Of Gods and Men

I'm fairly certain I've never seen a more Christian, theologically rich, and interfaith sensitive movie, in my entire life. Of Gods and Men is wonderful from beginning to end. The opening scenes illustrate well the rhythm of life and work of a monastic community. What adds depth is the monks caring engagement with the impoverished Algerian Muslim neighbors they live next to. Slowly, the movie develops the drama of the tragedy that happened in Algeria in the mid-90s, the increasing ethnic and religious tension.

Also of note is the way in which the monastic community embodies the life of Christ, not individually, but corporately. It's as if the whole movie were a reenactment of the life of Christ, but instead of one person playing the role of Christ, the whole community is Christ, together. And although the movie is a drama, it is also based on a true story, and all the more powerful for that reason.

I plan to host a viewing and discussion of the movie late this summer at church. It is worth repeated viewings, and deep discussion.