Field of Dreams (1989)

• Information at Internet Movie Database
• "Teaching Field of Dreams as Cosmogonic Myth," Mara E. Donaldson, Journal of Religion and Film, 1998.
• Review, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality & Health - Spiritual Practices for Human Being.
• Themes
  • Abraham
    • Ray Kinsella and his wife give up everything in Iowa/UR to find the promise land.  At the end of the movie their daughter envisions the field as a promised land for people, and as the credits roll their are headlights as numerous as the stars coming to the promise land of an Iowa baseball field. (Niel Climer)
  • Afterlife/Heaven & Hell
    • A host of long-dead ball players come out of the night fog of the corn to play on the ball field, one asking, "Is this heaven?"  To which, the farmer responds, "It's Iowa." (Mark D. Johns, Instructor of Communication/Linguistics, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa)
  • Call
    • An Iowa farmer hears a mysterious voice borne on the wind blowing through his corn field, "If you build it, he will come!"  The voice becomes more insistent, until he gives in and builds a baseball diamond, complete with lights for night games and bleachers for spectators. (Mark D. Johns, Instructor of Communication/Linguistics, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa)
  • Father-Figure
    • But the real "He" who was to come is the farmer's long estranged and now dead father.  In a simple game of "catch" on the field they have a chance to talk, see life from the other's point of view, and experience forgiveness and a restored relationship. (Mark D. Johns, Instructor of Communication/Linguistics, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa)
  • Faith
    • There are several good scenes for use in worship on this subject, but I think the best one is where James Earl Jones's character is invited by the baseball players to go with them, beyond the field into the corn. He wants to go, even though he knows he won't be able to come back, because it's his destiny, what he was brought to Iowa for. So he takes a few tentative steps, then joyful enters the unknown. (Anonymous)
  • Forgiveness/Reconciliation
    • An Iowa farmer hears a mysterious voice borne on the wind blowing through his corn field, "If you build it, he will come!"  The voice becomes more insistent, until he gives in and builds a baseball diamond, complete with lights for night games and bleachers for spectators.  A host of long-dead ball players come out of the night fog of the corn to play on the ball field, one asking, "Is this heaven?"  To which, the farmer responds, "It's Iowa."  But the real "He" who was to come is the farmer's long estranged and now dead father.  In a simple game of "catch" on the field they have a chance to talk, see life from the other's point of view, and experience forgiveness and a restored relationship. (Mark D. Johns, Instructor of Communication/Linguistics, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa)
  • Seeing/Not Seeing
    • Throughout the movie, Ray sees things that others do not.  Only when they have awakened to the faith of the field do they see.  John 9:25.  Especially the last scene where the skeptical brother in law sees the players on the field for the first time. (Niel Climer)

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