Good evening and welcome to another episode of Religion and the Arts. Tonight we explore the themes of the Gospel and the way in which these themes are being portrayed in modern art. Jessica Polistena reports. Religion is being greatly transformed by the technological advances of our time. Not only have these developments expanded our religious knowledge, they have also enabled key biblical texts to be illustrated in present-day films. Despicable Me is an animated comedy film in which one of the Beatitudes is defined.
The Beatitudes are eight blessings listed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Mathew. Each of them refers to a significant biblical theme and aim to encourage happiness and well-being. “They describe the ideal…
The story however, is based around three orphaned sisters. They hope to be adopted and yearn for the unconditional love of a parent. They are soon chosen by a super villain name Gru, who sadly has an ulterior motive for the adoption. Gru had a rough upbringing, having been neglected by his mother for most of his childhood. Why he became a villain is never mentioned in the story, however as he spends more time with the girls he grows to genuinely love them and begins to doubt his villainous…
“In peace-making, we are childlike, both in our care for those around us and because we inspire that same behaviour in others, and so we are welcomed into the Father’s house with open arms” says Megan Barzaq. Jesus’ words continue to challenge us today, however peace-making isn’t about solving global conflict, it is simply about restoring broken relationships and being the best person we can be. This is unfortunately all we have for you tonight. See you next time on Religion and the…
