Description: Identifies the parallels and resonances between Christopher Nolan's cinema and the works of philosopher Paul Ricoeur and theologian St. Augustine to demonstrate how Nolan's films are truly doing theology and philosophy through the medium of film.
Brief description: Joel Maywardis Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, Theology and the Arts at George Fox University in Oregon. He is author of five books including The Dardenne Brothers' Cinematic Parables: Integrating Theology, Philosophy, and Film(2022) and the forthcoming Theology and the Films of Christopher Nolan(2025). He is also a cultural critic and writes about the intersection of art and religion.
Review Quotes:
"An immensely rewarding book ... This intellectually stimulating book challenges the very form of the academic monograph itself by allowing Nolan's metacinematic tendencies to actively shape the text. Such thoughtful playfulness made the book, at least for this avid reader, one of the most exhilarating literary experiences of the year." --Journal of Religion & Film
"This is theology and film at its best! Putting post-religious filmmaker Christopher Nolan into dialogue with Paul Ricoeur and Augustine, Joel Mayward argues convincingly that Nolan is actually doing theology. his montage of perspectives providing insight aplenty not only for Nolan's films but also from his cinema." --Robert K. Johnston, Senior Professor of Theology and Culture, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA "Holy theocinematics, Batman! Walking into the Christopher Nolan conversation with the sagacity of Nikola Tesla in The Prestige, Joel Mayward will compel the attention of the auteur's super-fans and skeptics alike. As he opens up exciting new avenues of exploration and interpretation in Nolan's filmography, he's ultimately challenging us to rethink the possibilities of cinema as a form of theology. Chapter by chapter, I'm compelled to revisit and reinterpret each enigmatic film, and my understanding of both art and faith are enriched." --Jeffrey Overstreet, author of Through a Screen Darkly: Looking Closer at Beauty, Truth and Evil in the Movies