Invisible God in a visual medium: 'Chariots of Fire'

Portraying God, His work or His gospel on film appropriately and effectively seems to be a tricky proposition.

For instance, how do you portray the one true God, who is invisible, in a visual medium? Only with movies about the God-man, Jesus?

How do you portray God's attributes? Only in nature?

How do you present the gospel in a visual medium when it requires words to explain the gospel? Even movies that portray the life, death and resurrection of Christ, which is at the heart of the gospel, may not explain all of the gospel -- such as what those works of Jesus accomplished, the sinfulness of mankind and the saving gift of God through repentance and faith? Do you depend on dialogue only to do so in a medium that is first and foremost visual?

How do you show the mysterious work of God in a person's inner being?

I think the challenges can be partly met, but flawed attempts litter the celluloid landscape. Some rely on the verbal to a fault in a visual medium. Some come off as heavy handed or preachy. Some try to wrap everything up in a tidy package with a beautiful bow on top, as if Christianity is some American version of the health, wealth and prosperity gospel. Some are too cautious and leave the viewer confused about the meaning.

I believe some directors and writers have succeeded -- maybe not for an entire movie but at least in profound and significant segments. Some have succeeded without being Christians. I post today a sequence that I believe succeeds. It may turn out to be the first in a periodic series I am labeling: "Invisible God in a visual medium."

"Chariots of Fire" is one of the movies I thinks succeeds in some powerful ways in meeting the challenge. Based on a true story, the Academy Award winner for Best Picture of 1981 focuses on two British sprinters preparing for the 1924 Olympics. One is Eric Liddell, a strong Christian who went on to serve as a faithful missionary, dying in China as a prisoner during World War II. The film eloquently shows his determination to live in obedience to God -- in this case by not competing on Sunday.

The two-minute-plus clip below is not only my favorite sequence in "Chariots of Fire," but it is my favorite sequence in any movie I have ever seen. As Liddell reads portions of Isaiah 40 before his sermon in a Paris church, the film juxtaposes the description of God's sovereignty with the weakness of Liddell's teammates who are competing on Sunday. It is a profound cinematic portrayal of God's greatness, man's frailty and His Word's power.

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