Revelation of God through Film Theological Aesthetics and Beauty as Transcendental Applied to Films of Terrence Malick and Andrey Zvyagintsev

Abstract

God cannot be viewed and cannot be comprehended, but is there a possibility of God being revealed through a film? There are several ways used by the Church to represent God in worship: worship through singing or music, visual worship through icons, and participation in dramatic performance. In this study, the methodology of finding God in films is suggested and applied to some films. It is based on works on theological aesthetics by John Panteleimon Manoussakis and David Bentley Hart. The films of Terrence Malick and Andrey Zvyagintsev are used as examples. One of the main ideas of this study is related to viewing God through Jesus as God who can be comprehended (in some way) and incorporating Christological reading of reality into film analysis. There is also a strong emphasis on the interpersonal dimension of film experience as theological aesthetic experience.