Book Recommendation

Someone bought me for Christmas a book which I highly recommend: Phillip M. Thompson’s Lights in the Darkness: Exploring Catholic Themes in Twelve Extraordinary Films (Eugene OR, Cascade: 2017). Having seen many if not all of the films he covers, I found it gripping to re-visit them once again in the light of his remarks. The films he covers include The Mission, Gattaca, Babette’s Feast, Diary of a Country Priest, Dead Man Walking and others – many of which I’m sure you too will have watched. Film is a powerful and unique artistic medium that can be a source of profound ethical reflections and spiritual insights. Thompson brings this out in his book. He focuses on twelve award-winning films, exploring the themes of grace, redemption, pilgrimage, conscience, justice, faith and reason, the common good, sacramentality, and wisdom. In addition to unpacking these themes, each chapter provides background information on the relevant historical moment and explores the development of the film itself. Dr. Phillip M. Thompson is the Executive Director of the Aquinas Center of Theology at Emory University. He has published two books, Between Science and Religion, the Engagement of Catholic Intellectuals with Science and Technology and Returning to Reality, Thomas Merton’s Wisdom for a Technological World. He has written in or been interviewed by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Associated Press, and Headline News.

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