Daniel, my son, and I went to the movie Bridge to Terabithia. It was not what I was expecting. I was expecting an OK but not up to the level Lord of the Rings type movie. I think the trailer gave me this impression. However, I wasn’t disappointed. The movie focused on fairly realistic 12 year olds (my guess on their age) who were trying to navigate through the issues of early adolescence. My passion for understanding the world of adolescents pulled me into this movie. The leading actors in this movie are Jessie, a boy who is really struggling to survive in his world of school and family. Leslie, a girl, moves into the house next to his. Leslie, developmentally well ahead of Jessie, has discovered her imagination as a life-giving force and gradually opens up a new world of story, creativity and purpose to Jessie.
“The scene” of the movie for me was Leslie, a non-church attendee, inviting herself to go to church on Easter with Jessie’s family. During the service she appeared to be quite fascinated with the service, the stained glass windows, etc. On the way home, Jessie, his little sister and Leslie are riding in the back of the pick-up. 
Leslie remarks, “I’m really glad I came.” Jessie is not sure if she is kidding or being serious. Leslie follows up by saying, “It was better than a movie.” Jessie replies, “You’re kidding.” Leslie obviously not kidding responds, “No, I’m not. That whole Jesus thing is really interesting, isn’t it?” Jessie asks, “What do you mean?” Leslie answers, “All those people wanting to kill him when he hadn’t done anything to hurt them. It’s really kind of a beautiful story like Abraham Lincoln or Socrates or Aslan.” Jessie’s little sister blurts out, “It ain’t beautiful, it’s scary. Nailing holes right through somebody’s hand.” Jessie agrees, “May Belle’s right, it’s because we’re all vile sinners God made Jesus die.” Leslie responds, “Do you think that’s true?” Jessie snaps back, “It’s in the Bible, Leslie.” After a pause Leslie says, “It’s crazy, isn’t it? You have to believe it, but you hate it. I don’t have to believe it, and I think it’s beautiful.”
At the end of this scene I was sitting there amazed at the dialogue I had just watched. I’m thinking how often this discussion is true. I’m afraid the way we present Jesus and the Gospel among youth leads to the kind of callousness demonstrated by Jessie and his sister. The Gospel is beautiful, powerful, and captivating. This scene has caused me to reflect on the things we do in the church to mess up the power of the story of Jesus. When I got home I dug around to discover that Katherine Paterson, a former missionary, is the author of Bridge to Terabithia. Do you have any thoughts about why so often those who grow up in the church feel like Jessie?
I just saw this with Kara last weekend and was similarly captivated by the same scene.
Why do so many of us church folk feel like Jesse? Maybe because we've been given a one-sided atonement theory that is 95% guilt and punishment and very little hope or life. I think we have a lot to learn from our Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters about a more beautiful and captivating theology of the atonement.
Posted by: Charlie | March 13, 2007 at 03:21 PM
Hey Charlie,
Hug Kara for me.
Mike
Posted by: Mike | March 13, 2007 at 11:13 PM