Film in church: education, entertainment and outreach

Abstract

Dr Robin Hill’s interest in using film to develop the life and work of the parish church was sparked by an assertion made by a fellow minister that the cinema had superseded the church as the place in Scottish public life which offered people a forum for considering spiritual and ethical issues. In this immensely practical paper he describes how his congregation set up a film club with the aim of retaking some of this lost ground. Included are an outline of the legal requirements to be considered with a venture of this kind; a list of films that worked well in stimulating serious discussion; and creative ideas on using film to enable churches to engage more deeply with their local communities.