Breaking the Sound Barrier, Breaking Faith: How Some Evangelical Christians Perceive Representations of Christianity in Contemporary Film

Abstract

Overall, the participants' reactions to movies suggest a genre of response that revolves around the practices of spiritual discernment. Whether discerning what type of filmic content is appropriate to view or whether a character in a film is a "true" Christian, the participants' viewing practices are interwoven with their religious practices of spiritual discernment. Explaining a narrative code of conversion and memorizing biblical passages are cultural competencies that are learned through the participants' evangelical social formations. Studying and meditating on the Bible as a daily practice and hearing sermons where the narrative code of conversion is explained each week are activities that prepare the participants to bring these practices to bear---on their own terms---within the realm of reading and reacting to popular culture.