The God in Film Podcast: Recent Episodes
Giles Gough
In this series, a christian and an atheist take a deep dive into the best cinema has to offer in search of parallels with the gospel or any other Bible stories.
For our ONE HUNDREDTH episode we’re looking at The Da Vinci Code, the 2006 mystery thriller starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou and that realest of Gs, Ian McKellen, based on the controversial novel by Dan 'Don't fact check me, just love me' Brown. We’ll be looking at the Council of Nicea, Emperor Constantine, and where did the idea of Jesus being married come from? We're joined by critic, author and perennial bad penny, Andy Godfrey to tell us about the film's production. Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 21:21
For our 99th episode, we're looking at Pluribus, the Apple TV show starring Rhea Seehorn, the cosy, post-apocalyptic science fiction television series created by Vince Gilligan. We’ll be looking in-depth at the flaws in utilitarianism, as well as the importance of free will and the occasional demon possession. Giles & Julia are joined by writer and R.S teacher Natalie Minaker who talks about how Pluribus gave her something of a crisis of faith in her utilitarian principles and teaches us about John Stuart Mill.
Finding the Faith in the Film starts at 8:28.
For this episode, we’re looking at 'Wake Up Dead Man'. The third film in Knives Out murder mystery series starring Josh O’Connor, Josh Brolin and Daniel Craig. We’ll be looking at the rise of Christian Nationalism, the difficulties of Christian leadership when you get too popular and how to talk to those on the other side of the political divide.
We are joined by the wonderful Steve Chalke MBE. Steve is a speaker, author, broadcaster and founder of the Oasis Charitable Trust.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 36:09.
For this episode, we’re looking at Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Martin McDonagh’s 2017 film starring Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell. We’ll be looking at the most dramatic conversion in the Bible, what does loving your enemy look like and how the Bible is used to oppress women. We speak to writer and speaker Sally Hope from Always Hopeful about how the Bible has been used to clobber women throughout the centuries. https://alwayshopeful.org.uk/ Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 10:33.
For this episode, we’re looking at The Last Jedi, the controversial second film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. We’ll be looking at what the Jedi code actually is, what is deconstruction and what is the 180 rule? For this episode, we let Julia get into her feelings about the film, and watch her go through her own Star Wars deconstruction in real time!
Finding the Faith in the begins at 30:28.
We’re looking at Supernatural, the TV series created by Eric Kripke following the lives of the Winchester brothers as they hunt demons, ghosts, monsters and the occasional fallen angel. Giles and Julia are joined by the First Lady of GiF, Claire Gough as she and Julia work out a schedule for sharing Dean and we'll be hearing from super fan Laura Jayne Hunt as we dive into the murky world of the Supernatural fandom reddit. Supernatural has famously run for 15 seasons, making it damn near impossible to cover the whole thing in one episode. So for the purposes of this episode, we’ll be looking purely at the first 5 seasons, as it forms a clear coherent story arc. Finding the Faith in the Film starts at 26:26.
For the second part of our Easter special, we’re looking at The Chosen, season 5. The multi-season series focusing on the life of Jesus, as seen through his followers. We’ll be asking what do the gospels say about violence, how do we deal with religious violence and how do we engage with media made by problematic people?
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 4:29.
For our Easter special, we’re looking at Jesus Christ Superstar. The 1973 version of Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice’s phenomenally successful rock opera musical. We’ll be looking at Bertolt Brecht, the representation of Judas, the controversy around Mary Magdalene, and what is hypostatic union? Finding the faith in the film begins at 17:45
For our very special 2025 Christmas episode, we’ll be looking at ‘Home Alone’, the 1990 classic directed by Chris Columbus, written by the legendary John Hughes and starring Macaulay Culkin in his breakout role. Also, as it's the God in Film Christmas Party, we'll be swapping gifts and you're welcome to stick around for that!
Please note: this is one of those 'Nonsense episodes'. If you want serious theological and cinematic insight, please check out one of our other episodes. Don't say you weren't warned...
For this year's Halloween special, we're looking at Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, the 2023 Chris Pine film based on the famous (some might say, infamous) table top role play game. Julia speaks to Rob Bradley from Rolldark, the UK's Dungeon Masters for hire. We look at the evolution of the game, and working out exactly why some Christians have a problem with the game.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 28:51.
To find out more about Rob and Rolldark, go to https://rolldark.co.uk
To celebrate the release of 'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere' we’ve just dropped our ‘God in Springsteen’ bonus episode, previously only available to our Patreon patrons. In it, I hear from film critic and super fan, Andy Godfrey who talks us through his enduring love of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band. We chart Bruce’s faith from growing up in the shadow of the Catholic church all the way to arguably his most spiritual song, ‘The Rising’. We’ll be looking at his background, what his music has to say about Jesus, and asking; what can an agnostic teach us about our faith?
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 23:49.
For the finale of this season, we're looking at 'The Good Place', the Netflix show about a woman who ends up in 'heaven' but knows she doesn't belong there. Giles & Julia joined by RS teacher, Natalie Minaker as we ask: who was St Irenaeus? What is salvation anxiety, and have we definitely got it right when it comes to the whole heaven and hell thing?
Finding the faith in the film begins at 8:19.
For this episode, we look at one of the latest instalments in the Star Wars franchise 'Andor'. We look at the trope of the 'Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss' as shown in Dedra Meero, examples of very different ways to push back against authoritarianism and when should Christians resist the government?
