"The Apostle"

Title: "The Apostle"
Director: Robert Duvall
Producer: Steve Brown, Rob Carliner, and Robert Duvall
Editing: Stephen Mack
Composer: David Mansfield
Starring:
- Robert Duvall as Euliss "Sonny" Dewey - The Apostle E.F.
- Farrah Fawcett as Jessie Dewey
- Billy Bob Thornton as Troublemaker
- June Carter Cash as Mrs. "Momma" Dewey Sr.
- Miranda Richardson as Toosie

Plot and Critical Review: Sonny is a married Texas charismatic Pentecostal Christian preacher with a wandering eye. As a result of his infidelity, his wife Jessie has begun a relationship with a youth minister named Horace. She refuses Sonny's desire to be reconciled, although she assures him that she will not interfere with his right to see his children. She has also conspired to use their church's bylaws to have him removed from power. Sonny asks God what to do. Much of the congregation sides with Sonny in this dispute. Sonny, however, refuses to start a new church, insisting that the one which forced him out was "his" church. At his child's Little League game, Sonny, in an emotional fit, attacks Horace with a bat and puts him into a coma.

A fleeing Sonny ditches his car in a river and gets rid of all identifying information. He ends up in Louisiana, where, now calling himself "The Apostle E.F.", he convinces a retired minister named Blackwell to help him start a new church. He also begins a dating relationship with a local radio station employee.

With Sonny's energy and charisma, the church soon has a faithful and racially integrated flock. Sonny even succeeds in converting a racist bigot (Thornton) who shows up at a church picnic intent on destruction.

Eventually Jessie hears her ex-husband preaching on the radio and calls the Texas State Police. They arrive at "E.F.'s" church in the middle of a sermon but allow him to finish before they take him into custody. In the poignant finale, Sonny delivers an impassioned sermon before telling his flock that he has to go.

"The Apostle" received favor from moviegoers and critics alike for Duvall's poignant combination of writing, directing, and acting. This film was also embraced by Christians of all denominations for its portrayal of the reality of Christian life. While some films have portrayed Christians as being close to or quite near perfect, "The Apostle" takes a brave stride in confronting infidelity, destructive behavior, and deceit in the life of those who confess Jesus as Lord. At the same time it presents the heartbreaking struggle for reconciliation, forgiveness, and inner peace. In a time when many in the world perceive religion as an escape from reality, I believe this film is a sobering reminder that "...all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

My Rating: 7.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-2 – No comment.
L-2 – Some cursing.
DU-1 – No comment.
RT-3.5 – Thornton's character displays intensely aggressive racial behavior in his first few appearances on camera.
H/S-1 – No comment.
CH-1 – No comment.
S/N-1 – No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "...we get it done, don't we?"

Ranked at #32 on the "Art & Faith Top 100 Films" list, "The Apostle" is full of enough faith-related thematic material to fill many blogs. There are the obvious elements of faith, healing, trust, guidance, reconciliation, forgiveness, friendship, romance, understanding, and perseverance. What strikes me as poignant this time around is one short scene and one very brief line that Sonny speaks as he travels to Bayou Boutte, Louisiana. He watches as a Catholic priest blesses shrimp boats with holy water as they pass by. Sonny chuckles to himself and simply says, "You do it your way, I do it mine, but we get it done, don't we?" This statement, simple as it is, has a great deal to say to us.

Have you ever turned on the television and, while surfing through the channels, stumbled upon TBN or another Christian network and watched as something unfamiliar to you was going on? For some of us an unfamiliar scene may be that of hundreds of people jumping up and down; giving their praise to God with unchecked exuberance. Maybe you've listened as people began to speak or sing in tongues; a spiritual language you'd never heard before. You may have even caught glimpses of a High Mass from St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and watched as the Pope and hundred of men dressed in ornate clothing chanted solemn prayers in Latin. Rather than seeing these events on television, perhaps a friend invited you to their church and, much to your surprise, you ended up face-first in a worship setting unfamiliar to you. In that moment, what was your reaction?

While some people may feel quite comfortable in charismatic worship services, there are others who wouldn't be able to sit still in services which include chanting, litanies, and hymns belted out by a pipe organ. While we don't have to agree with the ways other people choose to worship God, we must humble our hearts and recognize that that is precisely what they're doing...worshipping God! This is what Sonny saw as he looked out over the river and watched as the priest blessed the shrimping boats. This was something altogether outside of his tradition as a Holiness preacher, but he immediately recognized that they were worshipping God by blessing (praying for) those involved with the commercial industry of shrimping. What can we learn from Sonny's example?

We all respond in unique ways to different expressions of faith. This comes as a result of our upbringing, unique personalities, and personal sensitivities. But when we look upon a person or a group of people who are worshipping God in a way different than what we're used to, let us not cast judgment or decide to scrutinize the differences between what we do and they do. Rather, let us say "Amen! Praise God!"

A friend has told many stories of his experiences in Charismatic churches, a tradition of faith he wasn't used to. But even in the midst of his discomfort he decided that he wasn't going to judge these people because they worshipped God differently than he did. He described his decision to respect different worship styles in this way: "If you want to pray in tongues, i'll listen. If you want to lay hands on me, i'll let you. Hey, i'll help you roll up and down the aisles if you want me to! But i'll still keep worship in my own way while respecting yours."

We are in need of unity in the Body of Christ now more than ever before. I believe we can help to see that long-desired unity come to pass by laying down our pride and admitting that our way of worshipping is not the only way. Let us strive to end the wars that rage between churches and the communities of faith that shout back and forth, "We worship better than you!" and "Our worship is more pure!" May God soften our hearts and help us to see it is not the manner in which we worship that is most important, but that we worship God together. Remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman who was so concerned about where people would worship: "...an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ... But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth..." (John 4: 21, 23)

See you tomorrow- E.T.