowly Christian perspective. Even scripture seems to be relatively silent on the topic—there is not much help for the young person trying to make sense of their suddenly changed world. Or is there?
Inside Out 2 is more than just a movie for a young person. On a less conventional level, it is for the new or immature Christian who must deal with unexpected changes and unfamiliar feelings standing in their way as they embark on their journey of faith.

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. This movie could belong to the genre we might call, Adolescent Girl Stories Full of Complex Interpersonal Drama and Conflict. Consider how this one might fit that genre and how it may be different from others in that classification.
  2. Society today sets the bar high for young people, insisting that they can do anything one sets their minds to do and to be whatever they chose their identity to be. How might we put this bold optimism into the context of what the Gospel says about vocation, ambition, success, and failure.
  3. Riley quickly loses traction as she struggles to keep what the filmmaker and society call the sense of self. How often can a similar confusion be recognized in the life of the growing disciple?
  4. Must one burn bridges, so to speak, when they join a new team? Consider the conundrum of a new believer.
  5. It is not unusual today that a child like Riley is away at a sports camp when she faces this identity crisis. Her parents seem mostly unaware of the internal competition she is facing within her soul. Consider where and how these life lessons best should be learned and interpreted.
  6. Consider if or how the roles of parents have changed in a day of all the school, club, and sports opportunities children enjoy outside of the home? What is missing?
  7. As you continue your journey in life, using the sports metaphor, what is it like to discover that you are not yet fully ready to be in the game? From a Biblical perspective, what should be our response?

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” — Hebrews 5:13-14

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. . . . Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” — Philippians 2:3-4, 12b-13.

Respondent: Dr. Denise Patrick

Dr. Patrick is a seasoned expert with over 30 years of experience in business and academia, specializing in executive coaching, leadership development, and change management. Her consulting work spans Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, small businesses, and government agencies. Dr. Patrick is passionate about helping leaders refine their communication and interpersonal skills to achieve transformative growth.
Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin, teaching in the Moody College of Communication. She also holds a faculty position at Baruch College, City University of New York, where she has taught in the Executive MBA and MPA programs. Dr. Patrick is deeply committed to empowering leaders to create meaningful connections and lasting impact. (Read more about Dr. Patrick.)

May 4

From IMDb: “A Texas baseball coach makes the major league after agreeing to try out if his high school team made the playoffs.”
On a conventional level, this inspiring movie should be familiar in many ways, not only in the locations where it was filmed, but also in the relatable story of a husband who tries to fulfill all his life’s callings and duties at once—in a new career, as a husband, and also as a son and father.
The story is also a notable exploration of the expectations fathers have of their sons (or parents of their children) as well as the bold faith the son has in the father (the child in the parent).
On a less conventional level, sports movies often remind us of the obstacles one must overcome to, so to speak, make it to the big leagues. It can also serve as a metaphor for how we gauge our abilities as disciples with the vocational calling to serve in his kingdom. Are we ever ready? Conversely, are we ever past our prime? Are we blessed by what it takes?

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. Are we ever ready to fulfill a calling from God? Or our we content to stay in the minor leagues? And how will we handle it if we blow it? What if we suffer an injury?
  2. Morris became a major league player in an unconventional way. How might God be leading you toward something in a less than conventional way?
  3. If your career and life are following a Plan B path, what was your Plan A? How was God’s hand evident in that change?
  4. How can one perform our multiple calling at the same time in different arenas? What must we give up, and to what must be held tightly? Where has this stress caused a break in your life?
  5. The role of the relief pitcher is to come into the game and hold the lead, often with runners already on base threatening to steal the win. Consider how often you have been confronted with a seemingly impossible task, one that you were unsure of how it would work out. What do you do in those threatening moments?
  6. Consider Jimmy’s students, his son Hunter, and for Lorri, his wife. What life lessons do they take away from his success? Likewise, what is your take—how do you benefit from the rookie’s story?
  7. The Catholic Church recognizes four patron saints for impossible causes. In what impossible causes do you still maintain hope? How should one pray for such things?

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” — Hebrews 12:1-2a

Respondent: Scott Linebrink

Scott Linebrink is a former major league pitcher, having played for 15 seasons with teams like the Astros, White Sox, and San Diego Padres. Recently, he has served as Brand Ambassador for Water Mission, a faith-based organization providing clean water resources globally for communities in need. He is continually active promoting Christian living among current and retired professional althletes.

DISCLAIMER: MOVIES SELECTED MAY CONTAIN ROUGH LANGUAGE AND DEPICT SEXUAL SITUATIONS.

