Les Misérables (REVIEW) - An opportunity to speak of God's grace

By Jonathan Billingham, New College UNSW

The stage production Les Misérables has always stood out to me for its brilliant narrative, score and staging. Readers of the CASE blog will be most familiar with Herbert Kretzmer’sEnglish adaptation of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Shoenberg’s original French production. Of course Boublil and Shoenberg’s musical, Les Misérables (really a modern opera), is itself an adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 1862 colossal novel by the same name. That the story, in its musical incarnation, is now the subject of a cinematic adaptation is testament to the enduring value of the overarching narrative, themes and characters conceived by Hugo.

The cinematic release of Les Misérables affords Christians many opportunities to share the Gospel of Christ.  In your new year conversations you might flit from ‘How was the family lunch?’ to ‘Did you see any films over the holiday?’ I encourage you to sprinkle the seeds of small-talk by drawing attention to the Christian truths and worldly fallacies portrayed in the film Les Misérables. You may not entirely agree with the theological framework in which Les Misérables is set.  And yet, you have an opportunity to engage in criticism of the film and, like the characters Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert, share your worldview to advance (or oppose) the message of Christ and his gift of grace.

One of my favourite lines in the musical is sung by the lead character Jean Valjean in his song “Who am I”. Valjean bemoans,

“If I speak, I am condemned. If I stay silent I am damned.” ¹

Valjean is struggling to align his identity with the circumstances that confront him. Once poor, he is now defender of the poor. Once a thief, he has become a man who loves justice. But unlike Javert, the justice that Valjean embodies is one that knows grace and mercy. Jean Valjean has become a follower of God, has gained the respect of his fellow man, has become a successful businessman and the mayor of the French town in which he lives. And yet, because he broke the terms of his parole he has been forced to leave behind the name Jean Valjean, synonymous with his prisoner number 24601, and take up the name Madeline.

Inspector Javert erroneously identifies and puts on trial a man who he believes to be the “sinner” and parole-breaker Jean Valjean. The real Valjean is faced with the possibility of allowing another man to die in his place. But Valjean has come to believe that Christ has already died a death that will bring him eternal life. The certainty of condemnation and death awaits him if he reveals his true identity. The certainty of eventual death and possible damnation awaits if he allows his likenessto “go to judgement [in his place].” ^1.1 Valjean’s new identity as a man in allegiance with Christ eventually shines through and he reveals himself to Inspector Javert as the long hunted prisoner, 24601.

At this point the doppelganger may well have exclaimed to the real Valjean,

Thanks be to God that, though you used to be a slave to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become a slave to righteousness! (Paraphrased from Romans 6:17-18) ³

I have two practical suggestions for Christians who choose to use the film Les Misérables as a  springboard to share the Gospel of Christ. Firstly, a work of art, no matter how God inspired, is no substitute for the Word of God itself. Don’t be discouraged from excitedly discussing the film and especially the many aspects of the Christian life that it touches on but also have some bible verses in mind to support and shape what you are trying to share. If you are looking to encourage your friends, remember that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” ³

Secondly, season your talk with lots and lots of love. You don’t want to end up sounding like Javert, simply laying down a theological framework by which you expect the person you are speaking with to live, or have already lived.

I hope that as you watch the film adaptation of Les Misérables, brought to life by director Tom Hooper and his star-studded cast, that you take great delight in what I believe is a brilliant piece of art and a wonderful opportunity to share the love of Christ.

Further Reading:Colossians Chapter 4 verses 2-6

1. “Who Am I”, Les Misérables, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Shoenberg (English apaptation) Herbert Kretzmer, 1985 (Also Footnote 1.1)
2. Romans 6:17-18, Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011
3. Romans 15:4, Holy Bible, New International Version, 1984 
4. ‘Law, Grace and Redemption in Les Misérables’, L. Micahael Morales http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/law-grace-redemption-les-miserables/, Sunday, 23 December 2012
5. ‘Grace and Les Misérables’ http://abf4him.org/archives/472 Sunday, 23 December 2012

The Invisibility of Christian themes in Blockbuster Movies

Regular readers of this blog know that I have written several times on the relationship between biblical narrative and literature HERE.  I have also called on Christians to consider turning their creative energies to the writing of literature for broader audiences.  Who will be the next C.S. Lewis or J.R. Tolkien? But perhaps there is a greater challenge facing Christians with film. David Dale in the Sydney Morning Herald has rather amusingly made the observation that it seems like every imaginable religious worldview is being represented in recent popular movies except Christianity.  He asks wryly "What has the Judeo-Christian system done for us lately?" He writes:

Transmigration of the soul, a belief of Hindus, Buddhists, and followers of the Jewish Kabbalah, is the trendy trope for screenwriters. A film called 'Source Code', which sold a  healthy 130,000 tickets during its first week in Australian cinemas, assumes a person's mind can be placed into the body of another person for the last eight minutes of person B's life (thus permitting person A to learn who murdered B). It's not so much reincarnation as preincarnation. Don't ask how the technology works. Just have faith.

