Through the years, Hollywood has done a lot of theology—both good and bad—whether in Ben Hur, It’s a Wonderful Life, Bruce Almighty, Chariots of Fire, or Lord of the Rings. But they also packed of lot of it into a single evening at the Academy Awards, in the acceptance speeches and follow-up interviews. Here’s a sampling from the most recent event:1
1. Words for the Dearly Departed: Morgan Neville, (Documentary Feature, 20 Feet from Stardom), said, “[Producer] Gil [Friesen] passed away just weeks before we premiered the film at Sundance. And tonight I know he’s celebrating with us along with his wife, Janet, and his son, Theo.” Steve McQueen (Best Picture, 12 Years a Slave), observed, “Finally, I thank my mother. My mum’s up there. Thank you for your hard-headedness, Mum, thank you.” And Lupita Nyong’o (Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, 12 Years a Slave), declared, “I’m certain that the dead are standing about you and watching and they are grateful and so am I.”
Matthew McConaughey (Actor in a Leading Role, Dallas Buyers Club), waxed eloquent on the subject: “To my father who, I know he’s up there right now with a big pot of gumbo. He’s got a lemon meringue pie over there. He’s probably in his underwear. And he’s got a cold can of Miller Lite and he’s dancing right now.” Chris Buck (Animated Feature Film, Frozen), whose son was killed on the freeway late last year,2 ended by saying “We’d like to dedicate this to our guardian angel, that’s my son, Ryder Buck. Thank you, Ryder.”
Well, the Bible surely speaks of the joys and comforts of heaven (Revelation 22), of a cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12), and of what could be taken as guardian angels (Matthew 18:10), but it’s a stretch to bestow gumbo, salvation, and angel status so freely. The Bible teaches that the way to heaven is narrow and few take it (Matthew 7:14). Access is exclusive, for Jesus is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” and “no man comes to the Father without” him (John 14:6). Furthermore, words are cheap, in that “not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
2. The Power of Prayer: In his backstage interview, Morgan Neville said, “We felt like caretakers of what their lives [the backup gospel singers] were about. And they said over and over, we’re praying for you. They would call me all the time and say, we’re praying for you, we’re praying for this movie. It’s the most prayed over documentary in history. And I think they’re on to something there.” On to something, indeed, as James 5:16 assures us.
3. God’s Providence: Whether he was referring to “common grace,” as in Matthew 5:45, or to his special relationship as a child of God, Matthew McConaughey began with, “I want to thank God. ‘Cause that’s who I look up to. He has graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand.” Backup gospel singer Darlene Love expressed it in song. After saying, “Lord God, I praise you,” she drew on Matthew 10:29: “I sing because I’m happy! I sing because I’m free. ‘Cause his eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.”
4. Anybody’s Guess: Matthew McConaughey observed, “He [God] has shown me that it’s a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates.” Perhaps he means “the law of sowing and reaping,” but it may be more a matter of karma, the power of positive thinking, or The Secret. More mysterious was his claim, “In the words of the late Charlie Laughton, who said, ‘When you’ve got God, you got a friend. And that friend is you.’” Is this a New Age motto, referring to divinity within us? Is it simply saying, “God helps those who help themselves?” Who knows?
Some of this is heartening, some mystifying. Some of it gives us the queasy feeling that the Third Commandment, against taking the Lord’s name in vain, has been broken. And who can judge hearts with such little evidence? At least we can pray that, where good things are said, the conviction behind them will grow and persist in the souls of the speakers and hearers.
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Endnotes
1 “86th Academy Awards Press Transcripts,” https://www.oscars.org/press/transcripts (accessed March 19, 2014).
2 “The Heartbreaking Story behind Ryder Buck, ‘Frozen’s’ ‘Guardian Angel,’” March 5, 2014, http://www.sooziq.com/6252/the-heartbreaking-story-behind-ryder-buck-frozens-guardian-angel/ (accessed March 19, 2014).
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