Series Curator

The Faith and Film Series is led by Dr. Philip J. Hohle, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television-Film from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. from Regent University in Communication Studies. A member of the Society for the Cognitive Study of the Moving Image, he has presented how audiences interpret the movies they watch in the U.S., Finland, and Spain. He has also published two books and several articles on viewer response theory. Currently, he teaches at The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Southeastern University.

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From IMDb: “Fake faith healer Jonas Nightingale is stranded in a small town where he finds he can’t fool all of the people all of the time.”
This film is in the sub-genre of movies directly about religion or the church. In movies like this, the filmmaker makes direct assertions about Christians and their behaviors as a church. In many of these films, the propositions of the filmmaker are not so kind to Christianity.
In other films, the filmmaker’s assumptions on the surface may seem to be spot-on, but only in a less conventional examination can subtle but deviating assertions about faith and Christianity be recognized.
Unfortunately, not all of what we call “Christian movies” are exempt from theological imperfection—perhaps made more insidious for us when our guard is down. Sometimes, it is better to watch a raw story of flawed sinners who stumble upon grace rather than a squeaky-clean “Christian” movie and give a pass to the inferior Gospel it promotes.
No doubt, Leap of Faith is a movie made for audiences with a broad range of religious views. It advances the audacious proposal that sinners, rather than the pious, are better at saving sinners.

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. Do the sins of the preacher, one who is simultaneous saint and sinner, somehow disqualify the Gospel they preach? Must all ministers of the Gospel be perfect?
  2. How must one live to be considered a genuine Christian, not found to be an imposter in the eyes of our family, friends, and neighbors?
  3. Think about the various spiritual and religious influencers on television and on social media. Are their follower’s spirits lifted by their entertaining and engaging presentations or do they ultimately suffer harm from them?
  4. How is the traveling evangelist redeemed in this movie? Who redeems him?
  5. In John 5:6, Jesus asks the helpless paralytic, “Do you want to be healed?” Consider if this question was necessary. Does faith play a role in health and healing?
  6. Should the Christian trust present day faith healers? Similarly, must the patient believe in medical science for it to work its magic?
  7. In John 4:48, Jesus speaks with an air of disappointment when he complains, “Unless you people see signs and wonders . . . you will never believe.” Must we be made well before we believe? Further, is sound physical health the same goal as wellness or wholeness?

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” — 1 Timothy 1:15b

“We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way . . . in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors.” 2 Cor. 6:3-4a,7-8.

Respondent: Rev. Dr. David Kluth

Dr. Kluth will be responding for the third straight season. Previously, he helped unpack Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Breakfast Club.
Kluth has a degree in Communication and has been a professor and administrator at several universities. Currently, he is known as a popular Bible class leader at Zion Lutheran. He earned a Master of Arts in Mass Communication/Media Studies from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary St. Louis, and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in instructional technology & design from Nova Southeastern University.

March 2

A Mystery:  Caddo Lake (2024)

From IMDb: “When an 8-year-old girl disappears on Caddo Lake, a series of past deaths and disappearances begin to link together, altering a broken family’s history.”
Mysteries are certainly one of the most popular movie genres. It challenges the viewer to think outside the box and to open the mind to the impossible and unthinkable. Caddo Lake is such a mystery—challenging the viewer to consider time travel, which requires a mental reordering of the events in the film. Solving or accepting the mystery will lead to a more profound understanding of the relationships among the characters.
The Bible often reveals a preconfigured Christ. In addition, we can read about the re-appearing of the previously ascended Christ to Saul on the road to Damascus. Imagine how Peter, James, and John struggled in their unimaginable encounter with Moses and Elijah on the mount of Transfiguration. How was it possible for them to appear now? What did their appearance in the present do to recast past events and store insight into events yet to come? How might it have changed their relationship with Jesus?
On a less conventional level, Caddo Lake challenges the viewer to travel back and forth in cinematic time. Can the mysteries of the present help the Christian better understand the past and project themselves into the future? Can past events help interpret or even determine what happens today and tomorrow? How will our knowledge of what is to come help reimagine our lives for the present?

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises (possible spoilers):

  1. M. Knight Shyamalan is known for the award-winning movies Signs, The Sixth Sense, and The Village. What thematic thread is common among these three (and perhaps his less known works)?
  2. Consider why the mystery in this movie manifests itself when the water in the lake is low. How might this serve as a metaphor for life?
  3. Re-examine those events in scripture where God manipulates time. What conclusions can you make about God’s use of His supernatural power to control time?
  4. In this movie, one character travels across time and ends up saving another character’s life. How is this reminiscent of Christ’s mission on earth?
  5. Consider how coming to a new understanding of past events can help one interpret or even determine what happens today and tomorrow. How is hope carried on the wings of time?
  6. Mainstream Christianity does not recognize reincarnation in God’s creation. As a metaphor, however, the idea still has some appeal. What note would you write to yourself in the future? Or, write to yourself in the past?

