Faith in Film 3, Dead Poets Society

Tonight we kick off a new round of Faith in Film with a look at the 1989 movie "Dead Poets Society." The film is a fascinating exploration of philosophies of life and how we should approach ideas. Now there is certainly an academic perspective of that, but when I look at this movie and the message of it, I can't help but see the ways we can apply that to an exploration of our faith.

There are a few key phrases in the film, the first being "Carpe Diem." Most people know that is Latin for "Seize the Day." The phrase comes from a poem by Horace, which translated to English reads "Seize the Day, putting as little trust in the future as possible." The emphasis is that life should be lived and we shouldn't just wait for the future, which is uncertain. Jesus actually talked about that in the Sermon on the Mount, when he admonished us not to worry about tomorrow because our Heavenly Father is already looking out for us. That doesn't mean we should just throw caution to the wind and not plan for the future, but it means we shouldn't be shackled by those plans and by fear about how we can make those plans work.

The other idea that I really like and really take away from this film is the idea that we must constantly think for ourselves. We must engage with what we're taught and consider what we believe and what we hold true. And, to do that, we can't be afraid to look at new perspectives and to march to a different beat, at times. I think if you apply this to our faith lives, you see that those ideas conform to what we're taught in the Bible.

Knowing the Bible doesn't make you a Christian, and it doesn't offer you salvation. Of course, we should know the Bible, but that, alone, doesn't do it. Being a Christian is about a relationship, a condition of the heart. And none of that comes without connecting to the material. Paul talked about this in Romans. Romans 10:16-17 says, "But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our message?' Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Hearing the message isn't enough, it is hearing the message and committing it to your heart.

And when you do, it can totally change your perspective and push you in directions you never imagined. The Apostle Paul is a perfect example of that. He is thought of as one of the greatest theologians ever, having written 13 books of the New Testament. But it took a massive change of perspective to open him up to that. He talks about that frequently in his letters.

And Paul is hardly unique. Consider the protestant faith. It didn't just appear. It came from people, like Martin Luther, that actively tried to drink in the Scriptures and think about what they mean and how they can be applied to our behavior. Our faith is a history of people thinking outside the box and changing our world for the better.

This is even true in our own lives. I know it's been true for me. The whole idea I'm teaching this class is the result of changing my perspective, considering what it means to be a faith follower, and taking a leap of faith to do what I thought God was calling me to.

And it's not an easy path. Being a Christ-follower, thinking for ourselves, and stepping out in faith takes hard work. In the film, they quote the poem from Robert Frost which says, "I saw two roads in the forest and I took the one that was less traveled." The Christian life, often, is that less traveled road. We can't be afraid to stand up for our faith, especially in a world that doesn't share our values.

Paul spoke to this in Romans 12:2 saying, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — His good, pleasing, and perfect will." We have to dare to be different! We have to stand up for what we believe in, and that means we have to have those beliefs rooted at the core of our souls. Faith is about action and thinking for yourself.

But it isn't about doing that in a dumb way. The final lesson of "Dead Poets Society" is flowing against the stream in a smart way. Shakespeare wrote, "The better part of valour is discretion, in the which better part I have saved my life." The point being that we need to exercise sound judgement and patience and not take foolish risks.

Sometimes God calls us to be patient and faithful. That, indeed, might be the toughest lesson of all.