2013 Bible Oscar Awards

Now that the Oscars are finished, we can all stop pretending we know about these random movies that no one has even heard of with unknown characters and unbelievable plot lines – like Lincoln.

Seriously, what an odd name for a fictional president and who would actually believe that an actor could kill the president? Next, you are going to tell me that an actor could someday be the president. Just crazy stuff.

But what if the Academy of Biblical Scholars gave out their own "Academy Awards" for Bible characters like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science hand out the Oscars?

First, there would actually have to be an Academy of Biblical Scholars, but that's only a minor setback because I've got a Bible and I just graduated with a Master of Divinity degree. That should be all I need to declare myself the President of the new Academy of Biblical Scholars, right?

So, as President of the prestigious Academy of Biblical Scholars, I'd like to welcome you to the most highly anticipated awards blog since ... the last most highly anticipated awards blog – the 2013 Bible Oscar Award Show.

Here are your winners.

Sometimes, the Bible Oscar red carpet can get a bit chaotic ... and idolatrous.

Best Actor: David 

Slobbering, insane King David in Dude, Where's My Kingdom (1 Samuel 21:10-15)

"I wasn't sure I would ever receive this award as I was mostly known for my work as an action hero in Facing The Giant and a comedian with my friend Jonathan in the buddy film So, Your Dad Is Trying to Kill Me.

The only way for me to break out of that type cast was to go completely off the wall, so I knew this role was the opportunity of a lifetime. It was also the only way to extend my lifetime, so there's also that. But anyway, thanks Academy for finally recognizing my work! And Jack Palance, your one-armed push-ups don't impress me."

Best Actress: Tamar

Widow turned prostitute turned royal ancestor in Pretty Widow (Genesis 38)

"After not being recognized for There's Something About Miriam, My Best Friend's Bar Mitzvah, When Habakkuk Met Salome, Big Fat Hebrew Wedding and Sleepless in Shiloh, I never thought I could garner any attention for awards in romantic comedies. But here I am on stage with this statue in my hands. I can't believe it. You like me! You really like me! I mean after the way my father-in-law and previous two husbands treated me, I was worried a bit that that no one actually did like me."

Best Director: Moses

Leading man leading the people of out Israel, director of Planes, Trains and Auto-fitting Sandals (Exodus, um ... the whole book)

Hey James Cameron! Who's the king of the world now?

*Slams staff down, splitting the entire auditorium in half* "Take that Roberto Benigni! I didn't walk over the seats. I walked through them. Seriously, I would like to thank all the members of the Academy for this great honor. I feel like this somewhat makes up for Cecil B. Demille and the Ten Commandments being robbed in the 1957 Oscars.

Having led an extremely ungrateful assortment of people to the promised land should provide me with great preparation should I ever hope to host the film version of the Oscars, since the entire audience is full of people complaining about what they didn't get and way too eager to bow down before a gold statue."

Awards received earlier

These aren't shown live because let's be honest: these aren't like real Oscars. These are just pretend Oscars that no one ever gets to see or care about.

Best Song: David for The Harpist – He had so many songs, he was the only one nominated.

Best Editing: Paul's amanuensis for Fear and Loathing in Jerusalem – Seriously, we all know pastors are long winded, but he was able to keep Paul's letter concise.

Best Supporting Actress: Jarius' daughter for Back To The Living II – The Oscar always has to go to the really young girl or the really old lady for this award.

Best Supporting Actor: Methuselah for Extremely Old School – See above.

Best Screenplay: Jesus for Good Will Healing – Nobody saw the twists coming in The Good Samaritan or The Prodigal Son.

__________________

Who was snubbed? Who didn't deserve their award? What award should have been given? Who looked the worst on the red goatskin carpet? 

Here's your chance to sound-off on the 2013 Bible Oscar Awards Show after-party, wrap-up extravaganza, also known as the comment section.

Les Miserables: depictions of a Christian critic

Les Miserables, the film adaptation of the book and musical of the same name, has garnered rave reviews from both the secular and religious media.

Christians have noted the themes of grace and redemption lining up with a biblical worldview. Others are wary of the depictions of violence and sex in the film, suggesting that those counteract any good that may be found in the story.

It may be that the Christian critics of the film inadvertently reveal the gospel-centered point of Les Miserables with their criticism.

Jean Valjean from Les Miserables

Art, not being a person who can place their trust in Christ, cannot be called "Christian." It can, however, flow from and point to the gospel. That is the question to ask of Les Mis – is it a film that is consistent with the gospel and can Christians affirm the message of the film?

I would say without a doubt the film is drawn from gospel themes: grace, salvation, redemption, the emptiness of legalism, the inability to find life in the law, sacrifice. All of these are pictures of the work of Christ.

Some have said these are drowned out by the film show prostitutes, rape, abuse, having characters use sexual innuendo and other depictions of actions that are far from biblical.

One of these critics is Travis Ragon, a graduate of a Baptist seminary and a licensed professional counselor.

"As a mental health professional, I have worked with the victims of rape, incest and abuses that many do not want to know exist and most deny happens in their worlds," Ragon wrote to Baptist Press. "I see no entertainment value in their graphic depiction on a movie screen."

The irony of much of the film's criticism is that it seems to mirror the legalism of Les Mis antagonist, Inspector Javert, who is unable to recognize grace because of his obsession with the law.

I don't know Ragon, so I do not want to make comments about him personally. Criticism of a film, however, that focuses solely on particular scenes while ignoring the overarching theme of the movie is legalistic.

Ragon, like many of the critics, has not seen the movie. It is much easier to pull out isolated examples of unacceptable behavior when you do not have a grasp of the whole. As Javert, who was never able to see Jean Valjean for anything more than a bread thief, critics are unable to see beyond one scene of rape.

I would hope that Ragon and other critics of the film would not want the Bible to be judged by individual scenes pulled out of the larger context of the grand story of Scripture.

Should the entire Bible be dismissed because it mentions Lot having sex with his daughters?

Or because it describes Tamar dressing as a prostitute in order to sleep with and get the attention of her father-in-law Judah?

The Bible depicts slavery, unmarried sex, rape, racism, prostitution, murder, demon possession and virtually any other sin of which you can think. Should it be judged based only on those things? Would that be fair and right?

As a graduate of seminary, Ragon would have taken a Hermeneutics class, which helps students understand how best to interpret and understand God's word. One of the first rules in biblical interpretation is "Context is king."

You do not pull verses or even passages out in isolation in an attempt to understand them. They must be interpreted within the context of the passage, the particular book and the Bible as a whole.

It is equally wrong to attempt to evaluate and understand the message of Les Mis by pulling out certain scenes that depict sinful behavior.

Anyone who has seen the film would know that the scene in which Fantine is raped is anything but appealing or sexual. It shows the brokenness of humanity and the depths at which people without hope will go.

The scene does not glorify the behavior or the lifestyle. It laments their reality and aches for someone to bring hope into the situation, as Jean Valjean later does.

Les Miserables is about a man without hope is shown grace physically and spiritually and is redeemed from a life of slavery to the law he could never obey. That is the gospel and something that Christians can rejoice is presented so clearly in a modern movie theater.

We are Jean Valjean. God has radically saved us from a life of sin and slavery. Our tendency, however, is to become Javert. Les Mis is a beautiful reminder of both of those realities.