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 24:45
For this episode, we’ll be looking at Marvel's Fantastic Four: First Steps. We’ll be asking if Stan Lee’s esoteric view on God impacted his story-telling, whether the Silver Surfer is more like Jesus or Lucifer, and whether God himself might in fact be a cantankerous comic book artist.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 21:31.
For this very special episode, we’ll be looking at the Angel Studios show, Testament, which reimagines the story of how Jesus’ disciples spread the good news of him to the world by transplanting it to an alternate-modern era. We’ll be looking at what is made up, what bits are real, and one of the trickiest passages in the New Testament. We also spoke to the show's writer and director, Paul Syrstad.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 36:14
Giles & Julia look at Star Trek: Strange New Worlds the Trek prequel following the adventures of the Enterprise crew before Jim Kirk took the centre seat. We're joined by Chris Chaplin from the First Flight podcast to talk about Captain Pike's troubled production history. We’ll be asking what’s the difference between a hero and a messiah figure? And whether this show proves that God exists in the Star Trek universe.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at: 23:34.
Chris Chaplin's First Flight podcast can be found here: https://firstflightpodcast.libsyn.com/
God in Film is back for Season 8! And to kick us off, Giles & Julia are looking at The Sound of Music, the 1965 American musical starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer based on the stage musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein. We're joined by author, broadcaster and priest, Bryony Wood, as we look at what it means to be a real nun, how to channel the love you find inside yourself, and what it means to live the life you want to live.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 28:54
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of ‘Born to Run’ we’ve just dropped our ‘God in Springsteen’ bonus episode on our patreon page. In it, I hear from film critic and super fan, Andy Godfrey who talks us through his enduring love of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band. We chart Bruce’s faith from growing up in the shadow of the Catholic church all the way to arguably his most spiritual song, ‘The Rising’. We’ll be looking at his background, what his music has to say about Jesus, and asking; what can an agnostic teach us about our faith?
if you want to hear the full episode, you can go to www.patreon.com/godinfilmpodcast and sign up to our Bishop Waller-Bridge tier plus, you can hear additional interviews and special bonus episodes like our God in U2 and God in Gaming episodes.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 24:08.
Recently, Giles wrote a review for Premier Christianity on the latest Superman film and they invited him to go onto Premier Christian Radio to talk about it. So we wanted to share the conversation with Esther Higham on Inspirational Breakfast last Wednesday. We hope you enjoy this little bonus episode!
Read the Superman review for Premier Christianity here: https://www.premierchristianity.com/reviews/its-hard-to-ignore-the-messiah-parallels-in-the-most-human-superman-yet/19735.article
And if you want to read the primer on Superman for Seen & Unseen, click here: https://www.seenandunseen.com/old-stories-shaped-superman-we-know-today
In keep with our little tradition for our Easter special, we’ll be looking at season 4 of 'The Chosen'. The first multi-series depiction of the life of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes of his followers. We're joined by regular contributor and First Lady of God In Film, Claire Gough, as we look at how to deal with grief when Jesus doesn't heal someone, which character Julia finds the hottest, and what was Judas' fatal flaw?
Finding the faith in the film begins at 17:14.
For our very special fifth birthday episode, Giles & Julia are joined by a merry band of co-hosts to look at 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves', the 1991 swashbuckling blockbuster that doesn’t CARE what you think about its anachronistic accents. We’ll be looking at medieval Christianity, plenary indulgences, and what the crusades were actually about.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 40:40.
Our guest today is Tim Cloke, whose awesome history channel can be found @mrclokehistory.
Our special co-hosts are:
Phil Coleman from @thecolemen
Louisa Jane Smith @therepodcast
Natalie Minaker, RS teacher extraordinaire
...and the wondrous, truly, the best of all women, Claire Gough, whose poem 'Second Child' is published in 'Motherhood Uncensored' a collection of poems exploring things left unsaid about motherhood.
For this episode, Giles & Julia are looking at The Mandalorian, the first new Star Wars TV show of the modern television era. We're joined by writer and academic, James Rose to talk about masculinity in the show. We’ll be looking at adoption in the family of God, and how to support someone leaving a fundamentalist religion choosing between your child and your religion.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at: 25:03.
How To Talk To Fundamentalist Evangelicals? By Brian McLaren Published On: August 15, 2019
https://progressivechristianity.org/resource/how-to-talk-to-fundamentalist-evangelicals/
For this episode, we're looking at Star Trek: Discovery, and asking, what should Christians do if aliens exist, why is Michelle Yeoh so great and which OT character does Michael Burnham reminds us of? We're joined by Chris Chaplin from Micro Trek's fame who reflects on Discovery's stumbles and standouts.
Finding the Faith in the film begins at 27:42.
Giles was asked to appear on the Inspirational Breakfast show with Esther Higham on Premier Christian Radioabout the new Amazon Prime show 'House of David'. Have a listen to this interview that we're releasing as a special bonus episode.
Apologies about the audio quality, had a last minute technical hitch before going on air!
For this episode, we're looking at Captain America: Civil War, the third film in the Captain America franchise and the 13th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’ll be looking at radical forgiveness and what Jesus’ loyalty looks like.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 24:36.
Savannah Locke's substack can be found here:
https://savannahlocke.substack.com/p/to-worship-jesus-is-to-worship-a
We look at ‘It Ends With Us’, the controversial adaptation of the book of the same name, starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. We’ll be looking at how to spot domestic abuse, gaslighting and an Old Testament bad guy who everyone thinks is a good guy.