'Inception' uses a similar principle, except that the soul-jumping happens when both parties are asleep. And in 'Avatar', human souls are transferred into bio-engineered alien bodies (on a planet whose inhabitants engage in Gaia worship, just to offer another option).

It's an amusing read but is there a significant message for Christians? How can we ensure that the Bible's central narrative themes are represented in literature and film? While there are plenty of films and books with Christian themes evident, he is commenting on recent blockbusters and the seeming dominance of other faith traditions at the moment. Of course, the trend begs the question is this evidence of people buying into other faith positions, or simply being willing to suspend their beliefs and reason to enjoy a good story? I'll let you judge that one, here's the trailer.

Irresistible Grace: 'Brideshead Revisited' revisited

This post has been written by Greg Thiele, an Associate of CASE and a regular contributor to the CASE blog

In 1945, English comic novelist Evelyn Waugh completed what was to become his most successful and popular work: Brideshead Revisited. Waugh, a Catholic, indicated that the theme of the novel was “the operation of divine grace on a group of diverse but closely connected characters”. 

(It should be noted in passing that the Catholic understanding of grace differs – significantly, at points – from the evangelical one. There is not scope here to consider such differences; but in any case, the essential notion of grace – God’s free, unmerited favour and blessing – seems to be at work in the novel in a way that most evangelical Christians would recognise.) 

The novel describes the dealings of the main character, Charles Ryder, with the aristocratic Flyte family.  Ryder, a disillusioned WWII army captain, finds himself unexpectedly back at Brideshead, the Flyte family’s stately home, where, in flashback, much of the action of the novel takes place. He recounts his friendship, at Oxford, with the troubled younger son, Sebastian, and his relationship with other members of the family, including his eventual romance with Julia, the beautiful elder daughter.

The young Charles is an agnostic, dismissive of the “narrative” of the Christian faith, and finds the Catholicism of the Flytes incomprehensible. The Flytes themselves represent a wide range of levels of faith and piety. The paterfamilias, Lord Marchmain, had effectively been forced to convert to Catholicism in order to marry Teresa (Lady Marchmain). When we first meet Lord Marchmain, we find him estranged from his wife and living openly with a courtesan in Venice, with a deep hostility towards both his adopted faith and his spouse. Lady Marchmain, on the other hand, is “popularly believed to be a saint”. The elder son, also named Brideshead, and the younger daughter, Cordelia, reflect their mother’s faith. The other son and daughter, Sebastian and Julia, physically alike, are similar also in their problematic relationship with the family religion.

As Charles’s friendship with Sebastian develops, we find the latter sinking into alcoholism and depression: a result, it seems, of his inability to deal with the demands and expectations of his family – especially those of his mother – exacerbated by issues of personality and character. For Charles, the magical world of wealth and privilege which he had entered through his friendship with Sebastian evaporates when he is dismissed by Lady Marchmain, due to having given Sebastian money to support his drinking habit. “Henceforth”, decides the young Charles on leaving Brideshead for what he assumes will be the last time, “I live in a world of three dimensions - with the aid of my five senses”. The older Charles, the narrator, ironically affirms that he has subsequently learned that “there is no such world”.

Ten years pass. Charles is married, though estranged from his adulterous wife. It is thus that he meets, for the first time in many years, Julia, who by now thoroughly regrets her own foolish, early marriage to the absurd Rex Mottram – a self-made man and politician who is the butt of a good deal of the novel’s humour. Julia’s marrying Rex had entailed her officially rejecting her religion, due to his having already been married and divorced. Charles and Julia embark on an affair, and in due course find themselves living together at Brideshead.

The novel’s climactic episode involves the return of Lord Marchmain to Brideshead, and his eventual death (Lady Marchmain having died several years earlier). In scenes of heightening tension, watching her father die, Julia gradually comes to see that she cannot continue to live her life in rebellion against God: trying to “set up a rival good to God’s”, as she later puts it. Kneeling at the foot of her father’s bed, she prays that he will give a sign that he repents and accepts God’s forgiveness.

A priest is in attendance to administer the last rites – the same priest whom Lord Marchmain had some weeks earlier sent packing. Charles challenges the priest: “Father Mackay,” I said. “You know how Lord Marchmain greeted you last time you came; do you think it possible he can have changed now?” Father Mackay responds:”Thank God, by his grace it is possible.”

