S4E21 - War: How Should We Feel About War?

Films have done much to shape how we view war, for good or ill. It was through the medium of film that much of the military propaganda of the 20th century was spread. Even today, we remember past and present wars with films. And there has been a marked shift between depicting the glories of war to depicting its horrors. The individuals portrayed in those films have gone through a shift as well, from the certain warrior to the reluctant fighter.

In our previous series on The Lord of the Rings we talked about the power of narrative in shaping us and in shaping the culture. With war being such an inescapable part of human existence, it is no surprise that narrative has had a role in shaping our ideas of it and those who engage in it. Yet the Bible calls Christians to be peacemakers, a role that seems out of place in many portrayals of war in cinema.

In this episode, we ask: How has the portrayal of war in cinema had a part in how we as a culture feel about war? What does it mean to be a peacemaker? All that and more on this edition of the podcast.