WARNING: this episode will be covering some really difficult topics like coercive control and sexual violence in the ancient world. IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT MIGHT BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SKIP THIS EPISODE.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 42:04
To kick off our brand new season, we're starting with Netflix's Sex Education. We’ll be looking at why Christian sex education is so bad, why their relationship education is pretty good, what it’s like being Gay and a Christian, and what do you do when God literally turns up and gives you a telling off. This episode will not be suitable for children so if you're listening with the kids, you might want to skip this one!
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 27:38.
Articles mentioned:
Chisom Peter Job -xtramagazine ‘Sex Education’ didn’t quite get queer Christianity right https://xtramagazine.com/culture/sex-education-eric-christianity-257698
Sexy But True Love Waits - John Bicknell
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sexy-But-True-Love-Waits/dp/0551032022
We’ve just dropped our U2 bonus episode on our patreon page! In it, Giles hears from minister and U2 super fan, Reverend Tim Edworthy who talks us through his 40 year fandom with the greatest Christian rock band that never was. He's also joined by the host of the RE podcast, Louisa Jane Smith who loves the band so much she actually did her dissertation on them.
If you want to hear the full episode, just go to www.patreon.com/godinfilmpodcast and sign up to our Bishop Waller-Bridge tier. Plus, you can hear additional interviews and special bonus episodes like our God in Gaming episode and longer, uncut interviews. We hope you enjoy this little teaser!
For our very special Christmas episode, we’ll be looking at the 1988 classic Die Hard. We'll be finding out who turned down the role of John McClane, the correct way to drop Alan Rickman off a building and diving into the greatest theological question of our time, 'exactly what KIND of Christmas movie is Die Hard?'
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 22:55.
I have a confession of my own, it turns out that I'm not the first person to think of applying a gospel lens to mainstream films. The reverend Andy Godfrey is an author, evangelist and film critic combining his love for Jesus with an obsessive, yet inclusive love for the medium of film. Here we have a brief talk with him about his book, 'Faith on Film - Confessions of a Christian Film Critic'. It is possibly our shortest ever episode, so why not check it out?
For this very special Halloween episode, we'll be looking at 90s cult classic that inspired a whole new generation of witches; The Craft. We'll be looking at the history of Wicca, Alastair Crowley, the New Forest and the three-fold rule. We flip the format with Julia leading the Finding the Faith in the Film and Giles chilling in the co-host chair.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 10:38.
For this little bonus episode, we get to tell you about an upcoming film called ‘The Silver Screen Dreams Café’. Here’s the synopsis: Milton inherits his father's cafe which is facing debts and a loan shark. But an old flame's idea to turn the cafe into a local film studio ignites hope, rallying the community to save the cafe from a ruthless developer.
Mike and Rebecca Peacock are the film-making duo who were inspired to shoot the movie they’d written with members of the Wythenshawe community. The stars of this feature film are members of the Greater Manchester community. Many of them include ex-offenders, a Ukranian refugee, a member of the travelling community, students and retired people. Many have struggled with their mental health.
If you’re lucky enough to be in the Manchester area, the premiere is this Friday at the Concord Conference Centre. You can book tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/38yyvej5
Have you heard the podcast where a Christian and an atheist dive into the best that cinema has to offer and see if they can find any parallels in bible? In the 'God In Film' podcast we take a light-hearted look into films and TV shows that you probably know and love, and throw in some fresh perspectives. We’ve got a range of guests from all walks of life. We get to hear from professors, film critics, theologians, even Fireman Sam??? Not only that, but we talk about the deep stuff like Christian attitudes to depression, the corrosive affect of purity culture, how to tell if your church is a cult, and what is it really like being a celibate Christian? We’ve been featured on Premier Christian Radio, Film Stories Online and RE Today magazine. So we must have some idea what we’re talking about right? Never miss an episode and unlock bonus material by subscribing to our patreon, or just give us a listen wherever you cast your pods.
Earlier this week, I wrote an article about the Olympics Opening Ceremony for Premier Christianity Magazine. They liked it so much they asked me to come onto 'Inspirational Breakfast with Esther Higham'. I spoke to Esther Higham, the host of the show and Graham Nicholls, the director of Affinity Church.
If you want to read my article, you can find it here: https://www.premierchristianity.com/opinion/christians-shouldnt-be-offended-by-the-olympics-opening-ceremony/18007.article
If you want to read the opposing article, that one is here: https://www.premierchristianity.com/opinion/the-olympic-outrage-is-justified-it-hurts-to-see-our-faith-mocked/18006.article
For this very special episode, we'll be looking at 90s cult classic that inspired a whole new generation of witches; The Craft. We flip the format with Julia leading the Finding the Faith in the Film and Giles chilling in the co-host chair.
This completely unedited episode is available in full at https://www.patreon.com/godinfilmpodcast
For our first ever review show, we switch up our format and looked at Bleeding Love, Jericho Ridge & The Book of Clarence. Why not check it out?
Bleeding Love trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5piU4rmc0A
Jericho Ridge trailer: https://youtu.be/vI2uhJU0PR0?si=irRZf4QF6juaj1G5
The Book of Clarence trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntNS-ANoMyM&t=3s
For this super special bonus Easter episode, Giles & Julia are once again joined by Louisa Jane Smith from the RE Podcast and the First Lady of GiF, Claire Gough. We look at a reason why Jesus might NOT heal people, walking on water, and what is the Son of God's favourite karaoke song (yes, there is a right answer).
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 20:26
For this very special Easter episode, Giles & Julia are joined by not one but TWO co-hosts of such lethal cunning: Louisa Jane Smith from The RE Podcast and the First Lady of God in Film, Claire Gough. We talk about Mary Magdalene, autistic Matthew and just how great the show is generally. Our special returning guest is evangelist and film critic, Andy Godfrey, who tells us about interviewing the cast and how the story progresses in season 2.
