Connect Faith and Film at Film Alley
The Faith and Film series continues in 2026 at Film Alley, formerly known as City Lights, 420 Wolf Ranch Parkway, Georgetown, TX.
The series is a chance to explore themes of faith in religion found in popular movies. Participants are equipped to connect the filmmaker’s projected moral in the story to their own perspectives on God and salvation, good and evil. These informal classes for the community equip Viewer-Critics to recognize and respond to the competing ideologies promoted within popular culture.
Watch the short promotional video here.
The 2026 Spring series is scheduled on Sundays, 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM, February 1, March 1, April 12,* and May 3.
(*Sunday after Easter)
Now in its tenth season, this informal class is produced by film scholar Dr. Philip J. Hohle, an adjunct professor of Mass Media at Mary Hardin-Baylor University. A member of the prestigious Society for the Cognitive Study of the Moving Image (SCSMI), Hohle has authored several books and articles on viewer responses to movies.
In The Filmmaker’s Prayer: Cinema & Religion, Hohle argues that virtually all movies project a surprising degree of religiosity. “Most good films subtly express a certain worldview, a statement about the human condition: Who am I? Am I a good person? What is my redeeming purpose in life? Certainly, those are some of the fundamental questions of religion, and many movies invite an examination from that perspective. If we are not prepared, we miss some profound ideas and lessons.”
Noted Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Seminary, Dr. Robert Johnson, has stated that the cinema’s storytellers have become the new priests of our culture. As such, the movie theater has become another great competitor for the church because great movies inspire people in profound ways.
The current four-week class is funded through a grant from Zion Lutheran Church and School of Walburg, Texas, and other patrons. The course concept is similar to an ESL class for non-native English speakers, but in this case, it is entertainment as a second language. This series was designed to help viewers develop a higher sense of media literacy and fluency in interpreting the films they see. Faith and Film is designed for anyone who wants to develop a higher awareness or appreciation for the inspirational power of movies.
The course will feature free screenings of selected films at Film Alley each evening. Every screening is followed by an open discussion led by Hohle and other area scholars, practitioners, and theologians.
Dates, Movies, and Respondents
- Feb. 1 — A foreign film** with Dr. Jacob Youmans
- March 1 — A comedy with Rev. Dr. David Kluth
- April 12 — A favorite sports movie*** with Hall of Fame coach Homer Drew
- May 3 — An allegorical thriller** with Rev. Ryan Pennington
**Oscar for Best Picture
***Oscar for Best Supporting Actor
“There is no better setting to truly consider the richness of the film narrative than in a comfortable movie theater with an audience,” Hohle said. “While our respondents primarily speak through the lens of Christianity, we really learn from each other as we take the time afterward to unpack and share the personal religious experience the film provides for each of us.”
For more information, visit the frequently asked questions page or email philip@parabolicmedia.com.
Watch the short promo for the series made in 2025.
Watch the short promo for the series made in 2024.
The Faith and Film Informal Class is a production of Parabolic Media, made possible through grants from Zion Lutheran Church and School and other patrons. Viewers should be aware that some of the movies to be examined contain violence, sexual situations, and rough language. Be it further known that the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the staff, governing board, or patrons of the venue where the series is staged.