THE QUESTION OF GOD

Greetings, faithful readers. Today’s posting promises something entirely different for your perusal. I was recently contacted by a media promotion firm which offered the opportunity to pre-screen an upcoming religious television program for the purpose of reviewing it on this site. To that end, I’ removing my poet hat for a day and taking on the role of film critic. Interesting transition, don’t you think. The program in question is entitled, THE QUESTION OF GOD, the first part of which airs this Wednesday, the 15th on PBS. (9:00 PM) I have watched Part 1 of this series and found it to be fascinating. Before I go on, and rather than my simply plagiarizing the producers, let’s read what the show has to say for itself:

"THE QUESTION OF GOD
C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud, With Dr. Armand Nicholi
All over the world, people are asking the same questions: Why is there so much pain and suffering in the world? What does it mean to be happy? Is there such a thing as evil? Does God really exist? This September, through the brilliant minds and personal struggles of two of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century, PBS presents an emotional and intellectual journey into the meaning of life."

In my opinion, the program keeps its promise by contrasting the lives, experiences and faith/intellectual journeys of "Sigmund Freud, a lifelong critic of religious belief, and C.S. Lewis, a celebrated Oxford don, literary critic and perhaps this century’s most influential and popular proponent of faith based on reason." It follows each of their lives from the faith of childhood, through periods of great personal loss, and in the midst of both world wars in Europe. This is done with authentic film, photo and radio and newspaper clips, interviews with relevant historians and biographers and dramatizations by actors reciting from their own writings. The dramatizations include compelling visual recreations which helped to bring the story to life. All of this information is tied together with modern discussion groups led by Dr. Nicholi, a Harvard professor upon whose class and book of the same title the program is based.

From a strictly historical standpoint, the program is extremely valuable, as the lives of these two great intellectuals are entwined with critical moments of the 20th century. From a religious standpoint, I found the presentation and discussions to be unbiased and open minded, making the program relevant and enjoyable for the atheist, the agnostic, or those of faith. So often such a program is agenda-driven and leaves no wiggle room for those who disagree with its premise. THE QUESTION OF GOD, however, invites those an any persuasion share in the wisdom and eventual religious disposition of both Freud and Lewis. The study of how each responded to and dealt with grief in their lives was fascinating. However, what I found most interesting was the way in which the devastating wars of their eras helped to shape each of their world views and, subsequently, their religious views.

Mind you, this is by no means an action/adventure show. It is a serious documentary about a serious subject. However, I found they did and outstanding job of laying some of the most compelling questions regarding human existence onto the table and examining them through the minds and writings of some of the most gifted thinkers of this past century. If you are looking for answers, here’s a place to turn. If you think you have the answers and want to understand them better, it’s also a win. Bear in mind that I write from an evangelical background, but rarely have I seen both sides of THE QUESTION OF GOD so fairly represented on television. I call it a must watch ... and don’t forget invite a friend or two over because you’ll have lots to talk about afterwards. So remember, THE QUESTION OF GOD on Wednesdays, September 15-22 from 9:00-11:00 PM on PBS. Part 1 airs this week. You can also get additional information at: pbs.org/questionofgod, where discussion guides are also available.

Thanks for your valuable time and attention. Tomorrow I’ll return to my regular programing, but I felt this was important enough to call your attention to.
As iron sharpens iron, Frank Carpenter