We had a lot of fun recording this one, and we hope you enjoy listening to it! Happy Easter everyone!
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 28:13
Today, we're looking at ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’. The 2022 Disney+ series based on the book of the same name by Jon Krakauer. We’ll be looking at complementarianism, wiping the dust from your feet, safeguarding against dodgy prophecies and how we decide who’s really a Christian or not.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 28.49
For this episode, we’ll be looking at ‘The Fabelmans’. Steven Spielberg’s fictionalised version of his early life. We're joined by Lucy Heyes and we’ll be looking at Biblical rationals for divorce and what it’s like to want to be holy, when you are an exceptionally horny teenager.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 34:41 (it's a long one guys!)
Here's some of the places I used for research:
https://www.gotquestions.org/divorce-remarriage.html
https://lifesavingdivorce.com/abuse-in-bible/
https://biblethinker.org/marriage-divorce-remarriage/page/2/
For International Women's Day, we're looking at 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' the 2021 biopic about Tammy Faye Bakker, played by Jessica Chastain. We're joined by evangelist and film critic, Andy Godfrey and we’ll be asking, where did televangelism come from? What is the prosperity gospel? And what can we learn from the way Tammy Faye’s treated people with AIDS.
Finding the Faith in The Film begins at 23:00
In this, our first episode of season 6, we're looking at ‘Dune’ the 2021 sci-fi epic directed by Dennis Villenueve adapted from the first half of Frank Herbert’s seminal 1965 novel of the same name. We speak to film journalist and massive Dune fan, Ryan Gaur to tell us about the series and we're joined by Queen of the Nerds, Julia Hall who is taking over co-hosting duties for awhile. We’ll be looking at Islam’s influence on the 'Dune' as well as what a military messiah looks like and how to go about manufacturing one.
Finding the Faith in the film begins at 27:18.
For this special bonus episode: I gave an interview to the RE Podcast a few months back. RE Queen Louisa Jane Smith was doing a series on 'Losing My Religion' and for a counter-balance, she did a series on 'Finding My Religion', so she asked me to come and talk about how I became a Christian.
It’s a bit different from our normal kind of episode, but I thought you might appreciate this as it might give you a little bit of an insight into my background and how I approach things. I hope you enjoy it.
For this Christmas special, we're be looking at Little Women, Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of the classic American novel by Louisa May Alcott in 1868. We'll be learning about transcendentalism, how Gerwig's version differs from earlier film adaptations and finding out what is the most influential Bible fan fiction ever? We're joined by author and film critic Sarah Cooke who will be telling us why this version is so special.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 31:38.
In honour of the 60th anniversary, we're revisiting Doctor Who, the longest running sci-fi show of all time. Yes, I know we've covered it before, but honestly, there's so much in this show that we simply weren't able to cover the first time, from the Ninth Doctor's first trailer all the way to the 'Timeless Child'.
We're joined by the Gilesian equivalent of Sarah Jane Smith; Natalie Minaker, and time-travelling adventurer Claire Gough. Our special guest is Big Finish writer, podcaster and OG Whovian; Caleb Woodbridge to fill us in on the stuff we missed the first time.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 12:36.
For this very special Bonfire night episode, we’re gonna be looking at Fireman Sam, the seminal children’s cartoon that started in 1987 and was revived in the early 2000s. We look at the origins of Fireman Sam, the allegorical parallels of man's temptation to cream cakes, and we need to talk about Norman. Plus a very special guest...
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 11:52.
For this very special bonus episode, we’re focusing on the works of one Taylor Alison Swift. We start with her 2020 documentary ‘Miss Americana’ and look at her songs. Going aaaaalllll the way back to the start of her career and finishing at her Midnights 3am tracks. We’re joined by fellow dyed in the wool Swiftie, Kat Bullock from Finger Guns in order to fully geek out about one of the greatest song writers of our time.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 9:32
For this very special episode from our Patreon vaults, we’re going to mix up our format a little bit. We’re going to look at the best that mainstream music has to offer and see if we can find any parallels with the gospel, or any other Bible stories. We're joined by our very own, Wakandan Ambassador, Sefa Ahiaku-Aggrey as we look through, pop, rock, country, and hiphop to find the songs that have something to say about God.
For this episode Giles is joined by RS teacher, Natalie Minaker to try and tackle ‘Oppenheimer’ directed by Christopher Nolan. Unlike most episodes, this one will be about trying to process the massive moral quandary that is the atomic bomb. We’re joined by History teacher, Tim Cloke (from MrClokeHistory on Youtube and @drywipehistory on instagram) who takes us through the alternatives to dropping the bomb and why they were not chosen. We look at utilitarianism, the trolley problem and Fletcher’s Situation Ethics. Why not give us a listen?
Finding the Faith in the film begins at 27:41.
For this very special bonus episode, we’re focusing on the works of one Taylor Alison Swift. We start with her 2020 documentary; ‘Miss Americana’ and look at her songs. Going aaaaalllll the way back to the start of her career and finishing at her Midnights 3am tracks. We’re joined by dyed in the wool Swiftie, Kat Bullock from Finger Guns in order to fully geek out about one of the greatest song writers of our time.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 9:26.
Have you heard the podcast where a Christian and an atheist dive into the best that cinema has to offer and see if they can find any parallels in bible? In the 'God In Film' podcast we take a light-hearted look into films and TV shows that you probably know and love, and throw in some fresh perspectives. We’ve got a range of guests from all walks of life. We get to hear from professors, film critics, theologians, even the occasional exorcist!
