SAICFF: 9:30 A.M. - 10/28

I have just finished listening to R.C. Sproul, Jr., deliver a provacative talk entitled Deliberate Culture. He began by presenting a brief history of the Enlightenment, and argues that this same philosophy of perfection through education continues to ensnare believers and unbelievers alike. As a younger man, Sproul explained, he was what he calls a Worldview Boy. He grew up under the teaching of his father, R.C. Sproul, senior, and Dr. Francis Schaeffer. He's written entire books on worldviews. And yet, he has a charge and a caution for worldviewish Christians.

As Christians, particularly those of us who are Reformed, we often fall into the error of measuring our level of sanctification by the sophistication of our worldview. Our godliness is decided by our ability to drop names of philosophers and theologians whose works we've studied. We attempt to solve our problems by reading books, attending conferences, listening to sermons, and watching video lectures. In many ways, we're still snared by a foundational enlightenment worldview, that man is perfectible, and that education is his salvation. We don't change our problems by changing our worldview. Man doesn't sin because of errors in his worldview. Rather he constructs erroneous worldviews to cover over his sin.

Because of this, making movies to change worldviews, simply will not work. That mindset is still enslaved to the enlightenment. It will only persuade audiences to construct different erroneous worldviews to cover up their sins. Mr. Sproul encouraged all Christians, whether watching or making films, to measure a movie, not by its ability to make us think true thoughts, but by its ability to encourage virtue. As Christians, we are not deliberate enough. He puts forth this charge as an example of this error: That the problem in America is not Darwinism, but the murder of babies.

Mr. Sproul points out the passage in Romans 1:29-32, where we read, "They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."

As Christians we often will boycott movies with gross immorality, violence, or obscenity. You see, we believe we can identify the worldview behind such depictions of sin. And yet, we watch and support movies and television shows where gossips, fools, and disobedient children are continually depicted. We've missed something.