“This is what the Lord says, ‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.’” — Isaiah 43:16,18-19

Click here to read some spoilers—some clues to help unravel this movie mystery.

Respondent: Dr. Jacob Youmans

Dr. Youmans has served as the Director of the DCE (Director of Christian Education) program at Concordia University Texas, since 2009. Prior to that, he served as a Youth and Family Minister in Hawaii and California.
He has authored four books, including Talking Pictures, which demonstrates how one can use movies to teach the faith to teenagers. He also was a contributor to Movies From the Mountaintop, an anthology on faith and films that also featured insights from Rob Lowe and Mark Wahlberg.

April 6

From IMDb: “A sequel that features Riley entering puberty and experiencing brand new, more complex emotions as a result. As Riley tries to adapt to her teenage years, her old emotions try to adapt to the possibility of being replaced.”
Like the first Inside Out story, the sequel explores the sense of belonging and self-identity in a young person—a story made relevant and poignant in light of the trends in society today.
This new story addresses a new phase in Riley’s life; she has grown into puberty. Very few movies satisfactorily deal with this traumatic transition, much less any film that explores the drama from a narrowly Christian perspective. Even scripture seems to be relatively silent on the topic—there is not much help for the young person trying to make sense of their suddenly changed world. Or is there?
Inside Out 2 is more than just a movie for a young person. On a less conventional level, it is for the new or immature Christian who must deal with unexpected changes and unfamiliar feelings standing in their way as they embark on their journey of faith.

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. This movie could belong to the genre we might call, Adolescent Girl Stories Full of Complex Interpersonal Drama and Conflict. Consider how this one might fit that genre and how it may be different from others in that classification.
  2. Society today sets the bar high for young people, insisting that they can do anything one sets their minds to do and to be whatever they chose their identity to be. How might we put this bold optimism into the context of what the Gospel says about vocation, ambition, success, and failure.
  3. Riley quickly loses traction as she struggles to keep what the filmmaker and society call the sense of self. How often can a similar confusion be recognized in the life of the growing disciple?
  4. Must one burn bridges, so to speak, when they join a new team? Consider the conundrum of a new believer.
  5. It is not unusual today that a child like Riley is away at a sports camp when she faces this identity crisis. Her parents seem mostly unaware of the internal competition she is facing within her soul. Consider where and how these life lessons best should be learned and interpreted.
  6. Consider if or how the roles of parents have changed in a day of all the school, club, and sports opportunities children enjoy outside of the home? What is missing?
  7. As you continue your journey in life, using the sports metaphor, what is it like to discover that you are not yet fully ready to be in the game? From a Biblical perspective, what should be our response?

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” — Hebrews 5:13-14

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. . . . Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” — Philippians 2:3-4, 12b-13.

Respondent: Dr. Denise Patrick

Dr. Patrick is a seasoned expert with over 30 years of experience in business and academia, specializing in executive coaching, leadership development, and change management. Her consulting work spans Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, small businesses, and government agencies. Dr. Patrick is passionate about helping leaders refine their communication and interpersonal skills to achieve transformative growth.
Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin, teaching in the Moody College of Communication. She also holds a faculty position at Baruch College, City University of New York, where she has taught in the Executive MBA and MPA programs. Dr. Patrick is deeply committed to empowering leaders to create meaningful connections and lasting impact. (Read more about Dr. Patrick.)

May 4

From IMDb: “A Texas baseball coach makes the major league after agreeing to try out if his high school team made the playoffs.”
On a conventional level, this inspiring movie should be familiar in many ways, not only in the locations where it was filmed, but also in the relatable story of a husband who tries to fulfill all his life’s callings and duties at once—in a new career, as a husband, and also as a son and father.
The story is also a notable exploration of the expectations fathers have of their sons (or parents of their children) as well as the bold faith the son has in the father (the child in the parent).
On a less conventional level, sports movies often remind us of the obstacles one must overcome to, so to speak, make it to the big leagues. It can also serve as a metaphor for how we gauge our abilities as disciples with the vocational calling to serve in his kingdom. Are we ever ready? Conversely, are we ever past our prime? Are we blessed by what it takes?