Not only that, but we talk about the deep stuff like Christian attitudes to depression, the corrosive affect of purity culture, how to tell if your church is a cult, and what is it really like being a celibate Christian? We’ve been featured on Premier Christian Radio, Film Stories Online and RE Today magazine. So we must have some idea what we’re talking about right? Never miss an episode and unlock bonus material by subscribing to our patreon, or just give us a listen wherever you cast your pods.
In this episode, we're joined by guest co-host Louisa Jane Smith from The RE Podcast and our special guest Dr Sefa Ahiaku-Aggrey. We learn about the origins of Namor, Shuri and Siri Williams in Matt's Facts and Sefa tells us about Ghanaian funeral rituals, the connection between death and deconstruction, and how Shuri is like Job.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 11:33
For our penultimate episode of the series, we're looking at HBO's Watchmen, the sequel to the classic graphic novel from the 1980s. We're joined by writer and RS Teacher Natalie Austin and hearing from Matt's Facts. We'll be looking at an atheist's view of Eden, how Dr Manhattan was still very human, and how God Almighty is basically a massive nerd.
Finding the Faith in the film begins at 12:35.
Avengers: Infinity War is the focus of this episode. Giles is joined by librarian and Geek Queen, Julia Hall to discuss the snap and its similarity to one particular end times prophecy. We'll dive into the comic book roots of Infinity War in Matt's Facts and Empire's Jordan King gives us an insight into how the Marvel studios machine works.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 25:11.
For this episode, we’ll be looking at Thor: Ragnarok and Love & Thunder. We’ll be asking what do the Greeks have to do with how we see God and what does it mean to let someone go? We're joined by author and podcaster, Nick Page from 'The Mid-Faith Crisis' podcast.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 9:45.
For our episode on Marvel's 'Eternals', we're joined by guest co-host, Polly Emily Taylor. We look into the comic book history of the Eternals in Matt's Facts and ask (as sensitively as possible) what exactly does the bible say about homosexuality? Why not give it a listen?
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 11:23
For this episode, we’re looking at Daredevil, the TV series. We discuss the value of confession, where faith and utilitarianism meet, when to compromise and when to not, and how to talk to someone who is losing their faith. Special contribution by Mark Smith.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 13:54
For this episode, we're joined by our librarian and guest co-host, Julia Hall to talk about Captain America: The First Avenger. We’ll be looking at the crazy amount of Messiah parallels in this film, and asking; can a Christian go to war? We hear about Cap's comic book origins in Matt's Facts and learn more about the real history that underpins the film from Tim Cloke, history teacher and World War II specialist.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 26:32
You can find Mr Cloke's YouTube channel at: @mrclokehistory
And his instagram artwork: @drywipehistory
For our brand new series, we focus on superheroes, kicking off with Superman (1978). We look at the wonder that is Christopher Reeve's performance, Superman's Jewish origins and the messiah parallels with the last son of Krypton. Why not give it a listen?
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 28:18.
For this very special Easter episode, we’re looking at The Chosen. Giles is joined by writer and RS Teacher, Natalie Minaker and the lovely literary editor, Claire Gough. We spoke to Sam Hailes, editor of Premier Christianity who got to interview the cast and creators of the show over in Texas. We talk about the significance of the name Lilith, Jesus before his ministry began and why we should seriously rename 'Doubting Thomas'.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 21:37 To read Sam Hailes' coverage on season three of The Chosen, check it out here: https://www.premierchristianity.com/features/the-chosen-exclusive-behind-the-scenes-of-the-tv-show-aiming-to-reach-one-billion-for-christ/14069.article
For this very special episode, we’re looking at La Sortie de l'usine Lumière à Lyon. Or, ‘Workers leaving the Lumiere factory’ the 1895 classic produced and directed by Louis Lumiere. Often referred to as the First Film Ever. We interview a Very Special Guest and look at the many varied interpretations of this seminal text.
To see the original film, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEQeIRLxaM4
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 9:53.
...
...
...
APRIL FOOLS!
Our God in Gaming episode has dropped on our Patreon Page!
Featuring writer and RS Teacher Natalie Minaker and CBT therapist and Finger Guns reviewer, Kat Bullock, we look at 6 games with compelling faith parallels in them.
We thought we'd give you a little taster of the show here, and if you’d like to hear more, just go over to patreon.com/godinfilmpodcast and subscribe to our Bishop Waller-Bridge tier to hear the full episode.
For this special bonus episode, we thought we'd give you a taste of our Patrons only content!
Back in November, Giles was interviewed by Chick Yuill on Premier Christian Radio. We talked about how I became a Christian, how I think church should engage with wider culture and of course, we talked about the genesis of the excellent 'God In Film Podcast'.
To support us, just go to https://www.patreon.com/godinfilmpodcast and choose from our 3 membership tiers, named 'Father Jim Cameron', 'The Very Reverend Kevin Smith' and the most popular and my personal favourite; 'Bishop Waller-Bridge'.
To learn more about Chick, check out: www.premierchristianradio.com/presenters/chick-yuill/
or to buy one of his many books click here: https://instantapostle.com/author/yuill-chick/
For our 2022 Christmas special, we're looking at the 1994 version of 'Miracle on 34th Street'. We interview Vaughn Joy, a PhD candidate at UCL who specialises in Christmas films. We spoke to Emma Barclay Watt about CAPs 'Job Club' and we got jumped by a surprise guest who insisted on telling us about the history of Father Christmas.
