This week we were provided with seven film clips from popular culture.    We felt it was an intriguing way to gauge how people see the bible and the church.   It’s important for us to look at popular culture because in many ways this is their first and only encounter with God’s Word and scripture.   We also thought that each clip could give ideas on how to use popular culture in teaching to make it more fun and relevant.

We were charged to look at each clip from the view point of assessment this week.   Our discussion was divided clip by clip.    Each clip had different insights and our summary will also break it down by clip.

Clip #1:   This clip was a historical account contrasting history and science with scriptures.    This clip shows explanation from the Rubric for the 6 facets of understanding.  In looking at Jane Vella’s MI List of Verbs, I found the engagement of logical – (reason, compare, contrast,) and Bloom’s table of verbs pointed to Cognitive (solve, analyze, examine, contrast, identify, define, etc).  It seemed like the clip was challenging the Bible.  Words that were chosen illustrate this like ” the Gospels claimed”, “what is being claimed”, and the verb “challenges.”  One challenge from this clip is it seemed prejudicial and painted the Bible as being inaccurate.   The clip seemed to only show one view point and not take into account how the Bible is read today, and whether or not we take historical findings into account.   We also found that despite the difficulties it helped viewers see a different perspective by showing the historical background.   There were also parallels with modern times that may help some get a deeper understanding.

Clip #2:   This clip was a song from Veggie Tales which was a very visual representation including a “flannel graph.”    This showed application from the Rubric of the 6 facets of understanding.   Some of the verbs that describe the clip from Bloom’s list are demonstrate, illustrate and identify.   The telling of the story needed to be from a trusted source and have a sound relationship with the viewer.   One could use it to identify your knowledge of the story.  The facial expressions from Larry the Cucumber where telling like his excitement looking at the other king’s yard, and the sadness and disgust when he found that not only did the other king take the poor man’s sheep – but he was that king.   It seemed that the illustration with the “flannel graph” seemed to help Larry better understand the situation and will help children to better understand the story.  A major drawback of this style of teaching the Bible is it can be seen as a “moralistic measuring stick.”

Clip #3:   A clip from “The Simpsons” where the church was rebuilt and made into a gaudy commercial parody of itself.   The church as another consumer marketing institution, one that needs to allow for a “full experience” does touch on the visual and musical MI list of verbs.   The rubric for the 6 facets of understanding places this clip into the Perspective category.   Some of us thought that while this was a parody, in some cases our desire for entertainment, to make the next big program, and to attract more people is a little too close to the truth in some churches.  Homer even says “everyone in the store is watching you” to Lisa which shows he isn’t thinking of it as a church.  One aspect of this that was positive in this clip is Lisa’s desire to be in an authentic community.    We can take from this clip how someone would feel if they were seeking a community and it wasn’t the way it should be.

Clip #4:   This is a clip of “Shout to the Lord” from American Idol.   This clip illustrates the interpretation category on the 6 Facets of Understanding.    The consensus was that this seemed to be superficial while it tried to be empathic it fell short.   Whether or not the signers felt the holy spirit doesn’t matter some of us could feel it coming from the song despite the superficial tones.    It made the gospel seem like it could only be sung in one way with “robed signers.”   We thought what if someone saw it with different expectations like it wasn’t just a performance – could God speak to some one from American Idol?  

Clip #5:   This is a clip from “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart.    This clip beautifully embodies all of the “verbal” verbs on the MI list.  He reports, paraphrases, writes, jokes, creates, labels, recites, listens, lists, and retells.   The consensus on 6 Facets of Understanding was under the empathy section(or lack there of) in the egocentric subsection.  Through satire Jon shows a perspective that points to the Bible being used by evangelicals – and implies – Republicans – to fit their agenda. Here the Gospel is being used as a pawn in a political arena.   This shows a hypocrisy that may turn people off from the Bible since it seems like it can be interpreted in any way.   Also people will be coming into the church expecting all pastors and religious leaders to act like the ones on “The Daily Show”, which means we have our work cut out for us.

Clip #6:    A clip from either “Firefly” or the movie based on it “Serenity”.  In this clip we see River trying to make corrections to the bible, and the “Sheppard” telling her “you can’t fix faith”.   .   This clip demonstrates Explanation and Perspective on 6 Facets of Understanding.     One of Vella’s principles of sound relationship is demonstrated here.   The claim about believing in “something” is problematic as it would seem to us that we could then just pick anything and say I believe in it.  One of the quotes that struck us was not just “You can’t fix faith” but “it fixes you.”   It’s clear that some would come to the church having a hard time with some of stories in the Bible and want to fix them like River.   And it’s clear from this clip that some would say believing in something is enough.  River maybe had the wrong ideas at first it seemed that she desired to remain engaged and so can those that come to the church.

Clip #7:   A clip from the “West Wing.”   This clip demonstrates the Self-Knowledge facet from the 6 Facets of Understanding. Here we find a man who seeks religious asylum and powerfully proclaims the Gospel message. The message is pure and simple. The one who speaks the message is humble.  The way in which the dialogue was presented between the two men shows the self-knowledge and also humbly presents his knowledge and shows he understands the perspectives of others.    It seemed to resonate as Lutheran “whole-hearted acceptance of God’s promise for a better world and that man is justified by faith alone.”   It seems like someone may come into the church not knowing that they know some Lutheran concepts.

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