“Hollywood, Teach Us to Pray” – A Documentary

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By Terry Lindvall on September 29, 2023 ,

with Professor and Film Producer Dr. Terry Lindvall

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Hollywood, Teach Us to Pray offers a roller coaster ride through American film history, highlighting the inclusion of prayers in movie narratives, as plot turning points (African Queen), spiritual weapons (Election), cultural markers (It’s a Wonderful Life), dramatic tour de forces (Bad Times at the El Royale), comedy (Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Talladega Nights), westerns (Pale Rider and Rooster Cogburn) and traces of transcendence (Tree of Life). People of all races, genders, ethnic groups, ages, economic status, and spiritual conditions talk, shout, whisper, haggle, cry, sing, and wrestle with God.

In their new documentary, “Hollywood, Teach us to Pray,” Virginia Wesleyan University Professors Terry Lindvall and Stu Minnis combed the last century of Hollywood movies to identify the ones that modeled the holy ritual of prayer on the big screen. Their new film investigates what these prayers are about, what they say about us, and how they may even teach spectators to pray.

It is a film which often leads to good discussions about God, prayer and faith and may be a good film to invite friends to come to who are interested in thinking more deeply about these topics.

Join us to watch this insightful film followed by a Q&A session with Dr. Terry Lindvall.

Watch the trailer and learn more about the film!

Date: Friday, September 29, 2023
Check In: 7:00pm ET in the lobby
Program Start Time: promptly at 7:30pm ET
Location: Angelika Film Center (Mosaic District), 2911 District Ave, Fairfax, VA 22031
* This documentary contains unedited scenes from a wide range of movies and so is geared to a PG-13 audience with some mature themes and language.

Terry Lindvall

Professor Terry Lindvall is the C.S. Lewis Endowed Chair in Communication and Christian Thought, and Professor of Communication at Virginia Wesleyan College. He is known as an engaging, thoughtful and humorous speaker. He is a C.S. Lewis scholar and expert in American film and media, seeking to see how theology and film can intersect. He is the author of several books including, Surprised By Laughter: The Comic World of C.S. Lewis. He has served as a U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain and has taught at Wheaton College, The College of William and Mary, and served as President of Regent University. Lindvall earned his MDiv at Fuller Seminary and PhD at University of Southern California.  

COPYRIGHT: This publication is published by C.S. Lewis Institute; 8001 Braddock Road, Suite 301; Springfield, VA 22151. Portions of the publication may be reproduced for noncommercial, local church or ministry use without prior permission. Electronic copies of the PDF files may be duplicated and transmitted via e-mail for personal and church use. Articles may not be modified without prior written permission of the Institute. For questions, contact the Institute: 703.914.5602 or email us.

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