In our Finding the Faith in the Film section, we look at separation of church and state, and the historicity of Jesus.
For those who want to learn more about CAP job clubs. Check out:
https://capuk.org/get-help/cap-job-clubs
Or if you're in the Trafford area: emmabarclay-watt@capjobclubs.org or call on 07419 219 547.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at: 31:33
Apologies for the variable audio quality.
For our fifth and final episode of the series, we're looking at Netflix's adaptation of ‘Sandman’, Neil Gaiman’s classic comic book of the same name. We’ll be looking at the devil’s current location, representations of rebels, and asking which TV version of the devil is the most troubling.
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 19:38.
For the fourth episode of our mini-season looking at horror, we’ll be looking at ‘Midnight Mass’, Mike Flanagan’s supernatural drama released on Netflix 2021. We’ll be looking at transubstantiation, what is spiritual abuse, different models of church leadership and why God will forgive pretty much anything.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 16:39.
*Apologies for the dodgy audio quality. We got it fixed for the next episode.
The English translation of the Latin credits is..."tell Phil, by writing it out long hand in a letter. That seems the most sensible way to do it after all".
TW: Discussion of suicide.
In this episode, we're looking at 'Constantine' the supernatural thriller starring Keanu Reeves & Rachel Weisz. We'll be looking at the idea of God and the devil making a wager, the spear of destiny, and christian attitudes to suicide.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 26:30.
If you need to skip the discussion on suicide, it is between 48:01 and 1:13:52.
Organisations who can help if you're struggling with thoughts of suicide or mental health:
Samaritans: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), email jo@samaritans.org or visit some branches in person. You can also call the Samaritans Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day).
SANEline. If you're experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm–10.30pm every day).
National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK. Offers a supportive listening service to anyone with thoughts of suicide. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652 (open 24/7).
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). You can call the CALM on 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight every day) if you are struggling and need to talk. Or if you prefer not to speak on the phone, you could try the CALM webchat service.
Shout. If you would prefer not to talk but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258. Shout offers a confidential 24/7 text service providing support if you are in crisis and need immediate help.
The Mix. If you're under 25, you can call The Mix on 0808 808 4994 (3pm–midnight every day), request support by email using this form on The Mix website or use their crisis text messenger service.
Papyrus HOPELINEUK. If you're under 35 and struggling with suicidal feelings, or concerned about a young person who might be struggling, you can call Papyrus HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141 (weekdays 10am-10pm, weekends 2pm-10pm and bank holidays 2pm–10pm), email pat@papyrus-uk.org or text 07786 209 697.
Nightline. If you're a student, you can look on the Nightline website to see if your university or college offers a night-time listening service. Nightline phone operators are all students too.
Switchboard. If you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, you can call Switchboard on 0300 330 0630 (10am–10pm every day), email chris@switchboard.lgbt or use their webchat service. Phone operators all identify as LGBT+.
C.A.L.L. If you live in Wales, you can call the Community Advice and Listening Line (C.A.L.L.) on 0800 132 737 (open 24/7) or you can text 'help' followed by a question to 81066
In our second episode of our horror mini-series, we look at 'The Omen', the 1976 end times horror directed by Richard Donner. We'll be looking at the Biblical origins of the figure of the anti-christ, the significance of 666 and some of the ramifications of the satanic panic.
Finding the faith in the film section begins at 23:37.
T/W - PLEASE NOTE: Whilst we don't go into it in any depth on the subject, we talk about the hysteria surrounding child-abuse. If anything related to that is tough for you, please skip between 37:58 and 50:42.
For our brand new mini-series on horror, we’ll be kicking off with ‘The Exorcist’. The seminal 1973 horror film directed by William Friedkin and written by William Peter Blatty. We’re going to take a look at what a real exorcism looks like with our special guest, Tim Hillier, who works as part of the deliverance team for the Diocese of Guildford, the biblical examples of exorcism, the sketchiness of Ouija boards and the possible misuse of exorcisms.
Finding the Faith in the film begins at 38:17 (it’s a bit of a long one this episode guys!)
For the 40th anniversary of its original release, we take a look at ‘Bladerunner’, Ridley Scott’s 1982 film that’s become a touchstone of postmodern cinema. We'll be looking at the fires of orc, Plato's Cave and Roy Batty's last act. We're joined by Andy Godfrey, film critic for Sorted Magazine and the Good News newspaper, who brings some fantastic insights.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 20:10.
For our Easter special of ‘God In Film’, we'll be looking at Mel Gibson’s 2004 cinematic masterpiece; ‘The Passion of The Christ’. In our longest ever episode, we're joined by Louisa Jane Smith from the R.E Podcast to talk to us about the historicity of Jesus, we address the issue of racist a** Melly Gibson, and we talk about alternative theories to the resurrection. Phil questions his atheism, and we come down hard on spooky weirdos.
Our Magdalene short film can be found here: https://youtu.be/Y_0j6o9Qsv4
Finding the FACT in the Film begins at: 43:17 (I told you this episode was long!).
For our 2021 Christmas special, we’ll be looking at ‘A Muppets Christmas Carol’, the definitive version of Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic. We analyse the representations of the Ghosts of Christmas Present & Yet To Come, how Christmas might just have gotten just a teensy bit secularised over the years and why Dickens might be responsible for that! With our fantastic guest Julia Hall to tell us about how the film came to be, this is definitely what you want to be listening to while you’re driving home for Christmas!
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 21:15.
