Michael Morris @ Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology
This course will survey the treatment and themes of religion in the judeo-christian tradition as portrayed in the history of the cinema, the most popular art form of the 20th century. It is the objective of this class to teach students how heavily the Judeo-Christian tradition informs the art of the cinema, especially in the United States but also in Europe. This class will broaden the scope of what is ordinarily considered “religious cinema” by focusing first on films drawn from the Bible and extending our categories to films depicting the subject matter and people of religion. Finally, the categories of religious film will delve into issues of morality, war and peace, and utopianism. Thus the student, through the means listed below, will be given a comprehensive overview of the history of religious film, and be able to organize and present a film appreciation program for the classroom and/or parish.