In a class I am taking here at theological college, we were recently looking at the doctrine of anthropology (what Christians believe about human beings). We explored in what ways human beings reflect the image of God (Genesis 1). We talked about whether it was who we are, what we do or whether it is that we are relational that makes us bearers of God's image. Christians believe in a God who is, at his very core, relational. Christians believe that God is trinitarian, that he is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The persons of the Trinity are eternally in complete, perfect and mutual relationship with each other. For human beings to bear the image of God means that we too are inherently relational. What we do and who we are is of course important, but it is the fact that we are relational that really counts. In fact, I would say that the question is not 'who are we?' but 'whose are we?' | |
Some of these themes are picked up by Disney in their film 'Up!' . Watch the short video clip at the top of this post.
The opening five minutes of the film is a montage and is incredibly moving. A young want to be explorer called Karl meets another young want to be explorer called Ellie. Ellie's dream is to travel to South America and live at Paradise Falls. Karl promises Ellie he will take her there one day. She shows Karl her adventure book that she is going to fill with all the exciting things they do when they get to Paradise Falls. The young want to be explorers end up getting married and setting up home together. They try to have children, and can't. Karl remembers his promise to Ellie and they begin to save up to go on their adventure to Paradise Falls, however, they keep having to spend money on other things that get in the way. They grow old together and one day Karl sees a photo of the young Ellie and a painting of Paradise Falls. He rushes out to buy plane tickets so he can finally take her there. Just as he is about to surprise her she falls incredibly ill. While in hospital, just before she dies, she hands Karl her adventure book. The last part of this five minute montage is Karl sitting on his own after her funeral has finished.
The rest of the film is about Karl going to Paradise Falls. He ends up flying his house with thousands of helium balloons to the falls. When he gets there he realizes that even though he eventually got there, he still wasn't fulfilled. As he ponders all of this he notices Ellie's adventure book. He is overcome with sadness as he begins to open the book. He never took her to paradise falls - her one dream. The book is going to be empty. As he flicks through the pages he realizes that Ellie has fulled the pages with pictures from their marriage. At the end of the book she left him a note: 'Thanks for the Adventure - now go and gave a new one' (he ends up adopting a young boy who has a bad relationship with his father).
The writers of Up! have picked up on the lie that abounds in our culture today... that who we are or what we do is of paramount importance. It is how we define ourselves. We are only worth something if we achieve a certain amount of academic success, earn a certain amount of money or if we obtain a certain social position in society. Who Karl thought he should be is a famous explorer. He was going to achieve this by doing something: going to Paradise Falls. He thought he had failed. He broke his promise and never tool Ellie there. What Karl had to learn was that none of that mattered in comparison with his relationship with Ellie. The real adventure was not being an explorer and going somewhere but in being a husband and being in relationship. The adventure was not going to Paradise Falls but it was the way they shared the highs and lows of life together, the way they supported each other, the way they grew old together.
The Bible and followers of Jesus can give some vocabulary to what Disney is expressing here. Christians affirm that relationships matter. Not just marital ones, but friendships as well. They matter because in being relational we are reflecting who God is. Relationships are far more important than anything else we may achieve in life - we were made to be relational. Putting relationships before 'worldly success' in life is important.
Christians believe that through the cross of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit we receive new identities - we become children of God. The creator of the universe adopts us as his own and we can call him Father. This is highly relational imagery. Because of Christ, our identity is no longer in what we have or have not achieved. It is not in the car we drive, the job we have or how successful we are. Christians are in relationship with Jesus and because of that are forgiven and called children of God. That is the most amazing relationship. Because we are made to be relational, it is important that we have good relationships with those around us. But only one relationship will ever fulfill us completely - a relationship with the one who created us and loves us so much that he gave his life for us.
The real 'adventures' of life are not where we go, the job we have, what we wear or how well we do at university or school. Our relationships define us. The real adventures come from the relationships we build.
The best adventure one can ever have is following Jesus Christ.
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The opening five minutes of the film is a montage and is incredibly moving. A young want to be explorer called Karl meets another young want to be explorer called Ellie. Ellie's dream is to travel to South America and live at Paradise Falls. Karl promises Ellie he will take her there one day. She shows Karl her adventure book that she is going to fill with all the exciting things they do when they get to Paradise Falls. The young want to be explorers end up getting married and setting up home together. They try to have children, and can't. Karl remembers his promise to Ellie and they begin to save up to go on their adventure to Paradise Falls, however, they keep having to spend money on other things that get in the way. They grow old together and one day Karl sees a photo of the young Ellie and a painting of Paradise Falls. He rushes out to buy plane tickets so he can finally take her there. Just as he is about to surprise her she falls incredibly ill. While in hospital, just before she dies, she hands Karl her adventure book. The last part of this five minute montage is Karl sitting on his own after her funeral has finished.
The rest of the film is about Karl going to Paradise Falls. He ends up flying his house with thousands of helium balloons to the falls. When he gets there he realizes that even though he eventually got there, he still wasn't fulfilled. As he ponders all of this he notices Ellie's adventure book. He is overcome with sadness as he begins to open the book. He never took her to paradise falls - her one dream. The book is going to be empty. As he flicks through the pages he realizes that Ellie has fulled the pages with pictures from their marriage. At the end of the book she left him a note: 'Thanks for the Adventure - now go and gave a new one' (he ends up adopting a young boy who has a bad relationship with his father).
The writers of Up! have picked up on the lie that abounds in our culture today... that who we are or what we do is of paramount importance. It is how we define ourselves. We are only worth something if we achieve a certain amount of academic success, earn a certain amount of money or if we obtain a certain social position in society. Who Karl thought he should be is a famous explorer. He was going to achieve this by doing something: going to Paradise Falls. He thought he had failed. He broke his promise and never tool Ellie there. What Karl had to learn was that none of that mattered in comparison with his relationship with Ellie. The real adventure was not being an explorer and going somewhere but in being a husband and being in relationship. The adventure was not going to Paradise Falls but it was the way they shared the highs and lows of life together, the way they supported each other, the way they grew old together.
The Bible and followers of Jesus can give some vocabulary to what Disney is expressing here. Christians affirm that relationships matter. Not just marital ones, but friendships as well. They matter because in being relational we are reflecting who God is. Relationships are far more important than anything else we may achieve in life - we were made to be relational. Putting relationships before 'worldly success' in life is important.
Christians believe that through the cross of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit we receive new identities - we become children of God. The creator of the universe adopts us as his own and we can call him Father. This is highly relational imagery. Because of Christ, our identity is no longer in what we have or have not achieved. It is not in the car we drive, the job we have or how successful we are. Christians are in relationship with Jesus and because of that are forgiven and called children of God. That is the most amazing relationship. Because we are made to be relational, it is important that we have good relationships with those around us. But only one relationship will ever fulfill us completely - a relationship with the one who created us and loves us so much that he gave his life for us.
The real 'adventures' of life are not where we go, the job we have, what we wear or how well we do at university or school. Our relationships define us. The real adventures come from the relationships we build.
The best adventure one can ever have is following Jesus Christ.
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