For the final episode of our special series on TV shows, we’ll be looking at Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s seminal comedy, ‘Fleabag’. We’ll be looking at the corrosive effects of ‘purity culture’ on 90s kids and the practicalities of being a celibate virgin on the dating scene well into your thirties. We interview Emma Watkins, a fellow Fleabag superfine and are joined for hosting duties by Claire Gough. Whilst this is a clean podcast, we don't recommend listening to this one with children, or your nan. Apologies for my sound not being great in the latter half of the pod, I gave the good microphone to Claire!
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 17:11.
For the penultimate episode of our special series on TV shows, Giles & Phil look at Buffy The Vampire Slayer and its spinoff show; Angel. We interview our Buffy expert, Julia Hall and in the Finding the faith in the film section, we’ll be looking at the conspicuous use of miracles, what they mean for the Buffyverse, and why trying to earn your redemption might be a futile endeavour.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 22:53.
This week, Giles & Phil are taking a brake from your regularly scheduled listening to introduce their new show; 'The Media Mag Podcast'.
In our first episode, we look at 'postmodernism', a topic that has confused many a student (& teacher). We start at the horror of the First World War and end at the genre-defying WandaVision. Theory Drop starts at: 1:43. We also have 'Two Minute Terminology Time', where Phil has to explain a key piece of film and media jargon in two minutes or less. This week, we're looking at 'chiaroscuro'. Two Minute Terminology Time starts at: 23:06.
Why not give us listen and if you really like it, maybe a subscribe?
This week we explore Deep Space Nine, the best Star Trek series (I said what I said, fight me haters). We speak to Stefan Austin, our Star Trek expert. We look at the language of science and faith and ask; how can you tell if your church is a cult?
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 17:48.
This week Giles is joined by guest co-hosts Natalie Austin and Claire Gough to look at Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale'. We look at the biblical roots of 'the ceremony', historical inspirations for the show and how the church in the real world has oppressed women. We talk to Reverend Canon, @LizShercliff, director of Studies for Diocese of Chester and author of 'Preaching Women' & 'Out of the Shadows'.
Finding the Faith in the Film begins at 16:33.
For this we're looking at Aaron Sorkin's political classic, 'The West Wing'. We'll be looking at section 28, what to do when your faith affects your job, and asking: "Should you get angry at God?"
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 23:33.
For this episode we look at the award winning ITV crime drama, 'Broadchurch'. We interview Paul Newbould from The Message Trust about his work in prisons with offenders and we ask: 'Is there anything that is unforgivable?' and look at the mechanics of forgiveness.
Finding the faith in the film begins at 15:24
In our third series, we'll be looking at TV shows, kicking off with British classic, Doctor Who. We'll be looking at intersections of faith and science, messiah figures created by atheist creators and representations of people of faith in sci-fi. We also interview Doctor Who documentarian and Big Finish writer, Chris Chapman.
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 21:15.
In this special bonus episode, Giles appears on an episode of The RE Podcast, hosted by Louisa Jane Smith. Giles & Louisa talk about messiah figures in film, as well as why Giles started the 'God In Film' podcast in the first place. The RE Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts and is definitely worth checking out!
In this episode, we look at ‘The Shack’, based on the New York Times bestseller of the same name. We’ll be looking at whether God is a woman, why our relationships with our dads get in the way of our relationship with God, does Jesus have a sense of humour and why you shouldn’t just go round accusing people of heresy willy-nilly. Why not give us a listen?
Finding the Faith in the film section begins at 21:35.
This week we're looking at the live action remake of Disney's 'Mulan'. We’ll be talking to Polly Taylor about gender representation in the remake and the original, looking at female leaders in the bible, the prodigal’s return and the importance of cornerstones. Why not give us a listen?
Finding the faith in the film section begins at 15:45
For our eight episode, we look at a niche little set of films you might have heard of called STAR WARS. We'll be looking at virgin births, hives of scum and villainy like Nazareth and Anakin Skywalker, the prodigal dad. Our guest today is podcaster and comedian, Chris Stokes for his thoughts on the franchise. Why not give it a listen?
Finding the faith in the film section begins at 19:50.
Vader & Obi-Wan Recut fight scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to2SMng4u1k
For this episode, we are looking at 'The Adjustment Bureau' and asking; 'Can you change God's mind?' and whether God is a big old romantic. We also begin to look at the concept of 'open theism', and how it seeks to marry up fate vs. free will. Why not give us a listen?
Finding the Faith in the film section begins at 17:23.
This week we look at the 2016 World War II film 'Hacksaw Ridge', directed by Mel Gibson. We're joined by writer and R.S teacher Natalie Austin as we find out more about Seventh Day Adventists, different types of pacifism and the dangers of fundamentalism. Why not give us a listen?
Finding the faith in the film section begins at 8:41.
(Apologies for the sound quality not being up to our usual standard!)
In this episode, we'll be looking at 'Thor' the 2011 classic from the Marvel cinematic universe's first phase. Our guest this episode is marvel expert, the incredibly handsome Matt Heslop. We'll be talking about the genesis of the character, Lucifer being kicked out of heaven, a particularly convincing Arthur C Clarke quote and the nature of depression. Why not have a listen?
Finding the faith in the film section begins at 18:50
In this episode, we look at the Powell & Pressburger classic, 'A Matter of Life & Death'. We learn about Operation Ethel, the true nature of angels and a brilliant example of sacrifice. Our guest is Dr Andrew Moor, who literally wrote the book on Powell & Pressburger. Why not give it a listen?
Finding the faith in the film section begins at 24:32.
