Our movie podcast recommendation of the week looks at when religion meets the movies: it’s God in Film.
What do you get when a Christian and an Atheist create a movie podcast? No, this isn’t the beginning of a bad faith-based joke, it’s the story behind God in Film, a podcast where a Christian and an atheist dive into the best that cinema has to offer, to see if they can find any parallels with the gospel, or any other bible stories.
Usually, religion can be a tricky subject to discuss. Different religions have their own beliefs and values, and often secular people can be put off by a podcast that delves into religious association. The great thing about God in Film, hosted by good friends Giles Gough and Phil Coleman, is that not only is the discussion theologically based, but also includes elements of philosophy and spirituality. You don’t have to be a religious scholar to understand or enjoy the analysis here.
Giles is fully immersed in his local church, and while his faith is important, he’s not here to preach (no pun intended) to either his co-host Phil or to listeners. God in Film is a lighthearted, but in-depth look at how mainstream pop culture often references religious texts, often by filmmakers that are explicitly atheist. Good vs evil is the most obvious faith parallel, but themes of redemption, messianic figures (such as the chosen one), and love and forgiveness all have links to biblical stories, as well as the more obvious references, such as depictions of God him/herself or discussions with a higher being.
God in Film provides a fresh perspective on the films and TV shows you know and love, by giving insights into how theology and culture connect in ways you might not expect. Faith isn’t just about church services in your Sunday best, and a movie podcast discussing Christianity isn’t something that non-religious listeners should be afraid of, or immediately turn away from. Giles and Phil each bring their own unique and passionate thoughts to the table, with a podcast that is a really fun, easy listen, with a solid balance of nostalgia, humour and nerdy commentary.
Since God in Film’s immaculate conception in 2020, both Giles and Phil have become fathers, and so while the quantity of output is slightly slower than most podcasts, the quality of the discussion hasn’t been dimmed by parenthood. Giles may have a specific take on something inspired by his Christian background in God in Film, but the general principles can apply to someone from a secular background as well. As he himself puts it “We usually find that we have more that unites us than divides us. For example, ‘be kind’ is a principle that has universal appeal.” And it really is as simple as that.
Be kind, and listen to God in Film.
Recommended episode: Season 1 Episode 4 – Arrival (4 May 2020) – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-god-in-film-podcast/id1506508625?i=1000473503746
God in Film can be found at: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-god-in-film-podcast/id1506508625
And followed at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GodinFilmpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godinfilmpodcast/
All episodes of God in Film are available and can be listened to or downloaded from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Are you a British movie podcast who would like to be featured on Film Stories? We welcome all suggestions and requests, but we especially want to hear from you if you’re female, BIPOC, non-binary, LGBTQIA+ or have a disability. Email Em – verbaldiorama at gmail co uk (Just remove the spaces and add the ‘@’ and the dots, but don’t send spam. She’s vegetarian.)
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