The movie Noah starring Russell Crowe is starting to attract a lot of attention with its upcoming release date later this month. Many are concerned about the details of the movie on how it will tell the story from Genesis. A decision was made to make it clear to movie goers that Noah will not be a “line-by-line retelling” of the story by adding “The film is inspired by the story of Noah” to marketing materials.
“The move follows an appeal by Jerry A. Johnson, president and CEO of NRB, to help audiences better understand that the feature film is a dramatization of the major scriptural themes and not a line-by-line retelling of the Bible story.”[i]
“Many people will go to this film and enjoy it,” expressed Dr. Johnson, who holds a Ph.D. in Christian ethics from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and has taught a cinematic theology course at the undergraduate level in college, as well as a course on the theology of movies and visual media at the graduate level in seminary. “Christians should be ready to engage with them about the main biblical themes that are portrayed in the film, namely sin, judgment and salvation.”[ii]
However, the movie is said to have an evolutionary and environmental message “which Aronofsky freely admits is a “big theme” in the film, is even taken to the extreme, when Noah later decides to kill his own grandchildren so the earth won’t again be poisoned by humanity’s carelessness.” [iii]
Brian Godawa describes “The movie script for ‘Noah’ is deeply anti-biblical in its moral vision,”[iv]
It should go without saying the in this case The Book will be better than the movie.
[i] https://www.charismanews.com/culture/42970-amid-criticism-for-retelling-bible-christian-leaders-endorse-noah
[ii] https://www.charismanews.com/culture/42970-amid-criticism-for-retelling-bible-christian-leaders-endorse-noah
