The Spirit and the Screen engages contemporary films from the perspective of pneumatology to give theologies of culture fruitful new perspectives that begin with the Spirit rather than other common theological contact points (Christology, anthropology, theological ethics, creation, eschatology, etc.). This book explores pertinent pneumatological issues that arise in film, as well as literary devices that draw allusions to the Spirit. It offers three main contributions: first, it explores how Christian understandings of the person and work of the Spirit illuminate the nature of film and film-making; second, it shows that there are in fact “Spirit figures” in film (as distinct from but inseparable from Christ-figures), even if sometimes they’re not intended as such, “Spirit-led” characters, are moved to act “prophetically,” against their inclinations and in excess of their skill or knowledge and with eccentric, life-giving creativity; third, it identifies subtle and explicit symbolizations of the Spirit in pop culture, symbolizations that requires deep, careful thinking about the Christian doctrine of the Spirit and generate new horizons for cultural analysis. The contributors of this book explore these issues, asking how Christian convictions and experiences of the Spirit might shape the way one thinks about films and film-making.

In this new ecological commentary on the letter to the Hebrews, Jeffrey S. Lamp makes use of approaches developed in the relatively new field of Ecological Hermeneutics to shed light upon the connection of Hebrews with Earth. Hebrews is frequently characterized as portraying a dualistic cosmology that diminishes the material world, muting the voice of Earth. Conversely, Lamp argues that though Hebrews cannot be construed as an ecological treatise, the contours of the letter’s presentation may be subverted by reading from an ecological perspective, such that cues provided by the author of Hebrews serve as opportunities to hear Earth’s voice in the letter. Three movements, corresponding to thematic interests of the author of Hebrews, form the framework of this ecological reading: the Son as the agent of creation, the Son depicted as the Second Adam, and the New Jerusalem as the eschatological dwelling place of God. This ecological reading of Hebrews aims to shape its readers into those who fulfill the soteriological aims of God in and for the world.

Synopsis: Applying an ecological hermeneutic developed in the Consultation on Ecological Hermeneutics of the Society of Biblical Literature, and in conjunction with intertextual and theological hermeneutics, Jeffrey Lamp creatively reads the Letter to the Hebrews from the perspective of Earth. The author of Hebrews engages in an extended argument that reinterprets features of the old covenant in terms of the Son in order to demonstrate that the new covenant instituted by the Son is superior to the old. In such an argument, the voice of Earth is understandably absent. The author of the letter is frequently understood as denigrating the temporal order, of which the old covenant is a part, while praising the eternal order, of which the new covenant is a part. An ecological reading of Hebrews demonstrates that, despite the rhetorical concerns of the author, embedded in the argument are textual clues, derived primarily from the christological affirmations of the argumentation, connecting Hebrews with the larger biblical concern for the integrity and care of the created order. Endorsements: "The Greening of Hebrews is a welcome addition to the literature of ecological hermeneutics. Lamp's close reading moves beyond the simplistic discovery of texts about the earth into texts that speak for the earth. Lamp's unique study bridges biblical exegesis and theology, introduces readers to new environmental perspectives, and allows us to hear Earth's voice anew." --Jeffrey W. Barbeau, Wheaton College "The Letter to the Hebrews is a surprising place to attempt an application of an ecological hermeneutic; yet Lamp has done it. Lamp offers a reading of the letter from the perspective of the earth that is fresh, creative, balanced, and--most of all--convincing." --Robby Waddell, Southeastern University "Lamp succeeds in giving the Letter to the Hebrews--an unabashedly christological and anthropocentric work--a voice in the contemporary Christian dialogue on ecology. Using rigorous critical methodology and careful attention to the nuances of the letter's biblical intertextuality, he traces the ecological implications of key texts in Hebrews and opens up tantalizing possibilities for an ecologically sensitive reading of the letter. This innovative study reveals a new trajectory in the interpretation of the Letter to the Hebrews." --Peter Trudinger, Flinders University Author Biography: Jeffrey S. Lamp is Professor of New Testament at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the author of First Corinthians 1-4 in Light of Jewish Wisdom Traditions: Christ, Wisdom, and Spirituality (2000).