It is while witnessing Julia’s anguish that Charles begins to sense in himself the need to receive the same grace and forgiveness for which she is praying on her father’s behalf. Almost in spite of himself, he kneels behind the woman he loves, and prays the simple prayer:”O God, if there is a God, forgive him his sins, if there is such a thing as sin“. In a scene of extraordinary power and pathos, Julia’s prayer (and, we may assume, Charles’s) is answered.

Father Mackay’s parting words to Charles are illuminating: “I’ve known it happen that way again and again. The devil resists to the last moment and then the Grace of God is too much for him”.

Lord Marchmain dies, and Charles and Julia part forever.

Back in the present (“one grey morning of war-time”), his reverie past, Charles pays a visit to the small chapel on the Brideshead estate. There he prays (“an ancient, newly-learned form of words”), and begins to understand the purpose of the “fierce little human tragedy” in which he had played a part. The Holy Spirit is like the wind, blowing “wherever it pleases” (John 3:8) – and God’s grace will manifest itself in the most unexpected ways and situations.

At one point in the novel, Lady Marchmain reads from one of G.K. Chesterton’s “Father Brown” stories, which speaks of God’s kindness and mercy in holding on to those who wander away from him: “I caught him (the thief) with an unseen hook and an invisible line which is long enough to let him wander to the ends of the world and still to bring him back with a twitch upon the thread”. Such is God’s irresistible grace. For those of us whom God has called, but who at various times in our lives have wandered far from him, such a thought - the essential message of Brideshead Revisited - is immensely comforting.

Mandela, Forgiveness & Reconciliation: A review of Invictus

Carmen and I went to see 'Invictus' on Saturday. The film is an inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with Francois Pienaar the captain of South Africa's rugby team, to try to win the 1995 World Rugby Cup and in the process to help unite South Africa. At the time rugby is hated by Black South Africans, being seen as symbolic of the all-powerful white South African culture and the oppression and violence of the past. Mandela's supporters want it stripped of its traditional colours, name and traditions. But Mandela as the new President senses that at a time of reconciliation, forgiveness and generosity must be demonstrated by everybody, including the victims of South African apartheid. As well, he believes that the Rugby World Cup could be a unifying force for the nation. The film has two overlapping plot lines, the politics of the new South Africa and the drive to win the rugby world cup. Its big themes are reconciliation, forgiveness and the quest to create a new 'Rainbow Nation'.

There is a memorable scene in the first 30 minutes of the film when Mandela's head of personal security rushes in to question the arrival of the previous President's white bodyguards as the back-up staff in response to his request for more staff. Mandela's security chief enters agitated about the situation. Mandela responds to his protests by leaving his desk and gently challenging him - wasn't he the one who requested more security staff?

Mandela says gently, "The Rainbow Nation starts here. Reconciliation starts here."

His security leader responds:

"Not long ago these guys tried to kill us."

Mandela responds, "Yes I know, forgiveness starts here. Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon."

You can view the 60-second video clip below.

I enjoyed the film a great deal. While it has more than its share of clichés and it tends to paint Mandela as a man without fault, it does offer an insight into the power of forgiveness to change the hearts and attitudes of others.

I don't want to try to claim Mandela as a warrior for Christ, but the movie is inspirational and tells a powerful story of forgiveness and reconciliation that in its own way demonstrates the expectations that Jesus places on his disciples. Reconciliation and forgiveness are obviously at the heart of the Christian gospel and the Bible teaches that above all God's forgiveness is indeed a powerful force that changes human hearts, lives and their eternal destiny. All other forms of forgiveness are in effect a pale shadow of God's grace and kindness, shown in his forgiveness of a rebellious people. God's people are meant to live lives marked by a willingness to forgive.

The parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35) is just one of many places you can go in Scripture to learn just how essential forgiveness is.

Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven." (Matt 18:21-22)

Jesus is essentially saying, keep forgiving without keeping count. And of course the foundational truth that underpins his comment is that if we have received the forgiveness of God then we too should show forgiveness to others. Those who have been freed of guilt due to Jesus' sacrificial death on our behalf (Colossians 2:13-14) should be so moved with gratitude towards God that they are prepared to forgive others. Jesus of course includes this in the Lord's Prayer when he teaches his disciples to pray "and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matt 6:12).

Finally, Paul teaches us in his letter to the Colossians that the Christian lifestyle is heavily dependent on the demonstration of forgiveness (Colossians 3:12-17). When others wrong us we are called to forgive. Paul writes, "as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive" (Col 3:13).