Diving deep, this movie challenges us with the questions it raises:

  1. Are we ever ready to fulfill a calling from God? Or our we content to stay in the minor leagues? And how will we handle it if we blow it? What if we suffer an injury?
  2. Morris became a major league player in an unconventional way. How might God be leading you toward something in a less than conventional way?
  3. If your career and life are following a Plan B path, what was your Plan A? How was God’s hand evident in that change?
  4. How can one perform our multiple calling at the same time in different arenas? What must we give up, and to what must be held tightly? Where has this stress caused a break in your life?
  5. The role of the relief pitcher is to come into the game and hold the lead, often with runners already on base threatening to steal the win. Consider how often you have been confronted with a seemingly impossible task, one that you were unsure of how it would work out. What do you do in those threatening moments?
  6. Consider Jimmy’s students, his son Hunter, and for Lorri, his wife. What life lessons do they take away from his success? Likewise, what is your take—how do you benefit from the rookie’s story?
  7. The Catholic Church recognizes four patron saints for impossible causes. In what impossible causes do you still maintain hope? How should one pray for such things?

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” — Hebrews 12:1-2a

Respondent: Scott Linebrink

Scott Linebrink is a former major league pitcher, having played for 15 seasons with teams like the Astros, White Sox, and San Diego Padres. Recently, he has served as Brand Ambassador for Water Mission, a faith-based organization providing clean water resources globally for communities in need. He is continually active promoting Christian living among current and retired professional althletes.

DISCLAIMER: MOVIES SELECTED MAY CONTAIN ROUGH LANGUAGE AND DEPICT SEXUAL SITUATIONS.

Series Curator

The Faith and Film Series is led by Dr. Philip J. Hohle, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television-Film from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. from Regent University in Communication Studies. A member of the Society for the Cognitive Study of the Moving Image, he has presented how audiences interpret the movies they watch in the U.S., Finland, and Spain. He has also published two books and several articles on viewer response theory. Currently, he teaches at The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Southeastern University.

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Film Series, Miscellaneous

Faith and Film at Film Alley (Informal Class for the Community)

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Faith and Film Moving to Film Alley

After three seasons in 2024 and 2025,  Faith and Film is moving to Film Alley, formerly known as City Lights, 420 Wolf Ranch Parkway, 
Georgetown, TX 78628.Faith and Film Dive In theater logo

Film Alley is not a drive in theater, but this series makes it a dive-in theater, as participants will explore underlying morals and religious worldviews often disguised in great films. These classes equip Viewer-Critics to recognize and respond to the competing ideologies promoted within popular culture. 

Watch the short promotional video here.

Another change is that the series is becoming monthly instead of weekly. The 2025 spring series is scheduled for February 2, March 2, April 6, and May 4. Tentatively, a fall series will be scheduled for September 7, October 5, November 2, and December 7. 

Continue reading Faith and Film at Film Alley (Informal Class for the Community) →

Film Series, Miscellaneous

FAQs About Faith and Film at Film Alley

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Frequently Asked Questions

 

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Q: How is this an ESL class?

A: You may see a church from time to time offering a conversational English class for immigrants—English as a second language—to help them become more fluent in English. Essentially, the Faith and Film classes are entertainment as a second language—helping improve the media literacy and fluency of anyone who watches movies. Zion Lutheran Church and School of Walburg has contracted with Parabolic Media to curate a series of classes for anyone interested in registering.

Q: Why not call it Christianity and Film?

A: While this series will certainly be filtered through the lens of Christianity, alternative faiths and worldviews are the foundation of many good movies—even some that are labeled as Christian movies. In fact, virtually all movies promote the filmmaker’s values and beliefs.

Q: Why should I improve my media literacy?

A: Dr. Robert Johnson (Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Seminary) has stated that the cinema’s storytellers have become the new priests of our culture. As such, the movie theater has become another great competitor for the church because great movies inspire (or disturb) people in profound ways. “Consciously or unconsciously, all filmmakers have an ethical purpose in their work. All movies have a moral. In both obvious and subtle ways, filmmakers infuse their worldview into the story. If you think about it, the movie is the filmmaker’s prayer.” (quoted from the series’ curriculum, The Filmmaker’s Prayer).

Q: What if I am not a Christian?

A: Our primary aim is to uncover and compare the beliefs promoted in the movie to a mainstream Christian worldview. Admittedly, our discussion leaders will likely interpret the film through a lens compatible with relatively conservative Lutheran theology. However, people of all faiths and religions are invited and encouraged to share their insights. There will be no judgment.

Q: Where and when will the classes be held?

