Tag Archive for: bible themes

Watching Elf

Exercising faith in a world full of cynics: what Buddy the Elf teaches us about the gospel

 

Though I normally write about Disney and the gospel, this one makes it worth deviating from the norm. Disney-produced or not, this Jon Favreau-directed film became a Christmastime classic in my house almost twenty years ago. Since it’s considered newer to the repertoire of classic must-see Christmas movies, it’s hard to believe it’s been around that long. Along with so many others, the joy-filled, child-like antics of Buddy, the beloved giant green and yellow elf, will probably be featured on our screen sometimes after the turkey dinner on Thursday and before the tryptophan coma kicks in.

But…have you ever thought of it as a messenger of the gospel?!

You know the story. Starring Will Farrell as the main character, the movie, Elf depicts Read more

Raya and the Last Dragon title

“How did this world get so broken?”

 

“It was paradise, but then…”

 

“We all became enemies.”

 

This is how the story begins. The narrator sets the scene. It sounds severely and sorely familiar.

 

I’m queued in. I know this story. The one where the people live harmoniously with their God, and the people live in peace with each other.

 

But it doesn’t last. There’s a disruption. There’s a force that is opposite—that is not. It is the antithesis to all of this peace and harmony, and this force, whatever it is, is set on destruction. The force, in this case called Read more