From disapproval to delight
Novels and movies were once generally suspect in evangelical eyes, but now the emphasis is on discernment.
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In his pithy way of offering insult without falling into crudeness, Benjamin Disraeli-the Jewish-Christian 19th-century British prime minister who moonlighted as a novelist-once characterized a woman as having "guanoed her mind by reading French novels." That was the general disapproving reaction of the evangelical elite back then to thrillers or romances. (Disraeli said he personally avoided the abyss by authoring 18 fictional works: "When I want to read a novel I write one.")
Early in the 20th century the reaction of many evangelicals to the movies was similar: Don't go to productions viewed as tawdry or (at best) consumers of time that could better be spent at church picnics. But the appeal of lights/camera/action overwhelmed strict separationism, and films were increasingly seen as delights of life like vines and fig trees (some of which produced rotten figs and deserved to wither).
A month ago I asked evangelicals from a variety of fields-some pastors, some writers or directors, some heading political or nonprofit offices, even Tony Campolo and a Texas Supreme Court justice-to answer this question: "What are your favorite novels and movies (up to five of each) published or produced during the past 20 years?"
I chose 20 years simply because this is WORLD's 20th-anniversary year, and did not strictly enforce that limit. I did not have an agenda-other than satisfaction of curiosity-in mind, except that the choice of the word favorite rather than greatest was intentional. Novel and movie favorites are often deeply personal: We can admire some films intellectually but they leave us cold, while others that are deeply flawed still grip us emotionally.
For example, I put on my own favorite five list some pretty nonsensical movies like Field of Dreams and The Family Man, as well as a supremely logical one like The Princess Bride. I've enjoyed reading realistic novels by gritty John Lescroart and grungy George Pelecanos that provide an often-grimy look at San Francisco lawyering and inner-city Washington detective work, but I don't recommend them to general readers and don't consider them "great."
Following another of Disraeli's maxims, "Never complain and never explain," I didn't ask respondents to justify their personal choices, but some did anyway. Dennis Haack, for example, helps Christians develop skill in biblical cultural discernment, and he thoughtfully had Peace Like a River on his list as a "novel depicting a Christian worldview," Magnolia as a film "raising perennial big questions," and The Royal Tennenbaums as a "movie revealing brokenness." (I would agree with that, and would suggest You Can Count on Me as another film implicitly showing our desperate need.)
Matt Ristuccia got into the spirit of "favorites" rather than "greatness" by listing back-to-back the film version of Little Women ("since everyone is allowed one bit of schmaltz, this is mine. Family, growth, loss, and love. It never fails to bring a happy tear to my eye") and The Fugitive (the epitome of an "action/drama film. You can't beat the final vindication of the fugitive. Truth does win out; guilt is exposed").
Here are 30 sets of favorites . . .