In this episode, we'll be diving into the cult cop classic, 'Training Day' featuring Ethan Hawke and Denzel Washington. We’ll be looking at the issues of integrity, temptation and the difference between degree and category. We dig more into the scandal that inspired the film and soaking up the nostalgia of an early noughties soundtrack. Why not have a listen?
Finding the Faith in the film section begins at 23:03
Our second episode of season 2 see the return of a very special guest to discuss 2011’s ‘Jane Eyre’, Charlotte Brontë’s timeless proto-feminist classic about two people who desperately want to get off with each other. We have a frank discussion about sex, celibacy and what it means to be equally yoked. It’s worth noting that some of the topics in this episode are a bit more ‘earthy’ than many of our topics. So those of a sensitive disposition, may want to skip this one!
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 10:20.
Note: we recorded this several months ago, prior to Eliot Paige coming out as trans, so as a result, is referred to as 'Ellen Paige' throughout the episode, and it was too tricky to re-record. We’ve got mad love for Eliot, and we don’t want to upset anyone. Also, apologies if our sound quality isn’t as great as usual!
New year, new season of God in Film! Our first episode of season 2 looks at ‘Da 5 Bloods’, Spike Lee’s agit prop joint that came out on Netflix last year. Giles & Phil talk about messiah figures in mainstream films, how being a man of peace, and strong aren’t mutually exclusive and why Jesus thinks you should pay your flippin’ taxes!
We also chatted with History teacher extraordinaire, Tim Cloke of drywipehistory and MrClokeHistory (check him out on Instagram and Youtube respectively) about the role of Afro-American soldiers in the Vietnam war.
Why not give us a listen?
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 22:16.
Christmas special episode! For the first episode in six months Jigga & Kid Warrington (that’s Giles and Phil to their mums) dig into ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. The 1946 Frank Capra classic stating the one and only Jimmy Stewart. We ask, what is intercessory prayer? How is George Bailey like Jonah in reverse and what is the value of a human life, so a nice light episode! Listen on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
In light of recent events, we want to do something, however small, to support the Black Lives Matter movement. In this episode, we switch up our format. Rather than looking at one film or one series of films, we’ll be looking at 10 films that helped us to understand the black experience and we wanted to share our platform with someone who can speak more authentically on the subject. Dr Sefaakor Ahiaku is a dentist by day, creative by night and recently has become something of a spokesperson, educating the charismatic church on some of the subtleties of 21st century racism and micro-aggressions.
Please add your name to the petition to teach colonial history as a compulsory part of the curriculum in UK schools; https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/324092
Please consider donating or doing further research into the following good causes:
https://www.stephenlawrence.org.uk
https://blacklivesmatter.com
https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk
https://bailproject.org
For the tenth and last regular episode in our series, Giles and Phil look at The Matrix franchise! We dive deep into the philosophical questions it poses and look at the influence of eastern religions with our special guest Natalie Austin who also points out that the alt right are silly little chaps who need a nice sit down. We look at different models of the church, the significance of the Nebuchadnezzar and what the machines really represent.
Finding The Faith In The Film section begins at 22:40.
In this week's episode, Giles & Phil turn to C.S Lewis' magical land of Narnia, specifically, 2005's 'The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe'. We stumble on some surprising realisations such as why Aslan is NOT an allegorical figure, the proper way to treat traitors and what exactly are Jesus's favourite crisps? Oh, and we also interviewed a minotaur.
Please note: Some of the topics we touch upon may be upsetting for some people.
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 14:30.
In our eighth episode, Giles & Phil look at the origins of Carol Danvers, the parallels between Captain Marvel and a certain Old Testament sea-parter, and reflecting on how some times bad people can say good things and we touch upon the impact of spiritual abuse.
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 14:26
In this episode, Giles & Phil analyse the faith parallels in the Star Trek franchise, with a specific look at Wrath of Khan. The James Doohan video we talk about can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COJuF7n9gGA
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 19:15.
We're joined by a very special guest co-host this week as we explore the faith parallels in 'Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows'. We look at the power of loving sacrifice, the parallels between Dumbledore and John the Baptist, and the significance of a nice clean Kings Cross!
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 11:27.
In our fifth episode, Giles & Phil look at beloved cult classic, 'Dogma' by Kevin Smith. We'll be looking at the confusion around Matthew 16:9, why the apocrypha is the fan fic of the Christian world and does God have a sense of humour?
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 18:06.
In our fourth episode, Giles & Phil dive into the faith parallels in the 2016 sci-fi film, ‘Arrival’ directed by Denis Villeneuve. We’ll be looking at the idea of communicating with a non-linear being. Pre-destination and free will, and the importance of linguistics in translations and how it can affect society. Our guest today is Professor Jenny Thomas, an expert in linguistics and pragmatics.
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 13:31.
In our third episode, Giles Gough & Phil Coleman dive into the Terminator series to figure out which apostle is most like the T-800 and Giles gives a spirited defence of the second most reviled film in the franchise.
Finding the Faith in the Film section begins at 16:30.
In this episode, our hosts, Giles Gough and Phil Coleman dive into the 'Indiana Jones' franchise to see just what icons they've plundered from the Bible. We go into detail on the Holy Grail with our guest Professor Peter Field, emeritus professor at Bangor University and world renowned expert on Arthurian Literature.
'Finding the Faith in the Film' section starts at 15:31.
In our very first episode, our hosts Giles Gough & Phil Coleman take a dive into middle earth, looking for faith parallels in J.R.R Tolkien's 'Lord of The Rings' trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson. In this episode we interview actual Uruk-hai and Lord of The Rings extra, Robbie Titchener.
'Finding the Faith in the Film' section starts at 16:23