"Angels and Demons": Hollywood Theology?

Several years ago, I heard a speech delivered by the Rev. Rick Warren in one of the break-out sessions during the annual National Prayer Breakfast event in Washington, D. C., in which Warren said that if Christians really wanted to influence American society for Jesus, they should forget Washington, D. C., and start working Hollywood.

The power of a good story is well known -- particularly by parents, pastors, pundits and producers. Hollywood, more than any place else in our culture, manipulates the power of this medium.

To be sure, there are many in the film industry who have taken Warren's advice, and are about the work of producing movies and television programs that reflect the Gospel message. The adaptations of C. S. Lewis' books from "The Chronicles of Narnia," is one noteworthy example.

Some weeks ago, columnist Ross Douthat reminded me of the potential power of a story in an article he wrote that examined the not-so-obvious themes in author Dan Brown's best-selling works: "The DaVinci Code," and "Angels and Demons."

"If you want to understand the state of American religion, you need to understand why so many people love Dan Brown," Douthat wrote.

Click here to see Douthat's thought-provoking article. I am sure that you will begin to see that both Douthat and Warren are on to something.