Priya Abraham, World reporter
Novels
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith The Last King of Scotland, Giles Foden A Suitable Boy, Vikram SethFilms
Quiz Show The Princess Bride Hotel Rwanda Shawshank Redemption Schindler's ListArt A. Ayris, Kingstone Media Group chairman
Novels
All things, Grisham and Cussler A New Kind of Christian, Brian McLarenFilms
Amistad A Time to Kill Braveheart Gladiator The PatriotJeff Baldwin, Worldview Academy research director
Novels
The Children of Men, P.D. James The Samurai, Shusaku Endo Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry Gilead, Marilynne RobinsonFilms
The Winslow Boy Quiz Show Braveheart O Brother, Where Art Thou? The Truman ShowFred Barnes, The Weekly Standard executive editor
Novels
American Pastoral, Philip Roth A Soldier of the Great War, Mark HelprinFilms
The Incredibles The Chronicles of Narnia United 93 Saving Milly (CBS TV movie)Mindy Belz, World editor
Novels
The Second Coming, Walker Percy A Soldier of the Great War, Mark Helprin The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan Ellen Foster, Kaye Gibbons The Odyssey, Homer, as translated by Robert FaglesFilms
The Lord of the Rings trilogy The Princess Bride Much Ado About Nothing Saving Private Ryan Amistad or Schindler's ListBill Boyd, All Saints Presbyterian Church (Austin, Texas) pastor
Novels
Uncle Tungsten, Oliver Sacks Waiting for Snow in Havana, Carlos Eire The Border Trilogy-All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain Cormac McCarthy Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard The Wilderking Trilogy-The Bark of the Bog Owl, The Secret of the Swamp King, The Way of the Wilderking, Jonathan RogersFilms
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind X-Men trilogy Mrs. Brown Ever After Life Is BeautifulAnthony Bradley, Covenant Theological Seminary assistant professor
Novels
Beloved, Toni Morrison Gilead, Marilynne Robinson The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro The Brothers K, David James Duncan The Corrections, Jonathan FranzenFilms
Glory Dead Poets Society The Lord of the Rings trilogy Hotel Rwanda The MatrixTony Campolo, Eastern University professor
Novels
Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder Paul, Walter Wangerin Jr.Films
Schindler's List Star Wars Ordinary PeopleRudy Carrasco, Harambee Christian Family Center executive director
Novels
The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Salman Rushdie The General in His Labyrinth, Gabriel Garcia Marquez The Broker, John Grisham The Prince of Tides, Pat ConroyFilms
The Matrix U2 Vertigo DVD Snatch The Prince of Egypt Mi FamiliaJoe P. Carter, Worldmagblog.com managing editor
Novels
All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy The Sparrow, Mary Doria Russell Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card Holes, Louis Sachar Einstein's Dreams, Alan LightmanFilms
Ponette Groundhog Day Unforgiven Barcelona Dancer in the DarkAndrew Coffin, WORLD correspondent
Films
Miller's Crossing Quiz Show Sense and Sensibility* and Black Hawk Down The Incredibles Crimes and Misdemeanors*Sense and Sensibility requires some testosterone-heavy balance
William Dembski, Southwestern Seminary research professor
Novels
A Man in Full, Tom Wolfe Absolute Friends, John le Carré The Company, Robert Littell Glittering Images, Susan Howatch The Blind Watchmaker, Richard Dawkins (advertised as nonfiction, but I know fiction when I see it; the protagonist is natural selection)Films
Babette's Feast Cinema Paradiso Gladiator The Insider Life Is BeautifulScott Derrickson, The Exorcism of Emily Rose writer-director
Novels
The Sparrow, Mary Doria Russell Time's Arrow, Martin Amis Hyperion, Dan Simmons The Fall of Hyperion, Dan Simmons A Prayer for Owen Meany, John IrvingFilms
Breaking the Waves Wings of Desire Do the Right Thing Seven L.A. ConfidentialBrian Godawa, Hollywood screenwriter
Novels
Jurassic Park and State of Fear, Michael Crichton Intensity, Dean Koontz The Stand, Stephen King The Last Disciple series, Hank Hanegraaff, Sigmund BrouwerFilms
To End All Wars Braveheart The Addiction The Passion of the Christ Sense and SensibilityTim Goeglein, White House Office of Public Liaison deputy director
Novels
The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe The Thanatos Syndrome, Walker Percy Gilead, Marilynne Robinson Stained Glass, William F. Buckley Jr. A Soldier of the Great War, Mark HelprinFilms
