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Forrest
Gump
(1987)
 | Information at Internet
Movie Database |
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Cinema in Focus, a social and spiritual commentary by Hal Conklin and
Denny Wayman. |
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"Seeking the
Spirit (in the Dark)," Jamee Kennedy, TheFilmForum:
Christian Conversation about the Movies. |
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Review, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality & Health -
Spiritual Practices for Human Being. |
| Themes
 | Baptism
 | Doug Adams of Pacific School of Religion pointed
out (and then played for us) the opening sequence of "Forrest
Gump." In that sequence, the first thing we see is a feather
dislodging from a dove flying overhead. The feather wafts along,
almost alighting on several "acceptable" people, finally
settling on Forrest, sitting on the bench, waiting for the bus. Mark
1:10: "...he saw...the Spirit
descending like a dove on him." (submitted by Bob
Andrews-Bryant) |
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Lieutenant Dan in the storm. |
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| Call
| Forest runs across US "for no
particular reason". He gains many followers. Start cue: on
verandah and starts to run. End cue: "I think I’ll go home
now, I’m tired." (submitted by Luke Whiteside, Youth
Alpha Australia) |
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| Challenging God
| Lieutenant Dan in the storm. |
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| Compassion/Mercy
| The first schoolbus scene with Forrest trying to find a
seat is a great lesson in mercy and compassion. While no one else would
offer Forrest a seat, Jenny invites him to sit with her.
(Bil Shappell/St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church, Lutherville, MD) |
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| Entry into Jerusalem/Palm Sunday
| Lieutenant Dan talks about coming home from Vietnam
a hero and then being pushed aside and even persecuted by folks who
were protesting the war. Assumes a crucified Christ pose. |
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| Grief/Loss
| Forrest mourns Jennie. |
| The scene where after Bubba
dies, Forrest reflects on how if he had knew Bubba was
going to die, he would have said more to Bubba the
last time he talked to him. (Benjy Oliver) |
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| Father Figure
| Forrest Gump as a father. (Closing scene) |
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| Friendship
| Forrest demonstrates true friendship
by going back into the jungle to save a friend’s life. Start cue:
"I gotta find Bubba." End cue: jungle explodes behind
Forrest Gump (submitted by Luke Whiteside, Youth
Alpha Australia) |
| Forrest Gump where the Napalm hits and the jungle is
about to explode and Forrest realizes that Bubba is
still in there. He races back to get Bubba and the
scene ends with Forrest running out of the fireball
that used to be a Jungle carrying Bubba. This
is a great clip to demonstrate that we need good
Christian friends to carry us through tough times
because sooner or later all of us have one of those
times where the whole world is exploding around us.
(Benjy Oliver) |
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| Love
| I see the Hosea text as a pronouncement of God's
never-ending love and of a constant courtship with us, even in light
of our "whoredom". In light of that, I think Forrest Gump
and his relationship with Jenny is helpful in understanding this
text. Throughout the movie Forrest holds a deep love for Jenny, in
spite of her flaws and her trysts with others. In the end, Forrest's
love prevails and the two come together in marriage, with Forrest
caring for her as she dies. Some may have trouble equating God with
Forrest Gump, but I think the simplicity of the message of love here
is what needs to be stressed, rather than seeing God as a man who
sits on a bench saying, "Life is like a box of
chocolates." (submitted by Shawn Stapleton) |
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| Surrender to the
Divine
| Lieutenant Dan in the storm. |
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Index of Movie Titles
Index of Movie Themes
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