Faith and Doubt

There have been two new exorcism-themed films released in the last 12 months, and both followed a similar pattern. While neither was particularly scary — a problem considering they were part of the horror genre, both ended up being interesting explorations of faith. One intentionally, the other not intentionally.

I couldn't help but be interested in the similarity and the ways with which both films sought to approach the material. The first was "The Last Exorcism," released last summer. For the most part it was about a preacher (not ordained or officially trained) that knew all about God, but didn't know God. He had lost his faith.

But that didn't prevent him from plying his craft as a speaker and exorcist. He sought to, with the help of a documentary crew, debunk the exorcism myth. He thought that would be his penance for a career spent swindling the faithful.

Somehow, though, he was confronted with true demonic evil. And in that moment, he found his faith. I found that intriguing, especially coming from a secular horror film.

The new film, "The Rite," follows a similar path. A young man goes to seminary to become a Catholic priest as a means of escaping his life. After getting his four-year degree, he decides he wants out. He is convinced, however, to attend one last class in Rome, where the Vatican is training priests to become exorcists.

He shadows a veteran exorcist, but he does not believe. The young man lacks a true faith. Again, he knows all about God, but he doesn't know god. Through the experience of what he sees, though, the young priest comes to accept the devil is real and, because the devil is real, Jesus Christ is real. This film, based on a true story, is interesting in that it attacks the problem of doubt from a counter-intuitive direction. Most would try to get you to have faith in God, then acknowledge there is an opposite force. Both "The Rite" and "The Last Exorcism" did it another way.

In fact, that was the basic premise of "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" as well. That film, made by Christians and based on a true story, used that as an explanation for why Emily Rose suffered though she had a devout faith. Emily says, "People say that God is dead, but how can they think that if I show them the Devil?" I think the makers of "The Last Exorcism" and "The Rite" touch on a similar thought.

So why have we had this fundamental change in the way these stories are being told and what does it mean for our world today? I have a couple thoughts.

First, these films spend more time exploring alternative theories. In the middle ages, when someone crazily shouted things or had major behavioral changes, everyone assumed it was demon possession. As our knowledge of science — and specifically psychology — has grown, we've come to recognize many different conditions. Now, the first thought isn't that someone is demon-possessed, but rather that someone has a mental disorder. Does that mean there is no such thing as demon-possession? We can't answer that definitively because many of the hallmarks of possession mirror what you'd expect of a number of mental disorders. That is why these films of present one of more central characters who have doubts based on science. However, the Bible clearly references demon possession, and it's hard to believe that has disappeared in the time between when the Scriptures were written and now. It's easier to say this is a 21st Century argument for demon possession.

Second, people have trouble believing in God because there is a lack of tangible proof. Nothing will change that, after all Hebrews 11:1 says, "Faith is being sure of what is hoped for, certain of what is unseen." You have to take that leap of faith, because if your burden of proof is tangible evidence you will never be truly satisfied. In fact, one of the most beautiful sections of "The Rite" features Anthony Hopkins' veteran priest character expressing the battle between faith and doubt in those terms. It is also true that you can't believe in demons and the devil without believing in Jesus Christ. So, while the arguments in this film might seem counter-intuitive, it does make some sense what Emily Rose said. How can people believe there is no God if you can show them the devil.

And finally, I think this is really a sign that people want to believe. That they struggle with doubt — which is fundamental to all three messages. The central preacher in "The Last Exorcism" and "The Rite" are "religious" men that possess knowledge without faith, while the defense attorney in "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" is an agnostic at the start of the film. They all have questions. They know what has been said of God, but it takes a series of inexplicable events for that faith to take root, to bind itself to them. I think that is the struggle for all of us, at times. That is the part I liked best about "The Rite." It is a film that doesn't shy away from the honest struggle with taking what you know and transforming it into your core beliefs.

Plus, whether you like exorcism stories or not, it's nice to know that Hollywood films are still leaving room to ask these kinds of questions and tell these kinds of stories.