I hope others enjoy the film. Mandela's life is inspirational and is a remarkable demonstration of forgiveness in action and the impact that it can have reconciliation. Of course, the ongoing struggles in South Africa continue to demonstrate that true transformation in people requires them to accept the forgiveness of Christ. As John the Baptist taught as he prepared the way for Jesus, all must "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt 3:2).

Children and Innocence

The following is a guest post from Greg Thiele who attends Petersham Baptist Church and is an Associate of CASE

A (Christian) friend of ours recently told us that for his son’s upcoming eleventh birthday, he is planning to take the boy and some friends to see an M-rated movie. We were surprised, to say the least: it is not so very long ago that we cautiously started allowing our children (ten and eight) to watch selected PG films.

What is wrong, one might ask, with an eleven-year-old (or an eight-year-old, for that matter) watching an M-rated movie? Are my wife and I too conservative? If most parents allow their children to do it, can there be anything wrong with it?

The first part of my answer lies in the guidelines for movie classifications themselves. According to advice from the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department (here), films classified “M” are “not recommended for persons under 15 years of age”. Certainly, films with a given rating can vary greatly in their content and potential impact: but this rubs both ways. PG films, for instance, which apparently are regarded as innocuous by the great majority of parents (judging by the ages at which many children start watching them) can range from very mild, with perhaps one or two moments that, say, a six-year might find frightening ('The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' is a good example of this), right through to films that are aimed principally at an adult audience and contain commensurately adult themes, and are therefore fundamentally unsuitable for children (this is going back a bit, but 'Drop Dead Fred' is an example of this latter kind that I am familiar with).

One of the concerns with PG films is that the term “Parental Guidance” is probably not clearly understood by some parents. The idea is not that all PG films are OK for children to watch as long as their parents watch along with them, and explain any confronting bits. Rather, it is that parents should exercise good judgement in deciding whether the film is suitable for their children in the first place (if necessary, by watching it first themselves, or at least having a very clear idea of the content). Perhaps “PD” (Parental Discretion) might be a more helpful term. Whatever the ages of their children, this is an area where parents need to exercise considerable care and wisdom.

The main concern is that children might be confronted with images or concepts which they do not have the ability to process or understand; and having a parent sitting alongside them will not necessarily have an ameliorating effect: my wife tells of a shocking image from a film she saw as a young child, in the company of her parents, which has stayed with her all her life. The effects of being exposed to such images might not be immediately apparent.

The tendency for children to be allowed (or even encouraged!) to watch films containing material they might not be mature enough to comprehend or otherwise process constitutes an aspect of the trend in contemporary society for children to be “pushed on” to the next age level in their thinking and habits. This is particularly evident in the case of young girls (so-called “pre-teens”) – a matter about which there has already been considerable debate. As parents of a ten-year-old girl, we experience the resisting of this trend as a constant battle: so often, it seems, children are encouraged to act/think/look in ways which, a couple of generations ago, would have been appropriate for children at least a couple of years older.

What is driving these changes? To suggest that the agenda is purely commercial seems simplistic; yet there is probably some truth in it: the more aware, savvy and (ostensibly) mature a child is, the more sophisticated (and expensive) will be the “toys” they will be in the market for, and the greater will be the gains for those manufacturing and selling (not to mention advertising and marketing) those commodities. Role models in the entertainment industries also probably play a part in encouraging children to look and act older than their age: and the kind of access today’s children have to images of celebrities via computers, DVDs and mobile phones was not yet even in the realm of fantasy when I was growing up 40-odd years ago.

Why, as a society, do we seem to find it difficult to let children be children: to grow up at their own pace, as it were? There is no easy answer. Perhaps it boils down to a question of innocence, and how we are to understand it. The bible does not have a sentimental attitude towards children: they are clearly represented as being implicated in the essential loss of human innocence that occurred at the Fall: “Surely I was sinful at birth”, writes the psalmist, “sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). Yet it is possible to set alongside that truth a sense in which children are innocent – unversed in the ways of the world – and therefore in need of our protection.

Scripture clearly points out that children are a blessing from God, to be welcomed, as Jesus commanded us (Mark 9:36-37). We are to love our children - with compassion and tenderness (1 Thessalonians 2:7, 11,12; Psalm 103:13) - and provide them with the good things of God’s good creation (Luke 11:13).

Part of our duty of love and care towards our children consists in protecting them from influences that have power to harm them: whether from commercial interests that would see children as just another commodity to be exploited; or from societal influences that are less easy to define or understand, but no less dangerous for that.

Photo credit - Google Images