Jottings on science, religion, technology, pop culture and faith from the Antipodes.

Faith & Religion, Science Fiction

Matrix Revelations

Matrix Revelations coverCame across this today at the Damaris web site while searching for a book on science fiction and faith.

Matrix Revelations: a thinking fan’s guide to the Matrix trilogy.

Seems they have a book which

examines the Matrix phenomenon, with in-depth analysis ranging from the science fiction and comic book influences to the philosophical and religious themes that underpin the films.

I see also they have information about using the Matrix trilogy as a discussion tool for small groups with material you can download (including a sample chapter).

While I think that too many Christians have an uncritical view of the films, seeing all the Judeo-Christian symbolism without the other philosophical and religious themes, there may be something here for them to begin to engage more critcially. It may also open the door to thinking about looking at engaging other films too.

2 Comments

  1. Stephen, I whole-heartedly agree with your last paragraph. We can be an uncritical ‘bunch’ at times. The other tendency is to fail to see what a movie tells us about our culture, whether that “telling” is a critique or an affirmation. My experience is that many people see it only through their Christian lenses, reading far more ‘Christianity’ into it than is actually there, whilst learning nothing about their missional context…the world in which they are church.

    The site looks interesting as does the contents page. I’ll read the sample chapter tonight. Thanks for the link. See you on Saturday / Sunday.

  2. It would be interesting to see if it made the links to “transmedia” storytelling that I blogged a reference to a few months back.

    Saturday seems a long, long way off. Been setting essay questions and class readings today.