A: Responding to this need in our community, Parabolic Media has made arrangements with Film Alley on Wolf Ranch Parkway in Georgetown to use the theater as a suitable classroom. This enables us to examine films in their most natural and powerful state. Unlike a movie you merely watch for entertainment, we include a discussion—a careful examination and reflection after the screening that will help us all understand the shared experience.

The spring 2025 classes are scheduled for the first Sundays in February, March, April, and May, starting at 5:30 p.m. and ending sometime around 8:30 p.m. (depending on the length of the film).

    Q: What movies will you examine?

    A: Movies are carefully selected for this course.

    Spring Dates, Movies, and Respondents

    February 2 — A classic movie with Rev. Dr. David Kluth
    March 2 — A movie mystery with Dr. Jacob Youmans
    April 6 — A timely movie with Dr. Denise Patrick
    May 4 — A popular movie with Scott Linebrink

    Participants will receive a study guide for each film to guide them through both the obvious and subtle religious themes and faith expressions that can be recognized in the movie. Check back soon for study guides for the films selected for spring 2025.

    Q: Will you examine R-rated films?

    A: Our approach is not to ask if we should show films like these but to ask if these more difficult scenes and themes somehow make the film exempt from critical examination. We find that many R-rated films need close scholarly, theological, and philosophical analysis. However, if you normally avoid such films, you can simply skip the class that session. Or, like the scientist, don goggles, gloves, and a lab coat when examining such artifacts.

    Q: How does the informal class differ from a traditional college class?

    A: Like a college class, a curriculum is provided to assist learning. Far beyond a simple appreciation for a film’s aesthetics, participants will fully examine their personal and societal responses to the worldviews promoted in popular movies. Learners will be equipped and inspired to identify, interpret, and respond to these cultural artifacts.

    Q: Will I have homework if I attend the informal class?

    A: No. We only suggest that you become at least marginally familiar with the curriculum material provided (a digital copy of a book). In our discussion, you can add your voice to the mix or just silently enjoy the conversation.

    Q: Do I get academic credit?

    A: The class is for your own edification. However, those who attend all eight classes planned for 2025 will be eligible to receive a certificate of completion upon request.

    Q: What is the cost of the course?

    A: We do not sell tickets as an entertainment venue would, but there is a modest fee to help cover the costs of the curriculum and rental expenses. 

    • Spring Series, Single Participant (up to four nights): $15
    • Spring Series, Group—up to Four People (up to four nights): $25

    The fee structure is set up to encourage attendance at the entire series and to bring family, friends, and neighbors. We also encourage patrons to consider a modest gift to help sustain and grow the series.

    REGISTER HERE

    Q: May I bring someone with me?

    A: We highly encourage everyone to invite other learners to spread media literacy in our community. Consider inviting friends from Bible studies, home groups, friends from work, or family members. Again, we must have an RSVP accounting for all attendees so we can make sure seats are available. All participants will receive a digital copy of the curriculum.

    Registered participants (including group organizers) can RSVP here, including the selection of reserved seats.

    Q: Who and what are Movie Missionaries?

    A: Our goal is to make literate viewer-critics who can put the story in proper perspective and help others do the same. The class is necessary because most viewers can only unconsciously process the messages filmmakers embed in their stories.

    We are recruiting people who have a passion for helping their friends, family members, and neighbors grow in their literacy. Even like active Christians from time to time, the unchurched and de-churched may also struggle to find their purpose in life. For many of us, bringing our guests to the theater will prove easier than persuading them to attend church on Sunday. These movie missionaries will literally be taking the Gospel to the public square. 

    Do you know anyone who would rather talk about movies that spiritual matters? Watch this humorous video.

    Q: What or who is Parabolic Media?

    A: Dr. Philip Hohle of Parabolic Media is a trained scholar in the study of how people interpret movies. He has published and presented on this topic through the International Society for the Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image (SCSMI). He also has taught film interpretation and media law at the university level. With the help of other scholars in the area, he hosted the series Cinema and Religion at the Moviehouse & Eatery in Austin for eight years. His book, The Filmmaker’s Prayer, was written to serve as the curriculum for this series.

    Q: What if the weather is bad? What if no seats are left?

    A: Parabolic Media will send announcements to the email address you used in your RSVP if the event is canceled due to weather (or any other reason). Likewise, if RSVPs show that the theater will reach capacity, any additional persons submitting RSVPs will be sent an email informing them that no seats are left.

    Q: How do I contact you?

    A: You are welcome to email Philip Hohle with additional questions anytime: philip@parabolicmedia.com