by Jason Joyner | Oct 17, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, fiction, heroes, writing craft
I’ve posted about the need for heroes and their popularity in storytelling before. I’m glad I’m in good company. Barbara Nicolosi is a script writer and consultant in Hollywood who is on the forefront of faith and creativity in cinema. She is a strong Christian voice that has some clout in her field.
She gave a lecture to the San Diego Christian Writers Guild at the first of October. She posted the notes from her speech on her blog. She states that it isn’t the same as being there for the talk, but the outline is pretty spectacular in its own right. I recommend checking this link out for anyone interested in writing.
One passage that really caught my eye was this:
i) There is a positive side to Holywood’s desire to create heroes with a dark side. It is coming from a rejection of melodrama and sentimentalism. SENTIMENTALISM IS THE PROBLEM FOR US CHRISTIANS. We want to show that God is basically in charge of the world so everything is really okay. We want to give God the benefit of the doubt.
j) Facing the Giants is anti-heroic because it costs the hero nothing. The Christianity depicted in the movie is a rejection of the cross and presents a fantasy religion in which believing in Jesus means no suffering. “Give me some of that Jesus stuff!” The truth is Christianity promises that we will suffer without despair…and probably we will suffer more than others!
k) Flannery: “Sentimentalism is the one inexcusable defect for the Christian storyteller because it is an overemphasis on innocence.” We know that there must always be original sin in the story. No human person is perfect and immune from temptation.
Note those points are outline notes. I sure wish I could have heard the further discussion of those points!
Hat tip to Tom Neven via The Point
by Jason Joyner | Oct 17, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, fiction, heroes, writing craft
I’ve posted about the need for heroes and their popularity in storytelling before. I’m glad I’m in good company. Barbara Nicolosi is a script writer and consultant in Hollywood who is on the forefront of faith and creativity in cinema. She is a strong Christian voice that has some clout in her field.
She gave a lecture to the San Diego Christian Writers Guild at the first of October. She posted the notes from her speech on her blog. She states that it isn’t the same as being there for the talk, but the outline is pretty spectacular in its own right. I recommend checking this link out for anyone interested in writing.
One passage that really caught my eye was this:
i) There is a positive side to Holywood’s desire to create heroes with a dark side. It is coming from a rejection of melodrama and sentimentalism. SENTIMENTALISM IS THE PROBLEM FOR US CHRISTIANS. We want to show that God is basically in charge of the world so everything is really okay. We want to give God the benefit of the doubt.
j) Facing the Giants is anti-heroic because it costs the hero nothing. The Christianity depicted in the movie is a rejection of the cross and presents a fantasy religion in which believing in Jesus means no suffering. “Give me some of that Jesus stuff!” The truth is Christianity promises that we will suffer without despair…and probably we will suffer more than others!
k) Flannery: “Sentimentalism is the one inexcusable defect for the Christian storyteller because it is an overemphasis on innocence.” We know that there must always be original sin in the story. No human person is perfect and immune from temptation.
Note those points are outline notes. I sure wish I could have heard the further discussion of those points!
Hat tip to Tom Neven via The Point
by Jason Joyner | Oct 11, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, Halo 3, ministry, youth
There has been an interesting discussion going on in the blogosphere due to this article from the New York Times, Thou Shalt Not Kill, Except in a Popular Video Game at Church. It concerns churches/youth leaders using the video game Halo 3 to reach out to kids.
Now’s the time for full disclosure – I play video games. I usually don’t like the first-person shooters (FPS) games, but I do like the Halo series, more for the multiplayer aspect with friends than the main story of the game.
Also, our youth leader does use Halo as one of diverse elements (a la the Spanish Inquisition) to reach out to the kids, it is only a small part of what he does. It is only a tool, but his desire is to pull kids into further discussion on real issues that matter, and disciple them.
I have said my piece already on the comments of these following links. This is an invitation to check out the dialogue and add your thoughts.
Mike Duran tackles it in a post today. He also links to an article entitled “How to Witness Using Halo 2.”
Dick Staub, author of The Culturally Savvy Christian, has perhaps a surprising take on this issue.
The Point, the blog of Breakpoint Ministries, has a plethora of links to explore concerning this. Some veer off into the ideas of masculinity and the church as well. You can find yours truly among the commenters opening my big mouth as usual.
Original post at The Point.
Point 1.
Point 2. (Wherein I quote Optimus Prime)
Point 3.
Point 4.
Point 5.
Point 6.
I’ve got my opinions out there, but I thought I’d collect some places that are discussing it for reference in this discussion.
Updated 10/12/07
by Jason Joyner | Oct 11, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, Halo 3, ministry, youth
There has been an interesting discussion going on in the blogosphere due to this article from the New York Times, Thou Shalt Not Kill, Except in a Popular Video Game at Church. It concerns churches/youth leaders using the video game Halo 3 to reach out to kids.
Now’s the time for full disclosure – I play video games. I usually don’t like the first-person shooters (FPS) games, but I do like the Halo series, more for the multiplayer aspect with friends than the main story of the game.
Also, our youth leader does use Halo as one of diverse elements (a la the Spanish Inquisition) to reach out to the kids, it is only a small part of what he does. It is only a tool, but his desire is to pull kids into further discussion on real issues that matter, and disciple them.
I have said my piece already on the comments of these following links. This is an invitation to check out the dialogue and add your thoughts.
Mike Duran tackles it in a post today. He also links to an article entitled “How to Witness Using Halo 2.”
Dick Staub, author of The Culturally Savvy Christian, has perhaps a surprising take on this issue.
The Point, the blog of Breakpoint Ministries, has a plethora of links to explore concerning this. Some veer off into the ideas of masculinity and the church as well. You can find yours truly among the commenters opening my big mouth as usual.
Original post at The Point.
Point 1.
Point 2. (Wherein I quote Optimus Prime)
Point 3.
Point 4.
Point 5.
Point 6.
I’ve got my opinions out there, but I thought I’d collect some places that are discussing it for reference in this discussion.
Updated 10/12/07
by Jason Joyner | Oct 9, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, fiction, writing craft
Two people I admire very much in blogdom and Christian fiction circles are J. Mark Bertrand and Becky Miller. It is a quality week when the two of them get together to discuss the realities wrestled by those of us attempting to write great Christian fiction.
Check out the great discussion in the posts over 2 days. Don’t forget to check out the comments, where further good dialogue continues, (yes, some of the comments are from me).
Day 1
Day 2
by Jason Joyner | Oct 9, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, fiction, writing craft
Two people I admire very much in blogdom and Christian fiction circles are J. Mark Bertrand and Becky Miller. It is a quality week when the two of them get together to discuss the realities wrestled by those of us attempting to write great Christian fiction.
Check out the great discussion in the posts over 2 days. Don’t forget to check out the comments, where further good dialogue continues, (yes, some of the comments are from me).
Day 1
Day 2