The Rookie The Chronicles of Narnia The Passion of the Christ Tender Mercies The Lord of the Rings trilogyGeorge Grant, Christ Community Church (Franklin, Tenn.) co-pastor
Novels
Jewel, Bret Lott Falling, Colin Thubron A New Song, Jan Karon Declare, Tim Powers The Last Coin, James BlaylockFilms
1918 On Valentine's Day Secondhand Lions The Apostle 84 Charing Cross RoadWayne Grudem, Phoenix Seminary research professor
Novels
This Present Darkness, Frank Peretti Timeline, Michael Crichton The Firm, John Grisham Red Storm Rising, Tom Clancy The Bourne Identity, Robert LudlumFilms
The Return of the King The Passion of the Christ The Hunt for Red October Return of the Jedi Raiders of the Lost ArkDenis D. Haack, Ransom Fellowship co-director
Novels
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Alexander Solzhenitsyn Peace Like a River, Lief Enger Life of Pi, Yann Martel Blankets, Craig Thompson The Brothers K, David James DuncanFilms
A Man for All Seasons Run Lola Run Wit Magnolia The Royal TennenbaumsPaul Hahn, Redeemer Church of Knoxville, Tenn., church planter
Novels
The Aubrey/Maturin series, Patrick O' Brian The Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling Gates of Fire, Steven Pressfield Jayber Crow, Wendell BerryFilms
The Lord of the Rings trilogy The Village Chocolate Unbreakable Notting HillRon Harris, Harris Preston & Partners, LLC managing director
Novels
Last of the Breed, Louis L'Amour Runaway Jury, John Grisham The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje Sum of All Fears, Tom Clancy Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtryFilms
Braveheart Forrest Gump The Majestic The Return of the King Dances with WolvesPhillip E. Johnson, University of California-Berkeley professor emeritus
Novels
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Alexander McCall SmithFilm
AmadeusTimothy Lamer, World managing editor
Novels
Those, by Michael CrichtonFilms
Signs Sophie Scholl The Family Man GloryR. Albert Mohler Jr., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president
Novels
The Thanatos Syndrome, Walker Percy The Children of Men, P.D. James Gilead, Marilynne Robinson The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom WolfeFilms
The Remains of the Day The Hunt for Red October The Great Raid O Brother, Where Art Thou? The Lord of the Rings trilogyMarvin Olasky, World editor in chief
Novels
The Thanatos Syndrome, Walker Percy All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy A Man in Full, Tom Wolfe John Lescroart novels George Pelecanos novelsFilms
Cry, the Beloved Country The Princess Bride Field of Dreams Groundhog Day The Family ManDonna Rice, Enough Is Enough president
Novels
Sea Biscuit, Laura Hillenbrand Anything by, John Jakes Beach Music, Pat Conroy Left Behind, Tim F. LaHaye, Jerry B. JenkinsFilms
Braveheart Fried Green Tomatoes Gladiator The Lord of the Rings trilogy Lethal Weapon seriesMatthew P. Ristuccia, Westerly Road Church (Princeton, N.J.) senior pastor
Novels
Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton The Good News from North Haven, Michael Lindvall The Island of the Day Before, Umberto Eco The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith The Kite Runner, Khaled HosseiniFilms
Driving Miss Daisy The Fugitive Little Women The Lord of the Rings trilogy Batman BeginsAmy L. Sherman, Sagamore Institute Center on Faith in Communities director
Novels
Peace Like a River, Leif Enger Inkheart, Cornelia Funke Mila 18, Leon Uris Gilead, Marilynne RobinsonFilms
Seabiscuit My Big Fat Greek Wedding The Power of One Mansfield Park The Green MileWilliam H. Smith, Minister and writer (Jackson, Miss.)
Novels
Lancelot, Walker Percy Shiloh, Shelby Foote I Am Charlotte Simmons, Tom Wolfe Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier The Mitford novels, Jan KaronFilms
The Apostle Walk the Line Saving Private Ryan The Straight Story We Were Soldiers OnceDon Willett, The Supreme Court of Texas justice
Novels
Those, by Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton, Scott Turow, and John GrishamFilms
Braveheart The Lord of the Rings trilogy Life Is Beautiful Jerry Maguire Much Ado About NothingLauren F. Winner, Author of Girl Meets God and Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity
Novels
The Age of Grief, Jane Smiley Jazz, Toni Morrison Crossing to Safety, Wallace Stegner Mr. Mani, A.B. Yehoshua Monkeys, Susan Minot
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